KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Virginia

HB639 • 2026

Elections; administration, acceptance of certain gifts and funding, approval required.

An Act to amend and reenact § 24.2-124.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; administration; acceptance of certain gifts and funding; approval required.

Education Elections
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Krizek
Last action
2026-05-19
Official status
Governor's Veto
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was vetoed by the Governor due to lack of clarity and additional guardrails on private funding use.

Elections; Acceptance of Gifts and Funding

This act changes Virginia's laws to allow elections officials to accept property and services from private individuals or organizations for election-related activities but requires a two-thirds majority vote for funding over $1,000.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the rule that stops elections officials from accepting property and services provided by private individuals or nongovernmental entities for voter education and outreach programs, voter registration programs, or any other expense incurred in the conduct of elections.
  • Requires a two-thirds majority vote of all members of the State Board of Elections or local governing body to approve money or grants over $1,000 given by private individuals or nongovernmental entities for election-related activities.

Who It Names or Affects

  • State Board of Elections
  • Local election officials

Terms To Know

two-thirds majority vote
A decision made by at least two out of every three members voting on an issue.
nongovernmental entity
An organization that is not run by the government, like a business or charity.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify if the $1,000 limit applies weekly, monthly, annually, or cumulatively.
  • It was vetoed by the Governor due to lack of clarity and additional guardrails on private funding use.

Amendments

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

HB639G

2026-04-11 • Governor

Governor's Recommendation

Plain English: (HB639) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION I approve the general purpose of this bill, but I am returning it without my signature with the request that the attached Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26110190D) be accepted.

  • (HB639) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION I approve the general purpose of this bill, but I am returning it without my signature with the request that the attached Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26110190D) be accepted.
HB639H1

2026-04-13 • Governor

Governor Substitute

Plain English: 2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110190D HOUSE BILL NO.

  • 2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110190D HOUSE BILL NO.
  • 639 AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by the Governor on April 13, 2026) (Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Krizek) A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-124.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; administration; acceptance of certain gifts and funding; approval required.
  • Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1.
  • That § 24.2-124.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows: § 24.2-124.1 .

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-19 House

    Governor's Veto Received by House

  2. 2026-05-19 Governor

    Vetoed by Governor

  3. 2026-04-23 House

    Communicated to Governor

  4. 2026-04-23 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026

  5. 2026-04-23 House

    Passed by for the day

  6. 2026-04-22 House

    Passed by for the day

  7. 2026-04-11 Governor

    Governor's recommendation received by House

  8. 2026-04-06 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB639)

  9. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  10. 2026-03-31 Governor

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

  11. 2026-03-31 House

    Signed by Speaker

  12. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  13. 2026-03-31 Governor

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

  14. 2026-03-30 Senate

    Signed by President

  15. 2026-03-30 House

    Enrolled

  16. 2026-03-30 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB639ER)

  17. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  18. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  19. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  20. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Read third time

  21. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  22. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  23. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  24. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Rules suspended

  25. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Rules suspended

  26. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  27. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  28. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  29. 2026-03-03 Privileges and Elections

    Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 7-N)

  30. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  31. 2026-02-13 Privileges and Elections

    Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

  32. 2026-02-12 House

    Read third time and passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A)

  33. 2026-02-11 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  34. 2026-02-10 House

    Read first time

  35. 2026-02-06 Privileges and Elections

    Reported from Privileges and Elections (15-Y 7-N)

  36. 2026-02-02 Election Administration

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 2-N)

  37. 2026-01-30 Election Administration

    Assigned HPE sub: Election Administration

  38. 2026-01-28 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB639)

  39. 2026-01-13 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105112D

  40. 2026-01-13 Privileges and Elections

    Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

Official Summary Text

Elections; administration; acceptance of certain gifts and funding; approval required.
Removes the prohibition on accepting property and services provided by a private individual or nongovernmental entity for the purpose of funding voter education and outreach programs, voter registration programs, or any other expense incurred in the conduct of elections. Conditions the acceptance of money or grants of greater than $1,000 given by a private individual or nongovernmental entity for the purpose of funding voter education and outreach programs, voter registration programs, or any other expense incurred in the conduct of elections on approval of such funding by a two-thirds majority vote of all members of the State Board of Elections or the local governing body.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
(HB639)
GOVERNOR'S VETO
Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 639, which would allow the State Board of Elections (“SBE”), the Virginia Department of Elections (“ELECT”), and local election officials to receive property and services from private individuals and nongovernmental entities.
In 2022, the General Assembly passed legislation prohibiting the SBE, ELECT, local electoral boards, and all offices of the general registrar from soliciting, accepting, using, or disposing of any money, grants, property, or services given by a private individual or nongovernmental entity for the purpose of funding voter education and outreach programs, voter registration programs, or any other expense incurred in the conduct of elections.
House Bill 639 seeks to address some of the unintended consequences of the 2022 law, particularly concerns that the law prohibits election administrators from accepting certain low-price items, like a free coffee on Election Day, or resources to assist with voter outreach. I agree with the intent of this bill, and I offered several amendments to ensure appropriate guardrails are in place for the acceptance of private funds and services. The enrolled bill includes a $1,000 cap, but does not specify whether the cap is weekly, monthly, annually, or all-time.
My amendments would clarify that the $1,000 limit is on an annual basis, require recipients to disclose any money, grants, property, or services provided by a private individual or nongovernmental entity to ELECT, and require ELECT to establish guidelines for acceptable uses of funds for general registrars and local election officials.
However, the General Assembly rejected these amendments which would have ensured additional clarity and guardrails on the use of private funds in election administration and voter registration programs.
Accordingly, I veto this bill.