Virginia legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Virginia HJR312: Commending Task Force Francine.
Status: Passed both chambers, April 13, 2026
What the bill says
From the enrolled text, April 13, 2026:
2026 SESSION HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 312 Commending Task Force Francine. Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 10, 2026 Agreed to by the Senate, March 12, 2026 WHEREAS, in the fall of 2025, the Richmond community came together on behalf of a beloved downtown resident, Francine the cat, who had vanished from her home in the Lowe's Home Improvement store on Broad Street, forming a coalition of individuals and organizations known as Task Force Francine to lead the interstate search and rescue operation; and WHEREAS, Francine, a calico cat known for her serene disposition, became a local celebrity after making her home in the Central Richmond Lowe's several years ago, with shoppers often posting photos on social media of the store's "queen" as she lounged upon thrones of boxes and surveyed her domain; and WHEREAS, in September 2025, members of the community noticed that Francine had gone missing, and subsequent reviews of security camera footage confirmed that on September 18, she had boarded a delivery truck and was accidentally sealed inside upon its departure; and WHEREAS, on September 20, Francine was spotted 85 miles away from Richmond at the Lowe's Regional Distribution Center in Garysburg, North Carolina; workers attempted to contain her in the delivery truck, but she ultimately escaped into the massive, high-security facility; and WHEREAS, as …
Sponsors
- Betsy Carr (D, 78) · primary sponsor
- Rae Cousins (D, 79)
- Hyland Fowler (R, 59)
- Destiny LeVere Bolling (D, 80)
- Garrett McGuire (D, 17)
- Charlie Schmidt (D, 77)
- Bagby, Lamont (D, 14)
- Michael Jones (D, 15)
- Schuyler VanValkenburg (D, 16)
Latest actions
- : Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ312ER)
- : Agreed to by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- : Agreed to by Senate by voice vote
- : Laid on Clerk's Desk
- : Received
- : Agreed to by House by voice vote
- : Engrossed by House
- : Presented and laid on Speaker's table 26109287D
Votes
- Agree to V (March 12, 2026): 0 yea, 0 nay, failed
Common questions
- What is HJR312?
- HJR312 is a bill in the Virginia Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Commending Task Force Francine.
- What is the status of HJR312?
- Passed both chambers as of April 13, 2026. Latest action: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ312ER) (April 13, 2026).
- Who sponsored HJR312?
- Betsy Carr (D, 78), with 8 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HJR312?
- On the Virginia Legislature website: https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HJR312
Source: official Virginia record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.