Bills & Legislation

Wills, trusts, and fiduciaries; Consumer Price Index adjustments, modification of uneconomic trust.

Wills, trusts, and fiduciaries; Consumer Price Index adjustments. Increases various dollar amounts relating to wills, estates, trusts, fiduciaries, guardianships of minors, and guardianships of incapacitated persons to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. This bill incorporates HB 1644.

Atoosa R. ReaserDemocrat

Dealers in agricultural produce.

Dealers in agricultural produce. Repeals provisions relating to the licensing requirements of any person who buys, sells, solicits for sale, processes for sale or resale, resells, exchanges, negotiates, purchases, or contracts for processing or transfers any fruits and vegetables of a producer of such produce in Virginia. The bill maintains the exclusion of such person under the commission merchant licensing requirements if such person holds a license under the federal Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act. The bill also makes technical changes to references to agricultural produce as a result of the repeal.

Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.Republican

Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for; powers and duties.

Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation; powers and duties. Requires the Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation to (i) review and comment on the budget for the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation and (ii) periodically review professions and occupations regulated by the Department and determine whether the regulation level for such professions or occupations should change or whether such professions or occupations should be deregulated. Should the Board determine that a profession or occupation should be regulated at a different level than its current level of regulation or should be deregulated, the bill provides that it must make such recommendation to the General Assembly. This bill is identical to SB 1096.

Atoosa R. ReaserDemocrat

Virginia coordinate systems; updates several references in Code.

Virginia coordinate systems; federal updates. Updates several references in Code to the Virginia Coordinate System of 2022 and aligns state law with federal changes with respect to measurement standards. The bill replaces the U.S. survey foot with the international foot. The provisions of the bill become effective upon the official release by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Geodetic Survey of the State Plane Coordinate System of 2022 and certification in writing to the Virginia Code Commission that such contingency has been met. This bill is identical to HB 2503.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

Abandoned Mine Land Grant Retention Fund established.

Abandoned Mine Land Grant Retention Fund established. Establishes the Abandoned Mine Land Grant Retention Fund and requires any eligible designated funds received under the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to be deposited into the Fund. The bill authorizes the Director of the Department of Energy to provide grants for certain projects described in the federal Act relating to the protection of public health, safety, and property from the adverse effects of coal mining practices.

David L. BulovaDemocrat

Lithium-ion Battery Separator Manufacturing Grant Fund; created, definitions.

Lithium-ion Battery Separator Manufacturing Grant Fund. Establishes the Lithium-ion Battery Separator Manufacturing Grant Fund to, subject to appropriation, fund 20 annual grant award installments, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $60.597 million, to a qualified company that engages in the manufacture of lithium-ion battery separators and that executes a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority, and that on and after July 1, 2024, but before July 1, 2045, is expected to (i) make a capital investment, defined in the bill, of at least $1.3506 billion and (ii) create and maintain at least 2,015 new full-time jobs in Pittsylvania County. This bill is identical to SB 1207.

Daniel W. Marshall, IIIRepublican

Traffic violations, certain; dismissal for proof of compliance with law.

Dismissal of certain traffic violations for proof of compliance with law. Provides that a court may, in its discretion, dismiss a violation for driving without a license if such person can prove to the court compliance with the law on or before the court date and payment of court fees, unless such person was operating a commercial motor vehicle, defined in relevant law. The bill also provides that a court may, in its discretion and where there have been no prior violations or convictions within the past 10 years, dismiss a person's violation for driving while his driver's license, learner's permit, or privilege to drive is suspended or revoked if such person can prove to the court compliance with the law on or before the court date and payment of court fees, unless such person (i) possesses a commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit, as those terms are defined in relevant law, or (ii) was operating a commercial motor vehicle. If there has been a prior violation or violations, the court, in its discretion, may dismiss or amend the summons or warrant, where proof of substantial compliance has been provided to the court.

C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.Democrat

Critical access hospitals; swing beds.

Certificate of public need; exception; critical access hospitals; swing beds; sunset. Allows critical access hospitals to utilize an average of up to 10 swing beds per day, calculated over the hospital's fiscal year, without obtaining a certificate of public need. Under current law, critical access hospitals may only use up to 10 percent of beds as swing beds. The bill directs the State Commissioner of Health to collect data annually from critical access hospitals that use fiscal year averaging for swing beds and make such data publicly available. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2028. This bill is identical to HB 1552.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

Persons with legitimate interest; parent whose rights have previously been terminated, custody, etc.

