# Virginia SB303: Suffolk, City of; amending charter, clarifying membership of city council.

Virginia SB303, Suffolk, City of; amending charter, clarifying membership of city council., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Emily M. Jordan (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0244)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB303-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB303
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Suffolk, City of; amending charter, clarifying membership of city council.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0244)
- Sponsor: Emily M. Jordan (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (212 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

Charter; City of Suffolk. Corrects an error in the existing charter of the City of Suffolk to clarify that the city council shall consist of eight members to reflect the addition of the directly elected mayor to the city council. The bill also removes obsolete language to clarify the appointment process and responsibilities of the city clerk. Finally, the bill updates language to reflect the city manager's direct responsibility for the department directors, consistent with the City of Suffolk's established management and reporting structure. This bill is identical to HB 940.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Suffolk City Council gains one seat: benefit, low. The law increases Suffolk’s City Council from seven members to eight. It adds one seat to the city’s governing body.
- Suffolk updates clerk and department leadership: benefit, low. The law removes the city clerk’s four-year term requirement; the initial clerk’s service ran through July 1, 1974. The city manager appoints and can remove department directors, except those overseeing law and education, the clerk, and the assessor. Directors outside those exceptions answer to the…
- Suffolk limits public record inspection hours: cost, low. Records in Suffolk’s city clerk’s office remain public, but inspection is limited to regular business hours. The clerk keeps city records not assigned elsewhere and holds, uses, and authenticates the city’s official seal. The council sets the clerk’s pay, and money received by the clerk must go int…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Emily M. Jordan (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-26 | House | Passed House | pass | 96 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-20 | House | Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns | pass | 21 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-22 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-21 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-20 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-20 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-19 | Senate | Reported from Local Government | pass | 15 | 0 |   |

## Actions (27)

- 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0244) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 244 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB303ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-02-26: Passed House (96-Y 1-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-26: Read third time (House)
- 2026-02-26: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-25: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2026-02-24: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-20: Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns (21-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-03: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (House)
- 2026-02-03: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-03: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-01-22: Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-01-21: Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-01-21: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-01-20: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-01-20: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-01-20: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-01-20: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-01-19: Reported from Local Government (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Local Government (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101987D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217062.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217061.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1184735.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1184734.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088884.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088883.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217062.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217061.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1184735.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1184734.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088884.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088883.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB303-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).