SB688 • 2026

Campaign finance; establishes campaign contribution limits, contingency, effective clause.

<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 sections numbered 24.2-948.10 through 24.2-948.14, relating to campaign finance; campaign contribution limits; contingency.</p>

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Surovell
Last action: 2026-03-14
Official status: Failed
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was enacted but failed to pass from conference, so its current status is uncertain.

Campaign Finance Rules for Contributions

This bill sets rules on how much money people can give to political campaigns in Virginia, but these rules won't take effect unless the Attorney General says they are likely to be legal.

What This Bill Does

Sets limits on how much money individuals and groups can donate to political campaigns in the state of Virginia.
Requires the Attorney General to certify that any such provision is reasonably probable to be upheld as constitutional before it becomes active.

Who It Names or Affects

People who donate money to political campaigns in Virginia.
Political candidates and committees receiving donations in Virginia.

Terms To Know

Attorney General: The top lawyer for the state of Virginia, responsible for legal advice and representation.
Supreme Court: The highest court in the United States that makes final decisions on laws and cases.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill's rules about donation limits won't start unless the Attorney General says they are likely to be legal.
Some parts of the bill might not become active if the Virginia legislature doesn't agree again in 2027.

Amendments

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

SB688ASC1

2026-02-10 • Committee

Privileges and Elections Amendment

Plain English: The amendment adds a condition that certain campaign finance rules will only take effect if approved again in the next legislative session.

Adds a clause to § 24.2-948.12, which says this section won't start working unless it is passed again by the General Assembly in 2027.

The exact details of what § 24.2-948.12 will do are not explained in the amendment text.

SB688AS1

2026-02-11 • Committee

Privileges and Elections Amendment

Plain English: The amendment adds a condition that new campaign contribution rules will only take effect if approved again in the next legislative session.

Adds a clause to § 24.2-948.12, which says the section won't go into effect unless it is passed again by the General Assembly in 2027.

The amendment only affects the timing of when new campaign contribution rules can take effect and does not provide details about what those rules are.

Bill History

2026-03-14 Senate
No further action taken
2026-03-14 Senate
Failed to Pass from conference
2026-03-14 Senate
Failed to Pass from conference
2026-03-12 Privileges and Elections
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB688)
2026-03-12 House
Conferees appointed by House
2026-03-12 House
House Conferees: Price, Convirs-Fowler, Scott of Spotsylvania
2026-03-11 Senate
Senate Conferees: Mulchi, Surovell, Bennett-Parker
2026-03-11 Senate
Conferees appointed by Senate
2026-03-11 Senate
Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-10 House
House insisted on substitute
2026-03-10 House
House requested conference committee
2026-03-09 Senate
House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)
2026-03-06 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-03-04 House
Read third time
2026-03-04 House
committee substitute agreed to
2026-03-04 House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
2026-03-04 House
Passed House with substitute (89-Y 10-N 0-A)
2026-03-03 House
Read second time
2026-03-02 House
House committee offered
2026-03-02 Privileges and Elections
Committee substitute printed 26108899D-H1
2026-02-27 Privileges and Elections
Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (19-Y 2-N)
2026-02-24 House
Placed on Calendar
2026-02-24 House
Read first time
2026-02-24 Privileges and Elections
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
2026-02-17 Senate
Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
2026-02-17 Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB688)
2026-02-16 Senate
Read second time
2026-02-16 Senate
Reading of substitute waived (Voice Vote)
2026-02-16 Senate
Engrossed by Senate - floor substitute (Voice Vote)
2026-02-16 Senate
Floor Offered
2026-02-16 Privileges and Elections
Privileges and Elections Amendment rejected
2026-02-16 Senate
Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote)
2026-02-16 Senate
Senator Surovell Substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)
2026-02-16 Senate
Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
2026-02-13 Senate
Read second time
2026-02-13 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-12 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-12 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-12 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-12 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-10 Privileges and Elections
Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendment (8-Y 7-N)
2026-02-10 Senate
Senate committee offered
2026-02-03 Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB688)
2026-01-14 Senate
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100017D
2026-01-14 Privileges and Elections
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

Official Summary Text

Campaign finance; campaign contribution and expenditure limits; contingency.
Establishes campaign contribution and expenditure limits for all persons and committees in the Commonwealth. The effectiveness of the provisions of the bill is contingent on certification by the Attorney General to the Code Commission that any such provision is reasonably probable to be upheld as constitutional due to (i) an opinion by the Supreme Court; (ii) The adoption of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution; or (iii) any other reason, to be specified in the certification. The bill also states that in the opinion of the General Assembly, the Supreme Court's decisions in Citizens United v. FEC, 558 US. 310 (2010), McCutcheon v FEC, 572 U.S. 185 (2014), and other related campaign finance cases were wrongly decided, that such decisions undermine the integrity of Virginia's democratic process by preventing reasonable limits on campaign contributions and expenditures, and that contribution and expenditure limits will enhance public trust in Virginia's electoral system, facilitate greater transparency, and ensure that elected officials remain accountable to all Virginians. The provisions of the bill establishing expenditure limits for candidates do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2027 Session of the General Assembly.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL NO. 688

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on Privileges and Elections

on February 27, 2026)

(Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Surovell)

A BILL to urge the United States Congress to take action relating to campaign finance contribution and expenditure limits.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.
§ 1. That
the
Clerk of the Senate shall transmit a copy of this act to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Virginia Congressional Delegation so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia on the need to take action with regard to campaign
finance
regulation
. S
pecifically
,
that the General Assembly finds that:

1. The United States Supreme Court's decisions in
Citizens United v. FEC
, 558 US. 310 (2010),
McCutcheon v. FEC
, 572 U.S. 185 (2014), and other related campaign finance cases are wrongly decided;

2. The integrity of Virginia's democratic process depends upon the active participation of the public and upon public confidence in its elected officials and candidates for public office;

3.
Citizens United v. FEC
and
McCutcheon v. FEC
undermine the integrity of Virginia's democratic process by preventing reasonable limits on campaign contributions and expenditures, which enables wealthy special interests to monopolize the political discourse at the expense of the public, allows actual or perceived opportunities for corruption and undue influence, and creates the appearance that elected officials are beholden to wealthy donors rather than to the citizens they represent;

4. Reasonable limits on campaign contributions and expenditures coupled with robust anti-coordination policies serve compelling state interests in preventing corruption and the appearance of corruption, promoting electoral integrity, and ensuring that all citizens have a meaningful opportunity to participate in the political process regardless of their economic resources;

5. The limits set forth in
the first enactment of Senate Bill 688 as introduced during the 2026 Session of the General Assembly
are narrowly tailored to achieve these compelling interests while preserving robust political speech and association; and

6. Establishing contribution and expenditure limits will enhance public trust in Virginia's electoral system, facilitate greater transparency, and ensure that elected officials remain accountable to all Virginians.