Party with legitimate interest; parent whose rights have previously been terminated. Allows a parent whose rights previously have been terminated to be considered a party with a legitimate interest for the purposes of filing a custody or visitation petition, provided that the child whose custody or visitation is at issue (i) is at least 14 years of age, (ii) has had a permanency goal previously achieved by adoption, (iii) has had his adoptive parents die or each of such child's adoptive parents has permanently been relieved of custody of such child and each adoptive parent has had his parental rights terminated, and (iv) is in the custody of a local board of social services, and provided that the parent whose rights had previously been terminated has (a) complied with the terms of any written post-adoption contact and communication agreement entered into and (b) maintained a positive, continuous relationship with the child since termination. Under current law, a party with a legitimate interest does not include any person whose parental rights have been terminated by court order, either voluntarily or involuntarily.

Jonathan "Jed" ArnoldRepublican

Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority; authority to dissolve, disposition of property.

Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority; authority to dissolve. Provides that the board of directors of the Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority may by resolution divest itself of property owned by the Authority and may transfer all such property to a locality. The bill provides that whenever the board of the Authority determines by resolution that the purposes for which the Authority was formed have been substantially complied with and all property of the Authority has been transferred and all bonds therefor issued and all obligations incurred by the Authority have been fully paid or adequate provisions have been made for the payment, the board may dissolve itself upon a majority vote of the board. The bill also provides that if the Authority ceases to operate or is dissolved, the title to its real property will transfer to the locality in which the majority of such property is located. Under current law, the property would transfer to the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to HB 2321.

Christopher T. HeadRepublican

FOIA; exclusion of certain information held by Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; exclusions; Department of Workforce Development and Advancement. Excludes from the mandatory disclosure requirements of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act certain information held by the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, which includes any information of a proprietary or confidential nature, including trade secrets, employee compensation information, balance sheets and financial statements that are not available to the public through regulatory disclosure or otherwise, and revenue and cost projections supplied by a private or nongovernmental entity to the Department for the purpose of sponsoring, implementing, and operating (i) an apprenticeship program approved by the Department or (ii) a similar lawful workforce development or public-private partnership approved by the Department that assists the Department in fulfilling its mission and objectives and whose workforce development initiative could not advance without such exemption, as determined by the Commissioner of the Department and the Secretary of Labor. This bill is identical to SB 1107.

Bill WileyRepublican

Pharmacists; collaborative agreements, drug therapy.

Pharmacists; collaborative agreements; drug therapy. Specifies that a collaborative agreement between pharmacists and other health care providers may include prescribing, modification, continuation, or discontinuation of drug therapy after proof of such signed collaborative agreement is submitted to and authorized by the Board of Pharmacy.

H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.Republican

Students with disabilities; individualized accommodations and supports during emergency evacuations.

Individualized education programs; individualized accommodations and supports during emergencies. Permits, if deemed appropriate by the individualized education program (IEP) team, including the parent, each IEP implemented for a public school student with a disability, with the exception of such students who have been placed in private day or residential school settings, to contain language addressing individualized accommodations and supports for the student during emergency situations and evacuations. The bill also (i) provides that in developing such language, IEP teams should be supported by the school administration and (ii) directs the Department of Education to provide guidance to school divisions on how to support IEP teams for the consideration of specific supports required for students with disabilities.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Juveniles; fingerprints, palm prints, and photographs, effective date.

Fingerprints, palm prints, and photographs of juveniles. Requires law-enforcement officers to obtain, electronically when possible, fingerprints, palm prints with accompanying distal prints, if available, and photographs of any juvenile taken into custody and charged with a delinquent act. The bill also requires such fingerprints, palm prints, or photographs to be both filed with the Central Criminal Records Exchange and submitted electronically, when possible, to the State Police to be maintained in a confidential and secure area within the system in which the record is maintained that is inaccessible during routine use of such system. The bill further requires any electronic record of such fingerprints, palm prints, or photographs to be destroyed as soon as possible after the State Police have been notified that a petition or warrant has not been filed against the juvenile. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 1261.

Amanda E. BattenRepublican

Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for; powers and duties.

Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation; powers and duties. Requires the Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation to (i) review and comment on the budget for the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation and (ii) periodically review professions and occupations regulated by the Department and determine whether the regulation level for such professions or occupations should change or whether such professions or occupations should be deregulated. Should the Board determine that a profession or occupation should be regulated at a different level than its current level of regulation or should be deregulated, the bill provides that it must make such recommendation to the General Assembly. This bill is identical to HB 2553.

Emily M. JordanRepublican

Virginia coordinate systems; updates several references in Code.

Virginia coordinate systems; federal updates. Updates several references in Code to the Virginia Coordinate System of 2022 and aligns state law with federal changes with respect to measurement standards. The bill replaces the U.S. survey foot with the international foot. The provisions of the bill become effective upon the official release by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Geodetic Survey of the State Plane Coordinate System of 2022 and certification in writing to the Virginia Code Commission that such contingency has been met. This bill is identical to SB 1173.

Bill WileyRepublican

Boxing and wrestling events; license requirements for examining physicians.

Boxing and wrestling events; license requirements for examining physicians. Provides that a physician examining a boxer, martial artist, or professional wrestler prior to such athlete entering the ring must have held a license to practice medicine for at least three years in any jurisdiction of the United States and must be currently licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth. Current law requires such physician to have been licensed in the Commonwealth for at least five years. The bill also requires a promoter to furnish to the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, within two weeks following the completion of an event, a report showing (i) the number of tickets sold, unsold, and given away; (ii) the amount of gross proceeds; and (iii) the total gross receipts received from distribution rights of such event. Current law requires such report to be furnished to the Department within 24 hours of the completion of an event. This bill is identical to SB 1245.

James A. "Jay" LeftwichRepublican

Incorrect vehicle title or registration address; owner or lessee of any real property to notify DMV.

Department of Motor Vehicles; incorrect vehicle title or registration address. Authorizes the owner or lessee of any real property in the Commonwealth to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles if the address of the real property is used for the titling or registration of a vehicle that does not belong to any owner, lessee, or resident of the real property. The bill requires the Department to (i) attempt to notify the vehicle owner of such report and (ii) conduct a search of the National Change of Address System and provides that if the Department is unable to identify the correct address for the vehicle, the Department may revoke the registration, registration card, license plates, and decals issued for the vehicle.

Michael J. WebertRepublican

Real Estate Board; transfer of license, fee.

Real Estate Board; transfer of license; fee. Prohibits the Real Estate Board from charging a fee to a real estate licensee for the transfer of such licensee between offices within a licensed real estate firm, including from such firm's primary place of business to one of its branch offices or from a branch office to another branch office under the same primary place of business. This bill is identical to HB 1653.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

Virginia Investment Performance Grants; awarding of Grants.

Virginia Investment Performance Grants. Authorizes Virginia Investment Performance Grants to be awarded under more lenient requirements if the recipient is located in a locality with an unemployment rate and poverty rate that exceeds the state average. Specifically, the bill would authorize payment of such grants if the average wage paid by the eligible manufacturer or research and development service, excluding fringe benefits, is no less than 85 percent of the prevailing average wage. Grants may be paid for projects in such localities that pay less than 85 percent of the prevailing average wage, upon a written finding by the Governor that the economic circumstances in the area are sufficiently distressed such that assistance to the locality to attract the project is justified. However, the minimum private investment and number of new jobs required to be created are still a condition of eligibility. This bill is identical to SB 1231.

Nadarius E. ClarkDemocrat

International licensure and certification; regulations.

Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; international licensure and certification; regulations. Directs the regulatory boards within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to promulgate regulations allowing the issuance of a license or certification to any applicant who holds a comparable international license or certification issued by another country. This bill is identical to HB 1940.

Stella G. PekarskyDemocrat

Virginia state militia; officers of certain educational institutions; Randolph-Macon Academy.

Virginia state militia; officers of certain educational institutions; Randolph-Macon Academy. Adds Randolph-Macon Academy to the list of educational institutions of which officers shall be commissioned officers of the Virginia state militia.

David A. ReidDemocrat

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; renaming Director as Executive Director.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; renaming Director as Executive Director. Renames the Director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia as the Executive Director.

Briana D. SewellDemocrat

Prescription Monitoring Program; requirements of practitioners, pharmacy technicians, training prog.

