Constitution of Virginia
11/21/2024
Table of Contents
- Article I
- Bill of RightsRead all
- Section 1
- Equality and rights of men.
- Section 2
- People the source of power.
- Section 3
- Government instituted for common benefit.
- Section 4
- No exclusive emoluments or privileges; offices not to be hereditary.
- Section 5
- Separation of legislative, executive, and judicial departments; periodical elections.
- Section 6
- Free elections; consent of governed.
- Section 7
- Laws should not be suspended.
- Section 8
- Criminal prosecutions.
- Section 8-A
- Rights of victims of crime.
- Section 9
- Prohibition of excessive bail and fines, cruel and unusual punishment, suspension of habeas corpus, bills of attainder, and ex post facto laws.
- Section 10
- General warrants of search or seizure prohibited.
- Section 11
- Due process of law; obligation of contracts; taking or damaging of private property; prohibited discrimination; jury trial in civil cases.
- Section 12
- Freedom of speech and of the press; right peaceably to assemble, and to petition.
- Section 13
- Militia; standing armies; military subordinate to civil power.
- Section 14
- Government should be uniform.
- Section 15
- Qualities necessary to preservation of free government.
- Section 15-A
- Marriage.
- Section 16
- Free exercise of religion; no establishment of religion.
- Section 17
- Construction of the Bill of Rights.
- Article II
- Franchise and OfficersRead all
- Section 1
- Qualifications of voters.
- Section 2
- Registration of voters.
- Section 3
- Method of voting.
- Section 4
- Powers and duties of General Assembly.
- Section 5
- Qualifications to hold elective office.
- Section 6
- Apportionment.
- Section 6-A
- Virginia Redistricting Commission.
- Section 7
- Oath or affirmation.
- Section 8
- Electoral boards; registrars and officers of election.
- Section 9
- Privileges of voters during election.
- Article III
- Division of PowersRead all
- Section 1
- Departments to be distinct.
- Article IV
- LegislatureRead all
- Section 1
- Legislative power.
- Section 2
- Senate.
- Section 3
- House of Delegates.
- Section 4
- Qualifications of senators and delegates.
- Section 5
- Compensation; election to civil office of profit.
- Section 6
- Legislative sessions.
- Section 7
- Organization of General Assembly.
- Section 8
- Quorum.
- Section 9
- Immunity of legislators.
- Section 10
- Journal of proceedings.
- Section 11
- Enactment of laws.
- Section 12
- Form of laws.
- Section 13
- Effective date of laws.
- Section 14
- Powers of General Assembly; limitations.
- Section 15
- General laws.
- Section 16
- Appropriations to religious or charitable bodies.
- Section 17
- Impeachment.
- Section 18
- Auditor of Public Accounts.
- Article V
- ExecutiveRead all
- Section 1
- Executive power; Governor's term of office.
- Section 2
- Election of Governor.
- Section 3
- Qualifications of Governor.
- Section 4
- Place of residence and compensation of Governor.
- Section 5
- Legislative responsibilities of Governor.
- Section 6
- Presentation of bills; powers of Governor; vetoes and amendments.
- Section 7
- Executive and administrative powers.
- Section 8
- Information from administrative officers.
- Section 9
- Administrative organization.
- Section 10
- Appointment and removal of administrative officers.
- Section 11
- Effect of refusal of General Assembly to confirm an appointment by the Governor.
- Section 12
- Executive clemency.
- Section 13
- Lieutenant Governor; election and qualifications.
- Section 14
- Duties and compensation of Lieutenant Governor.
- Section 15
- Attorney General.
- Section 16
- Succession to the office of Governor.
- Section 17
- Commissions and grants.
- Article VI
- JudiciaryRead all
- Section 1
- Judicial power; jurisdiction.
- Section 2
- Supreme Court.
- Section 3
- Selection of Chief Justice.
- Section 4
- Administration of the judicial system.
- Section 5
- Rules of practice and procedure.
- Section 6
- Opinions and judgments of the Supreme Court.
- Section 7
- Selection and qualification of judges.
- Section 8
- Additional judicial personnel.
- Section 9
- Commission; compensation; retirement.
- Section 10
- Disabled and unfit judges.
- Section 11
- Incompatible activities.
- Section 12
- Limitation; judicial appointment.
- Article VII
- Local GovernmentRead all
- Section 1
- Definitions.
- Section 2
- Organization and government.
- Section 3
- Powers.
- Section 4
- County and city officers.
- Section 5
- County, city, and town governing bodies.
- Section 6
- Multiple offices.
- Section 7
- Procedures.
- Section 8
- Consent to use public property.
- Section 9
- Sale of property and granting of franchises by cities and towns.
- Section 10
- Debt.
- Article VIII
- EducationRead all
- Section 1
- Public schools of high quality to be maintained.
- Section 2
- Standards of quality; State and local support of public schools.
- Section 3
- Compulsory education; free textbooks.
- Section 4
- Board of Education.
- Section 5
- Powers and duties of the Board of Education.
- Section 6
- Superintendent of Public Instruction.
- Section 7
- School boards.
- Section 8
- The Literary Fund.
- Section 9
- Other educational institutions.
- Section 10
- State appropriations prohibited to schools or institutions of learning not owned or exclusively controlled by the State or some subdivision thereof; exceptions to rule.
- Section 11
- Aid to nonpublic higher education.
- Article IX
- CorporationsRead all
- Section 1
- State Corporation Commission.
- Section 2
- Powers and duties of the Commission.
- Section 3
- Procedures of the Commission.
- Section 4
- Appeals from actions of the Commission.
- Section 5
- Foreign corporations.
- Section 6
- Corporations subject to general laws.
- Section 7
- Exclusions from term "corporation" or "company."
- Article X
- Taxation and FinanceRead all
- Section 1
- Taxable property; uniformity; classification and segregation.
- Section 2
- Assessments.
- Section 3
- Taxes or assessments upon abutting property owners.
- Section 4
- Property segregated for local taxation; exceptions.
- Section 5
- Franchise taxes; taxation of corporate stock.
- Section 6
- Exempt property.
- Section 6-A
- Property tax exemption for certain veterans and their surviving spouses and surviving spouses of soldiers killed in action.
- Section 6-B
- Property tax exemptions for spouses of certain emergency services providers.
- Section 7
- Collection and disposition of State revenues.
- Section 7-A
- Lottery Proceeds Fund; distribution of lottery revenues.
- Section 8
- Limit of tax or revenue; Revenue Stabilization Fund.
- Section 9
- State debt.
- Section 10
- Lending of credit, stock subscriptions, and works of internal improvement.
- Section 11
- Governmental employees retirement system.
- Article XI
- ConservationRead all
- Section 1
- Natural resources and historical sites of the Commonwealth.
- Section 2
- Conservation and development of natural resources and historical sites.
- Section 3
- Natural oyster beds.
- Section 4
- Right of the people to hunt, fish, and harvest game.
- Article XII
- Future ChangesRead all
- Section 1
- Amendments.
- Section 2
- Constitutional convention.
- Schedule
- Read all
- Section 1
- Effective date of revised Constitution.
- Section 2
- Officers and elections.
- Section 3
- Laws, proceedings, and obligations unaffected.
- Section 4
- Qualifications of judges.
- Section 5
- First session of General Assembly following adoption of revised Constitution.