Bills & Legislation

Employees of state government; personal interest in certain contracts prohibited.

Employees of state government; personal interest in certain contracts prohibited; certain exception for certain employees of the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind. Excludes from the prohibition against any officer or employee of any governmental agency of state government having a personal interest in a contract with the governmental agency of which he is an officer or employee, other than his own contract of employment, the personal interest of an employee of the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind in a contract between the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind and a publisher or wholesaler of textbooks or other educational materials for students that accrues to him solely because he has authored or otherwise created such textbooks or materials. This bill is identical to HB 1311.

Christopher T. HeadRepublican

School bds.; parental notification of course registration deadlines and processes required, policies.

School boards; public middle and high schools; parental notification of course registration deadlines and processes required. Requires each school board to develop and implement, by the start of the 2026-2027 school year, policies requiring each public middle and high school in the school division to provide, at least 30 days prior to the course registration deadline, parental notification by email or SMS text message to the parent of each student in the public middle or high school of course enrollment deadlines and the process for requesting changes to the student's course selection.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

School bds.; opening of school year, certain alternative schedules & schedule flexibility permitted.

School boards; opening of the school year; certain alternative schedules and schedule flexibility permitted. Extends from no earlier than 14 days before Labor Day to no earlier than 14 days before September 1 of each year the requirement relating to the earliest date that each school board is permitted to schedule as the first day on which students are required to attend school each year. This bill is identical to HB 1455.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

Sickle Cell Coordinated Access Network; established.

Sickle Cell Coordinated Access Network established. Directs the State Health Commissioner, in coordination with the Virginia Commonwealth University Health Systems Authority, to establish and maintain the Sickle Cell Coordinated Access Network to provide health care providers in the Commonwealth with real-time consultation and support from sickle cell specialists. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 1391.

L. Louise LucasDemocrat

Victims of crime; reimbursement for expenses, report.

Victims of crime; reimbursement for expenses; work group. Provides that all medical fees expended in the gathering of evidence through anonymous trace evidence collection kit examinations conducted on victims complaining of strangulation pursuant to relevant law shall be paid by the Commonwealth through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund (also known as the Virginia Victims Fund) administered by the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission. The bill states that such victims shall not be required to participate in the criminal justice system or cooperate with law-enforcement authorities in order to be provided with such medical exams. Under current law, all medical fees expended in the gathering of evidence through physical evidence recovery kit examinations conducted on victims complaining of sexual assault are paid by the Commonwealth via the Fund, and victims complaining of sexual assault are not required to participate in the criminal justice system or cooperate with law-enforcement authorities in order to be provided with such forensic medical exams. The bill expands the powers and duties of the Commission to adopt, promulgate, amend, and rescind suitable rules and regulations to include a distinct policy for the payment of anonymous trace evidence collection kit examinations. Lastly, the bill directs the Director of the Department of Criminal Justice Services to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to discuss and submit recommendations for certain matters related to the reimbursement process for forensic medical examinations, enumerated in the bill. The bill directs the work group to submit a report with recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services, the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 1464.

Jennifer B. BoyskoDemocrat

Conservation easement owners, DCR to report demographic information.

Virginia Conservation Easement Act; demographic information on certain conservation easement owners; report. Requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation to submit an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly containing demographic information about each owner of a conservation easement in the Commonwealth that is funded with public funds. The bill requires such information to include (i) the owner's age, gender, ethnicity, household income, and geographic location; (ii) the type of conservation entity the owner formed under the laws of the Commonwealth; and (iii) if an owner is a part of a Indian tribe, the identity of such tribe. The bill requires the Department to submit the initial report by November 1, 2026, and annually by November 1 of each year thereafter.

Richard H. StuartRepublican

Clinical nurse specialists; practice agreements, consultation requirements.

Clinical nurse specialists; practice agreements; consultation requirements.

Christopher T. HeadRepublican

Nursing facilities; related party rent disclosures, incentive payment reduction, penalty

Nursing facilities; related party rent disclosures; incentive payment reduction; penalty. Requires any nursing facility enrolled as a Medicaid provider that makes rent or lease payments to publicly disclose information related to the rent or lease payments, including whether payments are made to a related party, the nature of the related party, and the related party rent expense, as defined in the bill. The bill requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services to determine whether related party rent expenses exceed a fair rental value benchmark and if so, deduct a portion of any incentive payment owed to the nursing facility. A knowingly false attestation or disclosure is punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Norfolk, City of; amending charter, conformity with zoning ordinance.

