Virginia HB 1456: Gov't efficiency; agency reporting requirement, etc., jt. subcom. on Gov't. Efficiency established.

Bill Text

2027 SESSION

LEGISLATION NOT PREPARED BY DLS

INTRODUCED

26106080D

HOUSE BILL NO. 1456

Offered January 23, 2026

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 2.2-1500 through 2.2-1545, relating to government efficiency; agency reporting requirements; healthcare financing reform; Interagency Health Financing Task Force; managed care organization performance review; housing regulatory review; procurement reform; technology consolidation; real property management; personnel efficiency; federal funding contingency; establishment of the Joint Subcommittee on Government Efficiency; data integration and transparency.

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Patrons—Williams, Davis, Fowler, Oates and Zehr

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Referred to Committee on Rules

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding sections numbered 2.2-1500 through 2.2-1545, as follows:

CHAPTER 15.1. VIRGINIA GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT.

ARTICLE 1. TITLE, DEFINITIONS, AND PURPOSE.

 § 2.2-1500. Short title.

This chapter may be cited as the "Virginia Government Efficiency and Accountability Act."

§ 2.2-1501. Definitions.

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Agency" means any agency, institution, board, bureau, commission, council, or instrumentality of state government in the executive branch.

"Cost-saving measure" means any regulatory change, budgetary adjustment, policy modification, process improvement, or administrative action that would reduce expenditures, eliminate waste, improve efficiency, or deliver equivalent services at lower cost.

"Duplicative spending" means expenditures by two or more agencies for substantially similar purposes, functions, services, or systems where consolidation or coordination would reduce total costs without materially diminishing service quality.

"Implementation report" means a report submitted in the standardized format prescribed by the Chief Data Officer pursuant to § 2.2-1540 of this chapter.

"Joint Subcommittee" means the Joint Subcommittee on Government Efficiency established pursuant to Article 10 of this chapter.

"Regulatory burden" means the direct and indirect costs imposed on businesses, individuals, localities, or other government entities by state regulations, including compliance costs, reporting requirements, permitting delays, and administrative overhead.

§ 2.2-1502. Legislative findings and purpose.

A. The General Assembly finds that:

1. Virginia state government must operate with maximum efficiency and accountability to serve taxpayers and citizens effectively, recognizing that every dollar spent inefficiently is a dollar that cannot be returned to taxpayers or invested in essential services that produce measurable results;

2. The Commonwealth has built strong fiscal reserves through prudent policy decisions and disciplined budgeting, and this favorable position must not be squandered through wasteful spending, virtue signaling, or programs that fail to deliver measurable returns on taxpayer investment;

3. Governor Spanberger, in Executive Order Number One (2026), commendably directed executive branch agencies to identify cost reductions and eliminate waste, a fiscally responsible initiative that the General Assembly supports and seeks to codify in permanent statute to ensure continuity and accountability;

4. Government efficiency must focus on delivering real results for constituents—including job creation, economic opportunity, and reduced regulatory burdens—rather than wealth redistribution or subsidies that benefit some groups at the expense of others;

5. Executive orders, while valuable for establishing administrative priorities, lack the permanence of statutory enactment and may be modified or rescinded by subsequent administrations, necessitating legislative action to lock in fiscally conservative reforms;

6. Federal fiscal uncertainty, including potential reductions in Medicaid, SNAP, and other federal funding streams, increases the urgency of identifying and eliminating waste in state government operations and preparing contingency plans that do not rely on tax increases;

7. Taxpayer resources must be invested wisely, with a focus on return on investment that creates jobs, stimulates economic growth, and provides lasting benefits—not one-time handouts or programs that create dependency;

8. Innovation and technological advancement offer opportunities to drive down costs, and the Commonwealth should embrace modern solutions that deliver government services more efficiently; and

9. The General Assembly invites the Governor to join in this effort to implement fiscally conservative economic policies while the Commonwealth is in strong financial condition, transforming efficiency initiatives into permanent, measurable reforms that benefit all Virginians.

B. The purpose of this chapter is to:

1. Establish permanent, statutory requirements for agency reporting on efficienc