Bills & Legislation

Underinsured motorist benefits; actions against released defendant.

Underinsured motorist benefits; actions against released defendant. Provides that any action brought by an injured person to recover underinsured motorist benefits after payment of the liability insurer's available limits is required to be brought against the released defendant by name and that the complaint is required to be served on any insurer providing underinsured motorist benefits but is not required to be served on the released defendant. Additionally, the bill provides that an underinsured motorist is presumed to have failed to reasonably cooperate in the defense of any lawsuit brought against him if he fails or refuses to meet with defense counsel for a reasonable period of time after reasonable notice after the underinsured motorist benefits insurer is served with any lawsuit and again prior to his deposition and trial. Under current law, such presumption is based on such underinsured motorist's failure or refusal to meet with defense counsel for a reasonable period of time after reasonable notice within 21 days of being served with any lawsuit and again prior to deposition or trial.

Jason S. BallardRepublican

Honor Guard Grant Program; Department of Veterans Services to establish.

Department of Veterans Services; Honor Guard Grant Program established. Requires the Department of Veterans Services to establish the Honor Guard Grant Program for the purpose of providing grants to veteran service organizations, defined in the bill, to offset expenses incurred by the organizations and members of the organizations' honor guards in providing honor guard burial details at the funerals of veterans in the Commonwealth, including expenses for training, transportation, food, equipment, and supplies.

Jason S. BallardRepublican

Noxious weeds; amends definition, commercial viability, phase-out period, report.

Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services; noxious weeds; commercial viability; report. Amends the definition of noxious weed to remove the exclusion for living plants or parts thereof that are commercially viable or commercially propagated in Virginia and removes the requirement that the Noxious Weeds Advisory Committee include in its recommendations to the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services an analysis of the current and potential in-state commercial viability of a plant species. The bill requires a plant that is designated by the Board as a noxious weed and commercially propagated in Virginia to be subject to a phase-out period of two years for grasses, forbs, and vines; four years for shrubs; and seven years for trees. The bill directs the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to conduct a review of the legislative and regulatory authority of the Board pertaining to the control of noxious weeds and report his findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources by November 1, 2026.

Holly M. SeiboldDemocrat

Handguns in unattended motor vehicle; definitions, penalty.

Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; penalty. Creates a Class 4 misdemeanor for any person who, when leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle, fails to securely store such handgun in a locked hard-sided container, including a locked container that is affixed to the vehicle's interior by steel cable, bolt, or welding. The bill provides that such locked container includes a locked glove compartment or a locked center console. The bill contains certain exemptions, including an exemption for a person who reports the theft or loss of such firearm to a law-enforcement agency as provided in relevant law. This bill is identical to SB 496.

Amy J. LauferDemocrat

Mammalian wildlife; separation and hybridization prohibited, exceptions.

Department of Wildlife Resources; premature separation and hybridization of mammalian wildlife prohibited; exceptions. Makes it unlawful to prematurely separate any mammalian wildlife offspring born in captivity from the mother prior to the offspring turning four months of age, except that wildlife offspring may be prematurely separated if a medical necessity exists pursuant to a written order from a veterinarian with appropriate species-specific experience and expertise licensed to practice in the Commonwealth. The bill excludes the following from its provisions: (i) agricultural animals; (ii) noncommercial transfers or trades between accredited zoological facilities; (iii) an accredited zoological facility, as defined in the bill, that retains the mammalian wildlife offspring separated by such zoological facility; (iv) the Department of Wildlife Resources, a person operating under a wildlife rehabilitator, scientific collection, or endangered and threatened species permit approved by the Department, or a person operating under a species recovery plan approved by the Department; (v) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; or (vi) any person rendering emergency neonatal aide, including the temporary separation of up to 72 hours until a licensed veterinarian can be engaged for assessment and treatment. The bill also makes it unlawful to intentionally and for commercial purposes propagate mammalian wildlife of different species, also known as hybridization. This bill is identical to SB 344.

Amy J. LauferDemocrat

Elections; soliciting or accepting bribe to influence or procure voter registration, penalty.

Elections; offenses; soliciting or accepting bribe to influence or procure voter registration; penalty. Provides that no person shall solicit or accept directly or indirectly any money or any thing of value in exchange for his or another's decision to register or not register to vote. The bill also provides certain exceptions to the prohibitions on soliciting or accepting bribes to influence a person to vote or to register to vote.

Dan I. HelmerDemocrat

School board employee grievance procedure; timing of dispute resolution.

School board employee grievance procedure; timing of dispute resolution. Requires the grievance procedure for certain school board employees to afford a timely and fair method of the resolution of disputes arising between the school board and such employees before dismissal or other disciplinary actions, excluding suspensions. Current law requires such procedure to afford a timely and fair method of the resolution of disputes arising between the school board and such employees regarding dismissal or other disciplinary actions, excluding suspensions, but is silent on the timing of such dispute resolution. This bill is identical to SB 824.

Jeion A. WardDemocrat

Discovery materials or evidence; accused may request to copy or photograph any materials.

Discovery; methods of delivery. Requires the Commonwealth, upon request by the accused or his counsel, to copy or photograph any discovery materials or evidence the accused is permitted to inspect and review, including relevant police reports, criminal records, dashboard camera footage, and body-worn camera footage, and requires the Commonwealth to provide copies to the accused or his counsel, subject to the redaction, restricted dissemination, and protective order provisions of the relevant Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia and unless such material is prohibited from being distributed by law.The bill requires the attorney for the Commonwealth in any district court to provide to counsel of record for the accused, if requested, a copy of any relevant police report at least 10 days prior to the date the case is set for trial or preliminary hearing, and such report is subject to limitations on dissemination. The bill further provides that if such materials are provided to counsel of record for the accused in district court for a preliminary hearing, the circuit court shall order such counsel to provide discovery to the attorney for the Commonwealth subject to the relevant Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia prior to trial in circuit court. Lastly, the bill provides that if at any time during the course of the proceedings it is brought to the attention of the court that the attorney for the Commonwealth has failed to comply with such provisions, the court may order the Commonwealth to permit discovery or inspection, grant a continuance, or prohibit the Commonwealth from introducing evidence not disclosed, or the court may enter such other order as it deems just under the circumstances.

Karen Keys-GamarraDemocrat

Cosmetic products; manufacturing or sale with certain ingredients prohibited.

Manufacturing or sale of cosmetic products with certain ingredients prohibited. Prohibits any person from manufacturing, selling, delivering, offering for sale, or using in connection with a consumer transaction any cosmetic product that contains certain ingredients that are listed in the bill. The bill exempts retailers that do not (i) manufacture cosmetics containing prohibited ingredients or (ii) knowingly sell or offer for sale cosmetics containing prohibited ingredients. The bill provides that a violation of its provisions constitutes a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act and specifies that its provisions do not apply to or restrict the continued sale by a retailer of cosmetics in existing inventory before July 1, 2026. This bill incorporates HB 864.

Karen Keys-GamarraDemocrat

Delinquent children; loss of driving privileges for alcohol, firearm, and drug offenses, truancy.

Delinquent children; loss of driving privileges for alcohol, firearm, and drug offenses; truancy. Allows the court discretion in ordering the denial of a child's driving privileges in instances when the child has failed to comply with school attendance and meeting requirements as provided in relevant law. Under current law, the court is required to order the denial of such child's driving privileges. The bill also provides that if the court has ordered the denial of a child's driving privileges, the court shall order such child to surrender his driver's license, which shall be held in the physical custody of the court during any period of license denial. This bill is a recommendation of the Committee on District Courts and is identical to SB 146.

Atoosa R. ReaserDemocrat

Assault and battery; adds district court temporary recall judge, penalty.

Assault and battery; district court temporary recall judge; penalty. Adds a judge of a district court under temporary recall to the definition of "judge" as it relates to the crime of assault and battery, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor that is enhanced to a Class 6 felony with a mandatory minimum term of confinement of six months if such judge is engaged in his public duties at the time of the offense. This bill is a recommendation of the Committee on District Courts and is identical to SB 144.

Atoosa R. ReaserDemocrat

Public school teachers; reemployment of teacher who has not received continuing contract status.

Public school teachers; terms of employment; reemployment of teacher who has received continuing contract status; written notice required. Requires written notice of noncontinuation of a continuing teacher contract to be given by the teacher by June 15 of each year; otherwise, the contract continues in effect for the ensuing year in conformity with local salary stipulations, including increments. Current law requires such written notice of noncontinuation of a continuing teacher contract to be given by either the teacher or the school board by June 15 of each year. This bill is identical to SB 117.

Atoosa R. ReaserDemocrat

Local, regional, and community correctional facilities; access to counsel for inmates.

Local, regional, and community correctional facilities; access to counsel for inmates. Requires the State Board of Local and Regional Jails to establish additional standards no later than January 1, 2027, to ensure access to legal counsel for inmates held in any local, regional, or community correctional facility and enumerates the standards that the Board shall include in such additional standards.

Katrina CallsenDemocrat

Ancillary traffic infractions; certification.

Certification of ancillary traffic infractions. Allows the court to certify any ancillary traffic infraction to the clerk of the circuit court upon certification of any felony offense, provided that the attorney for the Commonwealth and the accused consent to such certification. Current law only allows ancillary misdemeanor offenses to be certified. As introduced, the bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Criminal Justice Conference.

Katrina CallsenDemocrat

Deer; permit may be issued to kill if damaging residential plants and certain property.

Killing of deer damaging residential plants and certain property. Allows the Director of the Department of Wildlife Resources or his designee to issue a permit to kill a limited number of antlered deer when such deer cause damage to residential plants and the Director or his designee determines, upon inspection, that there is clear and convincing evidence that the damage was done by antlered deer. Upon a landowner or lessee's request, the bill also requires the Director or his designee to issue a permit to kill antlerless deer on commercial agricultural production lands when such deer cause damage to fruit trees, Christmas trees, crops, horticultural plants, or personal property utilized for commercial agricultural production within the Commonwealth. When such damage is caused by antlered deer, the bill requires the Director or his designee to issue a permit to kill a limited number of antlered deer if the Director or his designee determines that there is clear and convincing evidence that the damage was done by antlered deer. The bill also changes the extent to which a person can assist in hunting when his hunting license has been revoked or suspended in the Commonwealth by prohibiting such person from assisting in hunting until the hunting restriction has been lifted. Current law allows such a person to assist in hunting after a certain period of time.

Mitchell CornettRepublican

Higher educational institutions, public; reasonable accommodations for religious beliefs, etc.

Public institutions of higher education; reasonable accommodations for the religious beliefs and practices of individual students. Requires each public institution of higher education to provide reasonable accommodations, as defined in the bill, for the religious beliefs and practices of individual students with regard to admissions, class attendance, and the scheduling of examinations and work assignments and to provide and describe in the institution's student handbook or an equivalent document and in the institution's faculty handbook or an equivalent document a grievance procedure for any student to seek redress when the student believes that he has been unreasonably denied such reasonable accommodations for his religious beliefs and practices.

Marcus B. SimonDemocrat

Virginia Code Commission; extends subdivision plats work group, report.

Virginia Code Commission; subdivision plats work group; report. Extends by one year the work of the work group established by the Virginia Code Commission to review existing provisions of the Code of Virginia related to the submission, review, and approval of subdivision plats and site plans. The work group shall submit a report to the General Assembly by November 1, 2026. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Code Commission.

Marcus B. SimonDemocrat

School board policies; unpaid educational leave for certain employee association officers.

School board policies; unpaid educational leave for certain employee association officers; purchase of service credit. Requires each school board to adopt a policy to approve unpaid educational leave for school board employees who are state employee association executive officers and for up to two school board employees who are local employee association officers for a maximum of four years per officer. The bill permits employee association officers approved for such leave to purchase service credit with the Virginia Retirement System for such period of leave.

Shelly A. SimondsDemocrat

Federally Recognized Tribes, Commission on; purpose, powers, sunset extended.

Commission on Federally Recognized Tribes; purpose; powers; sunset extended. Renames the Commission on Updating Virginia Law to Reflect Federal Recognition of Virginia Tribes as the Commission on Federally Recognized Tribes and expands its purpose. The bill extends the sunset of the Commission to July 1, 2027. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Updating Virginia Law to Reflect Federal Recognition of Virginia Tribes.

Paul E. KrizekDemocrat

Virginia Passenger Rail Authority; certain exemptions.

