SB 636 Virginia Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Confederate monuments and memorials; Department of General Services to remove from Capitol Square.

Summary

Department of General Services; removal of Confederate monuments and memorials. Directs the Department of General Services to remove all Confederate monuments and memorials from Capitol Square. The bill directs the Department to store such monuments and memorials until such time as the General Assembly determines their final disposition. The bill also requires the Department, in coordination with the Department of Historic Resources, to review the most appropriate options for the final disposition of all monuments, memorials, and artifacts in its possession and report its findings to the Joint Committee on Rules by October 15, 2026.

Bill status passed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Last action Mar 9, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Finance and Appropriations Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended from its original introduction to a substitute version by the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee. The core requirement to remove Confederate monuments from Capitol Square remains, but new language was added to coordinate with the Department of Historic Resources and establish a review process for determining the final disposition of these monuments and other state-owned artifacts. The amendment also adds a reporting deadline of October 15, 2026.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include a broader review process for all state-owned monuments, memorials, and artifacts, not just the three specific Confederate monuments originally named. It now requires coordination with the Department of Historic Resources and evaluation of various disposition options including loans, transfers, and sales.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for the Department of General Services to coordinate with the Department of Historic Resources when reviewing disposition options for monuments and memorials.

Added requirement to evaluate options involving temporary loans, transfers, and permanent sales of monuments, memorials, and artifacts.

Modified the final disposition authority from the General Assembly alone to include the Joint Committee on Rules first, then the General Assembly.

TIMELINE

Added a deadline requiring the Department to submit findings and recommendations to the Joint Committee on Rules no later than October 15, 2026.

SCOPE

Expanded the bill's scope to include a survey of how other states have treated Confederate monuments and memorials in government possession.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 5, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 9, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed

Total votes 39

Feb 5, 2026

D Democratic20

20 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican19

19 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 9, 2026

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (21-0)

house of delegates

Mar 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Rules with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (12-Y 6-N)

lower

Mar 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (4-Y 0-N)

lower

Mar 1, 2026

Committee

Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee on Rules

lower

Feb 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

upper

Feb 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)

upper

Feb 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate committee offered

upper

Feb 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (9-Y 5-N)

upper

Jan 30, 2026

Committee

Rereferred from Rules to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

upper

Jan 14, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee on Rules

upper

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors