reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-14.4. Deputy clerks of the House of Delegates; certification of acts and resolutions of the General Assembly and other records

The Clerk of the House of Delegates as Keeper of the Rolls of the Commonwealth may, during the term of his office, appoint deputy clerks, with the approval of the Speaker of the House of Delegates, for furnishing copies of acts and resolutions of the General Assembly and records and papers of the House of Delegates, during the absence of the said Clerk or after his death, resignation or retirement, which copies, being certified by such deputy clerks, shall be evidence for any purpose for which the original would be received, and with as much effect. The Clerk of the House of Delegates making such appointments shall certify the same to the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Any such deputies so appointed, before entering upon the duties of such office, shall take and subscribe the oath of office and file the same with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Any such deputies may be removed from office by the Clerk of the House of Delegates by written notice to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
1952, c. 291; 1972, c. 5.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-15.1. Deputy clerks of the Senate; certification of records

The Clerk of the Senate may appoint deputy clerks, for performing the duties of such Clerk and for signing originals, or furnishing copies, of records and papers of the Senate, during the absence of such Clerk or after his death, resignation or retirement, which copies, being certified by any such deputy clerk, shall be evidence for any purpose for which the original would be received, and with as much effect. The Clerk of the Senate making such appointments, shall certify the same to the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Any such deputy so appointed, before entering upon the duties of such office, shall take and subscribe the oath of office and file the same with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Any such deputy may be removed from office by the Clerk of the Senate by written notice to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
1954, c. 1; 1972, c. 5.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-15.1:1. Use of Senate armorial bearings; penalty

The armorial bearings adopted by the Senate of Virginia as their official armorial bearings shall carry the following protections on their use:
1. Only current and former members of the Senate of Virginia and the Clerk of the Senate shall have the authority to utilize such armorial bearings or any facsimile or representations of the armorial bearings.
2. Representations of such armorial bearings used by former members of the Senate shall be colored blue.
3. Such use shall not be for any commercial purpose.
4. Any person violating the provisions of subdivision 1 shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. Any person violating the provisions of subdivisions 2 and 3 shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.
2005, c. 839.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-15.2. Distribution of Code, supplements and replacement volumes to members of Senate

The Virginia Code Commission shall, with moneys from the contingent fund of the Senate, acquire and distribute to each member of the Senate, to become his own property, a set of the Code of Virginia, and distribute the supplements and replacement volumes thereto for the period such member serves in the Senate. The Code, supplements and replacement volumes shall be distributed only to those members who request the same. The Code shall not be distributed to members of the Senate who previously have been furnished a set of the Code by the Commonwealth; however, such members shall, upon request, receive from the Virginia Code Commission supplements and replacement volumes to the Code for the period such members serve in the Senate.
1976, c. 131.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-16. Books and maps of committees; original bills

It shall be the duty of the Clerk of the Senate and of the Clerk of the House of Delegates, respectively, to take charge of and keep, during the recess of the General Assembly, all the books and maps belonging to the several standing committees of their respective houses, and to deliver the same at the commencement of each session to the clerks or chairmen of such committees, who shall return them to the Clerks of the two houses at the end of the session. They shall keep all original bills and resolutions offered in their respective houses until the close of the session of the General Assembly next succeeding the session at which they were offered, at which time they shall be transferred to The Library of Virginia for archival deposit.
Code 1919, § 309; 2000, c. 373.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-16.1. Correction of misspellings in bills and resolutions already introduced

The Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates are hereby empowered to correct misspellings contained in bills and resolutions introduced in their respective houses; provided that the corrections do not in any way alter the bill's or resolution's meaning or effect.
1975, c. 8.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-17. Alteration, secretion or destruction of pending bills or resolutions

If any person shall fraudulently erase, alter, secrete or destroy any bill, resolution or amendment to any bill pending before the General Assembly, or either branch thereof, or before any committee of either or of both branches, or any enrolled bill of the General Assembly, or either branch thereof, or shall fraudulently, or with improper intent, endeavor to influence any officer or employee of the General Assembly, or of either branch thereof, to erase, alter, secrete or destroy any such bill, amendment or enrolled bill, he shall be confined in the penitentiary not less than one nor more than five years.
Code 1919, § 310.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19. How Constitution amended

