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Virginia House adopts ceremonial resolutions, announces committee changes and schedule
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Summary
On Jan. 15, 2026 the Virginia House of Delegates opened session in Richmond, adopted three ceremonial resolutions honoring community leaders, announced committee reassignments and upcoming briefings, and adjourned to reconvene the next day at noon.
The Virginia House of Delegates convened in Richmond on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, opened with an invocation and a series of introductions of visiting organizations, adopted three ceremonial resolutions honoring local figures and established an inaugural committee, then adjourned to reconvene the following day at 12 noon.
Reverend Justice Hill of Alfred Street Baptist Church delivered the invocation, opening with, "Great creator, we thank you for this day," and called on delegates to serve with "integrity and compassion," remarks introduced by Delegate Herring. Delegate Krizick introduced members of the Board of Veteran Services joint leadership council and asked the chamber to "please join me in thanking these patriots for their service." The House also welcomed representatives from the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association, Virginians for Safer Cannabis, the Virginia Association of Career and Technical Education students, the Future Kings leadership program, and students from VCU School of Medicine.
The House took up House Joint Resolution 52 out of order. A member who presented the measure described William J. (Bill) Martin as "a passionate historian who helped countless individuals engage with the Commonwealth's past through his visionary leadership at the Valentine," and recounted Martin's decades directing the Valentine Museum in Richmond. The presenter said Martin was born in Culpeper County, led cultural revitalization efforts and died on Dec. 28, 2025, after being struck by a car while crossing Broad Street at 10th Street. The chamber rose and adopted HJ 52 by unanimous voice action; no roll call was recorded.
The House also agreed to House Resolution 8, honoring Kenneth Mason Easley Jr., and adopted House Joint Resolution 31, which establishes an inaugural committee for the weekend festivities. These measures were agreed to by voice vote without recorded tallies.
Clerical announcements included several committee reassignments: the speaker's office reported that Delegate Colson was removed from the committee on Counties, Cities and Towns and Delegate Sickles was appointed to that committee; Delegate Sickles was removed from the Committee on Transportation and Delegate Thomas was appointed in that slot; Delegate Singh was removed from the Committee on Health and Human Services and Delegate Nicole Cole of Spotsylvania was appointed; and Delegate Mundon King was removed from the Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation and Delegate Singh was appointed there. The clerk said updated committee sheets would be published later that afternoon.
The clerk also recorded leave for Delegates Knight, Laufer, Maldonado and Williams and announced committee meeting times for the afternoon and the following day, including a House Appropriations staff briefing on the introduced budget at 3:00 p.m. Members were invited to attend the budget briefing on the 12th floor. Delegate Herring moved that when the House adjourned it reconvene the next day at noon; that motion and a subsequent motion to adjourn were both agreed to by voice votes.
The House stood adjourned until the next day at 12:00 p.m.
Sources: House proceedings, Jan. 15, 2026.
