An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 15.2-1400.1, relating to local governing bodies; appointment of youth representative.
HB1404 authorizes local governing bodies in Virginia to create, by ordinance, a process for appointing a youth representative to serve as a nonvoting member of the body. The youth representative must be between 15 and 17 years old at the time of appointment, must be a resident of the locality, and serves for whatever term the locality sets. The bill does not require localities to adopt such a position; it simply gives them the option to do so.
The measure is aimed at increasing youth participation in local government and giving young residents a formal role in civic discussions without granting voting power. Because the appointment is discretionary, the details of selection, term length, and any related procedures are left to each locality’s ordinance. The bill was enacted as Chapter 313 and became part of the Code of Virginia by adding § 15.2-1400.1.
HB1404 adds a new local-government authorization in Title 15.2 of the Code of Virginia, allowing counties, cities, and towns to establish a nonvoting youth representative position on their governing bodies. It does not mandate any local action, does not change voting rights, and does not alter the composition of governing bodies unless a locality chooses to adopt the procedure. The practical effect is to permit localities to involve teenagers in advisory or observational capacity in public decision-making.
The available record suggests generally positive or at least noncontroversial sentiment around the bill, as it was approved and enacted without any recorded committee debate or vote opposition in the materials provided. The absence of recorded objections or amendments indicates the proposal likely had broad acceptance as a youth-engagement measure. Overall, the bill appears to have been viewed as a modest, optional local-government reform rather than a contentious policy change.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided transcripts or voting history. The main policy choice embedded in the bill is whether localities should be allowed to appoint a nonvoting youth representative, but the bill leaves that decision entirely to local discretion. Any potential concerns would likely center on the age range, the nonvoting status of the representative, or the administrative burden on local governments, but none of those issues are reflected in the available record.