{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/30-396.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/30-396.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/30-396.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/30-396.html"}],"law_id":61740,"edition_id":1,"section_id":61740,"structure_id":15599,"section_number":"30-396","catch_line":"Public participation in redistricting process; publicly available data","history":"2020, Sp. Sess. I, c. 56; 2022, Sp. Sess. I, c. 1; 2023, c. 455.","full_text":"A\n\nAll meetings and hearings held by the Commission shall be adequately advertised and planned to ensure the public is able to attend and participate fully. Meetings and hearings shall be advertised in multiple languages as practicable and appropriate.B\n\nPrior to proposing any plan for districts for the United States House of Representatives, the Senate, or the House of Delegates and prior to voting to submit such plans to the General Assembly, the Commission shall hold at least three public hearings in order to receive and consider comments from the public. Public hearings may be held virtually and any public hearings that are held in person shall be conducted in different parts of the Commonwealth.C\n\nThe Commission shall establish and maintain a website or other equivalent electronic platform. The website shall be available to the general public and shall be used to disseminate information about the Commission’s activities. The website shall be capable of receiving comments and proposals by citizens of the Commonwealth. Prior to voting on any proposed plan, the Commission shall publish the proposed plans on the website.D\n\nAll data used by the Commission in the drawing of districts shall be available to the public on its website. Such data, including census data, precinct maps, election results, and shapefiles, shall be posted within three days of receipt by the Commission.E\n\nThe block equivalency files and shapefiles for the congressional, senate, and House of Delegates districts established pursuant to this chapter and Article II, § 6-A of the Constitution of Virginia shall be maintained and available to the public on the Commission’s website. Such block equivalency files and shapefiles shall be controlling in any legal determination of the boundary of a congressional, senate, or House of Delegates district.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":225468,"text":"All meetings and hearings held by the Commission shall be adequately advertised and planned to ensure the public is able to attend and participate fully. Meetings and hearings shall be advertised in multiple languages as practicable and appropriate.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":225469,"text":"Prior to proposing any plan for districts for the United States House of Representatives, the Senate, or the House of Delegates and prior to voting to submit such plans to the General Assembly, the Commission shall hold at least three public hearings in order to receive and consider comments from the public. Public hearings may be held virtually and any public hearings that are held in person shall be conducted in different parts of the Commonwealth.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":225470,"text":"The Commission shall establish and maintain a website or other equivalent electronic platform. The website shall be available to the general public and shall be used to disseminate information about the Commission’s activities. The website shall be capable of receiving comments and proposals by citizens of the Commonwealth. Prior to voting on any proposed plan, the Commission shall publish the proposed plans on the website.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":225471,"text":"All data used by the Commission in the drawing of districts shall be available to the public on its website. Such data, including census data, precinct maps, election results, and shapefiles, shall be posted within three days of receipt by the Commission.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":225472,"text":"The block equivalency files and shapefiles for the congressional, senate, and House of Delegates districts established pursuant to this chapter and Article II, § 6-A of the Constitution of Virginia shall be maintained and available to the public on the Commission’s website. Such block equivalency files and shapefiles shall be controlling in any legal determination of the boundary of a congressional, senate, or House of Delegates district.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15599,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Redistricting Commission","identifier":"62","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12738,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:56:42","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:56:42","permalink":{"id":200723,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15599,"identifier":"62","token":"30\/62","url":"\/30\/62\/","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":59535,"structure_id":15599,"section_number":"30-391","catch_line":"Virginia Redistricting Commission","url":"\/30-391\/","token":"30\/62\/30-391","metadata":false},{"id":76731,"structure_id":15599,"section_number":"30-392","catch_line":"Membership; terms; vacancies; chairman; quorum; compensation and expenses","url":"\/30-392\/","token":"30\/62\/30-392","metadata":false},{"id":68540,"structure_id":15599,"section_number":"30-393","catch_line":"Redistricting Commission Selection Committee; chairman; quorum; compensation and expenses","url":"\/30-393\/","token":"30\/62\/30-393","metadata":false},{"id":61980,"structure_id":15599,"section_number":"30-394","catch_line":"Citizen commissioners; application process; qualifications; selection","url":"\/30-394\/","token":"30\/62\/30-394","metadata":false},{"id":84571,"structure_id":15599,"section_number":"30-395","catch_line":"Staff to Virginia Redistricting Commission; census liaison","url":"\/30-395\/","token":"30\/62\/30-395","metadata":false},{"id":61740,"structure_id":15599,"section_number":"30-396","catch_line":"Public participation in