HB117 • 2026

Youth, Virginia Commission on; nonlegislative citizen member, person younger than 18 years of age.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend and reenact § 30-174 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Commission on Youth; membership; nonlegislative citizen member; person younger than 18 years of age.</p>

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Seibold
Last action: 2026-02-18
Official status: Failed
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide information on how many young people can serve at once, leaving this detail uncertain.

Youth Representation on Virginia's Commission

This bill changes the rules for who can join a special group in Virginia that helps make decisions about young people, requiring at least one member to be under 18 years old when appointed by the Governor.

What This Bill Does

Requires at least one of the non-politician members on the Virginia Commission on Youth to be younger than 18 years old at the time they are chosen by the Governor.
Allows a young person who turns 18 during their term to continue serving until their two-year term ends.

Who It Names or Affects

The Virginia Commission on Youth
Young people under 18 in Virginia

Terms To Know

Virginia Commission on Youth: A group that studies and makes recommendations about the needs of young people and their families in Virginia.
Nonlegislative citizen member: A person who is not a politician but is chosen by the Governor to be part of the Commission on Youth.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how many young people can serve at once.
It's unclear if this change will actually lead to more youth voices being heard in decision-making processes.

Bill History

2026-02-18 House
Left in Committee Rules
2026-01-23 Studies Subcommittee
Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (5-Y 0-N)
2026-01-22 Studies Subcommittee
Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee
2026-01-12 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB117)
2026-01-02 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102272D
2026-01-02 Rules
Referred to Committee on Rules

Official Summary Text

Virginia Commission on Youth; membership; nonlegislative citizen member; person younger than 18 years of age.
Requires at least one of the nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor to the Virginia Commission on Youth to be a minor at the time of appointment. The bill provides that a minor nonlegislative citizen member who reaches 18 years of age during the term to which he was appointed is permitted to continue to serve until his term expires. Under current law, nonlegislative citizen members serve terms of four years; the bill provides that minor nonlegislative citizen members serve terms of two years.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

A BILL to amend and reenact §
30-174
of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Commission on Youth; membership; nonlegislative citizen member; person younger than 18 years of age.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §
30-174
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§
30-174
. Virginia Commission on Youth; purpose; membership; terms; compensation and expenses; quorum; voting on recommendations.

A. The Virginia Commission on Youth (the Commission) is established in the legislative branch of state government. The purpose of the Commission shall be to study and provide recommendations addressing the needs of and services to the Commonwealth's youth and their families. In so doing, it shall encourage the development of uniform policies and services to youth across the Commonwealth and provide a forum for continuing review and study of such services. In addition to its own proposals, the Commission shall coordinate the proposals and recommendations of all commissions and agencies as to legislation affecting youth.

B. The Commission shall consist of 12 members to be appointed as follows: six members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; three members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and three nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be citizens of the Commonwealth.
At least one nonlegislative citizen member shall be a minor at the time of appointment.

C. Legislative members shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Nonlegislative citizen members shall serve four-year terms
, except that any minor nonlegislative citizen member shall serve a term of two years
.
A minor nonlegislative citizen member
who reaches 18 years of age during the term to which he was appointed may conti
nue to serve
until his term expires.
Members may be reappointed for successive terms. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.

D. The Commission shall elect its chairman and vice-chairman annually. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The meetings of the Commission shall be held at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.

E. Members of the Commission shall receive compensation as provided in §
30-19.12
and shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided in §§
2.2-2813
and
2.2-2825
. However, all such compensation and expense payments shall come from existing appropriations to the Commission.

F. No recommendation of the Commission shall be adopted if a majority of the Senate members or a majority of the House members appointed to the Commission (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the Commission.