Lawmakers concur with Governor Spanberger’s recommended amendments, putting new governance requirements into effect immediately rather than on July 1.
PURCELLVILLE, VA. The Virginia General Assembly on Wednesday voted to accept Governor Abigail Spanberger’s recommended amendments to Senate Bill 648, adopting an emergency clause that places the legislation’s new governance requirements for the Town of Purcellville into effect immediately rather than on the standard July 1, 2026 effective date. The concurrence vote during the reconvened session completes the legislative process for the bill, and its provisions are now active law.
In a statement following the vote, bill sponsor Senator Russet Perry (D-Loudoun/Fauquier) said the legislation is intended to restore public confidence in local government and establish a defined process for handling allegations against public officials. “The final passage of SB648 is about restoring trust, enforcing accountability, and making clear that corruption in government will not be tolerated,” Perry said. “For too long, the people of Purcellville have been left in limbo, waiting for clarity, stability, and a path forward. This bill ensures there is a clear, fair process to address serious allegations and hold public officials accountable. And, just as importantly, the additional emergency clause means the residents of Purcellville don’t have to wait in uncertainty any longer. They can move forward with confidence in a government that works for them, not around them.”
Now in effect, the bill adds § 15.2-1535.1 to the Code of Virginia, applying statewide. That provision deems any governing body member who was previously employed by an agency under that body’s control to have a continuing personal interest in that agency for two years after leaving employment, carrying conflict-of-interest implications under existing state law.
A second set of provisions applies exclusively to towns in Planning District 8 with populations between 8,000 and 10,000, criteria that currently describe Purcellville. Under those provisions, courts must suspend any town officer charged with a felony pending resolution of the case, with withheld pay held in escrow and returned to the officer only if the case resolves in their favor. The town must commission an independent study of its debt, infrastructure, and financial risks from a public university, to be completed by July 1, 2027, and must adopt a remedial plan based on its findings. Town council votes are restricted to items published on a public agenda at least three days in advance, residents gain standing to challenge violations in court and may recover attorney’s fees, and full-time town managers must be Virginia residents. The Purcellville-specific provisions are set to expire on July 1, 2028.
SB 648 grew out of prolonged controversy within Purcellville’s town government and was revised significantly during the legislative session. Earlier versions would have barred government employees from running for the governing body that employs them before the bill was narrowed to the two-year conflict-of-interest window. Delegate John McAuliff (D-Loudoun/Fauquier) drafted and originally introduced the legislation, later bringing it to the Senate through Perry, who carried the bill in that chamber. It passed both chambers and went through a conference committee before reaching the Governor’s desk. Rather than signing the bill as enrolled, Spanberger returned it with a recommended emergency clause, shifting the effective date from July 1, 2026 to the moment of final passage. That step was completed by Wednesday’s vote.
Supporters, including the Virginia Municipal League, backed the legislation as an accountability reform. Purcellville Vice Mayor Carl “Ben” Nett, widely seen as a central figure behind the bill’s drafting, has argued that the measures are politically motivated and has raised due process concerns about the felony suspension provision.
The full text of SB 648 is available at https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB648.
