# Virginia HB2571: State of emergency; spending authority during budgetary lapse.

Virginia HB2571, State of emergency; spending authority during budgetary lapse., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by James A. "Jay" Leftwich (Republican); status failed, last action 2025-02-04 (Left in Rules) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2571-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB2571
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: State of emergency; spending authority during budgetary lapse.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-12
- Last action: 2025-02-04, Left in Rules
- Sponsor: James A. "Jay" Leftwich (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Rules
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

State of emergency; spending authority during budgetary lapse. Authorizes the Governor to declare a state of emergency in the event of a budgetary lapse, defined as a state of affairs in which the general appropriation act has expired and no lawful appropriation authority is in effect. Upon such a declaration of a state of emergency, the Governor shall have authority to continue disbursement of funds for essential public services, defined in the bill, at levels equivalent to those that were in effect prior to expiration of the general appropriation act. Such spending authority shall begin upon declaration of a state of emergency during a budgetary lapse and shall continue until enactment of a general appropriation act. The Governor, upon declaring a state of emergency, shall have 30 days to provide a report to the General Assembly that details his plan to continue the functioning of essential public services during the budgetary lapse and to submit a budget bill to the General Assembly that, if enacted, would end the emergency. The bill contains an enactment clause providing that, unless reenacted, it shall expire two years and six months after the end of the session of the General Assembly in which it is enacted.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: James A. "Jay" Leftwich (Republican), House

## Actions (4)

- 2025-02-04: Left in Rules (House)
- 2025-01-22: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2571) (House)
- 2025-01-12: Referred to Committee on Rules (House)
- 2025-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25102732D (House)

## Bill text

- Introduced, 2025-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018940.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018938.PDF)

## Related bills

- HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted)
- SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed)
- HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed)
- HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed)
- SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed)
- HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor)

## Sources
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018940.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018938.PDF)

## Related
- [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025)
- [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025)
- [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025)
- [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025)
- [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025)
- [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2571-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).