Rules Committee advances dozens of bills, reports contested measures including voter‑registration, correctional visitation and energy task force bills

The Rules Committee met to consider a lengthy study‑subcommittee report and voted to report a large block of uncontested measures, pull one item for separate consideration and advance several contested bills and referrals.

Delegate Helmer presented the study‑subcommittee’s list of uncontested bills and moved acceptance of substitutes and amendments for the block, which the committee reported on a roll call recorded as "Eyes 18, no zero." One item — Senate Bill 801 — was pulled for separate consideration and later reported (recorded as 16 yes, 2 no). The committee recorded its action on the uncontested block and on SB 801 on the official roll.

The committee also considered several contested measures that were reported or referred with substitutes: Senate Bill 223, a cognate related to distributed energy resource task forces, was reported with a substitute (roll recorded as 12 yes, 3 no). On SB 276, concerning visitation policies at state correctional facilities (presented as a substitute tied to Sen. William Grave), the substitute was adopted and the bill was reported; Delegate Weber asked whether the substitute conformed to earlier visitation bills, and Delegate Helmer said it "conforms to HB 173." The committee recorded SB 276's vote as 13 yes, 5 no.

Senate Bill 658, a study of automatic voter registration statutory improvements (Sen. Rouse), was considered with a substitute and reported (roll recorded as 12 yes, 6 no). Sen. Shina Vasan’s SB 832, directing VDOT to develop criteria and recommendations for vulnerable road‑user safety zones, was reported by the subcommittee with a 4–1 recommendation and recorded by the committee (roll recorded as 12 yes, 6 no). Sen. Marsen’s SJ 26, a study resolution on expanding discretionary parole eligibility, was also reported (roll recorded as 12 yes, 6 no).

The subcommittee moved to refer a group of bills to Appropriations: SB 285 and SB 757 were reported and sent to Appropriations (roll recorded as 18 yes, 0 no). SB 636 was initially removed from the block at a member’s request, later amended and reported and also referred to Appropriations (roll recorded in the transcript as 'Eyes 120 no6' and recorded in the minutes as a reported referral).

The subcommittee recommended carrying several measures forward to the 2027 session (including SBs 21, 42, 155, 300, 336, 482, 485, 519 and 541); the committee approved the carryover motion. Multiple motions were made, seconded and put to roll call throughout the meeting; the clerk conducted and closed the roll for each vote recorded in committee.

Actions recorded in committee minutes include reports of bills (many with substitutes), referrals to Appropriations, and a formal carryover of several bills to the 2027 session. No final floor enactments were taken here — the committee’s actions were to report or refer bills and to continue others to next year’s session.

Votes at a glance (selected items cited on the record): - Uncontested block (multiple HJR/HR/SB/SJR items): reported (roll recorded as 18 yes, 0 no). - SB 801: reported separately (roll recorded as 16 yes, 2 no). - SB 223 (distributed‑energy task forces): reported with substitute (12 yes, 3 no). - SB 276 (state correctional facility visitation policies): substitute accepted and bill reported (13 yes, 5 no). Delegate Weber asked whether the substitute aligns with HB 173; Delegate Helmer said it does. - SB 658 (automatic voter registration study): reported with substitute (12 yes, 6 no). - SB 832 (vulnerable road‑user safety zones): reported (12 yes, 6 no). - SJ 26 (parole eligibility study): reported (12 yes, 6 no). - SB 285 & SB 757: reported and referred to Appropriations (18 yes, 0 no). - SB 636 (as amended): reported and referred to Appropriations (recorded as reported; roll recorded in transcript as 'Eyes 120 no6'). - Several bills (SBs 21, 42, 155, 300, 336, 482, 485, 519, 541) were approved for carryover to the 2027 session.

The committee also reconstituted the Booker T. Washington Commemorative Commission (SJ 11) as a joint commission and adopted an amendment increasing the House membership from four to six before reporting SJ 11 (roll recorded as 18 yes, 0 no). The committee adjourned after completing its business.

What’s next: Committee reports and referrals will move bills to the next steps in the legislative process (Appropriations or the floor as appropriate); items carried over will remain in committee for consideration in the 2027 session.