Charter; City of Norfolk. Amends the charter for the City of Norfolk to require, on any property where there is a substantial negative impact on public health, safety, and welfare, conformity with the city's zoning ordinance within a reasonable time, to be specified by ordinance, but never less than two years. This bill is identical to HB 1477.

Angelia Williams GravesDemocrat

Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; submission of annual report.

Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; submission of annual report. Provides that the decision of whether to rescind or redact any portion of the annual report submitted by the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission shall be made by consensus of a majority of the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice and the ranking members of the minority party serving on such Committees. The bill provides that if no such action to rescind or redact any portion of the annual report is taken, the report shall be published within 30 days of submission. The bill provides that such 30-day time period shall begin the day the Commission submits the annual report to the General Assembly, and if the 30-day period expires on a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or day on which the General Assembly is lawfully closed, such period shall be extended to the next day that is not one of those days. The bill contains technical amendments.

R. Creigh DeedsDemocrat

Clean energy and community flood preparedness; market-based trading program.

Clean energy and community flood preparedness; market-based trading program. Directs the Department of Environmental Quality and the State Air Pollution Control Board to establish and maintain a market-based trading program consistent with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative program, as defined in existing law, to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generating units in the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to HB 397.

Mamie E. LockeDemocrat

"Carry Me Back to Old Virginny;" removes designation as official state song emeritus.

Official emblems and designations; song emeritus; repeal. Repeals the designation of "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny," by James A. Bland, as set out in House Joint Resolution 10, adopted by the General Assembly of Virginia during the Session of 1940, as the official state song emeritus.

Adam P. EbbinDemocrat

Virginia Fire Personnel and Equipment Grant Program; established, report.

Virginia Fire Personnel and Equipment Grant Program established; report. Establishes the Virginia Fire Personnel and Equipment Grant Program (the Program) for the purpose of awarding grants to localities to hire additional firefighters and to improve their firefighting and emergency medical services. The bill specifies that the Department of Fire Programs (the Department) shall administer the Program and two types of grants shall be made from the Program. The first shall provide grants to localities to increase the number of firefighters. Such grants shall be made for up to three years and shall be used by localities for programs to (i) hire new, additional full-time firefighters; (ii) convert part-time or volunteer firefighters to full-time firefighters; or (iii) recruit and retain volunteer firefighters. The second shall award grants to localities for improving firefighting and emergency medical services, including by acquiring firefighting and emergency medical services vehicles and equipment and modifying facilities. For both grants, the bill provides that funds shall not be used to supplant any funds currently provided by the Commonwealth or by the locality and shall be used to increase the total amount of funds available for the provision of firefighting or emergency medical services. The bill requires the Department to submit a report annually, beginning November 1, 2027, to the Governor and the General Assembly containing a list of grants, the amount of each approved grant, information on the performance assessment system that the bill directs the Department to create, an evaluation of each grant based on such system, and any other criteria deemed relevant by the Department.

Tammy Brankley MulchiRepublican

Winchester Parking Authority Act; amends Act to grant Authority power to sell, etc.

Winchester Parking Authority Act. Amends the Winchester Parking Authority Act to grant the Authority the power to sell, lease as lessor, transfer, or dispose of any property or interest acquired by it.

Timmy FrenchRepublican

Real property tax; exemption surviving spouses of members of armed forces who died in line of duty.

Real property tax exemption; surviving spouses of members of the armed forces who died in the line of duty. Authorizes localities to provide, for tax years beginning on and after January 1, 2026, up to a total exemption from real property taxes for dwellings owned by surviving spouses of members of the armed forces that are situated on property zoned as single family residential. Under current law, a total exemption is only allowed for such dwellings with assessed values in the most recently ended tax year that are not in excess of the average assessed value for such year of a dwelling situated on property that is zoned as single family residential.

Bill DeStephRepublican

Artificial Intelligence Companion Chatbots and Minors Act; established, enforcement, civil penalty.