Prescription Monitoring Program; requirements of practitioners; pharmacy technicians; training programs. Requires any prescriber of controlled substances approved for use in opioid addiction therapy to, prior to or as a part of execution of a treatment agreement with a patient, request information from the Director of the Department of Health Professions for the purpose of determining what, if any, other covered substances such patient is currently being prescribed. Under current law, only prescribers who hold a special identification number from the Drug Enforcement Administration authorizing the prescribing of controlled substances are required to request such information prior to or as a part of execution of a treatment agreement with a patient. The bill also adds training programs recognized by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or the National Healthcareer Association to the list of approved pharmacy technician training programs.

M. Keith HodgesRepublican

Children with disabilities; annual individualized education program planning process; dual enrollment courses; certain parental notification required.

Children with disabilities; annual individualized education program planning process; dual enrollment courses; certain parental notice required; model notice. Requires, during the annual individualized education program (IEP) planning process prior to any year in which a child with a disability who is enrolled at a public high school is entering the eleventh grade or twelfth grade, the IEP team to provide to the parent of such student written notice of the student's rights and obligations relating to dual enrollment courses, consistent with a model notice developed and made available by the Board of Education, including detailed information on the process for ensuring that the student is receiving both a free and appropriate public education pursuant to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as a student enrolled in a public high school and the necessary educational accommodations pursuant to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as a student enrolled in a comprehensive community college.

Holly M. SeiboldDemocrat

Fire insurance; assignment of claims prohibited.

Fire insurance; assignment of claims prohibited. Prohibits a fire insurance policy or a fire insurance policy in combination with other coverages from assigning or otherwise transferring, in whole or in part, to any other person the duties, rights, or benefits of the insured under the policy arising from a claim or covered loss without written consent of the insurer. Any such contract provision is void and unenforceable under the bill. This bill is identical to SB 1154.

Karen Keys-GamarraDemocrat

Master's social worker; scope of practice, regulations.

Board of Social Work; Board of Counseling; master's social worker; scope of practice; regulations. Expands the scope of practice of master's social workers to allow the provision of clinical services under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker. The bill also directs the Board of Social Work to promulgate regulations to allow master's social workers to engage in clinical services under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker and directs the Board of Counseling to amend its regulations to state that a licensed baccalaureate social worker shall not be required to (i) register with the Board of Counseling or (ii) fulfill any additional training or education requirements in order to serve as a qualified mental health professional-trainee. The bill directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to amend their regulations to deem the services provided by a licensed baccalaureate social worker to be equivalent to the services provided by a qualified mental health professional-trainee and reimbursed at a comparable rate, and directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to seek all necessary federal authority to enact such changes.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

Children; petitions for relief of care & custody, investigation by local dept. of social services.

Petitions for relief of care and custody of a child; investigation by local department of social services; Office of the Children's Ombudsman work group; report. Requires a local department of social services, as a part of its investigation after the referral of a request for a petition for relief of the care and custody of a child, to (i) refer the parent to the local family assessment and planning team and (ii) create a written report. The bill directs the Department of Social Services, in coordination with the Virginia League of Social Services Executives, to create a template for and provide guidance on what should be included in such written report. The bill also directs the Office of the Children's Ombudsman to convene a work group composed of relevant stakeholders to (a) determine the factors a court should consider when determining whether there is good cause shown for a petitioner's desire to be relieved of the care and custody of a child and (b) explore the potential benefits and considerations of raising the standard of evidence for granting temporary relief of custody from the current standard of preponderance of the evidence to clear and convincing evidence. The bill directs the work group to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice and the Virginia Commission on Youth by November 1, 2025. Certain provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Commission on Youth. This bill is identical to SB 1372.

Joshua G. ColeDemocrat

Real Estate Board; regulations related to fees charged to a licensee.

Real Estate Board; regulations related to fees charged to a licensee. Prohibits the Real Estate Board from charging a fee to a real estate licensee for the transfer of such licensee between offices within a licensed real estate firm, including from such firm's primary place of business to one of its branch offices or from a branch office to another branch office under the same primary place of business. This bill is identical to SB 785.

Joshua E. ThomasDemocrat

Rapid whole genome sequencing; state plan for medical assistance services.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; state plan for medical assistance services; rapid whole genome sequencing; emergency. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to add a provision to the state plan for medical assistance services allowing payment of medical assistance for rapid whole genome sequencing, as defined in the bill, for children three years of age or younger who are receiving inpatient hospital services in an intensive care unit. The bill contains an emergency clause. This bill is identical to SB 1461.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

Vehicle owners; proof of financial responsibility in the future.

