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SB343 • 2026

Herndon, Town of; amending charter, clarifies duties of town council.

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 4.1 and 4.2 and §§ 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, and 5.8, as severally amended, of Chapter 646 of the Acts of Assembly of 1968, which provided a charter for the Town of Herndon in Fairfax County, and to repeal §§ 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 6.1:2, and 7.5 of Chapter 646 of the Acts of Assembly of 1968, relating to town manager, town employees, town attorney.

Labor
Enacted

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text provides specific details about the changes but does not specify an effective date for these amendments.

Herndon Town Charter Update

This act updates the charter for the Town of Herndon in Fairfax County, Virginia, to provide more flexibility and clarify duties related to town management.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the town council to make agreements with the town manager about where he lives.
  • Clarifies that the town manager can hire employees and deputies as needed.
  • Removes outdated rules about the town manager's responsibilities.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Town of Herndon in Fairfax County, Virginia

Terms To Know

Charter
A document that outlines the rules and structure for a town's government.
Town Manager
The chief administrative officer of the town who oversees day-to-day operations.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify when the changes will take effect.
  • Only applies to the Town of Herndon and does not affect other towns in Virginia.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 692 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0692)

  3. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

  4. 2026-03-10 Governor

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

  5. 2026-02-27 House

    Signed by Speaker

  6. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Signed by President

  7. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Enrolled

  8. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB343ER)

  9. 2026-02-25 House

    Read third time

  10. 2026-02-25 House

    Passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A)

  11. 2026-02-24 House

    Read second time

  12. 2026-02-20 Counties, Cities and Towns

    Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns (21-Y 0-N)

  13. 2026-02-04 House

    Placed on Calendar

  14. 2026-02-04 House

    Read first time

  15. 2026-02-04 Counties, Cities and Towns

    Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns

  16. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  17. 2026-01-28 Senate

    Read second time

  18. 2026-01-28 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  19. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Rules suspended

  20. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  21. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Read first time

  22. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  23. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  24. 2026-01-26 Local Government

    Reported from Local Government (14-Y 0-N)

  25. 2026-01-13 Senate

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103308D

  26. 2026-01-13 Local Government

    Referred to Committee on Local Government

Official Summary Text

Charter; Town of Herndon.
Updates the charter for the Town of Herndon in Fairfax County to permit greater flexibility for the town council to contract with the town manager regarding the location of his residence, clarifies the duties of the town manager relative to employees, clarifies that the town council has the authority to appoint two officers: the town manager and town attorney, and establishes that the town manager has the authority to employ any deputies or assistants for the two appointed offices. The bill also removes outdated or duplicative provisions that occur as a result of the changes to the town manager's duties and authority and an obsolete reference to a Town of Herndon school board. This bill is identical to HB 887.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 4.1 and 4.2 and §§ 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, and 5.8, as severally amended, of Chapter 646 of the Acts of Assembly of 1968, which provided a charter for the Town of Herndon in Fairfax County, and to repeal §§ 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 6.1:2, and 7.5 of Chapter 646 of the Acts of Assembly of 1968, relating to town manager, town employees, town attorney.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 4.1 and 4.2 and §§ 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, and 5.8, as severally amended, of Chapter 646 of the Acts of Assembly of 1968 are amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 4.1. Appointment.
The town council may appoint a chief administrative officer of the town who shall be called the town manager, fix his salary and delegate to him such administrative duties, powers and responsibilities as it believes to be in the best interest of the town. During his tenure of office
,
the town manager shall reside within the town
, unless the town council contractually provides otherwise
. The town manager shall serve at and during the pleasure of the town council.
§ 4.2. Duties.
It shall be the duty of the town manager to (a)
with the exception of the town manager and the town attorney, appoint all department heads, and all other employees of the town; (b)
attend all meetings of the town council, with the responsibility to council and advise but with no voting rights;
(b)
(c)
keep the town council advised of the financial condition and the future needs of the town and of all matters pertaining to its proper administration,, and make such recommendations as he deems desirable;
(c)
(d)
prepare and submit the annual budget to the town council and be responsible for its administration after its adoption;
(d)
(e)
prepare in suitable form for publication and submit to the town council at a regular meeting in September of each year a concise, comprehensive report of the financial transactions and administrative activities of the town government during the immediately preceding fiscal year;
(e)
(f)
present adequate financial and activity reports as required by the town council;
(f)
(g)
arrange for an annual audit by a certified public accountant, the selection of whom shall be approved by the town council; and
(g)
(h)
perform such other duties as may be prescribed by this charter or required in accordance therewith by the
Mayor
mayor
or the town council or which may be required of the chief administrative officer of a town by the general laws of the Commonwealth other than the duties conferred on the mayor by this charter.
§ 4.3. Temporary transfer of personnel between departments and removal of personnel.
The town manager shall have the power, whenever the interests of the town require, to assign employees of any department, bureau, office or agency under his supervision to the temporary performance of duties in another department, bureau, office or agency. The town manager shall
have the authority to appoint and remove personnel of the town. The town manager shall
not have the right or power to appoint, transfer, or remove the town attorney
or deputy town attorneys, but the town council may delegate to the town manager the authority to appoint and remove other personnel
.
§ 5.1.
Appointments
Appointment of officers, terms, bonds and vacancies
.
The town council shall appoint a
town manager and
town attorney
who shall hold office at and during the pleasure of the council, shall execute such bonds as may be prescribed by resolution of the council
and
deputy town attorneys and may appoint or delegate to the town manager the appointment of such other officers of the town as they deem necessary. The town manager shall be responsible for appointing and supervising the work of the town clerk. Each and every officer appointed by the town council shall be directly responsible to the town council and mayor. Such officers
shall perform such duties as are required by general law, as well as such additional duties not inconsistent with general law as this charter or the council may prescribe
, and the council shall have power to fill any vacancy in any of such offices. Upon the failure of any council to appoint such officers, all of such officers then in office shall so continue in office until removed by that or a succeeding council. The same person may be appointed to fill two offices at the discretion of the council, except for the town attorney
.
§ 5.2. Deputies and assistants.
The
town council may appoint or authorize the appointment by the
town manager
of
is authorized to employ
such deputies and assistants to appointive offices as
they
he
may deem necessary.
§ 5.8. Residency of appointive officers and employees.
Appointive officers and employees of the town need not reside within the town, except as specifically specified by the provisions of the charter or by general law or unless specifically required by the council
by contract
.
2. That §§ 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 6.1:2, and 7.5 of Chapter 646 of the Acts of Assembly of 1968 are repealed.