HOUSE BILL NO. 113

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections

on February 10, 2026)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Helmer)

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-1007 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; offenses; soliciting or accepting bribe to influence or procure voter registration; penalty.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 24.2-1007 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 24.2-1007. Soliciting or accepting bribe to influence or procure vote or registration.

A. No person shall solicit or accept directly or indirectly any money or any thing of value (i) to influence his or another's vote in any election or (ii) in exchange for his or another's decision to register or not register to vote. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

B. This section shall not be construed to apply to any of the following:

1. Transportation to or from a voting or voter registration location;

2. Items of de minimis value that are not cash or cash equivalents;

3. Granting time off to an employee to vote or register to vote; or

4. Paying a person a wage to conduct a voter registration drive.

C. This section applies to any election and to any method used by a political party for selection of its nominees and for selection of delegates to its conventions and meetings.