# Virginia SB658: Back-end, opt-out automatic voter registration; work group to study implementation.

Virginia SB658, Back-end, opt-out automatic voter registration; work group to study implementation., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Aaron R. Rouse (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0590)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB658-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB658
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Back-end, opt-out automatic voter registration; work group to study implementation.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0590)
- Sponsor: Aaron R. Rouse (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 13 (281 yes, 162 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Secretary of Administration; work group on automatic voter registration. Directs the Department of Elections to convene a work group for the purpose of studying the implementation of back-end, opt-out automatic voter registration (AVR) in the Commonwealth. The work group shall include representatives of the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, and the Office of the Attorney General, in addition to members of the House and Senate Committees on Privileges and Elections, general registrars, and organizations advocating for or working on voting rights and data privacy. The work group is tasked with considering the effectiveness, efficiency, and security of back-end, opt-out AVR as compared to Virginia's current front-end, opt-out process and identifying the costs and benefits of moving to such a system. The Secretary of Administration is required to submit a report of the work group's findings to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees on Privileges and Elections by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 319.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Aaron R. Rouse (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-13 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 61 | 33 |   |
| 2026-03-13 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 21 | 18 |   |
| 2026-03-12 | Senate | Senate acceded to request Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-12 | Senate | House substitute rejected by Senate | fail | 0 | 40 |   |
| 2026-03-11 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 64 | 35 |   |
| 2026-03-06 | House | Reported from Rules with substitute | pass | 12 | 6 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 4 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 21 | 18 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 10 | 5 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | Senate | Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 8 | 6 |   |

## Actions (50)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0590) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 590 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB658) (Senate)
- 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (Senate)
- 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB658ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-16: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB658) (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Conference report agreed to by House (61-Y 33-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-13: Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Conference Report released
- 2026-03-12: House Conferees: Hernandez, Price, Cherry (House)
- 2026-03-12: Conferees appointed by House (House)
- 2026-03-12: Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: House requested conference committee (House)
- 2026-03-12: House insisted on substitute (House)
- 2026-03-12: House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB658) (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Senate acceded to request (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Conferees appointed by Senate (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Senate Conferees: Rouse, Srinivasan, Diggs (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Passed House with substitute (64-Y 35-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-11: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-03-11: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-03-11: Read third time (House)
- 2026-03-10: Read second time (House)
- 2026-03-06: Committee substitute printed 26108948D-H1 (House)
- 2026-03-06: Reported from Rules with substitute (12-Y 6-N) (House)
- 2026-03-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB658) (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (4-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2026-03-01: Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee (House)
- 2026-02-19: Referred to Committee on Rules (House)
- 2026-02-19: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-19: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-17: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB658) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Committee substitute printed 26107067D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105126D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218981.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218980.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213805.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213804.PDF)
- Conference Report, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210036.HTML)
- Substitute, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210033.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210032.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-03-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197602.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197601.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-03-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187673.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187672.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115123.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108776.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1114789.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115122.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108775.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1114788.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091685.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091684.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/1218981.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218980.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213805.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213804.PDF)
- [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210036.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210033.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210032.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197602.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197601.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187673.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187672.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115123.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108776.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1114789.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115122.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108775.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1114788.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091685.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091684.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-SB658-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).