Artificial Intelligence Chatbots and Minors Act established; enforcement; civil penalties; individual action. Creates the Artificial Intelligence Chatbots and Minors Act to require a covered entity, defined in the bill, to (i) implement certain reasonable systems and processes, (ii) make reasonable efforts to notify appropriate emergency services or law enforcement if it obtains knowledge that a user faces an imminent risk of death or serious physical injury, and (iii) submit a report to the Attorney General after obtaining knowledge of certain covered incidents, defined in the bill, connected to one or more of its chatbots. The bill also requires an operator, defined in the bill, to disclose the non-human nature of the chatbot to users at certain intervals. The bill authorizes the Attorney General to initiate an action to seek an injunction and civil penalties for violations and also provides an individual civil action for any person harmed by a violation or the parent or legal guardian of a minor harmed by a violation.

Tara A. DurantRepublican

Virginia Health Care Protection Act; established, prohibition on extradition for certain crimes.

Virginia Health Care Protection Act established; prohibition on extradition for certain crimes; penalties. Establishes the Virginia Health Care Protection Act. The bill provides that no law-enforcement officer acting in the Commonwealth or employed by the Commonwealth or any of its localities or political subdivisions may investigate, arrest, or detain any person, seek the issuance of a warrant, or otherwise assist in or provide support for any investigation involving protected health care activity, as defined in the bill, not prohibited under the laws of the Commonwealth. The bill creates a private right of action for any person who is aggrieved by such unlawful investigation to obtain an injunction or other equitable relief against such law-enforcement officer.The bill creates a private right of action for any person who sustains any injury, damages, or other harm resulting from another person who, under the laws of a jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth, engages or attempts to engage in abusive litigation, as defined in the bill.The bill also provides that no demand for extradition of a person charged with a criminal violation of law of another state shall be recognized by the Governor if such alleged violation involves protected health care activity within the Commonwealth unless the alleged criminal violation would also constitute a criminal offense under the laws of the Commonwealth.The bill provides that any subpoena under the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act or any summons for a witness for another state in a criminal case shall include an attestation, made under penalty of perjury, stating whether the subpoena or summons seeks documents, information, or testimony related to protected health care activity.

Russet PerryDemocrat

Boyd-Graves Conference, et al.; work group to address legal deserts within the Commonwealth, report.

Boyd-Graves Conference and Virginia Criminal Justice Conference; work group to address legal deserts within the Commonwealth; report. Directs the Boyd-Graves Conference, in conjunction with the Virginia Criminal Justice Conference, to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to make recommendations for legislative solutions to address the disparities in the geographical distribution of available legal services within the Commonwealth. The bill directs the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice by November 1, 2026.

Tammy Brankley MulchiRepublican

Court of Appeals of Virginia; increases maximum number of judges, hearings en banc.

Maximum number of judges on the Court of Appeals of Virginia; hearings en banc. Increases from 17 to 21 the maximum number of authorized judges on the Court of Appeals of Virginia. The bill provides that the Supreme Court of Virginia shall prescribe by rule the number of judges needed for the Court of Appeals to sit en banc, and that such number shall not be fewer than 13 judges.

Scott A. SurovellDemocrat

Pet shops; sale of puppy mill dogs prohibited, civil penalty.

Pet shops; sale of puppy mill dogs prohibited; civil penalty. Makes it unlawful for any pet shop to knowingly sell, offer for sale, or transfer any puppy mill dog, as defined in the bill. Any pet shop violating the provisions of the bill is subject to a civil penalty of $2,000 per dog offered for sale, sold, or transferred.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Assisted living facilities; requirements for resident referral agencies, required disclosures, etc.

Assisted living facilities; resident referral agencies; required disclosures; referral fee limitations; civil penalty. Sets forth requirements for resident referral agencies, defined in the bill as any individual or entity that receives compensation from an assisted living facility, a third party, or a prospective resident for providing resident referrals to an assisted living facility, including required disclosures, referral fee limitations, enforcement, and civil penalties. The bill provides that assisted living facilities and residents are not obligated to participate with any resident referral agency and specifies that residents may opt out at any time in writing. The bill also specifies the minimum services a resident referral agency must provide before becoming eligible to receive a referral fee.

Ryan T. McDougleRepublican

Virginia National Guard TRICARE Reimbursement Fund; established.

Virginia National Guard TRICARE Reimbursement Fund established. Establishes the Virginia National Guard TRICARE Reimbursement Fund for the purpose of reimbursing the costs of federal TRICARE dental insurance plan premiums and TRICARE Reserve Select health insurance plan premiums for Virginia National Guard members deemed eligible by the Adjutant General.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Health insurance; mandated benefits, coverage for treatment of menopause and perimenopause.