Any amendment or amendments to the Constitution may be proposed in the Senate or House of Delegates by resolution, which shall contain such proposed amendment or amendments prepared in such form as is in accordance with that prescribed by the rules of the House of Delegates and the Senate for deletions and additions of language and be spread at length on the journal of the house in which it is offered, and if it is agreed to by a majority of the members elected thereto with ayes and noes taken thereon, it shall be communicated to the other house where it shall be dealt with in like manner, and when so agreed to by both houses, it shall be enrolled as provided by law and signed by the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Delegates. Such amendment or amendments shall thereupon stand referred to the General Assembly at its first regular session held after the next general election of members of the House of Delegates. If at such regular session the proposed amendment or amendments shall be agreed to by a majority vote of all the members elected to each house, the same shall be submitted to the people, not sooner than ninety days after final passage, by a bill or resolution introduced for such purpose, and if the people shall approve and ratify such amendment or amendments by the majority of the electors qualified to vote for the members of the General Assembly voting thereon, such amendment or amendments shall become a part of the Constitution.
Code 1919, § 312; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 129; 1973, c. 57.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.03:1.2. Unemployment compensation bills affecting net revenues of the Commonwealth

A. The Virginia Employment Commission, in consultation with the Department of Planning and Budget, shall prepare a statement reflecting the projected impact on the solvency level of the unemployment trust fund and the average increase in state unemployment tax liability of employers on a per-employee basis over the ensuing eight years that would result from the enactment of any bill that enhances the benefits payable to an individual pursuant to Title 60.2.
B. No bill enhancing the benefits payable to an individual pursuant to Title 60.2 shall be considered by the General Assembly at a regular session unless the bill contains a statement prepared in accordance with subsection A as a second or final enactment clause in the bill.
C. For the purposes of this section, legislation that "enhances the benefits payable to an individual" includes any legislation that would facilitate the receipt, or increase the amount, of unemployment compensation benefits that an otherwise qualified claimant is eligible to receive on an annual basis.
2004, c. 895; 2011, c. 302.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.03:1.3. Evaluations to be prepared for legislation increasing or beginning regulation of an occupation

A. For the purposes of this section, "regulation" means any statement of general application, having the force of law and affecting the rights or conduct of any person, adopted by an agency in accordance with the authority conferred on it by the Constitution and applicable statutes of the Commonwealth.
B. When any legislative bill requiring the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to increase or begin regulation of an occupation is filed during any session of the General Assembly, the chairman of the committee having jurisdiction over the proposal shall request that the Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation (the Board) prepare an evaluation of the legislation using the criteria outlined in § 54.1-311.
C. Upon receipt of such a request, the Board shall prepare the evaluation and shall forward copies of such evaluation to the Clerk of the House of Delegates for House bills and to the Clerk of the Senate for Senate bills no later than November 1 of the same year for requests received during a regular session of the General Assembly or as soon as practicable for requests received during a special session of the General Assembly for transmittal to each patron of the legislation and to the chairman of each committee of the General Assembly to consider the same.
All departments, agencies of government, and the Division of Legislative Services are directed to make available such information and assistance as the Board may request in preparing the evaluations required by this section.
2019, c. 812; 2022, c. 647.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.03:2. Legislative summaries

Any legislative summary associated with a bill, joint resolution or resolution, including any summary appearing on the face of such legislation, shall not constitute a part of the legislation considered, agreed to, or enacted and shall not be used to indicate or infer legislative intent.
1997, c. 375.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.1:7. Bills related to the Virginia Retirement System; impact statements

In accordance with a joint resolution that establishes a schedule for the conduct of business coming before a regular session of the General Assembly, the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Retirement System shall investigate, prepare, and submit to the Clerk of the House of Delegates, the Clerk of the Senate, the Commission on Local Government, the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, a statement of (i) the financial impact of the proposed bill upon the general fund and the various local governments that have elected to become part of the Virginia Retirement System pursuant to § 51.1-800 and (ii) the policy implications that such bill will have on the various systems administered by the Board of Trustees. Such statement shall also note the potential impact any introduced bill will have on local government independent retirement systems.
1997, c. 610; 2001, c. 680; 2010, c. 410.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.1:9. Duration of state boards and commissions