Virginia Passenger Rail Authority; exemptions. Exempts the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority from certain requirements, procurement and technology procedures, fees, and charges and expands certain existing exemptions to which it is already entitled.

David A. ReidDemocrat

Fantasy contests; regulation and taxation, civil penalty, repeals Fantasy Contests Act.

Fantasy contests; regulation and taxation. Imposes (i) a 10 percent tax on a fantasy contest operator's fantasy contest revenue, with 2.5 percent of the tax revenue being allocated to the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund and the remaining 97.5 percent being allocated to the general fund, and (ii) a 2.6 percent fee on a fantasy contests operator's fantasy contest revenue to be utilized by the Virginia Lottery to cover the costs of administration and regulation of fantasy contests in the Commonwealth. The bill also limits the definition of "fantasy contest" and requires fantasy contest operators to apply to the Virginia Lottery for a permit before offering any fantasy contest in the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to SB 129.

Paul E. KrizekDemocrat

Probation period; decreasing.

Decreasing probation period. Establishes criteria for which a defendant's supervised probation period shall be reduced, including completing educational activities, maintaining employment, completing treatment, or obtaining housing. The bill provides that a court may decrease a defendant's probation period if warranted by the defendant's conduct upon receipt of a request from the Department of Corrections and requires the Department of Corrections to request termination of a defendant's supervised probation period after 12 months in certain situations. This bill is identical to SB 136.

Wren M. WilliamsRepublican

Payment or delivery of small asset by affidavit; Office of the Executive Secretary to prepare form.

Payment or delivery of small asset by affidavit; Office of the Executive Secretary to prepare form. Provides that an affidavit presented by any person having possession of a small asset to the designated successor of a decedent shall be on a form prepared by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Jason S. BallardRepublican

Marine Resources Commission; beneficial use of dredged material.

Marine Resources Commission; beneficial use of dredged material. Provides that, beginning December 1, 2027, it is the policy of the Commonwealth to promote the beneficial use of dredged material, as defined in the bill, and that the Marine Resources Commission shall require the beneficial use of dredged material for all permits involving dredged material unless such approaches are not suitable based on criteria developed by the Commission. The bill also adds the sites of projects that are consistent with the beneficial use of dredged material to the sites that are given priority consideration for the disposal of that portion of dredged material determined to be suitable for such use by the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources. The bill directs the Commission to establish a work group to assist in the development of any regulations or guidance to implement the provisions of the bill. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee on Recurrent Flooding.

Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.Republican

State Government Internship Coordinator; DHRM to establish and employ.

Department of Human Resource Management; State Government Internship Coordinator. Requires the Department of Human Resource Management to establish and employ a State Government Internship Coordinator to attract high quality interns to the service of the Commonwealth with the goal of developing such interns in a manner that supports their ability to compete for positions in agencies of the Commonwealth upon conclusion of their internships and completion of their educational programs. The bill also requires the Department to establish and administer a system to provide professional development opportunities for state agency interns, intern supervisors, and human resources staff. This bill is identical to SB 286.

Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.Democrat

Noise abatement monitoring systems; local authorities to place and operate, civil penalties.

Noise abatement monitoring systems; local authority; civil penalties. Authorizes counties and cities in Planning Districts 8, 9, and 15 to place and operate noise abatement monitoring systems, defined in the bill, on any highway located in the locality for the purpose of recording and enforcing exhaust system violations, also defined in the bill. The bill provides that the operator of a vehicle is liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $100, but the violation shall not be reported on the driver's operating record or to the driver's insurance agency. The bill provides that a locality may exempt from enforcement by noise abatement monitoring systems vehicles used for agricultural, horticultural, or forestry purposes as demonstrated by vehicle license plates. Under the bill, the civil penalty will be paid to the locality in which the violation occurred to be used for the cost of administering the noise abatement monitoring system program and for transportation safety initiatives. The bill contains the same data privacy and storage requirements as are in current law for photo speed monitoring devices. The bill requires any locality that places and operates such a noise abatement monitoring system to report on its public website by January 15 of each year on the number of traffic violations prosecuted, the number of successful prosecutions, and the total amount of monetary civil penalties collected. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2028. This bill incorporates HB 1349.

Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.Democrat

Reapportionment; reallocation of populations, population data, civil commitment facilities.

Reapportionment; reallocation of populations; civil commitment facilities. Requires persons civilly committed to a residential behavioral health facility administered by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to be counted and reallocated for redistricting and reapportionment purposes. This bill is identical to SB 88.

R. Lee WareRepublican

Life or health insurances; unfair discrimination, pre-exposure prophylaxis for prevention of HIV.

Life insurance; health insurance; unfair discrimination; pre-exposure prophylaxis for prevention of human immunodeficiency virus. Prohibits any person from refusing to insure, refusing to continue to insure, or limiting the amount or extent of life insurance or accident and sickness insurance coverage available to an individual or charge an individual a different rate for the same coverage based solely on the status of such individual as having received pre-exposure prophylaxis for the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus.

Jeion A. WardDemocrat

Tazewell, Town of; amending charter, residency requirement for town manager.

Charter; Town of Tazewell. Amends the charter for the Town of Tazewell in Tazewell County to remove the strict residency requirement for the town manager. The bill provides that the town manager is encouraged to reside within the town limits and may reside within a reasonable distance outside the town limits upon majority approval of town council. This bill is identical to SB 153.

James W. MorefieldRepublican

Southwest Reg. Recreation Authority; certification of Southwest Regional Recreation Area rangers.

Southwest Regional Recreation Authority; certification of Southwest Regional Recreation Area rangers. Provides that Southwest Regional Recreation Area rangers appointed by the board of the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority may be certified through the successful completion of training at an approved criminal justice academy as necessary and proper to protect and enforce the safe use and enjoyment of the Authority's properties.

James W. MorefieldRepublican

Apple Board; repealing Board and Apple Fund effective July 1, 2028, delayed effective date, report.

Apple Board; repeal. Repeals the Apple Board and Apple Fund effective July 1, 2028, and provides that any funds remaining in the Apple Fund as of July 1, 2028, shall be transferred to the Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund. The bill provides that the excise tax levied on apples grown in the Commonwealth shall not be collected for the 2026 harvest season and requires the chair of the Apple Board to file a report with the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services no later than June 30, 2028, with a statement of total receipts and disbursements of the Apple Board for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2028. This bill is identical to SB 390.

Dan I. HelmerDemocrat

Offshore Wind Industry Workforce Program and Fund; established, report, sunset.

Department of Energy; workforce development in offshore wind industry. Directs the Director of the Department of Energy to identify and develop training resources to advance workforce development in the offshore wind industry in the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to SB 25.

Michael B. FeggansDemocrat

Retail franchise agreements; governing law, competition restrictions.

Retail franchise agreements; governing law; competition restrictions. Provides that retail franchise agreements shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth and prohibits any person from offering or entering into a franchise agreement that includes competition restrictions that extend beyond termination or expiration of the franchise agreement, except as a term of sale in the event that a franchisee sells a franchise to a third party or back to the franchisor. This bill is identical to SB 240.

Dan I. HelmerDemocrat

Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund; projects in low-income geographic areas, nature-based solutions.

Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund; projects; low-income geographic areas and nature-based solutions. Provides that the Department of Conservation and Recreation shall give additional weight to projects located in low-income geographic areas and projects that incorporate nature-based solutions when distributing loans or grants from the Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund to particular local governments. The bill allows the Virginia Resources Authority to contract with any person to serve as a program administrator to be approved by the Department to assist in the distribution of loans and grants to local governments. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee on Recurrent Flooding.

Michael B. FeggansDemocrat

Juvenile and domestic relations district courts; petitions for relief of care and custody.

Juvenile and domestic relations district courts; petitions for relief of care and custody; custodians. Allows the custodian of a child to file a petition for relief of the care and custody of such child in a juvenile and domestic relations district court. Current law only authorizes the parent or parents of a child to file such petition for relief of care and custody. The bill also requires the petitioning parent or custodian to cooperate with any services provided by a local department of social services during the initial investigation by such local department of social services after such petition for relief of care and custody has been filed. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Commission on Youth and is identical to SB 206.

Joshua G. ColeDemocrat

Medical marijuana; administration to terminally ill patients.