Health insurance; mandated benefits; treatment of menopause and perimenopause. Requires each insurer proposing to issue individual or group accident and sickness insurance policies providing hospital, medical and surgical, or major medical coverage on an expense-incurred basis; each corporation providing individual or group accident and sickness subscription contracts; and each health maintenance organization providing a health care plan for health care services to provide coverage for medically necessary treatment and care for menopause and perimenopause, as described in the bill.

Ryan T. McDougleRepublican

Alcoholic beverage control; payment of excise tax on beer, wine coolers, and wine, penalties.

Alcoholic beverage control; payment of excise tax on beer, wine coolers, and wine; penalties. Specifies that the civil penalty imposed on a manufacturer, bottler, or wholesaler who fails to make any return, pay the full amount of certain taxes imposed on wine and beer, and submit certain reports is not to exceed five percent of the proper tax due if the failure is for not more than 30 days, with an additional five percent for each additional 30 days, or fraction thereof, during which the failure continues. The bill also specifies that certain taxes collected by wholesale wine licensees at the time of or prior to sale to retail licensees and reports required to be submitted along with such taxes shall be postmarked or submitted electronically no later than the fifteenth of the month.The bill also provides a 60-day period for any such manufacturer, bottler, wholesaler, or retailer to make such return, pay the full amount of the excise tax, and submit such reports prior to the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority suspending or revoking a license. The bill further provides that (i) absent willful intent to defraud the Commonwealth, a violation is deemed cured and no further action may be taken against the licensee if the manufacturer, bottler, wholesaler, or retailer files the required return, pays the full excise tax, submits all reports, and pays any civil penalties within the 60-day period and (ii) except in cases involving a false or fraudulent return with willful intent to defraud, the specified penalties are the sole penalties the Board may impose, notwithstanding any other law or regulation. The bill also requires the Authority to implement an online electronic system for wholesale wine licensees to (a) report to the Authority the purchases and sales made during the preceding month and the amount of state wine tax collected from retailers and (b) provide payment for the amount of taxes collected, less any refunds, replacements, or adjustments by January 1, 2027.

Russet PerryDemocrat

Teacher, other instructional personnel, etc., exits; data collection, disaggregation by race.

Teacher, other instructional personnel, and support staff position exits; data collection; disaggregation by race; reason for exit. Requires each school board to report to the Department of Education annually the number and type of teacher, other instructional personnel, and support staff position exits in the school division, disaggregated by the race of the individual who exited the position. The bill also provides that for each such exit occurring during the reporting year, the reason for the exit, including whether the exit was voluntary or involuntary, shall be collected and reported. This bill is identical to HB 1437.

Jennifer D. Carroll FoyDemocrat

Income tax, state and corporate; microchip & semiconductor manufacturing & supply chain tax credits.

Microchip and semiconductor manufacturing and supply chain tax credits; Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority evaluation; report. Creates a series of individual and corporate income tax credits for companies engaged in the microchip and semiconductor manufacturing and supply chain business that between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2036, (i) invest at least $400 million, (ii) create at least 100 new jobs, (iii) pay an average prevailing wage salary, and (iv) submit a plan for use of and committing $50 million of community investments. The bill creates three refundable tax credits in taxable years 2026 through 2030 in amounts equal to (a) five percent of capital investment expenditures incurred during the year, (b) six percent of child care services expenditures incurred during the year, and (c) 7.5 percent of gross wages paid for each new job created during the year. The bill also requires the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority, in collaboration with the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission and the Department of Taxation, to evaluate the benefits and impacts of new economic development incentives for companies engaging in the microchip, semiconductor, and related equipment and material supplies sector. A report on such evaluation is due by November 30, 2026.

Jennifer D. Carroll FoyDemocrat

Bioslurry; prohibiting injection in wells in a groundwater management area.

Groundwater management areas; bioslurry injections in wells prohibited. Prohibits any person from conducting any bioslurry injection, as defined in the bill, in any well that has been drilled through any portion of a groundwater management area declared by regulation prior to January 1, 2020. This bill is identical to HB 1381.

Richard H. StuartRepublican

Corporations; limited liability decentralized autonomous organizations (LLDs).

