Virginia legislation · 2026 Special I
Virginia HR2050: Celebrating the life of Frances Aaronson Lewis.
Status: Passed both chambers, June 30, 2026
What the bill says
From the enrolled text, June 30, 2026:
2026 SPECIAL SESSION I HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2050 Celebrating the life of Frances Aaronson Lewis. Agreed to by the House of Delegates, June 22, 2026 WHEREAS, Frances Aaronson Lewis, an accomplished businesswoman and cofounder of Best Products Company, dedicated art collector, generous philanthropist, and beloved member of the Richmond community, died on January 10, 2026; and WHEREAS, born in Brooklyn, New York, Frances Lewis graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington, D.C., in 1938 before earning her bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan; and WHEREAS, in 1957, Frances Lewis and her husband, Sydney, founded Best Products Company, a mail order catalog retailer based in Richmond that would grow to become a publicly traded company with more than 150 stores across the nation; and WHEREAS, Frances Lewis was an avid art collector who maintained close friendships with many acclaimed artists over the years, which enabled her to amass an extraordinary private collection of 20th-century contemporary art; and WHEREAS, in addition to donating more than 1,500 pieces of art to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Frances and Sydney Lewis also gave generously to support the arts program at Virginia Commonwealth University; and WHEREAS, in 1972, Frances and Sydney Lewis gave $9 million to the Washington and Lee University School of Law, which led to Sydney Lewis Hall and the …
Sponsors
- Betsy Carr (D, 78) · primary sponsor
- Rae Cousins (D, 79)
- Hyland Fowler (R, 59)
- Fernando Martinez (D, 29)
- Delores McQuinn (D, 81)
- Charlie Schmidt (D, 77)
- Jeion Ward (D, 87)
- Ware, R. (R, 72)
- Rodney Willett (D, 58)
Latest actions
- : Bill text as passed House (HR2050ER)
- : Agreed to by House
- : Engrossed by House
- : Prefiled and laid on Speaker's table; Offered 04-23-2026 26200099D
Common questions
- What is HR2050?
- HR2050 is a bill in the Virginia Legislature (2026 Special I): Celebrating the life of Frances Aaronson Lewis.
- What is the status of HR2050?
- Passed both chambers as of June 30, 2026. Latest action: Bill text as passed House (HR2050ER) (June 30, 2026).
- Who sponsored HR2050?
- Betsy Carr (D, 78), with 8 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HR2050?
- On the Virginia Legislature website: https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20262/HR2050
Source: official Virginia record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.