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Bill > HB835
VA HB835
VA HB835Elections; candidates and elected officials, confidentiality of personally identifiable information.
summary
Introduced
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
In Committee
02/24/2026
02/24/2026
Crossed Over
03/04/2026
03/04/2026
Passed
04/06/2026
04/06/2026
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
04/06/2026
04/06/2026
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Regular Session
Bill Summary
Elections; candidates and elected officials; address confidentiality. Prohibits the custodian of any filing made by a candidate from releasing the address, phone number, or email address of such candidate in response to a request made under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. The bill permits a candidate to provide the unique identifier assigned to him in the voter registration system pursuant to relevant law in place of his residence address on any candidate filing. The State Board of Elections is prohibited from requiring candidates to disclose their address or unique identifier on petitions prior to their being filed. The bill also adds elected officials to the list of people who may furnish, in addition to their residence street address, a post office box address located within the Commonwealth to be included in lieu of their street address on the lists of registered voters. The certificate of election delivered to the winner of an election is required to be accompanied by a notice that the person meets the qualifications for being granted protected voter status along with instructions for updating their voter registration in order to attain such status. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 632.
AI Summary
This bill, effective January 1, 2027, aims to enhance the confidentiality of personally identifiable information for candidates and elected officials in Virginia. It prohibits custodians of candidate filings from releasing a candidate's address, phone number, or email address under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, allowing candidates to instead use a unique identifier from the voter registration system on their filings. The bill also prevents the State Board of Elections from requiring candidates to disclose their address or unique identifier on petitions before they are filed. Furthermore, it expands the list of individuals who can use a post office box instead of their street address on voter lists to include elected officials, and requires that newly elected officials receive a notice with their certificate of election explaining how they can obtain protected voter status, which is a designation that can shield their personal information.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (15)
Adele McClure (D)*,
Kimberly Adams (D),
Jessica Anderson (D),
Bonita Anthony (D),
Stacey Carroll (D),
Nadarius Clark (D),
Joshua Cole (D),
Kelly Convirs-Fowler (D),
Jackie Glass (D),
Elizabeth Guzmán (D),
J.R. Henson (D),
Phil Hernandez (D),
Michelle Lopes-Maldonado (D),
Fernando Martinez (D),
Irene Shin (D),
Last Action
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0228) (on 04/06/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB835 |
| BillText | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB835/text/CHAP0228 |
| BillText | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB835/text/HB835ER |
| Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB835) | https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1206410.PDF |
| Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB835) | https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1184779.PDF |
| BillText | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB835/text/HB835S1 |
| BillText | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB835/text/HB835SC1 |
| Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB835) | https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1107628.PDF |
| BillText | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB835/text/HB835 |
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