Virginia Senate committee reports a package of elections and redistricting bills, including change for civilly committed behavioral health residents

A Virginia Senate committee on elections and related matters on Wednesday reported a slate of bills, including Senate Bill 88, which would require that people civilly committed to residential behavioral health facilities operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services be counted for redistricting and reapportionment at their last known residential address rather than at the facility.

The sponsor described the change as aligning the treatment of civilly committed residents with existing rules for incarcerated populations and said it was needed because some facilities have grown large enough to distort local representation. "We just need to fix that so that we are not running town from a behavioral health facility," the sponsor said during the presentation of SB88.

Committee counsel clarified how the reallocation would work if a former address is not available. "If there isn't a known address, then the person isn't reallocated, but they're only reallocated if the former address is known," counsel said. That exchange came after a question from a member who asked what would happen for residents who have been at facilities for long periods and lack a known prior address.

Votes at a glance: The committee voted to report SB88 by voice roll call, 20-0. Other bills reported in the same session included:

- SB57 (Van Valkenburg): reported 14-6.
- SB58 (absentee ballot receipt deadline change): reported 14-6; the measure would move the deadline for receipt of absentee ballots from noon to 5 p.m. on the third day after the election.
- SB162 (substitute adopted to resolve a technical conflict and add a contingency clause tied to a constitutional amendment vote): reported as substituted, 15-5.
- SB176 (guardrails for permissive use of ranked-choice voting): reported 15-5.
- SB311 (identical to House Bill 612): reported 15-5.
- SB322 (related to the National Popular Vote Compact): reported 13-7.
- SB632 (records redaction amendments requested by election officials): reported 18-2.

The committee recorded motions and roll-call votes for each reported bill. No public speakers appeared in opposition or support for SB88 during the committee’s call for testimony.

Chair and staff announced upcoming subcommittee meetings on elections administration, campaigning, candidates and voting rights, and invited interested parties to a joint meeting at 9:30 a.m. in the same room to continue redistricting discussions. The committee adjourned after completing the agenda.