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: 2026-04-23
Official status: Awaiting Governor's Action
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify that local electoral boards and general registrars must report all gifts or funding from private sources to the Department, only that they should follow a process established by the Department for reporting such items.

Elections; Accepting Gifts and Funding

This law changes rules about accepting gifts and funding for election activities in Virginia.

What This Bill Does

Removes the ban on getting property or services from private people or groups to fund voter education, registration programs, or other election costs.
Requires approval by a two-thirds majority of the State Board of Elections before accepting money or grants over $1,000 for election activities.

Who It Names or Affects

State Board of Elections
Local electoral boards
General registrars

Terms To Know

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

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify what happens if approval for funding over $1,000 is denied.
The Department must create guidance on acceptable uses of gifts and funding but does not say how this will be enforced.

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

2026-04-23 House
Passed by for the day
2026-04-22 House
Communicated to Governor
2026-04-22 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026
2026-04-22 House
Passed by for the day
2026-04-11 Governor
Governor's recommendation received by House
2026-04-06 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB639)
2026-03-31 House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
2026-03-31 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-31 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-03-31 House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
2026-03-31 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-30 Senate
Signed by President
2026-03-30 House
Enrolled
2026-03-30 House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB639ER)
2026-03-10 Senate
Read third time
2026-03-10 Senate
Read third time
2026-03-10 Senate
Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
2026-03-09 Senate
Read third time
2026-03-09 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-03-06 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-03-06 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-03-05 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-03-05 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-03-05 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-03-05 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-05 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-03-03 Privileges and Elections
Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 7-N)
2026-02-13 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-13 Privileges and Elections
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
2026-02-12 House
Read third time and passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A)
2026-02-11 House
Read second time and engrossed
2026-02-10 House
Read first time
2026-02-06 Privileges and Elections
Reported from Privileges and Elections (15-Y 7-N)
2026-02-02 Election Administration
Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 2-N)
2026-01-30 Election Administration
Assigned HPE sub: Election Administration
2026-01-28 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB639)
2026-01-13 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105112D
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

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
. Acceptance of certain gifts and funding; approval required.
The State Board, the Department, each local electoral board, and all offices of the general registrar shall not solicit, accept, use, or dispose of any money, grants, property, or services
with a value of more than $1,000 annually
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
unless acceptance of such funding has been approved by a two-thirds majority vote of all members of the State Board
.
The recipient shall report any money, grants, property, or services provided by a private individual or nongovernmental entity to the Department through a process established by the Department.
This section shall not be construed to prohibit
(i) the operation of a polling place or voter satellite office in a facility furnished by a private individual or nongovernmental entity that otherwise meets the requirements for polling places provided in §§
24.2-310
and
24.2-310.1
or voter satellite offices provided in §
24.2-701.2
or (ii)
any
acceptance of a federal government grant funded in whole or
in
part by donations from private individuals or nongovernmental entities.
2. That the Department shall publish and distribute guidance for local electoral boards and offices of general registrars regarding acceptance of and acceptable uses of money, grants, property, and services pursuant to §
24.2-124.1
of the Code of Virginia, as amended by this act, by October 1, 2026.