                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

PUBLIC HEARING IN LIEU OF ELECTION; PROCEDURE WHEN BILL NOT INTRODUCED OR FAILS
TO PASS IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY (§ 15.2-202)

In lieu of the election provided for in § 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 §
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 §
15.2-201, the General Assembly to grant the new charter or amend the existing
charter and the provisions of § 15.2-201 shall be applicable thereto.
		If 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.
		The locality requesting a new or amended charter shall provide with such
request a publisher&#8217;s affidavit showing that the public hearing was
advertised and a certified copy of the governing body&#8217;s minutes showing
the action taken at the advertised public hearing.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 15-65.3; 1958, c. 329; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-835; 1979,
c. 297; 1985, c. 387; 1997, c. 587; 2023, cc. 506, 507; 2024, cc. 225, 242.