30-19.10 - Distribution of information on proposed questions to be submitted to voters.
§ 30-19.10. Distribution of information on proposed questions to be submittedto voters.
Whenever a statewide referendum on a matter other than a constitutionalamendment is submitted to the voters by the General Assembly, the State Boardof Elections shall cause to be printed and distributed to the generalregistrar of each county and city, not less than ninety days prior to theelection, copies of information about the referendum to be placed at eachregistration site in sufficient number to provide a copy to any interestedperson, and to election officials to be posted at the polling places on theday of the election. The State Board of Elections also shall cause theinformation to be published by paid advertisement in each daily newspaperwith an average daily circulation of more than 50,000 in Virginia, andpublished in Virginia or in a contiguous state or district, once during theweek preceding the final day for registration and once during the weekpreceding the referendum.
The information shall contain the ballot question and either (i) a neutralexplanation of not more than 500 words on the proposed question, or (ii) forany bond referendum, a fiscal impact statement. The neutral explanation orthe fiscal impact statement shall be presented in plain English, shall belimited to a neutral explanation, and shall not present arguments by eitherproponents or opponents of the proposal. The fiscal impact statement shallinclude descriptions of the need for and anticipated uses of the bondproceeds. The Division of Legislative Services, in consultation with suchagencies of state government as may be appropriate, including the Office ofthe Attorney General, shall prepare the neutral explanation as part of thelegislation authorizing the referendum. The staff of the House AppropriationsCommittee and Senate Finance Committee shall each prepare a fiscal impactstatement for any bond referendum and assist the Division of LegislativeServices in preparing the explanation as part of the legislation authorizingthe referendum.
For purposes of this section and § 30-19.9, "plain English" means writtenin nontechnical, readily understandable language using words of commoneveryday usage and avoiding legal terms and phrases or other terms and wordsof art whose usage or special meaning primarily is limited to a particularfield or profession.
Any failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall not affectthe validity of the statewide referendum.
(1996, c. 297; 2007, c. 402.)