HB319
Back-end, opt-out automatic voter registration; work group to study implementation.
Status:
Passed
Latest Action:
March 16, 2026
House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB319)
Chief Patron:
Phil Hernandez (D)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Introduced. Department of Elections; work group on back-end, opt-out automatic voter registration.
Directs the Department of Elections to convene a work group for the purpose of studying the implementation of back-end, opt-out automatic voter registration. The work group will include representatives of the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, and the Office of the Attorney General, in addition to ... (More) members of the House and Senate Committees on Privileges and Elections, general registrars, and organizations advocating for or working on voting rights and data privacy. The work group is tasked with considering the effectiveness, efficiency, and security of back-end, opt-out automatic voter registration as compared to Virginia's current front-end, opt-out process, and identifying the costs and benefits of moving to such a system. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/10/2026 - House: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101442D
- 01/10/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
- 02/03/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB319)
- 02/06/2026 - House: Assigned HPE sub: Election Administration
- 02/06/2026 - House: Placed on Privileges and Elections Agenda
- 02/09/2026 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N)
- 02/12/2026 - House: Placed on Privileges and Elections Agenda
- 02/13/2026 - House: Reported from Privileges and Elections (15-Y 6-N)
- 02/15/2026 - House: Read first time
- 02/16/2026 - House: Read second time and engrossed
- 02/17/2026 - House: Read third time and passed House (61-Y 35-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 02/18/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- 02/18/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
- 02/24/2026 - Senate: Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (8-Y 7-N)
- 02/24/2026 - Senate: Senate committee offered
- 02/24/2026 - Senate: Senate committee offered
- 02/24/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute printed 26108498D-S1
- 02/26/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 02/26/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/26/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- 02/27/2026 - Senate: Read third time
- 02/27/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day
- 03/02/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB319)
- 03/02/2026 - Senate: Privileges and Elections Substitute agreed to
- 03/02/2026 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
- 03/02/2026 - Senate: Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 03/04/2026 - House: Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 96-N 0-A)
- 03/06/2026 - Senate: Senate insisted on amendments (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/06/2026 - Senate: Senate requested conference committee
- 03/09/2026 - House: House acceded to request
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Conferees appointed by Senate
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Senate Conferees: Rouse, Deeds, Williams Graves
- 03/12/2026 - House: Conferees appointed by House
- 03/12/2026 - House: House Conferees: Hernandez, Price, Cherry
- 03/13/2026 - House: Conference substitute printed 26109757D-H1
- 03/13/2026 - Conference Report released
- 03/13/2026 - Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 16-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 03/13/2026 - House: Conference report agreed to by House (61-Y 31-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 03/16/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB319)
