Virginia

Introduction

Oversight Summary
Oversight Survey

Virginia is one of 27 states in which no outside agency oversees ethical conduct of state legislators. It is one of 8 of those states where any outside oversight for members of the legislature is lumped in with the responsibilities of the secretary of state or attorney general.

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What, if any, ethics agency exists in the state?

None.

If the above agency does not oversee legislators, is legislative oversight defined in statute?

Yes. Virginia has the House Ethics Advisory Panel and the Senate Ethics Advisory Panel, which are enabled by Code of Virginia s.30-112. In the house, the panel is made up of three former house members and two public members. In the senate, the panel is made up of a retired justice, two former senate members and two public members.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+30-112

Are there state statutes that address ethical conduct for legislators?

Yes. Code of Virginia, Title 2.2, Chapter 31, “State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act” applies to legislators.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+TOC02020000031000000000000

When were the ethics statutes enacted?

1987

Where do legislators file outside interest disclosures?

Clerk of the House or Clerk of the Senate. See Info Resources.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+2.2-3114

Where do legislators file campaign finance disclosures?

Virginia State Board of Elections
http://www.sbe.state.va.us/

Where are lobbying disclosures filed?

Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Lobbyist Department
http://www.soc.state.va.us/lobbyist.htm

Note: Some information provided by the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws’ “Ethics Update” 2000. For more information or to purchase the reference, visit www.cogel.org.