After January 1, 2003, all bills creating an advisory board, council, commission or other collegial body in the executive branch of state government shall contain a provision requiring the expiration of such body three years after its creation.
2003, c. 793.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.1:11. Legislation that creates or renews tax credits

No bill proposing to add a new state tax credit or renew an existing state tax credit shall be reported from any committee of the General Assembly unless such bill contains an expiration date of not longer than five years from the effective date of the new or renewed state tax credit.
2012, c. 265.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.1:12. Executive orders; impact statements by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission

A. At the request of the chairman of any committee of the Senate or House of Delegates, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall review any executive order issued by the Governor and prepare a statement reflecting the potential fiscal impact of such executive order on the operations of state government.
B. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall forward copies of the impact statement prepared pursuant to subsection A to the requesting chairman of the standing committee of both houses of the General Assembly to which matters relating to the content of the executive order are most properly referable.
2016, c. 623.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.1:13. Racial and ethnic impact statements for criminal justice legislation

A. As used in this section:
"Disparities" means the difference in criminal justice outcomes for a racial or ethnic subgroup compared to their share of the state population.
"Racial and ethnic impact statement" means a statement created using available data to outline the potential impact of a criminal justice bill on racial and ethnic disparities within the Commonwealth.
B. At the request of the Chair of the House Committee for Courts of Justice or the Chair of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall review and prepare a racial and ethnic impact statement for a proposed criminal justice bill.
C. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall forward copies of the racial and ethnic impact statement prepared pursuant to subsection B to the patron of the bill and the Chair of the House Committee for Courts of Justice or the Chair of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, as appropriate.
D. No more than three racial and ethnic impact statements may be requested by the Chair of the House Committee for Courts of Justice and no more than three racial and ethnic impact statements may be requested by the Chair of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary for completion during a single regular session of the General Assembly.
E. Upon the request of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court, Virginia State Police, Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission, Department of Corrections, and all other state agencies shall expeditiously provide necessary data and assistance for the preparation of racial and ethnic impact statements.
2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 183.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.2. Inspection of certain state facilities by, or orientation for, members and future members of the General Assembly

(1) Inspections may be made of the grounds, buildings, and other physical facilities appurtenant to state agencies and state-supported institutions, at the times and by the persons hereinafter set forth.
(2) The Governor may arrange for such inspection in each year preceding the regular session of the General Assembly for the members of the forthcoming General Assembly. Such inspection trips shall be provided at state expense for each member of the General Assembly.
(3) Transportation, meals, lodging, and other necessary accommodations for the persons making the inspection for which this section provides shall be provided from funds appropriated to the General Assembly. Travel shall be arranged by motor bus or other convenient method of transportation from some central point from which trips to the several state agencies and institutions shall be made. The Governor shall notify the persons permitted to make such inspection of the place and time of origin from which such trip shall begin and when it is expected to end; and shall make such arrangements as will be convenient to the persons desiring to make such trip of inspection.
(4) The persons making such trip shall be allowed their reasonable expenses in going to and from their homes to the point of origin of the trips. Compensation shall be paid as provided in §§ 30-19.12 and 30-19.15.
(5) Nothing contained in this section is intended to restrict in any way the right of any member of the General Assembly to visit at his expense any state institution at any time.
(6) Orientation sessions on the organization, programs, operations, and procedures of the Executive Department of state government may be provided in lieu of inspections of state facilities. The Governor may arrange for such orientation in each year preceding the regular session of the General Assembly for members and members-elect of the forthcoming General Assembly.
1952, c. 102; 1960, c. 575; 1979, c. 466.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.3. Prefiling of bills and resolutions

