Virginia Law

The Speaker of the House of Delegates and all other members of the General Assembly shall each receive an annual salary as shall be set forth in the general appropriation act. Such salaries shall be payable not more often than biweekly.

1971, Ex. Sess., c. 194, § 14.1-17.1; 1976, c. 604; 1984, c. 161; 1998, c. 872; 2025, c. 687.

A. Subject to the provisions of subsections B through G hereof, members of all legislative committees, legislative commissions, and councils established by the General Assembly and all committees and subcommittees of any of the foregoing shall receive compensation at such rate as provided for in § 2.2-2813. Any other member of the General Assembly whose attendance, in the opinion of the chairman of such a group, is required at a sitting of such group shall also be entitled to compensation at the same rate.

B. A legislative member shall not be entitled to compensation pursuant to this section for any services performed on any day that the member's house is in active session. For purposes of this subsection, "active session" means (i) any day during any regular session of the General Assembly or the first extension thereof, (ii) any day that a roll call vote is taken in the member's house during any second or subsequent extension of a regular session that is not a pro forma session, or (iii) any day that a roll call vote is taken in the member's house during any special session of the General Assembly that is not a pro forma session.

C. A legislative member shall not be entitled to compensation pursuant to this section for legislative services performed on Capitol Square on any day that the member's house has a pro forma session.

D. Full-time employees of the Commonwealth or of any of its political subdivisions shall not be entitled to compensation pursuant to this section.

E. No person shall receive pursuant to this section a total of more than one day's compensation for services performed on any one day. Whenever a member attends two or more meetings for which compensation is authorized herein in a single day, such one day's compensation shall be prorated from among the activities served.

F. Compensation of members of the General Assembly provided for in this section shall be paid by the offices of the Clerk of the House of Delegates or Clerk of the Senate as appropriate and funds therefor transferred from the appropriate activity.

G. For purposes of this section, "Capitol Square" means the grounds and all buildings in the City of Richmond bounded by Bank, Governor, Broad and Ninth Streets. "Pro forma session" means a session that is announced as a pro forma session by the presiding officer and in which no business is scheduled to be conducted.

Code 1950, § 14-29.1; 1964, c. 386, § 14.1-18; 1966, c. 703; 1974, c. 356; 1979, c. 316; 1980, c. 718; 1984, c. 161; 1998, cc. 790, 872; 2006, c. 272.

Each member of the General Assembly shall, during any regular session of the General Assembly or extension thereof, or during any special session of the General Assembly, receive for each day as allowances for expenses such sum as shall be set forth in the general appropriation act and mileage allowance at the rate provided in § 2.2-2823 or actual expenses for all official travel. Such mileage or travel reimbursement shall be allowed only for one round trip each week between the City of Richmond and such person's home.

1971, Ex. Sess., c. 240, § 14.1-18.1; 1972, cc. 510, 719; 1974, c. 356; 1975, c. 132; 1984, c. 161; 1998, c. 872.

A. Each member of the General Assembly shall receive as an allowance for office expenses and supplies such sums as shall be set forth in the general appropriation act.

B. Notwithstanding any provision of law, all payments to members of the General Assembly made in accordance with subsection A shall be subject to such taxes and tax withholding as applicable to other nonvouchered allowances, except for any member of the General Assembly who has established an individual "accountable plan" as defined in § 1.62-2(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code Tax Regulations.

1976, c. 735, § 14.1-18.2; 1984, c. 161; 1998, c. 872; 2001, c. 785.

The members of the General Assembly and officers and employees of each house thereof, and members of legislative committees which may sit during any recess of the General Assembly, who are traveling on official business of the Commonwealth, shall be entitled to receive for their mileage such reimbursement as prescribed in § 2.2-2823 for every mile of actual travel.

Code 1950, § 14-30; 1954, c. 709; 1964, c. 386, § 14.1-19; 1969, Ex. Sess., c. 4; 1972, cc. 719, 749; 1975, c. 132; 1998, c. 872; 1999, c. 930.

