{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/30-19.10.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/30-19.10.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/30-19.10.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/30-19.10.html"}],"law_id":62911,"edition_id":1,"section_id":62911,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.10","catch_line":"Distribution of information on proposed questions to be submitted to voters","history":"1996, c. 297; 2007, c. 402.","full_text":"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.\n\t\tThe 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.\n\t\tFor purposes of this section and \u00a7 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.\n\t\tAny failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect the validity of the statewide referendum.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":229494,"text":"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.\n\t\tThe 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.\n\t\tFor purposes of this section and \u00a7 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.\n\t\tAny failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect the validity of the statewide referendum.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14418,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Assembly and Officers Thereof","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12738,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:04","permalink":{"id":199021,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14418,"identifier":"1","token":"30\/1","url":"\/30\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12738,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Assembly","identifier":"30","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":199019,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12738,"identifier":"30","token":"30","url":"\/30\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":82847,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-1","catch_line":"Time and place of meeting of General Assembly","url":"\/30-1\/","token":"30\/1\/30-1","metadata":false},{"id":73293,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-10","catch_line":"Attendance of witnesses; 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impact statements by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission","url":"\/30-19.1_12\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.1_12","metadata":false},{"id":79883,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.1:13","catch_line":"Racial and ethnic impact statements for criminal justice legislation","url":"\/30-19.1_13\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.1_13","metadata":false},{"id":78562,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.1:2","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/30-19.1_2\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.1_2","metadata":false},{"id":70733,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.1:3","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/30-19.1_3\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.1_3","metadata":false},{"id":76855,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.1:4","catch_line":"Increase in terms of imprisonment or commitment; fiscal impact statements; appropriations for operating costs","url":"\/30-19.1_4\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.1_4","metadata":false},{"id":81928,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.1:5","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/30-19.1_5\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.1_5","metadata":false},{"id":58589,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.1:6","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/30-19.1_6\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.1_6","metadata":false},{"id":83820,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.1:7","catch_line":"Bills related to the Virginia Retirement System; 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staff personnel for standing committees","url":"\/30-19.4\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.4","metadata":false},{"id":74068,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.5","catch_line":"Supervisory control of Division of Legislative Services","url":"\/30-19.5\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.5","metadata":false},{"id":68808,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.6","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/30-19.6\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.6","metadata":false},{"id":69798,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.7","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/30-19.7\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.7","metadata":false},{"id":66951,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.8","catch_line":"Collection of information by legislative study groups; policy","url":"\/30-19.8\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.8","metadata":false},{"id":84037,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.8:1","catch_line":"Due dates for legislative reports","url":"\/30-19.8_1\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.8_1","metadata":false},{"id":70074,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.8:2","catch_line":"Absences on legislative commissions","url":"\/30-19.8_2\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.8_2","metadata":false},{"id":64730,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.9","catch_line":"Distribution of information on proposed constitutional amendments to voters","url":"\/30-19.9\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.9","metadata":false},{"id":74022,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-2","catch_line":"Meeting at place appointed by Governor","url":"\/30-2\/","token":"30\/1\/30-2","metadata":false},{"id":60925,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-3","catch_line":"How convened in extra session","url":"\/30-3\/","token":"30\/1\/30-3","metadata":false},{"id":76388,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-4","catch_line":"Civil proceedings for or against members, clerks or clerks' assistants, or the Lieutenant Governor during session","url":"\/30-4\/","token":"30\/1\/30-4","metadata":false},{"id":81135,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-5","catch_line":"Continuance or time for filing pleading, etc., where party or