A. 1. Any member or member-elect of the next regular session of the General Assembly may prefile bills and resolutions for even-numbered-year regular sessions beginning the third Monday in November of the preceding year with the Clerk of the House of Delegates or Senate as appropriate.
2. Any member or member-elect of the General Assembly may prefile bills and resolutions for odd-numbered-year regular sessions beginning the third Monday in July of the preceding year with the Clerk of the House of Delegates or Senate as appropriate.
3. Any bill or resolution prefiled shall be endorsed by the handwritten signature of at least one member or member-elect as a patron. An electronic signature may be substituted for a handwritten signature on prefiled legislation as may be approved by each house in accordance with its rules and procedures. In no event shall a bill or resolution be prefiled by a member of the General Assembly who was not re-elected to the next regular session of the General Assembly. The deadline for submitting drafting requests for legislation to be prefiled to the Division of Legislative Services and the deadline for prefiling legislation with the appropriate Clerk shall be established by the procedural resolution adopted by the General Assembly, or in default thereof, adopted by the Joint Rules Committee.
B. In the event of the convening of a special session of the General Assembly, only bills relating to the stated purpose of such special session and resolutions affecting the rules of procedure or schedule of business of the General Assembly may be prefiled as provided in subsection A of this section beginning on the day on which either (i) the Governor announces the date on which such special session is to convene, or (ii) two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly make application to the Governor for the convening of such special session.
C. The Clerks of the House of Delegates and Senate shall assign numbers to prefiled bills and resolutions in the order of their receipt, refer them to the appropriate committee with the advice of the Speaker of the House of Delegates, in the case of House bills, and in the case of Senate bills, in accordance with the Rules of the Senate, and have a sufficient number of them printed for circulation as provided in this section.
D. Printed prefiled bills and resolutions shall be periodically mailed to each member and member-elect of the General Assembly and shall be made available to the press and public in the same manner as bills and resolutions introduced after the General Assembly convenes.
1969, Ex. Sess., c. 24; 1973, c. 488; 1981, c. 196; 1987, c. 124; 2001, cc. 568, 584; 2004, c. 718; 2007, c. 442; 2012, c. 670.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.4. Secretaries and administrative assistants for officers and members of General Assembly; staff personnel for standing committees

The General Assembly shall provide for the employment of secretaries and administrative assistants for the Speaker of the House of Delegates, the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Majority and Minority Floor Leaders of the House of Delegates and Senate and members of the General Assembly to aid in the performance of duties incidental to the legislative process. Allowances for such secretaries and assistants shall be provided as set forth in the general appropriations act. Such allowances shall not be utilized for political purposes and shall be further conditioned upon such limitations and restrictions as shall be set forth in the general appropriations act. The session day per diem for each administrative assistant shall equal the amount authorized for members of the General Assembly as set forth in the general appropriations act.
The General Assembly shall provide for the employment of such clerks, counsel and other staff personnel for each of the standing committees as are approved by the Rules Committee of the appropriate house.
No member of the immediate family of a member of the General Assembly shall be eligible to receive any sum authorized under the provisions of this section. For the purpose of this section the spouse, parent, child, brother or sister of the member shall be considered a member of the immediate family.
1972, c. 822; 1973, c. 512; 1974, c. 356; 1976, c. 735; 1979, c. 475; 1980, c. 151; 1984, c. 161; 2005, c. 802.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.8. Collection of information by legislative study groups; policy

It shall be the policy of the Commonwealth that each legislative study group, including the Virginia Advisory Legislative Council and its subcommittees, the Virginia Code Commission, special legislative study commissions, and standing committees of the House and Senate and their subcommittees, either through its members or staff, advise the agency head of the general nature of a study or investigation being conducted by such group whenever it determines that information within such agency is applicable to such study or investigation. Thereafter, such legislative study group may seek out all information within such agency from an individual designated by the agency head to provide pertinent information or from the most direct and primary source without further communication or contact with the agency head. Each employee within such agency shall give his full cooperation to the group and its staff in collecting the information. No member or staff member of such groups shall be entitled to access to information, without permission of the agency head, for which disclosure is prohibited by specific provisions of law.
Insofar as possible, the legislative study groups and their staffs shall perform their collection duties, and utilize the services of personnel within the agencies in doing so, in such a manner as to minimize disruption of the normal operations of the agency.
Such freedom to access of all information within all state agencies is deemed absolutely necessary for the legislature to be able to efficiently evaluate laws and policies of the Commonwealth, how they are being administered, and the need for changes in such laws and policies, and also for the Virginia General Assembly to effectively fulfill its responsibility regarding legislative oversight.
1977, c. 433.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.8:1. Due dates for legislative reports