Repealed by Acts 1999, c. 930

For the purpose of this chapter and Chapter 1 (§ 2.2-100 et seq.) and §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2814 of Title 2.2 only, the distance of the City of Richmond from any place in any county or city other than the courthouse thereof, shall be ascertained by adding to or deducting from the number of miles between the City of Richmond and such courthouse, as declared by law, so many miles as such place may be farther from or nearer to the City of Richmond than such courthouse may be.

Code 1950, § 14-7; 1964, c. 386, § 14.1-21; 1998, c. 872.

The Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Senate shall each receive such salaries as shall be fixed from time to time by the general appropriation act.

Code 1950, § 14-31; 1954, c. 443; 1964, c. 386, § 14.1-22; 1998, c. 872.

The House of Delegates and the Senate and the clerks thereof are authorized to employ such personnel as may be deemed necessary for the efficient operation of the General Assembly as prescribed by the rules or resolutions of the respective houses.

The House of Delegates and the Senate shall by resolution or resolutions set the compensation of the personnel employed by each house, and the personnel shall be paid from the contingent fund of each house, respectively.

Code 1950, § 14-32; 1964, c. 386, § 14.1-23; 1966, c. 703; 1998, c. 872.

A. The Legislator Compensation Commission (the Commission) is established in the legislative branch of state government. The Commission shall convene every four years for the purpose of reviewing the salaries, expense allowances, retirement benefits, and other emoluments received by members of the General Assembly and making recommendations for any adjustments to such salaries or allowance amounts.

B. The Commission shall consist of 11 members who shall be appointed as follows:

1. Two former members of the Senate of Virginia, with equal representation given to each of the political parties having the highest and next highest number of members in the Senate, appointed by the Joint Rules Committee;

2. Four former members of the House of Delegates, with equal representation given to each of the political parties having the highest and next highest number of members in the House of Delegates, appointed by the Joint Rules Committee; and

3. Five nonlegislative citizen members, of whom one shall be appointed by the Governor, one shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, one shall be appointed by the House Minority Leader, one shall be appointed by the Senate Majority Leader, and one shall be appointed by the Senate Minority Leader.

C. Appointments of Commission members shall be made no later than July 1 of the year in which a gubernatorial election is scheduled. Members shall serve until the submission of the report required pursuant to § 30-19.22 and may be reappointed to any subsequent convening of the Commission. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.

The Commission shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The meetings of the Commission shall be held at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.

D. Commission members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 and 2.2-2825 for reasonable and necessary expenses that are incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this article.

E. Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the Senate or the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates as may be appropriate for the house in which the chairman of the Commission serves. The Division of Legislative Services shall provide legal, research, and policy analysis to the Commission. The staffs of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations shall provide technical assistance to the Commission. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Commission, upon request.

2025, c. 687.

A. The Commission shall convene every four years in the year in which a gubernatorial election is scheduled for the purpose of reviewing the salaries, expense allowances, retirement benefits, and other emoluments received by members of the General Assembly. In conducting its review, the Commission shall (i) review the current salaries, expense allowances, retirement benefits, and any other emoluments for members of the General Assembly; (ii) examine the Commonwealth's history of legislative compensation; (iii) gather information regarding the compensation, expenses, and benefits for legislative service in other states; (iv) assess various state methodologies for determining reasonable legislative compensation, including tying salaries to certain indexes or economic indicators; and (v) seek assistance and input of legislators and other citizens by conducting surveys or holding public hearings as may be appropriate.

B. The Commission shall determine whether any adjustments to the salaries, expense allowances, retirement benefits, or other emoluments are indicated and shall submit its findings and recommendations in a report to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before October 1 of the year following a gubernatorial election.

C. Any adjustments made to the salaries, expense allowances, or other emoluments or benefits that are recommended by the Commission and included in a budget bill that is subsequently adopted by the General Assembly shall not be effective until January 1 of the year immediately following the general election for all members of the General Assembly.

2025, c. 687.