Corporations; limited liability decentralized autonomous organizations (LLDs). Creates the Limited Liability Decentralized Autonomous Organization (LLD) Act, which establishes requirements for an LLD, defined as a distinct legal entity that operates through decentralized governance using blockchain technology and smart contracts that execute decentralized decision-making mechanisms. The bill permits the formation of an LLD by filing articles of formation with the State Corporation Commission (the Commission), and, if certain requirements are met, the Commission may issue a certificate of formation. The bill includes requirements for amending an LLD's articles of formation and also includes requirements for LLD bylaws, operating agreements, underlying smart contracts, and participant interests and management of the LLD. Under the bill, an LLD and its participants have limited liability for debts, obligations, and liabilities of the LLD. The bill also includes provisions related to recordkeeping, transferring interests, withdrawal of participants, and dissolution of the LLD. The bill directs the Commission to adopt emergency regulations to implement certain provisions of the bill. Except for the emergency rulemaking, the provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Saddam Azlan SalimDemocrat

Eminent domain; condemnation proceedings, entry of order and recordation of certificate.

Eminent domain; condemnation proceedings; entry of order and recordation of certificate; disbursement of funds by circuit court clerk. Provides that the clerk of a circuit court shall, upon entry of an order in a condemnation proceeding and unless otherwise directed, promptly disburse any just compensation in the amount specified in such order and any interest accrued. The bill provides that the clerk shall disburse such funds no later than seven business days after the entry of the order or the receipt of the sum that such order directs the clerk to disburse, whichever is later. The bill also provides that counsel in a condemnation action may request, and the clerk, sheriff, or other person responsible for notifying jurors to appear in court for a trial shall make available, a copy of the jury panel to be used for such trial. The bill also requires that on the same day the certificate is recorded in the land records, it shall also be filed with the clerk.

Mark D. ObenshainRepublican

Display of obscene material to a minor unlawful; penalty.

Display of obscene material to a minor unlawful; penalty. Makes it a Class 6 felony for any person 18 years of age or older to display obscene material, as defined in relevant law, to a minor younger than 13 years of age with lascivious intent. Current law only prohibits the display of child pornography or a grooming video or materials to a child younger than 13 years of age by a person 18 years of age or older.

Mark D. ObenshainRepublican

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 HB 84.

Aaron R. RouseDemocrat

Probationer; requiring fines, costs, restitution for damages, etc., failure to pay.

Requiring fines, costs, restitution for damages, support, or community services from probationer; failure to pay. Provides that a failure of the defendant to pay any fines or costs imposed on him at the time of being placed on probation as a condition of his probation shall not, by itself, be deemed a breach of such probation unless the court finds, after notice to the defendant and his counsel and a hearing, that the defendant has willfully refused to pay. The bill provides that in assessing such failure to pay, the court shall presume that a defendant who is indigent pursuant to relevant law, or who has been deemed indigent during the pendency of a criminal or traffic case, is unable to pay such fines and costs. The bill requires the court to order such defendant relief from any alleged breach of probation, absent any specific finding to the contrary.

Tammy Brankley MulchiRepublican

Insurance; increases fees for vehicles, etc.

Insurance; Fire Programs Fund; fees for vehicles; Virginia At Risk Fire Grant Program established; Firefighter Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Fund established. Increases the fire insurance assessment from one percent of total direct gross premium income for such insurance to (i) 1.5 percent on and after July 1, 2026, but before July 1, 2027, and (ii) two percent on and after July 1, 2027. The bill also increases the vehicle registration fee used to provide support for emergency medical services from $4.25 to $6.25 for each pickup or panel truck and each motor vehicle. The bill also establishes (a) the Virginia At Risk Fire Grant Program, to be funded by 0.25 percent of the assessments on insurance companies, for the purposes of providing grants to localities with fire departments that are determined to be most at risk of being unable to provide fire suppression or rescue activities or maintain compliance with relevant laws and regulations and (b) the Firefighter Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Fund, for the purpose of purchasing breathing apparatus equipment and other non-vehicular equipment necessary for the protection of firefighters responding to a fire.

T. Travis HackworthRepublican

Workers' compensation; burial expenses, annual adjustment.

Workers' compensation; burial expenses; annual adjustment. Increases from $10,000 to $15,000 the amount required to be paid by an employer under workers' compensation provisions for burial expenses. The bill directs the Commissioner of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission to adjust the amount of burial expenses and reasonable transportation expenses required to be paid by an employer by a percentage equivalent to the percentage increase of the United States Average Consumer Price Index published by the U.S. Department of Labor beginning January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter.

