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HB140 • 2026

Federally Recognized Tribes, Commission on; purpose, powers, sunset extended.

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 30-414, 30-418, and 30-420 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Commission on Federally Recognized Tribes; purpose; powers; sunset extended.

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Krizek
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on how the Commission will operate or what happens after its expiration date.

Commission on Federally Recognized Tribes Act

The bill changes the name of a Virginia commission, updates its purpose and powers, and extends its expiration date.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the name of the Commission from 'Updating Virginia Law to Reflect Federal Recognition of Virginia Tribes' to 'Commission on Federally Recognized Tribes'.
  • Updates the Commission's purpose to review Virginia law to better reflect relationships with federally recognized tribes as sovereign governments.
  • Extends the expiration date of the Commission from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Commission on Federally Recognized Tribes
  • Virginia state government

Terms To Know

Commission
A group of people appointed to perform a specific function or duty.
Sunset
The date when an organization, program, or law is set to end unless it is renewed.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how the Commission will be funded.
  • Does not detail specific changes to Virginia laws beyond reviewing them.
  • Does not provide information on what happens after July 1, 2027, if the Commission is not renewed.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB140AC

2026-03-13 • Conference

Conference Report

Plain English: The amendment recommends rejecting a previous Senate proposal and accepting a new substitute amendment to resolve disagreements over House Bill No. 140.

  • Rejects the Senate Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26109382D).
  • Accepts a new Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26109796D) to address disagreements.
  • The specific details and content of the new substitute amendment are not provided, making it hard to explain its exact changes.
  • The original bill's sections being amended (§§ 30-414, 30-418, and 30-420) are referenced but their modifications by this amendment are unclear.
HB140H1

2026-03-13 • Conference

Conference Report Substitute

Plain English: The amendment updates sections of Virginia law to extend the sunset date for the Commission on Federally Recognized Tribes and modify its purpose and duties.

  • Extends the expiration date of the chapter from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2027.
  • Changes the purpose of the Commission to recommend ways Virginia law can be revised to better reflect government-to-government relationships with federally recognized tribes.
  • Modifies the duties of the Commission to ensure that Virginia law appropriately reflects these relationships.
  • The amendment text does not provide specific details on how the changes will affect existing laws or operations beyond the stated modifications.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 564 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 564 (effective 7/1/2026)

  3. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0564)

  4. 2026-04-06 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB140)

  5. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  6. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  7. 2026-03-31 House

    Signed by Speaker

  8. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  9. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  10. 2026-03-30 Senate

    Signed by President

  11. 2026-03-30 House

    Enrolled

  12. 2026-03-30 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB140ER)

  13. 2026-03-16 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB140)

  14. 2026-03-14 House

    Conference report agreed to by House (96-Y 1-N 0-A)

  15. 2026-03-14 Senate

    Conference report agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  16. 2026-03-13 Conference

    Conference Report released

  17. 2026-03-13 Conference

    Conference Report released

  18. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Senate requested conference committee

  19. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Senate Conferees: McDougle, Lucas, Locke

  20. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Conferees appointed by Senate

  21. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Senate insisted on substitute

  22. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  23. 2026-03-12 House

    House acceded to request

  24. 2026-03-12 House

    Conferees appointed by House

  25. 2026-03-12 House

    House Conferees: Krizek, Helmer, Griffin

  26. 2026-03-11 House

    Senate substitute rejected by House (1-Y 97-N 0-A)

  27. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  28. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  29. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  30. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  31. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  32. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  33. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  34. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  35. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  36. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  37. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  38. 2026-03-10 Finance and Appropriations

    Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to

  39. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  40. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Rules suspended

  41. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  42. 2026-03-09 Finance and Appropriations

    Committee substitute printed 26109382D-S1

  43. 2026-03-09 Finance and Appropriations

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB140)

  44. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  45. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  46. 2026-03-06 Finance and Appropriations

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 0-N)

  47. 2026-02-27 Rules

    Reported from Rules and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

  48. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  49. 2026-02-13 Rules

    Referred to Committee on Rules

  50. 2026-02-12 House

    Read third time and passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

  51. 2026-02-11 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  52. 2026-02-10 House

    Read first time

  53. 2026-02-06 Rules

    Reported from Rules (16-Y 0-N)

  54. 2026-02-02 Studies Subcommittee

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 0-N)

  55. 2026-01-30 Studies Subcommittee

    Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee

  56. 2026-01-12 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB140)

  57. 2026-01-05 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102993D

  58. 2026-01-05 Rules

    Referred to Committee on Rules

Official Summary Text

Commission on Federally Recognized Tribes; purpose; powers; sunset extended.
Renames the Commission on Updating Virginia Law to Reflect Federal Recognition of Virginia Tribes as the Commission on Federally Recognized Tribes and expands its purpose. The bill extends the sunset of the Commission to July 1, 2027. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Updating Virginia Law to Reflect Federal Recognition of Virginia Tribes.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
An Act to amend and reenact §§
30-414
,
30-418
, and
30-420
of the Code of Virginia, relating to Commission on Federally Recognized Tribes; purpose; powers; sunset extended.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§
30-414
,
30-418
, and
30-420
of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§
30-414
. Commission on Federally Recognized Tribes; purpose.
The Commission on
Updating Virginia Law to Reflect Federal Recognition of Virginia
Federally Recognized
Tribes (the Commission) is established in the legislative branch of state government for the purpose of
performing a comprehensive review of
reviewing
Virginia law to
assess
recommend
ways in which it
must
can
be revised to
better
reflect the government-to-government relationship
between
the Commonwealth
should maintain, by treaty and applicable federal law, with the sovereign, self-governing,
and
federally recognized
Tribal Nations
tribes
located within the present-day external boundaries of the Commonwealth.
§
30-418
. Powers and duties of the Commission; report.
The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
1.
Performing a comprehensive review of
Reviewing
Virginia law to
reflect
ensure that it appropriately reflects
the government-to-government relationship between the Commonwealth and federally recognized
Tribal Nations
tribes
located in the Commonwealth
as distinct governments with the right to exercise general sovereignty and powers of government
.
2. Submitting to the General Assembly and the Governor an annual report for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports. The chairman of the Commission shall submit to the General Assembly and the Governor an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Commission no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted for publication as a report document as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.
§
30-420
. Sunset.
This chapter shall expire on July 1,
2026
2027
.