{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-202.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-202.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-202.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-202.html"}],"law_id":59541,"edition_id":1,"section_id":59541,"structure_id":15324,"section_number":"15.2-202","catch_line":"Public hearing in lieu of election; procedure when bill not introduced or fails to pass in General Assembly","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 15-65.3; 1958, c. 329; 1962, c. 623, \u00a7 15.1-835; 1979, c. 297; 1985, c. 387; 1997, c. 587; 2023, cc. 506, 507; 2024, cc. 225, 242.","full_text":"In lieu of the election provided for in \u00a7 15.2-201, a locality requesting the General Assembly to grant to it a new charter or to amend its existing charter may hold a public hearing with respect thereto, at which citizens shall have an opportunity to be heard to determine if the citizens of the locality desire that the locality request the General Assembly to grant to it a new charter, or to amend its existing charter. Public notice shall be given in accordance with \u00a7 15.2-1427. The public hearing may be adjourned from time to time, and upon the completion thereof, the locality may request, in the manner provided in \u00a7 15.2-201, the General Assembly to grant the new charter or amend the existing charter and the provisions of \u00a7 15.2-201 shall be applicable thereto.\n\t\tIf a bill incorporating such charter or amendments is not introduced at the succeeding session of the General Assembly, the authority of the locality to request such charter or amendments by reason of such public hearing shall thereafter be void. If at such session members of the General Assembly fail to enact and do not carry over or pass by indefinitely a bill incorporating such charter or amendments, the charter or amendments may again be submitted to a public hearing in lieu of an election as provided hereinabove before reintroduction in the General Assembly.\n\t\tThe locality requesting a new or amended charter shall provide with such request a publisher’s affidavit showing that the public hearing was advertised and a certified copy of the governing body’s minutes showing the action taken at the advertised public hearing.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":218120,"text":"In lieu of the election provided for in \u00a7 15.2-201, a locality requesting the General Assembly to grant to it a new charter or to amend its existing charter may hold a public hearing with respect thereto, at which citizens shall have an opportunity to be heard to determine if the citizens of the locality desire that the locality request the General Assembly to grant to it a new charter, or to amend its existing charter. Public notice shall be given in accordance with \u00a7 15.2-1427. The public hearing may be adjourned from time to time, and upon the completion thereof, the locality may request, in the manner provided in \u00a7 15.2-201, the General Assembly to grant the new charter or amend the existing charter and the provisions of \u00a7 15.2-201 shall be applicable thereto.\n\t\tIf a bill incorporating such charter or amendments is not introduced at the succeeding session of the General Assembly, the authority of the locality to request such charter or amendments by reason of such public hearing shall thereafter be void. If at such session members of the General Assembly fail to enact and do not carry over or pass by indefinitely a bill incorporating such charter or amendments, the charter or amendments may again be submitted to a public hearing in lieu of an election as provided hereinabove before reintroduction in the General Assembly.\n\t\tThe locality requesting a new or amended charter shall provide with such request a publisher’s affidavit showing that the public hearing was advertised and a certified copy of the governing body’s minutes showing the action taken at the advertised public hearing.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15324,"edition_id":1,"name":"Local Government Charters","identifier":"2","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13138,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:53:59","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:53:59","permalink":{"id":151345,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15324,"identifier":"2","token":"15.2\/I\/2","url":"\/15.2\/I\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13138,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions; Charters; Other Forms and Organization of Counties","identifier":"I","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12720,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:20","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:20","permalink":{"id":151281,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13138,"identifier":"I","token":"15.2\/I","url":"\/15.2\/I\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12720,"edition_id":1,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":151279,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12720,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":87139,"structure_id":15324,"section_number":"15.2-200","catch_line":"Required procedure for obtaining new charter or amendment","url":"\/15.2-200\/","token":"15.2\/I\/2\/15.2-200","metadata":false},{"id":66471,"structure_id":15324,"section_number":"15.2-201","catch_line":"Charter elections; subsequent procedure; procedure when bill not introduced or fails to pass in General Assembly","url":"\/15.2-201\/","token":"15.2\/I\/2\/15.2-201","metadata":false},{"id":59541,"structure_id":15324,"section_number":"15.2-202","catch_line":"Public hearing in lieu of election; procedure when bill not introduced or fails to pass in General Assembly","url":"\/15.2-202\/","token":"15.2\/I\/2\/15.2-202","metadata":false},{"id":68624,"structure_id":15324,"section_number":"15.2-203","catch_line":"Legislation granting or amending charter evidence of compliance with requirements","url":"\/15.2-203\/","token":"15.2\/I\/2\/15.2-203","metadata":false},{"id":68313,"structure_id":15324,"section_number":"15.2-204","catch_line":"Uniform charter powers","url":"\/15.2-204\/","token":"15.2\/I\/2\/15.2-204","metadata":false},{"id":80616,"structure_id":15324,"section_number":"15.2-205","catch_line":"Use of provisions of chapter not authorized for certain purposes","url":"\/15.2-205\/","token":"15.2\/I\/2\/15.2-205","metadata":false},{"id":58349,"structure_id":15324,"section_number":"15.2-206","catch_line":"Special elections; request for abolition of certain local constitutional