Medical cannabis; administration to terminally ill patients; report. Directs the Department of Health to promulgate regulations specifying that hospital staff may store, dispense, and administer cannabis oil when a patient has valid certification and exempts such staff from criminal penalties for possession of cannabis oil. The bill directs the Department of Health to convene a work group to discuss the implementation process for providing cannabis products to patients in medical care facilities and report on its discussion to the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2026. This bill incorporates HB 486. This bill is identical to SB 332.

Karen Keys-GamarraDemocrat

Law-enforcement officers, state and local; enforcement of federal traffic infractions.

Enforcement of federal traffic infractions by state and local law-enforcement officers; Planning District 8. Provides that state and local law-enforcement officers may enforce federal traffic infractions on any highway within Planning District 8. This bill is identical to SB 81.

Paul E. KrizekDemocrat

Elections administration; duties of local electoral boards, certification of election, etc.

Elections administration; duties of local electoral boards; certification of election; grounds for removal; civil penalty. Provides that the certification of the results of an election is a clear ministerial duty of the local electoral boards and that a member of the local electoral board who neglects or refuses to perform such duty in accordance with law shall be subject to removal proceedings by the State Board of Elections and assessed a civil penalty not exceeding $1,000. The bill also authorizes the State Board of Elections to intervene and carry out the duties related to election certification in the event a local electoral board fails or refuses to do so.

Marcia S. "Cia" PriceDemocrat

Elections; deadline for receipt of absentee ballots and certain other information, etc.

Elections; deadline for receipt of absentee ballots and certain other information; 5:00 p.m. on the third day after the election. Moves the deadline for receipt of an absentee ballot, information required to cure an absentee ballot, or proof of identification to accompany a provisional ballot provided for lack of identification from noon to 5:00 p.m. on the third day after the election. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 58.

Adele Y. McClureDemocrat

Electric utilities and licensed suppliers of electricity; regional transmission entities.

Electric utilities and licensed suppliers of electricity; regional transmission entity; annual report. Requires each investor-owned utility or licensed supplier that joins or establishes the regional transmission entity (PJM Interconnection, LLC) to submit an annual report to the State Corporation Commission by February 1 of each year. Such report shall include (i) all recorded votes cast by the utility or licensed supplier at a meeting during the immediately preceding calendar year, (ii) all votes cast by an affiliate of the utility or licensed supplier at a meeting during the immediately preceding calendar year, and (iii) a brief description explaining how each recorded vote is in the public interest. The provisions of the bill do not apply to municipal utilities or certain electric cooperatives. This bill is identical to SB 777.

Amy J. LauferDemocrat

Highway rights-of-way; invasive species.

Highway rights-of-way; invasive species. Prohibits the Commonwealth Transportation Board (the Board) and Commissioner of Highways from planting or causing or suffering to be planted any invasive plant on the list of invasive plants created by the Department of Conservation and Recreation on the right-of-way of any state highway. Current law prohibits the planting of three listed plants if the governing body of the locality declares such weeds or plants to be injurious and requires the Board to remove such plants. The bill removes such requirement for the Board to remove such plants and requires the Department of Transportation to conduct a review of the processes and resources that are necessary and appropriate to (i) determine the prevalence of invasive plants on the list of invasive plant species created by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and develop options for establishing and implementing a plan to remove or control such plants and manage such plants on an ongoing basis.

Amy J. LauferDemocrat

Minors; limiting room or cell confinement in a juvenile correctional facility, report.

Department of Juvenile Justice; limiting room or cell confinement for minors committed to a juvenile correctional facility; report. Directs the Department of Juvenile Justice, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, to establish clear standards to maximize the amount of time that a minor committed to a juvenile correctional facility spends out of the confinement of his room or cell. The bill directs the Department to study and consider the benefits to minors of limiting such confinement and the impact of such benefits on factors such as the safety of the facility and successful reentry into the community, and, in considering and studying such benefits, to develop a minimum number of hours per day that minors committed to a juvenile correctional facility shall spend out of the confinement of their rooms or cells. The bill directs the Department to report on certain data collected after developing and implementing such standards and other related training and programming to the Commission on Youth and the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services and the House Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Safety by November 1, 2026. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Youth.

Holly M. SeiboldDemocrat

Firearms; transfers to another person from a prohibited person.