redistricting process; publicly available data","url":"\/30-396\/","token":"30\/62\/30-396","metadata":false},{"id":86732,"structure_id":15599,"section_number":"30-397","catch_line":"Proposal and submission of plans for districts","url":"\/30-397\/","token":"30\/62\/30-397","metadata":false},{"id":63845,"structure_id":15599,"section_number":"30-398","catch_line":"Consideration of plans by the General Assembly; timeline","url":"\/30-398\/","token":"30\/62\/30-398","metadata":false},{"id":70782,"structure_id":15599,"section_number":"30-399","catch_line":"Establishment of districts by the Supreme Court of Virginia","url":"\/30-399\/","token":"30\/62\/30-399","metadata":false},{"id":68965,"structure_id":15599,"section_number":"30-400","catch_line":"Remedial redistricting plans","url":"\/30-400\/","token":"30\/62\/30-400","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":84571,"structure_id":15599,"section_number":"30-395","catch_line":"Staff to Virginia Redistricting Commission; census liaison","url":"\/30-395\/","token":"30\/62\/30-395","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":86732,"structure_id":15599,"section_number":"30-397","catch_line":"Proposal and submission of plans for districts","url":"\/30-397\/","token":"30\/62\/30-397","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/30-396\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. 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 2023, chapter 455<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":200745,"object_type":"law","relational_id":61740,"identifier":"30-396","token":"30\/62\/30-396","url":"\/30-396\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/30-396\/","token":"30\/62\/30-396","dublin_core":{"Title":"Public participation in redistricting process; publicly available data","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 30-396","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> All meetings and hearings<\/span> held by the Commission shall be adequately advertised and planned to ensure the public is able to attend and participate fully. Meetings and hearings<\/span> shall be advertised in multiple languages as practicable and appropriate. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Prior to proposing any plan for districts for the United States House of Representatives, the Senate, or the House of Delegates and prior to voting to submit such plans to the General Assembly, the Commission shall hold at least three public hearings<\/span> in order<\/span> to receive and consider comments from the public. Public hearings<\/span> may be held virtually and any public hearings<\/span> that are held in person shall be conducted in different parts of the Commonwealth. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The Commission shall establish and maintain a website or other equivalent electronic platform. The website shall be available to the general public and shall be used to disseminate information about the Commission’s activities. The website shall be capable of receiving comments and proposals by citizens of the Commonwealth. Prior to voting on any proposed plan, the Commission shall publish the proposed plans on the website. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> All data used by the Commission in the drawing of districts shall be available to the public on its website. Such data, including census data, precinct maps, election results, and shapefiles, shall be posted within three days of receipt by the Commission. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> The block equivalency files and shapefiles for the congressional, senate, and House of Delegates districts established pursuant to this chapter and Article II, § 6-A of the Constitution of Virginia shall be maintained and available to the public on the Commission’s website. Such block equivalency files and shapefiles shall be controlling in any legal determination of the boundary of a congressional, senate, or House of Delegates district. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN REDISTRICTING PROCESS; PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA (\u00a7\n30-396)\n\nA. All meetings and hearings held by the Commission shall be adequately\nadvertised and planned to ensure the public is able to attend and participate\nfully. Meetings and hearings shall be advertised in multiple languages as\npracticable and appropriate.\n\nB. Prior to proposing any plan for districts for the United States House of\nRepresentatives, the Senate, or the House of Delegates and prior to voting to\nsubmit such plans to the General Assembly, the Commission shall hold at least\nthree public hearings in order to receive and consider comments from the public.\nPublic hearings may be held virtually and any public hearings that are held in\nperson shall be conducted in different parts of the Commonwealth.\n\nC. The Commission shall establish and maintain a website or other equivalent\nelectronic platform. The website shall be available to the general public and\nshall be used to disseminate information about the Commission’s\nactivities. The website shall be capable of receiving comments and proposals by\ncitizens of the Commonwealth. Prior to voting on any proposed plan, the\nCommission shall publish the proposed plans on the website.\n\nD. All data used by the Commission in the drawing of districts shall be\navailable to the public on its website. Such data, including census data,\nprecinct maps, election results, and shapefiles, shall be posted within three\ndays of receipt by the Commission.\n\nE. The block equivalency files and shapefiles for the congressional, senate, and\nHouse of Delegates districts established pursuant to this chapter and Article\nII, § 6-A of the Constitution of Virginia shall be maintained and available\nto the public on the Commission’s website. Such block equivalency files\nand shapefiles shall be controlling in any legal determination of the boundary\nof a congressional, senate, or House of Delegates district.\n\nHISTORY: 2020, Sp. Sess. I, c. 56; 2022, Sp. Sess. I, c. 1; 2023, c. 455.","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}}