offices","url":"\/15.2-206\/","token":"15.2\/I\/2\/15.2-206","metadata":false},{"id":87493,"structure_id":15324,"section_number":"15.2-207","catch_line":"Boundaries of municipal corporations continued; charters not to contain metes and bounds; incorporated by reference","url":"\/15.2-207\/","token":"15.2\/I\/2\/15.2-207","metadata":false},{"id":71536,"structure_id":15324,"section_number":"15.2-208","catch_line":"Boundaries of counties","url":"\/15.2-208\/","token":"15.2\/I\/2\/15.2-208","metadata":false},{"id":72488,"structure_id":15324,"section_number":"15.2-209","catch_line":"Notice to be given to counties, cities, and towns of tort claims for damages","url":"\/15.2-209\/","token":"15.2\/I\/2\/15.2-209","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":66471,"structure_id":15324,"section_number":"15.2-201","catch_line":"Charter elections; subsequent procedure; procedure when bill not introduced or fails to pass in General Assembly","url":"\/15.2-201\/","token":"15.2\/I\/2\/15.2-201","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":68624,"structure_id":15324,"section_number":"15.2-203","catch_line":"Legislation granting or amending charter evidence of compliance with requirements","url":"\/15.2-203\/","token":"15.2\/I\/2\/15.2-203","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-202\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 7 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1958, chapter 329; in 1962, chapter 623; in 1979, chapter 297; in 1985, chapter 387; in 1997, chapter 587<\/a>; in 2023, chapters 506<\/a> and 507<\/a>; in 2024, chapters 225<\/a> and 242<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":66471,"section_number":"15.2-201","catch_line":"Charter elections; subsequent procedure; procedure when bill not introduced or fails to pass in General Assembly","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-201\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":65433,"section_number":"15.2-1427","catch_line":"Adoption of ordinances and resolutions generally; amending or repealing ordinances","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1427\/"},{"id":66471,"section_number":"15.2-201","catch_line":"Charter elections; subsequent procedure; procedure when bill not introduced or fails to pass in General Assembly","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-201\/"}],"permalink":{"id":151355,"object_type":"law","relational_id":59541,"identifier":"15.2-202","token":"15.2\/I\/2\/15.2-202","url":"\/15.2-202\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-202\/","token":"15.2\/I\/2\/15.2-202","dublin_core":{"Title":"Public hearing in lieu of election; procedure when bill not introduced or fails to pass in General Assembly","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-202","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

In lieu of the election provided for in \u00a7 15.2-201<\/a>, a locality<\/span> requesting the General Assembly to grant to it a new charter or to amend<\/span> its existing charter may hold a public hearing<\/span> with respect thereto, at which citizens shall have an opportunity to be heard to determine if the citizens of the locality<\/span> desire that the locality<\/span> request the General Assembly to grant to it a new charter, or to amend<\/span> its existing charter. Public notice shall be given in accordance with \u00a7 15.2-1427<\/a>. The public hearing<\/span> may be adjourned from time to time, and upon the completion thereof, the locality<\/span> may request, in the manner provided in \u00a7 15.2-201<\/a>, the General Assembly to grant the new charter or amend<\/span> the existing charter and the provisions of \u00a7 15.2-201<\/a> shall be applicable thereto.\n\t\tIf a bill incorporating such charter or amendments is not introduced at the succeeding session of the General Assembly, the authority of the locality<\/span> to request such charter or amendments by reason of such public hearing<\/span> shall thereafter be void. If at such session members of the General Assembly fail to enact and do not carry over or pass by indefinitely a bill incorporating such charter or amendments, the charter or amendments may again be submitted to a public hearing<\/span> in lieu of an election as provided hereinabove before reintroduction in the General Assembly.\n\t\tThe locality<\/span> requesting a new or amended charter shall provide with such request a publisher’s affidavit<\/span> showing that the public hearing<\/span> was advertised and a certified copy of the governing body<\/span>’s minutes showing the action taken at the advertised public hearing<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPUBLIC HEARING IN LIEU OF ELECTION; PROCEDURE WHEN BILL NOT INTRODUCED OR FAILS\nTO PASS IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY (\u00a7 15.2-202)\n\nIn lieu of the election provided for in \u00a7 15.2-201, a locality requesting the\nGeneral Assembly to grant to it a new charter or to amend its existing charter\nmay hold a public hearing with respect thereto, at which citizens shall have an\nopportunity to be heard to determine if the citizens of the locality desire that\nthe locality request the General Assembly to grant to it a new charter, or to\namend its existing charter. Public notice shall be given in accordance with \u00a7\n15.2-1427. The public hearing may be adjourned from time to time, and upon the\ncompletion thereof, the locality may request, in the manner provided in \u00a7\n15.2-201, the General Assembly to grant the new charter or amend the existing\ncharter and the provisions of \u00a7 15.2-201 shall be applicable thereto.\n\t\tIf a bill incorporating such charter or amendments is not introduced at the\nsucceeding session of the General Assembly, the authority of the locality to\nrequest such charter or amendments by reason of such public hearing shall\nthereafter be void. If at such session members of the General Assembly fail to\nenact and do not carry over or pass by indefinitely a bill incorporating such\ncharter or amendments, the charter or amendments may again be submitted to a\npublic hearing in lieu of an election as provided hereinabove before\nreintroduction in the General Assembly.\n\t\tThe locality requesting a new or amended charter shall provide with such\nrequest a publisher’s affidavit showing that the public hearing was\nadvertised and a certified copy of the governing body’s minutes showing\nthe action taken at the advertised public hearing.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 15-65.3; 1958, c. 329; 1962, c. 623, \u00a7 15.1-835; 1979,\nc. 297; 1985, c. 387; 1997, c. 587; 2023, cc. 506, 507; 2024, cc. 225, 242.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}