A. Legislative commissions, councils, and other legislative bodies required to report annually to the General Assembly and Governor shall submit their annual reports on or before June 30 of each year, unless otherwise specified. Annual reports submitted pursuant to this section shall cover the preceding legislative interim period and may include actions taken by the General Assembly during the regular session of the current calendar year.
B. Joint subcommittees, joint committees, and other legislative entities required or requested by law or resolution to conduct a study shall submit their reports no later than June 30 of the reporting year, unless otherwise specified. The reports may include actions taken by the General Assembly during the regular session of the current calendar year.
2005, c. 633.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.8:2. Absences on legislative commissions

The absence of any appointed nonlegislative citizen member from three consecutive regular meetings of any joint subcommittee, board, commission, authority, council, or other body that has been created or established in the legislative branch unless on account of sickness shall be sufficient cause for the original appointing authority to declare the position vacated and to fill such vacancy.
2014, c. 634.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.9. Distribution of information on proposed constitutional amendments to voters

When a proposed amendment is to be submitted to the people for their approval and ratification pursuant to Article XII, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia and § 30-19, the State Board of Elections shall cause to be printed and distributed to the general registrar of each county and city, not less than ninety days prior to the election, copies of an explanation of such amendment to be placed at each registration site in sufficient number to provide a copy to any interested person, and to election officials to be posted at the polling places on the day of the election. The State Board shall post the explanation on its site on the Internet. It also shall cause such explanation to be published by paid advertisement in each daily newspaper with an average daily circulation of more than 50,000 in Virginia, and published in Virginia or in a contiguous state or district, once during the week preceding the final day for registration and once during the week preceding the election at which the proposed amendment is to be presented to the people.
The explanation shall contain the ballot question, the full text of the proposed constitutional amendment, and a statement of not more than 500 words on the proposed amendment. The explanation shall be presented in plain English, shall be limited to a neutral explanation, which may include a brief statement on the effect of a "yes" and "no" vote on the question but shall not include arguments submitted by either proponents or opponents of the proposal. The Division of Legislative Services, in consultation with such agencies of state government as may be appropriate, including the Office of Attorney General, shall prepare an explanation for any such proposal which is approved by the General Assembly on first reference and referred to the next regular session of the General Assembly following the general election of members of the House of Delegates. The explanation shall be approved for distribution as to form and content by the Committee on Privileges and Elections of the first house of introduction of the resolution proposing the amendment as soon as practicable after enactment of the ballot question.
Any failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect the validity of the constitutional amendment.
1987, c. 311; 1999, c. 589; 2001, c. 1.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1 - General Assembly and Officers Thereof › § 30-19.10. Distribution of information on proposed questions to be submitted to voters

Whenever a statewide referendum on a matter other than a constitutional amendment is submitted to the voters by the General Assembly, the State Board of Elections shall cause to be printed and distributed to the general registrar of each county and city, not less than ninety days prior to the election, copies of information about the referendum to be placed at each registration site in sufficient number to provide a copy to any interested person, and to election officials to be posted at the polling places on the day of the election. The State Board of Elections also shall cause the information to be published by paid advertisement in each daily newspaper with an average daily circulation of more than 50,000 in Virginia, and published in Virginia or in a contiguous state or district, once during the week preceding the final day for registration and once during the week preceding the referendum.
The information shall contain the ballot question and either (i) a neutral explanation of not more than 500 words on the proposed question, or (ii) for any bond referendum, a fiscal impact statement. The neutral explanation or the fiscal impact statement shall be presented in plain English, shall be limited to a neutral explanation, and shall not present arguments by either proponents or opponents of the proposal. The fiscal impact statement shall include descriptions of the need for and anticipated uses of the bond proceeds. The Division of Legislative Services, in consultation with such agencies of state government as may be appropriate, including the Office of the Attorney General, shall prepare the neutral explanation as part of the legislation authorizing the referendum. The staff of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations shall each prepare a fiscal impact statement for any bond referendum and assist the Division of Legislative Services in preparing the explanation as part of the legislation authorizing the referendum.
For purposes of this section and § 30-19.9, "plain English" means written in nontechnical, readily understandable language using words of common everyday usage and avoiding legal terms and phrases or other terms and words of art whose usage or special meaning primarily is limited to a particular field or profession.
Any failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect the validity of the statewide referendum.
1996, c. 297; 2007, c. 402.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1.1 - General Assembly Salaries and Expenses › § 30-19.11. Salaries of Speaker of House of Delegates and members of General Assembly

