Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legislative Votes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Votes at a glance: Key Senate roll calls Jan. 20, 2025 — pet-shop data, higher-education bonds, counties' supervisor pay, water utilities, school-sales-tax
Summary
On Jan. 20 the Virginia Senate recorded final votes on several bills: SB 916 (pet-shop data work group), SB 1121 (higher-education bond issuance), SB 762 (board of supervisors’ salaries), SB 850 (private water utilities cost recovery), and SB 1307 (local sales tax option for school construction). Results and key details are listed below.
Richmond — The Virginia Senate recorded votes on several bills on Jan. 20, 2025. Below are the measures that received final recorded action on the floor, the outcomes and the key details noted on the floor.
SB 916 — Passed (40–0) Motion and outcome: Senators approved SB 916 on a recorded vote after discussion that the bill directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to convene a work group to evaluate existing data on the sale of dogs and cats by pet shops and identify information pet shops should provide prospective owners. The work group is to report back by Nov. 1, 2025. The clerk recorded the vote: "It's 40, no 0. The bill passes." The Senate subsequently reconsidered and re-recorded passage; the final clerk reading again logged 40–0 in favor.
SB 1121 — Passed (40–0) Motion and outcome: The Senate passed a higher-education bond bill that the sponsor described as authorizing issuance of bonds in the amount of $206,085,243 plus financing costs pursuant to Article X, Section 9(c) of the Constitution of Virginia to fund revenue-producing capital projects at institutions of higher education. The clerk recorded the vote: "Ayes 40. Nays 0. The bill passes."
SB 762 — Failed (13–23) Motion and outcome: SB 762, a measure relating to boards of supervisors’ salaries for certain counties, failed under Rule 361; the clerk recorded "Ayes 13, Noes 23. Rule 361, the bill fails." Sponsors said the bill would allow some boards of supervisors to increase pay by population tiers; opponents noted the bill was not necessary for some localities and raised questions about implementation.
SB 850 — Passed (38–2) Motion and outcome: SB 850, relating to cost-recovery for eligible infrastructure replacement and enhancements by private water and wastewater utilities (limited to safety, reliability, efficiency, or compliance-driven projects), passed on a recorded vote of Ayes 38, Nays 2. Sponsors described the bill as modeled on the 2010 SAVE Act for gas utilities and as a response to an estimated compliance-cost backlog in the hundreds of millions to billions for PFAS and lead-and-copper rules.
SB 1307 — Passed (27–13) Motion and outcome: SB 1307 expands local option authority for an additional 1% local sales and use tax to support school construction to all localities by referendum; sponsors said the measure is locality-option and would require voter approval before adoption. The clerk recorded "Ayes 27, Noes 13. The bill passes."
Context and next steps: Several other bills were advanced in blocks for engrossment and third reading; some measures were taken "by for the day" for additional review. Bills that passed on third reading will now proceed through the regular legislative process and any that carry constitutional provisions will require follow-up steps specified by law.
