2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26103642D

HOUSE BILL NO. 810

Offered January 14, 2026

Prefiled January 13, 2026

A BILL to amend and reenact § 4.01, as amended, of Chapter 576 of the Acts of Assembly of 1978, which provided a charter for the City of Newport News, relating to city council; compensation.

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Patron—Downey

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Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 4.01, as amended, of Chapter 576 of the Acts of Assembly of 1978 is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 4.01. Composition; compensation of councilmen council members and mayor; appointment of council member to office of profit.

The council shall consist of seven members elected as provided in Chapter 3. The compensation of council members and the mayor shall be established by ordinance within the salary ranges permitted by state statute. Before adopting any ordinance to increase the compensation of the members of council, the council shall appoint a citizen compensation committee to perform a detailed analysis of the official duties of council members, comparing compensation with similar positions in the public and private sectors to provide a transparent and data-driven justification for salary recommendations. The council may adopt an ordinance establishing compensation for council members in any amount up to, but not exceeding, the amount recommended by the citizen compensation committee. The compensation of council members as being paid on the effective date of this charter section shall remain in effect until the appropriate ordinance setting salaries is adopted by council; provided, however, that no such ordinance shall take effect until after the next council election following the effective date of this act. No member of the council shall, during the term for which he was elected and one year thereafter, be appointed to any office of profit under the government of the city.