eNews Action Alert – February 23, 2026
OPPOSE SB50 and SB530 before tomorrow afternoon (February 24)
Monday, February 23, 2026/Categories: eNews
OPPOSE BEFORE TOMORROW AFTERNOON!
SB50 is an unfunded mandate that expands lobbying to include local governments.
SB530 requires local elected officials to electronically file statement of personal interest disclosures.
Both bills are with the House General Laws Procurement/Open Government Subcommittee which meets tomorrow afternoon (February 24).
OPPOSE SB50
SB50 (Rouse) Lobbying; expands the definition to include influencing/attempting to influence local government action.
What it does:
SB50 requires the Secretary of the Commonwealth to maintain a list of local government officials (as defined below) updated semi-annually so that lobbyists can register when they attempt to influence a local government action (as defined below).
Definition of “Local Government Officials”: SB50 defines a “local government official” as a member of a city or town council, board of supervisors, local governing body, supervisory or policy board, commissions, or other entities established by and responsible to local government and people employed by a person or entity established by and responsible to a local government.
Definition of “Local Government Action”: SB50 defines a “local government action” as the adoption, enactment, modification, or repeal of an ordinance or resolution. This includes actions related to local taxes, the budget of the locality, and land use proceedings.
Reasons to OPPOSE SB50:
- This is an unfunded mandate to require a locality to maintain and file semi-annually a list of local government officials with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
- Localities will have to train all the local government officials (as defined above) on what lobbying is and the process for dealing with this new, unfunded mandate.
- Local officials may have long-standing relationships that will have to be revised based upon these new rules, potentially to the detriment of the locality.
- Among the local government actions covered in the bill, it fails to clearly indicate what “modification” means. Does it mean a local government attorney interpretation of an ordinance? Does it mean a zoning administrator making a determination?
Action Requested:
SB50 is currently with the House General Laws Procurement/Open Government Subcommittee which will meet tomorrow afternoon (February 24). Please contact the members of the subcommittee (below) and ask them to vote NO on SB50.
OPPOSE SB530
SB530 (Srinivasan) Conflict of Interests Act, State/Local Gov’t; electronic discl. by local govt officers and employees.
What it does:
SB530 requires all local government officers and employees who file the disclosure statement of personal interest to do so electronically with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Committee.
Reasons to OPPOSE SB530:
- These disclosure statements are currently filed with the local clerk of court and are available if requested.
- This will have a chilling effect on local government officials running for office:
“As we learned in the 2020 General Assembly Session when industrial/economic development authorities were added to the bill – this filing has a chilling effect, making people hesitant to take on these important government roles. In 2021 the patron came back attempting to revise the 2020 legislation to a higher population due to the chilling effect – unfortunately that legislation died.”
- Local elected officials and certain employees’ personal financial information (including residential addresses) will be searchable on the internet for anyone to see.
Action Requested:
SB50 is currently with the House General Laws Procurement/Open Government Subcommittee which will meet tomorrow afternoon (February 24). Please contact the members of the subcommittee (below) and ask them to vote NO on SB530.
House Procurement/Open Government Subcommittee members:
VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org