Jeremy S. McPikeDemocrat

Community Colleges, powers, State Board for; acquisition and improvement of certain property.

State Board for Community Colleges; powers; Laurel Ridge Community College; acquisition and improvement of certain property; authorization. Authorizes the State Board of Community Colleges to acquire, by purchase, certain real property and improvements located adjacent to the Laurel Ridge Community College Campus and to execute and deliver such deeds, agreements, plats, and other instruments as necessary to carry out such acquisition in accordance with the provisions of the bill.

Timmy FrenchRepublican

Commonwealth Flood Prevention Match Assistance Fund and Program; established, report.

Commonwealth Flood Prevention Match Assistance Fund and Program; established. Establishes the Commonwealth Flood Prevention Match Assistance Fund and Program for the purpose of supporting local governments with grants to finance the cost share required of a local government for storm and flood risk management projects, as such terms are defined in the bill. The bill also requires an annual audit and an annual report to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Committees on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and Appropriations and the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and Finance and Appropriations.

Mamie E. LockeDemocrat

Repairs or maintenance of property; entering adjoining property, petition for entry.

Repairs or maintenance of property; entering adjoining property; petition for entry. Allows an owner of real property who seeks to repair or maintain the exterior of his property to petition the circuit court for a right of entry to an adjoining property for the purpose of performing the repairs or maintenance when the property is so situated that it is impossible to perform the repairs or maintenance without entering such adjoining property and permission to enter such adjoining property has been denied. The bill requires the petition and affidavits to contain specific information including the nature of the repairs and what efforts were made by the owner to obtain permission. The bill also provides that the petitioner shall be required to return the adjoining property to its previous condition and shall be liable to the adjoining owner or his lessee for actual damages occurring as a result of the entry. This bill is identical to HB 803.

Schuyler T. VanValkenburgDemocrat

Local correctional facilities; reimbursements for housing convicted state felons.

Local correctional facilities; reimbursements for housing convicted state felons. Provides that, notwithstanding the quarterly installment payments the Compensation Board is required to provide for reimbursements to localities, the Compensation Board shall ensure that it provides reimbursement to localities for the entirety of the costs incurred by such locality arising from housing convicted state felons in any local or regional correctional facility.

Tammy Brankley MulchiRepublican

Retail Sales and Use Tax; definitions, imposes firearm and ammunition tax.

Retail sales and use tax; firearm and ammunition tax. Imposes a firearm and ammunition tax equal to 11 percent of the gross receipts from the sale and distribution of any firearm or ammunition by a firearms or ammunition manufacturer, as such terms are defined in the bill. The bill provides that proceeds from such tax shall be distributed to the general fund with the intent that such proceeds are used for gun violence prevention efforts and community safety in the Commonwealth. The bill contains a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Angelia Williams GravesDemocrat

Unemployment benefits; increase weekly benefit amount.

Unemployment benefits; increase weekly benefit amount. Provides that, for unemployment compensation claims effective on or after July 1, 2026, an eligible individual's weekly benefit amount shall be $48 higher than the current weekly benefit amount, as denoted in the table in the printed bill. This bill is identical to HB 1320.

Adam P. EbbinDemocrat

Unemployment benefits; maximum duration.

Unemployment benefits; maximum duration. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, for claims effective on or after July 1, 2026, an eligible individual's weekly unemployment compensation benefit amount shall be paid for a maximum duration of 26 weeks.

Adam P. EbbinDemocrat

Utility Facilities Act; definition of public utility.

Utility Facilities Act; definition of public utility. Provides that for the purposes of the Utility Facilities Act, the term "public utility" does not include any company that owns or operates one or more facilities for the generation, distribution, or storage of electric energy exclusively for consumption by one or more customers located on the site of such facilities or on adjoining property, provided that such facilities are connected on the customer's side of the electric meter and electricity is delivered without the use of a public utility's distribution or transmission system. The bill also provides that after such a facility operates within the certificated service territory of an electric utility for a duration of five years, such company is required to submit to such public utility a written offer for the sale of such facility.

Bill DeStephRepublican

Unauthorized use of voice or likeness; punitive damages, statute of limitations.

Unauthorized use of voice or likeness; punitive damages; statute of limitations. Expands the existing ability for any person to maintain a suit in equity, including the accompanying remedies available and statute of limitations, for the unauthorized use of his name, portrait, or picture for advertising purposes or for the purposes of trade to include the unauthorized use of his voice or likeness. This bill is identical to HB 581.

