Either house may amend a bill by an approved "aye" vote of a majority of those voting (at least two-fifths of the total membership in each house is a required minimum for voting).
In case of an emergency measure, a recorded "aye" vote in the official journals of four-fifths of the members voting in each house may result in the omission of the usual required printing and reading of the bill on three different calendar days.
VA. DEPT. OF CONSERVATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
State Capitol at Richmond
A recorded affirmative vote by a majority of all the members elected to each house is necessary for the passing of any bills which create or establish a new office, which create, continue or revive a debt or charge, or which concern public monies or taxes. All tax bills must specifically state the tax requirements clearly.
Each law can include only one subject or object, and such subject or object must be expressed in its title. In order to revive or amend a law, the title reference alone cannot be used; the act revived or the section amended must be re-enacted and published at length. After a bill has been successfully passed, it generally cannot take effect until at least ninety days after the adjournment of the General Assembly session during which it was enacted. Two exceptions to this restriction exist: a general appropriation law and an emergency law. In these two instances, the General Assembly by an official "aye" recorded vote, by a vote of four-fifths of the members voting in each house, has the power to state the time such laws are to take effect.
The House of Delegates has the right to bring impeachment charges against the executive or judicial officers of the state. Impeachment charges may be brought for malfeasance (unlawful or wrongful action) in office, corruption, neglect of duty, or other high crimes or misdemeanors. Such charges are prosecuted before the Senate which has the sole power to try impeachments. A two-thirds affirmative vote of the senators present is necessary for conviction. If an individual is convicted of impeachment charges, he is subject to the following penalties: removal from office and disqualification from further office-holding under the State. In addition, the individual is subject to indictment (a formal charge of crime presented by a grand jury), trial, judgment and punishment according to law. It is possible in Virginia for the Senate to try impeachments during the recess of the General Assembly if the charges are preferred before adjournment.
In addition to passing state laws, the General Assembly also has the responsibility of electing (1) the judges of the Supreme Court of the State where terms have expired and (2) the judges of all circuit, corporate and chancery courts. Although the Governor appoints all the executive department heads, appointments generally must be approved by the General Assembly and likewise, all commission member appointments must be confirmed or rejected by the General Assembly.
According to the Federal Constitution, each state is represented in the United States Senate by two senators usually elected directly by the qualified voters of the state. The number of representatives from each state in the United States House of Representatives is based upon the proportional population of each state to the others. According to the last national census, the state of Virginia is entitled to ten members in the United States House of Representatives, based upon its population in proportion to the other states. In order to determine the sections of the state each member will represent, the state legislatures usually are given the power to divide their states into Congressional election districts as well as state election districts. Therefore, the Virginia General Assembly has the power to apportion the State into Congressional districts. Virginia has, at the present time, ten Congressional election districts. The state Constitution provides that these districts must "be composed of contiguous (adjacent) and compact territory containing as nearly as practicable, an equal number of inhabitants."