THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The first representative assembly in America met at Jamestown in 1619. The Capital
was moved to Williamsburg in 1699 and then to Richmond in 1780. The Capitol was designed
by Thomas Jefferson and first used in 1788. The wings were added to the Capitol for more
space and put into sue in 1906.
The General Assembly is made up of the Senate and the House of Delegates. The
people of Virginia elect 40 Senators and 100 Delegates to represent them in the General
Assembly. Each Senator serves a four-year term and each Delegate serves a two-year term.
In the Senate, the Lieutenant Governor is the presiding officer. He is elected in a
statewide election and serves a four-year term. The Speaker is the presiding officer in the
House of Delegates. He is a member of the House is elected by House in even-numbered years
for a two-year term.
The General Assembly meets annually (once a year), beginning the second Wednesday
in January. In even-numbered years, it meets for 60 calendar days. In odd-numbered years, it
meets for 30 calendar days. (This session can be extended up to 30 additional days.)
Terry McAuliffe – Governor of
Virginia - Democrat
Ralph Northam
Lieutenant Governor of
Virginia- Democrat
Virginia House of Delegates 2014
Delegate Dave LaRock D - 33rd District
Counties of Clarke (part),
Frederick (part), and Loudoun
(part)
Virginia House of Delegates 2012
Delegate William J. Howell
Member Since 1988
R - 28th District
County of Stafford (part); City of
Fredericksburg (part)
Speaker of the House (2003—)
Va. Senator Richard H. Black
Republican-District 13
PRIMARY ISSUES IN THE LEGISTLATIVE PROCESS AT THE STATE LEVEL
Elected officials in the Virginia General Assembly write laws and take action in response to problems or
issues.
1. Education: The General Assembly establishes minimum standards for local schools. This is the
Virginia Standards of Learning, or the SOLs.
2. Public Health: Promote and protect the health of its citizens such as funding health benefits.
3. Environment: Protect natural resources such as the Chesapeake Bay: protect the environment
4. State Budget: The General Assembly approves the budget prepared by the Governor. This is
done every two years.
5. Revenue: (Money coming into the state) To levy (place) and collect state taxes. The tax money
is used to provide services for the citizens of Virginia.
HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW IN THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1. The bill is introduced on the floor of the Virginia Senate or the House of Delegates.
2. The bill is sent to committee, which hold hearings on the bill and decides whether or not to
approve it.
3. The bill reaches the floor of the first house, where members discuss it, amend it, and/ or vote to
pass the amended bill.
4. The bill is sent to the second house. It will go through the same steps as the first house and may
pass a different version of the bill.
5. The bill is sent to a joint conference committee which is made up of members of the Senate and
the House of Delegates. The joint conference committee works out a compromise bill.
6. The compromise bill is voted on and passed by both houses.
7. The bill is sent to the governor to be signed.
Introduced in Va. Senate
Introduced in House of Delegates
committee
committee
Floor Virginia Senate
Floor House of Delegates
joint conference committee
Virginia Senate
House of Delegates
governor to be signed
STATE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH REVIEW
1. What is the Virginia state legislative branch called?
2. What are the two parts of the Virginia State Legislature?
3. What are the main issues addressed by the Virginia General Assembly? (5)
4. Identify the issue that is being addressed in the following scenarios.
___________________________1) Governor Terry McAulliffe would like to get rid of the
state's gas tax and replace it with a bump in the state sales tax to help pay for transportation.
Senate Minority Leader Dick Saslaw doesn't think the plan will work.
___________________________2) Congressman Bobby Scott doesn't like the budget proposed
by Republican House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan.
___________________________3) Making a decision on the future of uranium mining in
Virginia is something that has been pushed off for several years. Senator Watkins in particular
has spent a great deal of time on researching uranium mining. "We've got to make sure it is
done safely there is no question about that," he said. "
_________________________4) The Virginia General Assembly passed a law that requires local
school divisions to provide targeted mathematics remediation and intervention to students in
grades six through eight who show computational deficiencies on any diagnostic or grade-level
Standards of Learning mathematics test that measures non-calculator computational skills.
_________________________5)A bill is introduced in the Virginia Senate that would require
the state plan for medical assistance services to include a provision for payment of medical
assistance for aged and disabled individuals with incomes up to 100 percent of the federal
poverty guideline as permitted by federal law. (Provides medical assistance to very poor
people.)
5. Who is your Virginia Senator in the Virginia Senate?
6. Who is your Delegate in the Virginia House of Delegates?
7. Identify and explain the steps for the procedure for a bill to become a law in the Virginia
General Assembly.
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