Introduced in House Passed House Introduced in Senate Passed Senate Became Law
12/26/2019        

Presidential electors; National Popular Vote Compact.

Enters Virginia into an interstate compact known as the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote. Article II of the Constitution of the United States gives the states exclusive and plenary authority to decide the manner of awarding their electoral votes. Under the compact, Virginia agrees to award its electoral votes to the presidential ticket that receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The compact goes into effect when states cumulatively possessing a majority of the electoral votes have joined the compact. A state may withdraw from the compact; however, a withdrawal occurring within six months of the end of a President's term shall not become effective until a President or Vice President has qualified to serve the next term. This bill incorporates HB 199.

Date Version PDF TXT
02/07/2020 House: Committee substitute printed 20107262D-H1 Open
12/26/2019 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/20 20100671D Open

            

2020 SESSION

    20107262D
    HOUSE BILL NO. 177
    AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
    (Proposed by the House Committee on Privileges and Elections
    on February 7, 2020)
    (Patrons Prior to Substitute--Delegates Levine and Price [HB 199])
    A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 2 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 2.1, consisting of sections numbered 24.2-209.1 and 24.2-209.2, relating to the presidential electors and the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote Compact.

    Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

    1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 2 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 2.1, consisting of sections numbered 24.2-209.1 and 24.2-209.2, as follows:

    Article 2.1.
    Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote.

    24.2-209.1. Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote; form of compact.

    The Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote is enacted into law and entered into with all other jurisdictions legally joining therein in the form substantially as follows:

    ARTICLE I. Membership.

    Any state of the United States and the District of Columbia may become a member of this agreement by enacting this agreement.

    ARTICLE II. Right of the People in Member States to Vote for President and Vice President.

    Each member state shall conduct a statewide popular election for President and Vice President of the United States.

    ARTICLE III. Manner of Appointing Presidential Electors in Member States.

    Prior to the time set by law for the meeting and voting by the presidential electors, the chief election official of each member state shall determine the number of votes for each presidential slate in each state of the United States and in the District of Columbia in which votes have been cast in a statewide popular election and shall add such votes together to produce a "national popular vote total" for each presidential slate.

    The chief election official of each member state shall designate the presidential slate with the largest national popular vote total as the "national popular vote winner."

    The presidential elector certifying official of each member state shall certify the appointment in that officials own state of the elector slate nominated in that state in association with the national popular vote winner.

    At least six days before the day fixed by law for the meeting and voting by the presidential electors, each member state shall make a final determination of the number of popular votes cast in the state for each presidential slate and shall communicate an official statement of such determination within 24 hours to the chief election official of each other member state.

    The chief election official of each member state shall treat as conclusive an official statement containing the number of popular votes in a state for each presidential slate made by the day established by federal law for making a states final determination conclusive as to the counting of electoral votes by Congress.

    In event of a tie for the national popular vote winner, the presidential elector certifying official of each member state shall certify the appointment of the elector slate nominated in association with the presidential slate receiving the largest number of popular votes within that officials own state.

    If, for any reason, the number of presidential electors nominated in a member state in association with the national popular vote winner is less than or greater than that states number of electoral votes, the presidential candidate on the presidential slate that has been designated as the national popular vote winner shall have the power to nominate the presidential electors for that state, and that states presidential elector certifying official shall certify the appointment of such nominees.

    The chief election official of each member state shall immediately release to the public all vote counts or statements of votes as they are determined or obtained.

    This article shall govern the appointment of presidential electors in each member state in any year in which this agreement is, on July 20, in effect in states cumulatively possessing a majority of the electoral votes.

    ARTICLE IV. Other Provisions.

    This agreement shall take effect when states cumulatively possessing a majority of the electoral votes have enacted this agreement in substantially the same form and the enactments by such states have taken effect in each state.

    Any member state may withdraw from this agreement, except that a withdrawal occurring six months or less before the end of a Presidents term shall not become effective until a President or Vice President shall have been qualified to serve the next term.

    The chief executive of each member state shall promptly notify the chief executive of all other states of when this agreement has been enacted and has taken effect in that officials state, when the state has withdrawn from this agreement, and when this agreement takes effect generally.

