Subcommittee reports bill aligning Virginia Beach charter to district voting, 5-3

Summary

HB 16 807, sponsored by Delegate Delia Fowler, was reported out of subcommittee by a 5-3 vote. The measure would change the city charter language to recognize single-member district voting arrangements that have already been implemented; proponents said the bill simply brings charter text into alignment with current practice.

A House subcommittee voted 5-3 to report HB 16 807, a bill from Delegate Delia Fowler to align the Virginia Beach city charter with the city's existing single-member district voting arrangements.

Fowler told the committee the charter language as written created ambiguity after recent local changes and that the bill merely makes the charter consistent with actions taken by the local delegation and city elections. "Everything in the charter we're already doing," Fowler said, explaining the measure would make existing practice legal and avoid future litigation.

There was no extended public testimony in opposition recorded at the hearing. The bill received a motion and second to report and passed by voice/roll call as recorded in committee minutes, 5-3.

Committee members asked routine questions and then voted to report the bill to the next stage of the process.