Bryce E. ReevesRepublican

Officers and employees of the Fort Monroe Authority; eligibility for transitional severance benefit.

Workforce Transition Act of 1995; eligibility for transitional severance benefit; officers and employees of the Fort Monroe Authority. Provides that employees of the Fort Monroe Authority are eligible for transitional severance benefits conferred by the Workforce Transition Act of 1995 if (i) reemployment with the Commonwealth is not possible because there is no available position for which the employee is qualified or the position offered to the employee requires relocation or a reduction in salary and (ii) involuntary separation was due to causes other than job performance or misconduct.

Mamie E. LockeDemocrat

Emergency and temporary detention transportation; alternative transportation providers, etc.

Emergency and temporary detention transportation. Clarifies that the term "law-enforcement officer" as used in relevant law relating to emergency and involuntary civil transportation includes retired law-enforcement officers, defined in the bill, for the purposes of laws related to emergency custody and involuntary temporary detention. The bill also permits an alternative transportation provider to provide transportation of a person in the temporary detention process in a safe manner if the alternative transportation provider is (i) an employee of, or the person providing services pursuant to a contract with, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services or (ii) an employee of a private or state hospital within the confines of the Commonwealth. The bill provides that, for purposes of transporting a minor during the temporary detention process, an alternative transportation provider is deemed available if it states it is available to take custody from law enforcement within six hours of issuance of the temporary detention order or an order changing the transportation provider. The bill also provides the alternative transportation provider shall maintain custody from the time custody is transferred by the primary law-enforcement agency until custody is transferred to the temporary detention facility, including while awaiting transport and during transport. The bill also specifies when a law-enforcement agency or alternative transportation provider providing transportation of a minor in the temporary detention process may transfer custody of such minor to a facility or location where the minor is awaiting transport. When a bed becomes available at the temporary detention facility, the bill provides that facility or location shall notify the law-enforcement agency or alternative transportation provider specified on the order, which shall then return to transport the minor to the facility of temporary detention.This bill incorporates SB 395. The provisions of this bill are identical to both HB 681 and HB 976.

L. Louise LucasDemocrat

Human trafficking; issuance of vacatur for victims, definitions.

Issuance of vacatur for victims of human trafficking. Expands the current process for the issuance of writs of vacatur for victims of human trafficking to include ancillary matters, defined in the bill, and any charge or arrest related to a qualifying offense as defined in current law. The bill also expands the list of qualifying offenses eligible for such writ. This bill is identical to HB 1298.

Mamie E. LockeDemocrat

Property Owners' Association Act; operation and management of assoc., condemnation of common area.

Property Owners' Association Act; operation and management of association; condemnation of common area; procedure. Requires consideration of the physical characteristics of a property owners' association's common area land when determining such land's highest and best use for purposes of valuing the property for award or payment for such land in a condemnation proceeding after the common area land is taken or damaged under the power of eminent domain.

Tara A. DurantRepublican

Health insurance; definitions, prohibited restrictions on in-network referrals.

Health insurance; prohibited restrictions on in-network referrals. Prohibits a health insurance carrier from prohibiting an in-network provider, as defined in the bill, from referring any enrollee or specimen to any in-network clinical laboratory or in-network pathology service provider under the terms of such insurance unless such referral would constitute a violation of certain laws. This bill is identical to HB 424.

Kannan SrinivasanDemocrat

Income tax, state; first-time homebuyer tax credit.

Individual income tax; first-time homebuyer tax credit. Creates a one-time, nonrefundable individual income tax credit in taxable years 2026 through 2030 for the purchase of a principal residence by a first-time homebuyer, as such terms are defined in the bill, in an amount equal to $5,000. The bill requires that any credits be repaid if the principal residence is sold or no longer serves as the first-time homebuyer's principal residence within three years from the purchase date of such property.

Todd E. PillionRepublican

Public Recreational Facilities Authorities Act; grants to localities, etc.

Public Recreational Facilities Authorities Act. Authorizes authorities established under the Public Recreational Facilities Authorities Act to make grants to any participating locality, the Commonwealth or any other political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, any federal agency, and any person to promote the purposes of the authority, including for the purpose of promoting tourism development.

Schuyler T. VanValkenburgDemocrat