    This agreement shall terminate if the electoral college is abolished.

    If any provision of this agreement is held invalid, the remaining provisions shall not be affected.

    ARTICLE V. Definitions.

    For purposes of this agreement,

    "Chief election official" shall mean the state official or body that is authorized to certify the total number of popular votes for each presidential slate.

    "Chief executive" shall mean the governor of a state of the United States or the mayor of the District of Columbia.

    "Elector slate" shall mean a slate of candidates who have been nominated in a state for the position of presidential elector in association with a presidential slate.

    "Presidential elector" shall mean an elector for President and Vice President of the United States.

    "Presidential elector certifying official" shall mean the state official or body that is authorized to certify the appointment of the states presidential electors.

    "Presidential slate" shall mean a slate of two persons, the first of whom has been nominated as a candidate for President of the United States and the second of whom has been nominated as a candidate for Vice President of the United States, or any legal successors to such persons, regardless of whether both names appear on the ballot presented to the voter in a particular state.

    "State" shall mean a state of the United States and the District of Columbia.

    "Statewide popular election" shall mean a general election in which votes are cast for presidential slates by individual voters and counted on a statewide basis.

    24.2-209.2. Appointment of presidential electors pursuant to Agreement.

    When the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote governs the appointment of presidential electors for a presidential election as provided in the ninth clause of Article III of that Agreement, as provided for in Article 2.1, the provisions of that Agreement shall supersede any conflicting provisions of the laws of the Commonwealth.

    Picture Name From Date Type
    Mark H. Levine D-Richmond Sponsor
    Kathy KL Tran D-Richmond Cosponsor
    Ibraheem S. Samirah D-Richmond Cosponsor
    Marcia S. (Cia) Price D-Richmond Cosponsor
    Kaye Kory D-Richmond Cosponsor
    Nancy D. Guy D-Richmond Cosponsor
    Jennifer D. Carroll Foy D-Richmond Cosponsor
    Hala S. Ayala D-Richmond Cosponsor
    Dawn M. Adams D-Richmond Cosponsor
    Date Branch Action
    02/25/2020 Senate Senate: Continued to 2021 in Privileges and Elections (14-Y 1-N)
    02/12/2020 Senate Senate: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
    02/11/2020 House House: VOTE: Passage (51-Y 46-N)
    02/07/2020 House House: Reconsidered by Privileges and Elections
    02/07/2020 House House: Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (12-Y 9-N)
    02/07/2020 House House: Incorporates HB199 (Price)
    01/31/2020 House House: Failed to report (defeated) in Privileges and Elections (10-Y 12-N)
    01/27/2020 House House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 3-N)
    01/13/2020 House House: Assigned P & E sub: Constitutional Amendments
    12/26/2019 House House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/20 20100671D
    12/26/2019 House House: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
    1 to 12 of 11 Desc 12
    Summary
    Congress - Bill Number Major Title
    Branch Vote Date Yes No Not Voting
    House 1/1/2111 12:00:00 AM 47 46 0
    Senate 2/25/2020 12:00:00 AM 14 1 0
    House 2/7/2020 12:00:00 AM 11 10 0
    House 1/31/2020 12:00:00 AM 9 13 0
    House 1/13/2020 12:00:00 AM 5 4 0
    Wiki





    Start Description.
    Enters Virginia into an interstate compact known as the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote. Article II of the Constitution of the United States gives the states exclusive and plenary authority to decide the manner of awarding their electoral votes. Under the compact, Virginia agrees to award its electoral votes to the presidential ticket that receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The compact goes into effect when st
    End Description.

    Bill TEXT Points.
    This Bill has been listed with the following Subjects from Texts:
    Art
    2, as follows: Article 2

    District of Columbia
    Any state of the United States and the District of Columbia may become a member of this agreement by enacting this agreement

    Virginia
    177 Offered January 8, 2020 Prefiled December 26, 2019 A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 2 of Title 24

    States
    2, relating to the presidential electors and the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote Compact


    End Bill TEXT Points.
    Date Bill Major Title
    Committee Name
    Subject Type