Firearm transfers to another person from a prohibited person. Provides that a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm because the person is subject to a protective order or has been convicted of an assault and battery of a family or household member may transfer a firearm owned by the prohibited person to any person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such firearm, provided that the person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such firearm is 21 years of age or older and does not reside with the person who is subject to the protective order. Under current law, there is no requirement that a transferee cannot be younger than 21 years of age and cannot reside with the prohibited person. The bill also provides that the prohibited person who transfers, sells, or surrenders a firearm pursuant to the provisions of the bill shall inform the clerk of the court of the name, address, and signature of the transferee, federally licensed firearms dealer, or law-enforcement agency in possession of the firearm and shall provide a copy of the form to the transferee. The bill also provides that a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm because the person is subject to a protective order or has been convicted of an assault and battery of a family or household member shall be advised that a law-enforcement officer may obtain a search warrant to search for any firearms from the person if the law-enforcement officer has probable cause. This bill is identical to SB 38.

Elizabeth B. Bennett-ParkerDemocrat

Vehicle registration fees; disabled veterans.

Vehicle registration fees; disabled veterans. Extends the current exemption from annual vehicle registration fees for disabled veterans or their unremarried surviving spouse to eligible vehicles displaying a standard passenger license plate. Current law applies such exemption to a vehicle displaying disabled veteran special license plates.

Elizabeth B. Bennett-ParkerDemocrat

Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies; noncompliance with rental agreement; payment plan. Requires a landlord who owns more than four rental dwelling units or more than a 10 percent interest in more than four rental dwelling units, before terminating a rental agreement due to nonpayment of rent if the exact amount of rent owed is less than or equal to one month's rent plus any late charges contracted for in the rental agreement and as provided by law, to serve upon such tenant a written notice informing the tenant of the exact amount due and owed and offer the tenant a payment plan under which the tenant must pay the exact amount due and owed in equal monthly installments over a period of the lesser of six months or the time remaining under the rental agreement. The bill prohibits the landlord from charging any additional late fees during the payment plan period in connection with the unpaid rental amount for which the tenant entered into the payment plan so long as the tenant makes timely payments in accordance with the terms of the payment plan. The bill also outlines the remedies a landlord has if a tenant fails to pay the exact amount due and owed or enter into a payment plan within five days of receiving notice or if a tenant enters into a payment plan and after such plan becomes effective fails to pay rent when due or fails to make a payment under the terms of the agreed-upon payment plan. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Elizabeth B. Bennett-ParkerDemocrat

Glen Lyn, Town of; repealing charter.

Charter; Town of Glen Lyn; repeal. Repeals the charter for the Town of Glen Lyn in Giles County in accordance with the results of a voter referendum and an order of the circuit court for Giles County that annulled the town's charter as of February 1, 2025.

Jason S. BallardRepublican

Minimum wage; increases incrementally to $15.00 per hour by January 1, 2028.

Minimum wage. Increases the minimum wage incrementally to $15.00 per hour by January 1, 2028. The bill codifies the adjusted state hourly minimum wage of $12.77 per hour that is effective January 1, 2026, and increases the minimum wage to $13.75 per hour effective January 1, 2027, and to $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2028. Effective January 1, 2029, and annually thereafter, the bill requires the minimum wage to be adjusted to reflect increases in the consumer price index. This bill is identical to SB 1.

Jeion A. WardDemocrat

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; enforcement by localities.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; enforcement by localities. Provides that if a condition exists in a dwelling unit that constitutes a material noncompliance by the landlord with the rental agreement or with any provision of law that, if not remedied within a reasonable time frame, constitutes a fire hazard or serious threat to the life, health, or safety of a tenant or occupant of the premises, a locality may institute an action on behalf of any tenant or occupant of the premises who is injured by such material noncompliance for injunction and damages to enforce the landlord's duty to maintain the dwelling unit in a fit and habitable condition, provided that (i) the premises where the violation occurred is within the jurisdictional boundaries of the locality and (ii) the locality has notified the landlord who owns the premises, either directly or through the managing agent, of the nature of the violation and the landlord has failed to remedy the violation to the satisfaction of the locality within a reasonable time after receiving such notice. This bill is identical to SB 290.

Marcia S. "Cia" PriceDemocrat