Virginia legislation · 2026 Special I
Virginia HR2176: Celebrating the life of the Reverend Ovid Benjamin Sparks III.
Status: Passed one chamber, June 30, 2026
What the bill says
From the enrolled text, June 30, 2026:
2026 SPECIAL SESSION I HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2176 Celebrating the life of the Reverend Ovid Benjamin Sparks III. Agreed to by the House of Delegates, June 22, 2026 WHEREAS, the Reverend Ovid Benjamin Sparks III, a faith leader who touched countless lives through his inspirational preaching and visionary community leadership, died on March 28, 2026; and WHEREAS, born in Fort Worth, Texas, Ovid Benjamin "Ben" Sparks III grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and spent summers in Springville, Alabama; he gained a lifelong appreciation for the charms of the American South in his youth, but he struggled to reconcile this appreciation with the harsh realities of Jim Crow laws and segregation and was inspired to devote his life to the promotion of equality and service to others; and WHEREAS, originally intending to pursue a career in medicine, Ben Sparks graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina, but ultimately changed tracks and answered the call to the ministry, enrolling at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond; and WHEREAS, after graduating from Union Presbyterian Seminary in 1965, Ben Sparks was ordained as a minister of word and sacraments in the Atlanta Presbytery, then traveled to Scotland, where he served as an assistant minister of St. Serf's Church in Tullibody and helped rebuild an ancient abbey on the island of Iona; and WHEREAS, Ben Sparks …
Sponsors
- Betsy Carr (D, 78) · primary sponsor
- Rae Cousins (D, 79)
- Paul Krizek (D, 16)
- Delores McQuinn (D, 81)
- Charlie Schmidt (D, 77)
- Rodney Willett (D, 58)
Latest actions
- : Bill text as passed House (HR2176ER)
- : Agreed to by House
- : Engrossed by House
- : Presented and laid on Speaker's table 26200157D
Common questions
- What is HR2176?
- HR2176 is a bill in the Virginia Legislature (2026 Special I): Celebrating the life of the Reverend Ovid Benjamin Sparks III.
- What is the status of HR2176?
- Passed one chamber as of June 30, 2026. Latest action: Bill text as passed House (HR2176ER) (June 30, 2026).
- Who sponsored HR2176?
- Betsy Carr (D, 78), with 5 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HR2176?
- On the Virginia Legislature website: https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20262/HR2176
Source: official Virginia record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.