VA HB968 | 2026 | Regular Regular Session
Status
Completed Legislative Action
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: Passed on April 13 2026 - 100% progression
Action: 2026-04-13 - Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0718)
Text: Latest bill text (Chaptered) [HTML]
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: Passed on April 13 2026 - 100% progression
Action: 2026-04-13 - Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0718)
Text: Latest bill text (Chaptered) [HTML]
Summary
Election results; counting machine-readable ballots; processing absentee ballots. Requires ballot scanner machines to be used to count machine-readable ballots and prohibits such ballots from being counted by hand unless (i) the ballot scanner machine is inoperative, (ii) there is no other available scanner, and (iii) it would be unreasonable to wait for (a) the inoperative ballot scanner to be made operative or (b) an operative ballot scanner machine to be delivered to the polling place rather than hand counting the ballots. "Ballot scanner machine" and "machine-readable ballot" are defined terms under current law. The bill also provides that if, in the processing and counting of provisional and absentee ballots, any machine-readable ballot is damaged or defective, a team of election officials representing both parties shall make a true duplicate copy of such damaged ballot as a substitute for such damaged ballot. This bill has a delayed effective date of September 1, 2026.
Title
Election results; counting machine-readable ballots, processing absentee ballots.
Sponsors
Roll Calls
2026-03-04 - House - Senate substitute agreed to by House (63-Y 32-N 0-A) (Y: 63 N: 32 NV: 0 Abs: 4) [PASS]
2026-03-02 - Senate - Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Y: 21 N: 19 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-02-26 - Senate - Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-02-24 - Senate - Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (8-Y 7-N) (Y: 8 N: 7 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-02-03 - House - Read third time and passed House (65-Y 33-N 0-A) (Y: 65 N: 33 NV: 0 Abs: 2) [PASS]
2026-01-30 - House - Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (16-Y 6-N) (Y: 16 N: 6 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-01-26 - House - Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 2-N) (Y: 6 N: 2 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-03-02 - Senate - Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Y: 21 N: 19 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-02-26 - Senate - Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-02-24 - Senate - Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (8-Y 7-N) (Y: 8 N: 7 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-02-03 - House - Read third time and passed House (65-Y 33-N 0-A) (Y: 65 N: 33 NV: 0 Abs: 2) [PASS]
2026-01-30 - House - Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (16-Y 6-N) (Y: 16 N: 6 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-01-26 - House - Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 2-N) (Y: 6 N: 2 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
History
| Date | Chamber | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-13 | Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0718) | |
| 2026-04-13 | Approved by Governor - Chapter 718 (effective - 9/1/2026) | |
| 2026-03-14 | Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 | |
| 2026-03-14 | House | Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 |
| 2026-03-12 | House | Signed by Speaker |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Signed by President |
| 2026-03-11 | House | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB968) |
| 2026-03-11 | House | Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB968ER) |
| 2026-03-11 | House | Enrolled |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House (63-Y 32-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Privileges and Elections Substitute agreed to |
| 2026-02-27 | Senate | Passed by for the day |
| 2026-02-27 | Senate | Read third time |
| 2026-02-26 | House | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB968) |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Rules suspended |
| 2026-02-25 | Senate | Committee substitute printed 26107343D-S1 |
| 2026-02-25 | Senate | Senate committee offered |
| 2026-02-24 | Senate | Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (8-Y 7-N) |
| 2026-02-24 | Senate | Senate committee offered |
| 2026-02-24 | Senate | Senate committee offered |
| 2026-02-06 | House | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB968) |
| 2026-02-04 | Senate | Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections |
| 2026-02-04 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Read third time and passed House (65-Y 33-N 0-A) |
| 2026-02-02 | House | Engrossed by House - committee substitute |
| 2026-02-02 | House | committee substitute agreed to |
| 2026-02-02 | House | Read second time |
| 2026-01-30 | House | Read first time |
| 2026-01-30 | House | Committee substitute printed 26106669D-H1 |
| 2026-01-30 | House | Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (16-Y 6-N) |
| 2026-01-30 | House | House committee offered |
| 2026-01-27 | House | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB968) |
| 2026-01-26 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 2-N) |
| 2026-01-25 | House | Assigned HPE sub: Election Administration |
| 2026-01-13 | House | Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections |
| 2026-01-13 | House | Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101436D |