attorney is connected with General Assembly or Division of Legislative Services","url":"\/30-5\/","token":"30\/1\/30-5","metadata":false},{"id":57083,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-6","catch_line":"Privilege of members, clerks and clerks' assistants, and Lieutenant Governor from arrest","url":"\/30-6\/","token":"30\/1\/30-6","metadata":false},{"id":58134,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-7","catch_line":"Members, clerks, assistants, etc., subject to arrest for criminal offenses","url":"\/30-7\/","token":"30\/1\/30-7","metadata":false},{"id":61002,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-8","catch_line":"Member must obey writ of habeas corpus","url":"\/30-8\/","token":"30\/1\/30-8","metadata":false},{"id":66434,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-9","catch_line":"Privilege of members for words spoken or written","url":"\/30-9\/","token":"30\/1\/30-9","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":78534,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/30-19.1\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":78814,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.1:10","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/30-19.1_10\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.1_10","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/30-19.10\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1996. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 297<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 1 time. 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. That modification is as follows: in 2007, chapter 402<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":64105,"section_number":"24.2-105.1","catch_line":"Election and voter participation information on the Internet","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-105.1\/"},{"id":60228,"section_number":"24.2-706","catch_line":"Duty of general registrar on receipt of application; statement of voter","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-706\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":64730,"section_number":"30-19.9","catch_line":"Distribution of information on proposed constitutional amendments to voters","order_by":null,"url":"\/30-19.9\/"}],"permalink":{"id":199139,"object_type":"law","relational_id":62911,"identifier":"30-19.10","token":"30\/1\/30-19.10","url":"\/30-19.10\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/30-19.10\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.10","dublin_core":{"Title":"Distribution of information on proposed questions to be submitted to voters","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 30-19.10","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Whenever a statewide referendum<\/span> 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<\/span> 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<\/span>.\n\t\tThe 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<\/span> referendum<\/span>, a fiscal impact statement. The neutral explanation or the fiscal impact statement shall be presented in plain English<\/span>, 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<\/span> 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<\/span>, shall prepare the neutral explanation as part of the legislation authorizing the referendum<\/span>. 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<\/span> referendum<\/span> and assist the Division of Legislative Services in preparing the explanation as part of the legislation authorizing the referendum<\/span>.\n\t\tFor purposes of this section and \u00a7 30-19.9<\/a>, “plain English<\/span>” 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.\n\t\tAny failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect the validity of the statewide referendum<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION ON PROPOSED QUESTIONS TO BE SUBMITTED TO VOTERS (\u00a7\n30-19.10)\n\nWhenever a statewide referendum on a matter other than a constitutional\namendment is submitted to the voters by the General Assembly, the State Board of\nElections shall cause to be printed and distributed to the general registrar of\neach county and city, not less than ninety days prior to the election, copies of\ninformation about the referendum to be placed at each registration site in\nsufficient number to provide a copy to any interested person, and to election\nofficials to be posted at the polling places on the day of the election. The\nState Board of Elections also shall cause the information to be published by\npaid advertisement in each daily newspaper with an average daily circulation of\nmore than 50,000 in Virginia, and published in Virginia or in a contiguous state\nor district, once during the week preceding the final day for registration and\nonce during the week preceding the referendum.\n\t\tThe information shall contain the ballot question and either (i) a neutral\nexplanation of not more than 500 words on the proposed question, or (ii) for any\nbond referendum, a fiscal impact statement. The neutral explanation or the\nfiscal impact statement shall be presented in plain English, shall be limited to\na neutral explanation, and shall not present arguments by either proponents or\nopponents of the proposal. The fiscal impact statement shall include\ndescriptions of the need for and anticipated uses of the bond proceeds. The\nDivision of Legislative Services, in consultation with such agencies of state\ngovernment as may be appropriate, including the Office of the Attorney General,\nshall prepare the neutral explanation as part of the legislation authorizing the\nreferendum. The staff of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate\nCommittee on Finance and Appropriations shall each prepare a fiscal impact\nstatement for any bond referendum and assist the Division of Legislative\nServices in preparing the explanation as part of the legislation authorizing the\nreferendum.\n\t\tFor purposes of this section and \u00a7 30-19.9, “plain English” means\nwritten in nontechnical, readily understandable language using words of common\neveryday usage and avoiding legal terms and phrases or other terms and words of\nart whose usage or special meaning primarily is limited to a particular field or\nprofession.\n\t\tAny failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect the\nvalidity of the statewide referendum.\n\nHISTORY: 1996, c. 297; 2007, c. 402.","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}}