# Virginia SJ23: Rural Affairs, Secretariat of; JLARC to study need for and feasibility of creating.

Virginia SJ23, Rural Affairs, Secretariat of; JLARC to study need for and feasibility of creating., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic); status adopted, last action 2026-03-11 (Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ23ER)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SJ23-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SJ23
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Rural Affairs, Secretariat of; JLARC to study need for and feasibility of creating.
- Status: adopted
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-03-11, Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ23ER)
- Sponsor: Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 6 (122 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Study; JLARC; creation of Secretariat of Rural Affairs; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the need for and feasibility of creating a Secretariat of Rural Affairs in the Commonwealth.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-11 | House | Agreed to by House Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-06 | House | Reported from Rules | pass | 18 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 5 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Agreed to by Senate by voice vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Rules Amendments agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | Senate | Reported from Rules with amendments (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |

## Actions (16)

- 2026-03-11: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ23ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Agreed to by House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-11: Taken up (House)
- 2026-03-06: Reported from Rules (18-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-03-02: Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-03-01: Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee (House)
- 2026-02-17: Referred to Committee on Rules (House)
- 2026-02-11: Agreed to by Senate by voice vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Rules Amendments agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Reported from Rules with amendments (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Rules (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100627D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Enrolled, 2026-03-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1207840.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1207839.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1136338.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1136337.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-02-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134131.HTML)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087124.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087123.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
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1207840.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1207839.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1136338.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1136337.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134131.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087124.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087123.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-SJ23-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).