The Speaker of the House of Delegates and other members of the General Assembly shall each receive an annual salary as shall be set forth in the general appropriations act. Such salaries shall be payable not more often than biweekly.
1971, Ex. Sess., c. 194, § 14.1-17.1; 1976, c. 604; 1984, c. 161; 1998, c. 872.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1.1 - General Assembly Salaries and Expenses › § 30-19.12. Compensation of members of the General Assembly and certain commissions engaged in legislative services

A. Subject to the provisions of subsections B through G hereof, members of all legislative committees, legislative commissions, and councils established by the General Assembly and all committees and subcommittees of any of the foregoing shall receive compensation at such rate as provided for in § 2.2-2813. Any other member of the General Assembly whose attendance, in the opinion of the chairman of such a group, is required at a sitting of such group shall also be entitled to compensation at the same rate.
B. A legislative member shall not be entitled to compensation pursuant to this section for any services performed on any day that the member's house is in active session. For purposes of this subsection, "active session" means (i) any day during any regular session of the General Assembly or the first extension thereof, (ii) any day that a roll call vote is taken in the member's house during any second or subsequent extension of a regular session that is not a pro forma session, or (iii) any day that a roll call vote is taken in the member's house during any special session of the General Assembly that is not a pro forma session.
C. A legislative member shall not be entitled to compensation pursuant to this section for legislative services performed on Capitol Square on any day that the member's house has a pro forma session.
D. Full-time employees of the Commonwealth or of any of its political subdivisions shall not be entitled to compensation pursuant to this section.
E. No person shall receive pursuant to this section a total of more than one day's compensation for services performed on any one day. Whenever a member attends two or more meetings for which compensation is authorized herein in a single day, such one day's compensation shall be prorated from among the activities served.
F. Compensation of members of the General Assembly provided for in this section shall be paid by the offices of the Clerk of the House of Delegates or Clerk of the Senate as appropriate and funds therefor transferred from the appropriate activity.
G. For purposes of this section, "Capitol Square" means the grounds and all buildings in the City of Richmond bounded by Bank, Governor, Broad and Ninth Streets. "Pro forma session" means a session that is announced as a pro forma session by the presiding officer and in which no business is scheduled to be conducted.
Code 1950, § 14-29.1; 1964, c. 386, § 14.1-18; 1966, c. 703; 1974, c. 356; 1979, c. 316; 1980, c. 718; 1984, c. 161; 1998, cc. 790, 872; 2006, c. 272.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1.1 - General Assembly Salaries and Expenses › § 30-19.13. Additional provisions for expenses of members and presiding officers of General Assembly

Each member of the General Assembly shall, during any regular session of the General Assembly or extension thereof, or during any special session of the General Assembly, receive for each day as allowances for expenses such sum as shall be set forth in the general appropriation act and mileage allowance at the rate provided in § 2.2-2823 or actual expenses for all official travel. Such mileage or travel reimbursement shall be allowed only for one round trip each week between the City of Richmond and such person's home.
1971, Ex. Sess., c. 240, § 14.1-18.1; 1972, cc. 510, 719; 1974, c. 356; 1975, c. 132; 1984, c. 161; 1998, c. 872.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1.1 - General Assembly Salaries and Expenses › § 30-19.14. Office expenses; taxes and withholding

A. Each member of the General Assembly shall receive as an allowance for office expenses and supplies such sums as shall be set forth in the general appropriation act.
B. Notwithstanding any provision of law, all payments to members of the General Assembly made in accordance with subsection A shall be subject to such taxes and tax withholding as applicable to other nonvouchered allowances, except for any member of the General Assembly who has established an individual "accountable plan" as defined in § 1.62-2(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code Tax Regulations.
1976, c. 735, § 14.1-18.2; 1984, c. 161; 1998, c. 872; 2001, c. 785.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1.1 - General Assembly Salaries and Expenses › § 30-19.15. Mileage of members of the General Assembly, legislative committees, etc.