Department of Motor Vehicles; proof of financial responsibility in the future. Clarifies when a vehicle owner is required to furnish proof of financial responsibility or proof of financial responsibility in the future. The bill specifies the forms required when providing proof of financial responsibility in the future. This bill is identical to SB 959.

Terry G. KilgoreRepublican

Surplus lines broker taxes; certain insurance policies.

Surplus lines broker taxes; certain insurance policies. Provides that any surplus lines broker or any person required to be licensed as one shall not be subject to the annual taxes, license taxes, or penalties under current law for any policy of insurance procured during the preceding calendar year on behalf of a commuter rail system jointly operated by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation District beginning in calendar year 2025. This bill is identical to SB 1269.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Critical access hospitals; swing beds.

Certificate of public need; exception; critical access hospitals; swing beds; sunset. Allows critical access hospitals to utilize an average of up to 10 swing beds per day, calculated over the hospital's fiscal year, without obtaining a certificate of public need. Under current law, critical access hospitals may only use up to 10 percent of beds as swing beds. The bill directs the State Commissioner of Health to collect data annually from critical access hospitals that use fiscal year averaging for swing beds and make such data publicly available. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2028. This bill is identical to SB 1177.

Bill WileyRepublican

Eminent domain; documents provided to landowner.

Eminent domain; documents provided to landowner. Provides that a report showing all matters that affect the current ownership, existing liens, encumbrances, and other matters affecting title as of the date of the title report shall be provided by the condemnor to a landowner in a condemnation action.

Kelly K. Convirs-FowlerDemocrat

Authorized septic system inspectors; definitions, minimum requirements, penalty.

Septic system inspectors; minimum requirements. Amends the requirements for septic system inspections, as such term is defined in the bill, in connection with real estate transactions to provide that an individual must be an authorized septic system inspector, as defined in the bill, in order to conduct such inspections. The bill adds minimum requirements for septic system inspectors in conducting such inspections.

Eric PhillipsRepublican

Virginia Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund; claim limits, license threshold amounts.

Virginia Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund; claim limits; license threshold amounts. Increases from $20,000 to $30,000 per claim the individual limit of claims against the Virginia Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund based upon an unpaid judgment arising out of the improper or dishonest conduct of a licensed contractor in connection with a single transaction involving contracting and increases from $40,000 to $100,000 during any biennium the aggregate claim limit against a single licensed contractor. The bill also raises the thresholds for the value of single contracts or projects and the total value of all construction, removal, repair, or improvements undertaken by a contractor in a 12-month period that govern each class of contractor's licenses. This bill is identical to HB 1707.

T. Travis HackworthRepublican

Vehicle owners; proof of financial responsibility in the future.

Department of Motor Vehicles; proof of financial responsibility in the future. Clarifies when a vehicle owner is required to furnish proof of financial responsibility or proof of financial responsibility in the future. The bill specifies the forms required when providing proof of financial responsibility in the future. This bill is identical to HB 2205.

Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.Republican

Rapid whole genome sequencing; state plan for medical assistance services.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; state plan for medical assistance services; rapid whole genome sequencing; emergency. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to add a provision to the state plan for medical assistance services allowing payment of medical assistance for rapid whole genome sequencing, as defined in the bill, for children three years of age or younger who are receiving inpatient hospital services in an intensive care unit. The bill contains an emergency clause. This bill is identical to HB 1900.

Emily M. JordanRepublican

Nursing homes; establishes procedures for implementation of sanctions, civil penalty.

Nursing homes; sanctions; civil penalty. Establishes procedures for the implementation of sanctions by the State Health Commissioner on any nursing home that is licensed pursuant to the laws regulating medical care facilities and services. The bill specifies the forms of sanctions that the Commissioner may impose, the nursing home's continued responsibility for persons under its care, the use of funds remunerated in accordance with such sanctions, the process for the imposition of such sanctions, and the Commissioner's ability to revoke such nursing home's license. The bill specifies that sanctions shall not be imposed on a nursing home that is sanctioned by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This bill is identical to SB 1383.

H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.Republican

Outdoor advertising in sight of public highways; reduces license fee.

Outdoor advertising in sight of public highways; license. Removes the requirement for a license for certain outdoor advertising in the sight of public highways.

H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.Republican

Appointment of guardian ad litem; child in need of services or supervision.

