About the Council

The Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council was established by law to encourage and facilitate compliance with the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act (§ 2.2-3100 et seq.) the General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act (§ 30-100 et seq.) (hereafter the Acts) and the lobbying laws in Article 3 (§ 2.2-418 et seq.) of Chapter 4 of Title 2.2 (hereafter Article 3).

Among other duties, the Council is tasked with providing training and guidance, issuing formal advisory opinions to those required to comply with the above laws, and facilitating the timely and accurate electronic filing of disclosure reports. The Council also submits an annual report to the General Assembly and the Governor on its findings and makes recommendations to changes in law.

The Council shall hold meetings upon the call of the chair or whenever the majority of the members requests a meeting.

Check the meetings page to see the dates and times for upcoming meetings or to review the minutes from previous meetings.

Annual Reports

§ 30-356 (12) requires the Council to submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1 of each year on its activities and findings regarding the law it is charged to administer, including recommendations for changes in the laws.

The most recent report can be found here. 

Governing Statutes

• Lobbyist Registration and Reporting
• Conflict of Interests for State and Local Officials
• Conflict of Interests for General Assembly Members
• Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council

Members

The Council is made up of nine members. Legislative members and executive branch employees serve terms concurrent with their term of office and non-legislative members serve four year terms. The Speaker of the House of Delegates appoints two legislative members (one from each of the two majority parties represented in the House) and one former judge of a court of record. The Senate Committee on Rules appoints two legislative members (one from each of the two majority parties represented in the Senate) and one former judge of a court of record. The Governor appoints a current or former executive branch employee, one from a list of nominees submitted by the Virginia Association of Counties (VACO), and one from a list of nominees submitted by the Virginia Municipal League (VML). Legislative members can be reappointed to successive terms.

Speaker of the House Appointees

• Delegate Vivian E. Watts
• Delegate M. Keith Hodges
  The Honorable Bruce D. White
  
  
• Senate Committee on Rules Appointees

• Senator Adam P. Ebbin
  The Honorable Malfourd W. Trumbo
  
  Gubernatorial Appointees
  John C. Blair
  Adam Kinsman
  Tracy Retchin
  
  

Staff Contact

G. Stewart Petoe
Executive Director
Email: spetoe@dls.virginia.gov
Phone: 804.698.1845

Rebekah Stefanski
Senior Attorney
Email: rstefanski@dls.virginia.gov
Phone: 804.698.1846

Elizabeth Sundberg
Senior Filing Associate
Email: esundberg@dls.virginia.gov
Phone: 804.698.1848

Valerie Mizzell
Assistant Filing Coordinator
Email: vmizzell@dls.virginia.gov
Phone: 804.698.1847

General Staff Contact
Email: ethics@dls.virginia.gov
Phone: 804.698.1810

Mailing Address:
Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council
201 North 9th Street, 4th Floor
Richmond, Virginia 23219