Back to Virginia

HB59 • 2026

Reapportionment; reallocation of populations, population data, civil commitment facilities.

An Act to amend and reenact § 24.2-314 of the Code of Virginia, relating to reapportionment; reallocation of populations; civil commitment facilities.

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Ware
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 the consequences if information about civilly committed individuals cannot be determined or provided by July 1.

Counting People in Special Facilities for Redistricting

This act requires people who are civilly committed to behavioral health facilities to be counted and reallocated for redistricting purposes.

What This Bill Does

  • Counts and reallocates people who are civilly committed in behavioral health facilities for redistricting and reapportionment.
  • Requires the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to provide information about these individuals to the Division of Legislative Services by July 1 each year.
  • Includes race, ethnicity, age, and address data for those civilly committed.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who are civilly committed to behavioral health facilities.
  • The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.
  • The Division of Legislative Services.

Terms To Know

Reapportionment
Redrawing the boundaries of electoral districts based on population changes.
Civil commitment
A legal process where a person is involuntarily placed in a mental health facility for treatment.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the adjusted population data will be used beyond redistricting and reapportionment.
  • It is unclear what happens if information about civilly committed individuals cannot be determined or provided by July 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 551 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 551 (effective 7/1/2026)

  3. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0551)

  4. 2026-03-14 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

  5. 2026-03-14 Governor

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

  6. 2026-03-10 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Signed by President

  8. 2026-03-10 House

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-03-10 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB59ER)

  10. 2026-03-10 House

    Enrolled

  11. 2026-03-10 House

    Enrolled

  12. 2026-03-10 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB59)

  13. 2026-03-03 House

    Senate substitute agreed to by House (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

  14. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Read third time

  15. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  16. 2026-02-27 Privileges and Elections

    Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)

  17. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

  18. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Rules suspended

  19. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  20. 2026-02-26 Senate

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

  21. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  22. 2026-02-26 Privileges and Elections

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB59)

  23. 2026-02-24 Privileges and Elections

    Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (15-Y 0-N)

  24. 2026-02-24 Senate

    Senate committee offered

  25. 2026-02-24 Privileges and Elections

    Committee substitute printed 26108517D-S1

  26. 2026-02-04 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  27. 2026-02-04 Privileges and Elections

    Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

  28. 2026-02-03 House

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

  29. 2026-02-02 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  30. 2026-01-30 Privileges and Elections

    Reported from Privileges and Elections (22-Y 0-N)

  31. 2026-01-30 House

    Read first time

  32. 2026-01-28 Voting Rights

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)

  33. 2026-01-26 Voting Rights

    Assigned HPE sub: Voting Rights

  34. 2026-01-13 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB59)

  35. 2025-12-30 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102061D

  36. 2025-12-30 Privileges and Elections

    Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

Official Summary Text

Reapportionment; reallocation of populations; civil commitment facilities.
Requires persons civilly committed to a residential behavioral health facility administered by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to be counted and reallocated for redistricting and reapportionment purposes. This bill is identical to SB 88.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
An Act to amend and reenact §
24.2-314
of the Code of Virginia, relating to reapportionment; reallocation of populations; civil commitment facilities.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
24.2-314
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
24.2-314
. Population data; reallocation of certain populations.
A. Persons incarcerated in federal correctional facilities and in state and local correctional facilities, as those terms are defined in §
53.1-1
,
or persons civilly committed to a facility operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services pursuant to Chapter 9 (§
37.2-900
et seq.) of Title 37.2
shall be counted and reallocated for redistricting and reapportionment purposes in accordance with the provisions of this section and the following:
1. A person incarcerated in a federal, state, or local correctional facility
or a person civilly committed to a facility operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services pursuant to Chapter 9 (§
37.2-900
et seq.) of Title 37.2
whose address at the time of incarceration
or civil commitment
was located within the Commonwealth shall be deemed to reside at such address.
2. A person incarcerated in a federal, state, or local correctional facility
or a person civilly committed to a facility operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services pursuant to Chapter 9 (§
37.2-900
et seq.) of Title 37.2
whose address at the time of incarceration
or civil commitment
was located outside of the Commonwealth or whose address at the time of incarceration
or civil commitment
cannot be determined shall be deemed to reside at the location of the facility in which he is incarcerated
or civilly committed
.
B. By July 1 of any year in which the decennial census is taken, the Department of Corrections and the State Board of Local and Regional Jails shall provide to the Division of Legislative Services, in a format specified by the Division of Legislative Services, the following information for each person who was incarcerated in a state or local correctional facility on April 1 of that year:
1. A unique identifier, other than his name or offender identification number, assigned by the Department of Corrections or the State Board of Local and Regional Jails for this purpose;
2. His residential street address at the time of incarceration, or other legal residence, if known;
3. His race, his ethnicity as identified by him, and whether he is 18 years of age or older; and
4. The street address of the correctional facility in which he was incarcerated on April 1 of that year.
C.
By July 1 of any year in which the decennial census is taken, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall provide to the Division of Legislative Services, in a format specified by the Division of Legislative Services, the following information for each person who was civilly committed to a facility operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services pursuant to Chapter 9 (§
37.2-900
et seq.) of Title 37.2 on April 1 of that year:
1. A unique identifier, other than his name, assigned by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services for this purpose;
2. His residential street address at the time of commitment, or other legal residence, if known;
3. His race, his ethnicity as identified by him, and whether he is 18 years of age or older; and
4. The street address of the facility in which he was civilly committed on April 1 of that year.
D.
The Division of Legislative Services shall request each agency operating a federal correctional facility in the Commonwealth that incarcerates persons convicted of a criminal offense to provide to the Division of Legislative Services by July 1 of any year in which the decennial census is taken a record containing the information specified in subsection B for each person who was incarcerated in the facility on April 1 of that year. Any person incarcerated in a federal correctional facility for whom a record is not received by the Division of Legislative Services shall be deemed to have an address at the time of incarceration that cannot be determined.
D.
E.
The Division of Legislative Services shall prepare adjusted population data, including race and ethnicity data, in a manner that reflects the inclusion of incarcerated
and civilly committed
persons in the population count of the locality in which he is deemed to reside pursuant to subdivision A 1 or 2.
This adjusted population data shall be used for purposes of redistricting and reapportionment and shall be the basis for congressional, state Senate, House of Delegates, and local government election districts. This adjusted population data shall not be used in the distribution of any federal or state aid.
E.
F.
The Division of Legislative Services shall make the adjusted population data available no later than 30 days following receipt of population data from the United States Bureau of the Census pursuant to P.L.
94-171
. In making this data available, the Division of Legislative Services shall ensure no information regarding a specific incarcerated
or civilly committed
person's address at the time of incarceration
or commitment
is made public.