HB162 • 2026

Public campaign financing; counties and cities may establish for certain offices.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 9.3 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 3.1, consisting of a section numbered 24.2-948.10, relating to campaign finance; public campaign financing; counties and cities may establish for certain offices.</p>

Elections

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Simon
Last action: 2026-02-06
Official status: Continued
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text does not specify which local offices can use this system, leaving it open-ended for counties and cities to determine eligibility criteria.

Public Campaign Financing for Local Offices

This bill allows counties and cities in Virginia to create systems that give public money to candidates running for local offices who agree to certain rules.

What This Bill Does

Allows county or city governments to make rules about giving public money to help pay for campaigns of people running for local office.
Requires the treasurer of a county or city to manage a fund with public money for these campaign finance systems.
Permits stricter rules on how candidates use this public money compared to regular campaign rules, but still needs approval from state officials.

Who It Names or Affects

County and city governments in Virginia
Candidates running for local offices who choose to participate

Terms To Know

Public Campaign Financing: A system where the government gives money to help pay for political campaigns.
Treasurer: The person in charge of managing a county or city's financial resources.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify which local offices can use this system.
Details about how the public money is given and used are left to each county or city to decide.
Requires state approval, but does not explain exactly what that process looks like.

Bill History

2026-02-06 Privileges and Elections
Continued to 2027 in Privileges and Elections (Voice Vote)
2026-01-20 Campaigns and Candidates
Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2027 (Voice Vote)
2026-01-20 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB162)
2026-01-19 Campaigns and Candidates
Assigned HPE sub: Campaign and Candidates
2026-01-06 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101223D
2026-01-06 Privileges and Elections
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

Official Summary Text

Public campaign financing; counties and cities may establish for certain offices.
Authorizes the governing body of a county or city to establish by ordinance a system of public campaign financing for elected local offices. The bill specifies certain requirements for a system of public campaign financing established by a governing body, including the provision of a public election fund to be administered by the treasurer of the county or city. A system of public campaign financing established by a county or city is permitted to more stringently regulate the campaign finance activity of participating candidates and shall be subject to regulation and oversight by the State Board of Elections to ensure its conformity with state law and policy to the extent practicable.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 9.3 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 3.1, consisting of a section numbered
24.2-948.10
, relating to campaign finance; public campaign financing; counties and cities may establish for certain offices.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 9.3 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 3.1, consisting of a section numbered
24.2-948.10
, as follows:

Article 3.1.

Public Campaign Financing.

§
24.2-948
.
10
. System of
public campaign financing.

A. Subject to the provisions of this section, the governing body of a county or city may establish, by ordinance, a system of public campaign financing for elected local offices. The ordinance shall specify the criteria for use in determining whether a candidate is eligible for public campaign financing.

B. A system of public campaign financing established in a county or city pursuant to this section shall:

1. Provide for the participation of candidates in public campaign financing on a strictly voluntary basis. Candidates who do not choose to participate in the system of public campaign financing shall not be regulated
pursuant to (i) this section or (ii) any ordinance adopted
pursuant to this section
.

2. Prohibit the use of public campaign financing for any campaign except a campaign for an elected local office.

3. Require a candidate who accepts public campaign financing to (i) designate a campaign depository solely for the campaign of the elected local office and (ii) use funds from that campaign depository only for the campaign of the elected local office for which it was designated.

4. Prohibit a candidate who accepts public campaign financing from transferring funds (i) to the campaign depository designated for the campaign of the elected local office from any other campaign depository designated for the candidate and (ii) from the campaign depository designated for the campaign of the elected local office to any other campaign depository.

C. The governing body of a county or city that establishes a system of public campaign financing shall provide for a public election fund for elected local offices. Such fund shall be administered by the treasurer of the county or city.

D. A system of public campaign financing established pursuant to this section may provide for more stringent regulation of the campaign finance activity by candidates participating in the system of public campaign financing
than provided by
this chapter
,

i
ncluding regulations regarding contributions, expenditures, and reporting requirements, and may impose civil penalties for violations.

E. Any system of public campaign financing established pursuant to this section shall be subject to regulation and oversight by the State Board to ensure conformity and compliance with state law and policy to the extent practicable.