The members of the General Assembly and officers and employees of each house thereof, and members of legislative committees which may sit during any recess of the General Assembly, who are traveling on official business of the Commonwealth, shall be entitled to receive for their mileage such reimbursement as prescribed in § 2.2-2823 for every mile of actual travel.
Code 1950, § 14-30; 1954, c. 709; 1964, c. 386, § 14.1-19; 1969, Ex. Sess., c. 4; 1972, cc. 719, 749; 1975, c. 132; 1998, c. 872; 1999, c. 930.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1.1 - General Assembly Salaries and Expenses › § 30-19.18. How distance ascertained from place other than courthouse

For the purpose of this chapter and Chapter 1 (§ 2.2-100 et seq.) and §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2814 of Title 2.2 only, the distance of the City of Richmond from any place in any county or city other than the courthouse thereof, shall be ascertained by adding to or deducting from the number of miles between the City of Richmond and such courthouse, as declared by law, so many miles as such place may be farther from or nearer to the City of Richmond than such courthouse may be.
Code 1950, § 14-7; 1964, c. 386, § 14.1-21; 1998, c. 872.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1.1 - General Assembly Salaries and Expenses › § 30-19.19. Salaries of Clerks of House of Delegates and Senate

The Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Senate shall each receive such salaries as shall be fixed from time to time by the general appropriation act.
Code 1950, § 14-31; 1954, c. 443; 1964, c. 386, § 14.1-22; 1998, c. 872.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 1.1 - General Assembly Salaries and Expenses › § 30-19.20. Employment and compensation of personnel

The House of Delegates and the Senate and the clerks thereof are authorized to employ such personnel as may be deemed necessary for the efficient operation of the General Assembly as prescribed by the rules or resolutions of the respective houses.
The House of Delegates and the Senate shall by resolution or resolutions set the compensation of the personnel employed by each house, and the personnel shall be paid from the contingent fund of each house, respectively.
Code 1950, § 14-32; 1964, c. 386, § 14.1-23; 1966, c. 703; 1998, c. 872.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 2.2 - Division of Legislative Services › § 30-28.12. Creation of Division; appointment, term and qualifications of Director

There shall be a legislative agency known and designated as the Division of Legislative Services, hereinafter in this chapter sometimes called the Division. The Division shall be in the charge of a Director, who shall be appointed by, subject to confirmation of the General Assembly, and serve at the pleasure of the Committees on Rules of the House of Delegates and the Senate.
The Director shall be an experienced lawyer and a graduate of the school of law of an approved institution of higher education.
1966, c. 676; 1970, c. 478; 1973, c. 322.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 2.2 - Division of Legislative Services › § 30-28.13. Assistants, draftsmen and clerks

The Director may employ and fix the compensation of necessary assistants, draftsmen and clerks, who shall be selected solely on the grounds of fitness for the performance of the duties assigned to them. Such compensation shall be paid out of appropriations made for the purpose.
1966, c. 676; 1970, c. 478; 1973, c. 322.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 2.2 - Division of Legislative Services › § 30-28.15. Use of state libraries; withdrawal of books; charges

A. The Division, through its Director and employees, shall have access to the State Law Library and The Library of Virginia, with the right to withdraw, in the performance of their duties, any books, pamphlets or printed data from either library, subject to the rules of the libraries as to time.
B. Upon the request of the Division, the library of any public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth shall furnish the Division photocopies of materials on file without any charge except the actual cost of photocopying. Such libraries shall not charge the Division for any library exchange services.
1966, c. 676; 1989, c. 412; 1994, c. 64.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 2.2 - Division of Legislative Services › § 30-28.16. Duties of Division and of Director

