# Virginia SB581: Fairfax, City of; amending charter, elections, compensation for members of boards or commissions. Virginia SB581, Fairfax, City of; amending charter, elections, compensation for members of boards or commissions., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Saddam Azlan Salim (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0303)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB581-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB581 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Fairfax, City of; amending charter, elections, compensation for members of boards or commissions. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-14 - Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0303) - Sponsor: Saddam Azlan Salim (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 14 (431 yes, 112 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary Charter; City of Fairfax; financial powers; elections; compensation for members of boards or commissions. Amends the charter for the City of Fairfax by replacing a cap on the transient occupancy tax with a reference to general law. The bill also amends the charter to align it with current law requiring municipal elections to be held at the November general election. Finally, the bill removes the limit of $50 per meeting for compensation of members of boards and commissions and provides that such compensation is in such amounts as established by the City Council. This bill is identical to HB 1342. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Fairfax board members can receive higher pay: benefit, low. The law removes the $50-per-meeting pay cap for Fairfax city board and commission members. The City Council sets their pay amounts. The law allows higher pay but does not require a raise or set a replacement amount. - Fairfax voters choose city leaders in November: benefit, low. Beginning with the 2022 election, Fairfax voters elect the mayor and six City Council members on November's general election date. This replaces the first-Tuesday-in-May schedule. Elections take place every two years, and two-year terms begin the following January 1. The law also confirms the valid… - Fairfax removes its hotel tax cap: cost, low. The law removes Fairfax's 4% charter cap on taxes for rooms in hotels, motels, and boarding houses. The City Council sets the rate and terms by ordinance, subject to Virginia law. Rooms rented for continuous stays of 30 days or more remain exempt. The law allows a higher tax but does not set a new… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Saddam Azlan Salim (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-03 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 28 | 12 | | | 2026-03-02 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 92 | 6 | | | 2026-02-23 | Senate | Senate acceded to request | pass | 38 | 0 | | | 2026-02-18 | Senate | House substitute rejected by Senate | fail | 0 | 38 | | | 2026-02-16 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 75 | 22 | | | 2026-02-13 | House | Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute | pass | 16 | 5 | | | 2026-01-29 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 33 | 7 | | | 2026-01-29 | Senate | Read third time and defeated by Senate | pass | 24 | 16 | | | 2026-01-29 | Senate | Reconsideration of defeated action agreed to by Senate | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-01-29 | Senate | Reconsideration of Passed by for the day agreed to Block Vote | pass | 38 | 0 | | | 2026-01-28 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-27 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-01-27 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-26 | Senate | Reported from Local Government | pass | 8 | 6 | | ## Actions (45) - 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0303) (Governor) - 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 303 (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) - 2026-03-09: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB581ER) (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-03: Conference report agreed to by Senate (28-Y 12-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Conference report agreed to by House (92-Y 6-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-02: Conference Report released - 2026-02-24: House Conferees: Bulova, Shin, McNamara (House) - 2026-02-24: Conferees appointed by House (House) - 2026-02-23: Senate acceded to request (38-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Senate Conferees: Salim, Pekarsky, Diggs (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Conferees appointed by Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-19: House requested conference committee (House) - 2026-02-19: House insisted on substitute (House) - 2026-02-18: House substitute rejected by Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-16: Passed House with substitute (75-Y 22-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-16: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House) - 2026-02-16: committee substitute agreed to (House) - 2026-02-16: Read third time (House) - 2026-02-15: Read second time (House) - 2026-02-13: Committee substitute printed 26107970D-H1 (House) - 2026-02-13: House committee offered (House) - 2026-02-13: Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (16-Y 5-N) (House) - 2026-02-04: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (House) - 2026-02-04: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-04: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2026-01-29: Read third time and passed Senate (33-Y 7-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Reconsideration of Passed by for the day agreed to Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Reconsideration of defeated action agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Read third time and defeated by Senate (24-Y 16-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Read first time (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-01-26: Reported from Local Government (8-Y 6-N) (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Local Government (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104641D (Senate) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217303.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217302.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191416.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191415.PDF) - Conference Report, 2026-03-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187431.HTML) - Substitute, 2026-02-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1146777.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145912.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1146776.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145911.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090922.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090921.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/1217303.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217302.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191416.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191415.PDF) - [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187431.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1146777.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145912.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1146776.PDF) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145911.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090922.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090921.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) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB581-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).