Office of the Executive Secretary; notification to guardian ad litems representing juveniles; child in need of services or supervision. Directs the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia to send notification to attorneys qualified for appointment as guardians ad litem that, if appointed to represent a child who is alleged to be a child in need of services or supervision, such attorney should have familiarity with the statutes providing the dispositional alternatives available when a juvenile and domestic relations district court finds that a child is in need of services or supervision.

Sam RasoulDemocrat

Programs providing instructional experience in horse riding; exemption from licensure.

Superintendent of Public Instruction; programs providing instructional experience in horse riding; exemption from licensure. Exempts from the requirements for licensure of child day programs by the Superintendent of Public Instruction programs providing instructional experience in horse riding, provided that (i) such a program is taught (a) by an adult with a recognized certification in horse riding instruction and (b) to fewer than 12 children at any time, (ii) at least one adult actively supervises no more than three children at any time during such a program, and (iii) the majority of programming for any such program relates to horse riding and equine activities.

Michael J. WebertRepublican

City of Lexington Industrial Development Authority; appointment of members.

City of Lexington Industrial Development Authority; appointments. Allows the City of Lexington to appoint from five to seven members to serve on the board of the industrial development authority, with terms staggered as agreed upon by the city council.

Terry L. AustinRepublican

Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority; authority to dissolve, disposition of property.

Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority; authority to dissolve. Provides that the board of directors of the Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority may by resolution divest itself of property owned by the Authority and may transfer all such property to a locality. The bill provides that whenever the board of the Authority determines by resolution that the purposes for which the Authority was formed have been substantially complied with and all property of the Authority has been transferred and all bonds therefor issued and all obligations incurred by the Authority have been fully paid or adequate provisions have been made for the payment, the board may dissolve itself upon a majority vote of the board. The bill also provides that if the Authority ceases to operate or is dissolved, the title to its real property will transfer to the locality in which the majority of such property is located. Under current law, the property would transfer to the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to SB 796.

Will DavisRepublican

Notice of certain land use actions; first-class mail to last known address, etc., of property owner.

Notice of certain land use actions. Provides that one notice sent by first-class mail to the last known address of certain property owners impacted by a proposed change in the zoning map classification of 25 or fewer parcels of land shall be deemed adequate notice, provided that a representative of the local planning commission shall make affidavit that such mailings have been made and file such affidavit with the papers in the case. Current law also allows such notice to be given by registered or certified mail. The bill also makes technical amendments.

M. Keith HodgesRepublican

SW Va. Higher Ed. Ctr. Bd. of Trustees; authority to permit campus officers to carry firearms.

Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center Board of Trustees; authority to permit campus security officers to carry firearms in performance of official duties; conditions. Authorizes the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center Board of Trustees to permit campus security personnel employed in its campus security department to carry firearms in the performance of their official duties, provided that such campus security personnel are considered armed security officers, as such term is defined in relevant law, and comply with all relevant statutory and regulatory requirements attendant to such designation, including registration and training. This bill is identical to SB 1368.

Israel D. O'QuinnRepublican

Mail theft; definitions, penalty.

Mail theft; penalty. Creates the offense of mail theft, punishable as a Class 6 felony, for any person who (i) knowingly, willfully, and with the intent to deprive, injure, damage, or defraud another (a) takes, destroys, hides, or embezzles mail or (b) obtains any mail by fraud or deception; (ii) buys, receives, conceals, or possesses (a) mail and knows or reasonably should know that the mail was unlawfully taken or obtained; (b) any key he knows or reasonably should know is suited to any lock adopted by the United States Postal Service that provides access to any mail receptacle located in a cluster mailbox unit or other mailbox panel used for the purpose of centralized mail in any neighborhood, including any condominium or apartment complex; or (c) a counterfeit device or key designed to provide access to any lock described in clause (b); or (iii) knowingly, willfully, and with the intent to steal any mail inside damages, opens, removes, injures, vandalizes, or destroys any mail receptacle. This bill is identical to HB 1715.

Saddam Azlan SalimDemocrat

Local Foundation and Soil Management Fund.

Local Foundation and Soil Management Fund. Authorizes a locality by ordinance to create a local Foundation and Soil Management Fund consisting of appropriated local moneys for the purpose of granting funds to an owner of private property or a common interest community for foundation management and soil settlement repairs and prevention on previously developed lands.

Rozia A. Henson, Jr.Democrat