{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/30-19.9.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/30-19.9.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/30-19.9.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/30-19.9.html"}],"law_id":64730,"edition_id":1,"section_id":64730,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.9","catch_line":"Distribution of information on proposed constitutional amendments to voters","history":"1987, c. 311; 1999, c. 589; 2001, c. 1.","full_text":"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 \u00a7 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.\n\t\tThe 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.\n\t\tAny failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect the validity of the constitutional amendment.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":235583,"text":"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 \u00a7 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.\n\t\tThe 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.\n\t\tAny failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect the validity of the constitutional amendment.","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; production of evidence","url":"\/30-10\/","token":"30\/1\/30-10","metadata":false},{"id":58914,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-11","catch_line":"Who to administer oaths to witnesses","url":"\/30-11\/","token":"30\/1\/30-11","metadata":false},{"id":56643,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-12","catch_line":"Duties of officers of each house","url":"\/30-12\/","token":"30\/1\/30-12","metadata":false},{"id":79210,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-13","catch_line":"Other duties of Clerk of House of Delegates; publication of proposed amendments to Constitution","url":"\/30-13\/","token":"30\/1\/30-13","metadata":false},{"id":86469,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-14","catch_line":"Clerk to be Keeper of the Rolls; other duties","url":"\/30-14\/","token":"30\/1\/30-14","metadata":false},{"id":62135,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-14.01","catch_line":"Certifying copy of act; fee","url":"\/30-14.01\/","token":"30\/1\/30-14.01","metadata":false},{"id":61545,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-14.1","catch_line":"Enrollment of act to codify the laws; printing and distribution","url":"\/30-14.1\/","token":"30\/1\/30-14.1","metadata":false},{"id":62177,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-14.2","catch_line":"Reenrollment of bills amended in accordance with recommendations of Governor","url":"\/30-14.2\/","token":"30\/1\/30-14.2","metadata":false},{"id":77834,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-14.3","catch_line":"Keeper of the Rolls authorized to correct typographical errors, etc., in legislation","url":"\/30-14.3\/","token":"30\/1\/30-14.3","metadata":false},{"id":85182,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-14.4","catch_line":"Deputy clerks of the House of Delegates; certification of acts and resolutions of the General Assembly and other records","url":"\/30-14.4\/","token":"30\/1\/30-14.4","metadata":false},{"id":74258,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-15","catch_line":"Index to Senate journal","url":"\/30-15\/","token":"30\/1\/30-15","metadata":false},{"id":72482,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-15.1","catch_line":"Deputy clerks of the Senate; 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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; impact statements","url":"\/30-19.1_7\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.1_7","metadata":false},{"id":75894,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.1:8","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/30-19.1_8\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.1_8","metadata":false},{"id":62117,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.1:9","catch_line":"Duration of state boards and commissions","url":"\/30-19.1_9\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.1_9","metadata":false},{"id":79257,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.2","catch_line":"Inspection of certain state facilities by, or orientation for, members and future members of the General Assembly","url":"\/30-19.2\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.2","metadata":false},{"id":57335,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.3","catch_line":"Prefiling of bills and resolutions","url":"\/30-19.3\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.3","metadata":false},{"id":71802,"structure_id":14418,"section_number":"30-19.4","catch_line":"Secretaries and administrative assistants for officers and members of General Assembly; 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":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},"next_section":{"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},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/30-19.9\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1987. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 311 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. Unfortunately, the 1987 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 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 1999, chapter 589<\/a>; in 2001, chapter 1<\/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\/"},{"id":62911,"section_number":"30-19.10","catch_line":"Distribution of information on proposed questions to be submitted to voters","order_by":null,"url":"\/30-19.10\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":73243,"section_number":"30-19","catch_line":"How Constitution amended","order_by":null,"url":"\/30-19\/"}],"permalink":{"id":199227,"object_type":"law","relational_id":64730,"identifier":"30-19.9","token":"30\/1\/30-19.9","url":"\/30-19.9\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/30-19.9\/","token":"30\/1\/30-19.9","dublin_core":{"Title":"Distribution of information on proposed constitutional amendments to voters","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 30-19.9","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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 \u00a7 30-19<\/a>, 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.\n\t\tThe 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<\/span> 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<\/span>, 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<\/span> and Elections of the first house of introduction of the resolution proposing the amendment as soon as practicable after enactment of the ballot question.\n\t\tAny failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect the validity of the constitutional amendment.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION ON PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS TO VOTERS (\u00a7\n30-19.9)\n\nWhen a proposed amendment is to be submitted to the people for their approval\nand ratification pursuant to Article XII, Section 1 of the Constitution of\nVirginia and \u00a7 30-19, the State Board of Elections shall cause to be printed\nand distributed to the general registrar of each county and city, not less than\nninety days prior to the election, copies of an explanation of such amendment to\nbe placed at each registration site in sufficient number to provide a copy to\nany interested person, and to election officials to be posted at the polling\nplaces on the day of the election. The State Board shall post the explanation on\nits site on the Internet. It also shall cause such explanation to be published\nby paid advertisement in each daily newspaper with an average daily circulation\nof more than 50,000 in Virginia, and published in Virginia or in a contiguous\nstate or district, once during the week preceding the final day for registration\nand once during the week preceding the election at which the proposed amendment\nis to be presented to the people.\n\t\tThe explanation shall contain the ballot question, the full text of the\nproposed constitutional amendment, and a statement of not more than 500 words on\nthe proposed amendment. The explanation shall be presented in plain English,\nshall be limited to a neutral explanation, which may include a brief statement\non the effect of a “yes” and “no” vote on the question\nbut shall not include arguments submitted by either proponents or opponents of\nthe proposal. The Division of Legislative Services, in consultation with such\nagencies of state government as may be appropriate, including the Office of\nAttorney General, shall prepare an explanation for any such proposal which is\napproved by the General Assembly on first reference and referred to the next\nregular session of the General Assembly following the general election of\nmembers of the House of Delegates. The explanation shall be approved for\ndistribution as to form and content by the Committee on Privileges and Elections\nof the first house of introduction of the resolution proposing the amendment as\nsoon as practicable after enactment of the ballot question.\n\t\tAny failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affect the\nvalidity of the constitutional amendment.\n\nHISTORY: 1987, c. 311; 1999, c. 589; 2001, c. 1.","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}}