A. The Division shall:
1. Establish a reference library which develops and maintains a library collection to support the work of the Division and the General Assembly and which provides general and specific reference services to members of the General Assembly;
2. Keep on file copies of all bills, resolutions, amendments thereto, reports of committees and other documents printed by order of either house of the General Assembly;
3. Accumulate data and statistics regarding the practical operation and effect of statutes of this and other states;
4. Carry out such research projects as shall be assigned to it by the Committees on Rules of the House of Delegates and the Senate;
5. Furnish upon written request of any person a copy of any charter of a city or town of the Commonwealth at the charge prevailing from time to time for reproducing same;
6. Carry out research and obtain and analyze information for members of the General Assembly and its committees; and
7. Provide an annual report to the General Assembly, indexed according to standing committee jurisdiction, on the status of all reports, actions, or data collection that is required by legislation enacted by the General Assembly or otherwise requested by the General Assembly of agencies and collegial bodies of state government. The report for the most recently completed calendar year shall be submitted to the General Assembly and the Governor as soon as practicable after the first day of the next regular session and may be provided through the legislative electronic information system.
B. Upon the request of the Governor, any member of the General Assembly, any Governor's Secretary, or the head of any legislative, judicial or independent agency, the Division shall:
1. Draft or aid in drafting legislative bills or resolutions and amendments thereto;
2. Advise as to the constitutionality or probable legal effect of proposed legislation;
3. Prepare summaries of existing laws affected by proposed legislation, compilations of laws in other states or countries relating to the subject matter of such legislation, and statements of the operation and effect of such laws; or
4. Make researches and examinations as to any subject of proposed legislation.
C. The Director shall perform such other duties as may be required of him by the Committees on Rules of the House of Delegates and the Senate.
1966, c. 676; 1973, c. 322; 1977, c. 672; 1979, c. 311; 1980, cc. 687, 723; 1984, c. 202; 1989, c. 412; 1990, c. 485; 2006, c. 662; 2008, c. 677; 2011, c. 765.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 2.2 - Division of Legislative Services › § 30-28.17. Books and documents to be accessible to officers and general public

All the books, documents and other materials, and the guides to materials shall be at all times accessible to the Governor and members of the General Assembly, state and municipal officers, boards and commissions, and the general public, for reference purposes.
1966, c. 676.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 3.1 - Legislative Support Commission › § 30-34.1. Legislative Support Commission; membership; officers; compensation and expenses

There is hereby created the Legislative Support Commission in the legislative branch of state government, hereafter referred to as "Commission." The Commission shall consist of seven members: two members of the Committee on Rules of the House of Delegates who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the chairman of such Committee; one member of the Committee on Rules of the Senate who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the chairman of such Committee; the Clerk of the House of Delegates; the Clerk of the Senate; the Director of the Division of Legislative Services; and the Director of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems. The Commission shall name from its members a chairman and such other officers as are deemed necessary.
Legislative members shall receive such compensation for the performance of their duties as provided in § 30-19.12 and all members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825. The Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Office of the Clerk of the Senate shall provide funding for the costs of compensation and expenses of their respective members.
1980, c. 687; 2004, c. 1000.
2023 Code of Virginia › Title 30 - General Assembly › Chapter 3.1 - Legislative Support Commission › § 30-34.2. Powers and duties generally

The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
1. To supervise the printing and distribution of bills, resolutions, joint resolutions, House documents, Senate documents or other matters directed to be printed for use of the Senate or the House of Delegates and intended for temporary use, as well as the printing and distribution of House Journals, Senate Journals and the Acts of Assembly;
2. To supervise the maintenance and operation of the General Assembly Building;
3. To supervise and assist the Capitol Tour Guides;
4. To employ such personnel as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter;
4a. To supervise the Capitol Police Force;
5. To make and enter into all contracts and agreements necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers under this chapter;
6. To do all acts necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes of this chapter; and
7. To perform other duties as directed by the Committees on Rules of the House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia.
1980, c. 687; 1982, c. 243; 2003, c. 692.