Bills & Legislation

HOT lanes; high-occupancy requirement; law-enforcement vehicles.

HOT lanes; high-occupancy requirement; law-enforcement vehicles. Expands the currently permitted uses of high occupancy lanes by law-enforcement vehicles regardless of the number of occupants in the vehicle to include responding to a call for law-enforcement services and patrolling HOT lanes within the law-enforcement officer's jurisdiction while such law-enforcement officer is on duty. Current law limits such use to when (i) responding to an emergency incident and (ii) patrolling HOT lanes pursuant to an agreement by a state agency with the HOT lanes operator. The bill does not change certain other authorized uses in current law.

Christie New CraigRepublican

Youth Health Protection Act; established, civil penalty.

Youth Health Protection Act established; civil penalty. Creates the Youth Health Protection Act, which makes it unlawful for any individual to provide gender transition procedures, defined in the bill, for minors and prohibits the use of public funds for gender transition procedures. The bill allows parents, guardians, or custodians to withhold consent for any treatment, activity, or mental health care services that are designed or intended to form their child's conceptions of sex and gender or to treat gender dysphoria or gender nonconformity. The bill prohibits government agents, other than law-enforcement personnel, from encouraging or coercing a minor to withhold information from the minor's parent. The bill establishes a duty for a government agent with knowledge that a minor has exhibited symptoms of gender dysphoria or gender nonconformity or otherwise demonstrates a desire to be treated in a manner incongruent with the minor's sex to immediately notify each of the minor's parents, guardians, or custodians in writing, with descriptions of relevant circumstances. The bill prohibits discrimination against persons (i) providing information regarding violations of the Act to their employer or specified public entities or (ii) who make disclosures under the Act of information that evinces any violation of law, rule, or regulation; any violation of any standard of care or other ethical guidelines for the provision of health care service; or gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety. The bill establishes a civil action for any violation of the Act by a clinic, health care system, medical professional, or other responsible person with a two-year statute of limitations. The bill prohibits political subdivisions of the Commonwealth from enacting, adopting, maintaining, or enforcing any measure that interferes with the professional conduct and judgment of a mental health care professional or counselor undertaken within the course of treatment and communication with clients, patients, other persons, or the public. The bill provides for enforcement by the Attorney General or a mental health care professional or counselor through an action for injunctive relief and allows a mental health care professional to recover reasonable attorney fees and reasonable costs incurred in obtaining an injunction. The bill waives sovereign immunity to suit and immunity from liability under this statute.

Mark J. PeakeRepublican

Energy Innovation Pilot Program; established, report.

Energy Innovation Pilot Program established. Establishes the Energy Innovation Pilot Program to foster the development of innovative energy projects by allowing Program participants to provide grid services or other beneficial energy measures. Under the Program, a participant, after obtaining State Corporation Commission approval, is not required to comply with specific state statutes and regulations pertaining to the generation, transmission, or distribution of electric energy for sale, except for those laws and regulations that are required for worker safety, public safety, or environmental protection, for a period of five years. The bill includes provisions for application requirements, an approval process, Program exit procedures, a test period extension process, suspension or revocation of Commission approval, consumer protections, Commission investigations, and recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

Joseph P. McNamaraRepublican

Practical nursing programs; common curriculum, transferability to registered nursing programs.

Certain practical nursing programs; common curriculum; transferability to registered nursing programs. Requires the Virginia Community College System (the System), in consultation with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the Board of Nursing, and representatives from both associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education and baccalaureate public institutions of higher education that offer nursing programs, to develop a common curriculum for practical nursing programs that shall be implemented at each comprehensive community college in the System that offers a practical nursing program. The bill requires such common curriculum, to the extent possible, to (i) align with the degree requirements for registered nursing programs offered at associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education and baccalaureate public institutions of higher education and (ii) be transferable to each registered nursing program offered at an associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education or a baccalaureate public institution of higher education. The bill (a) requires each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education and each baccalaureate public institution of higher education that offers a registered nursing degree program to participate in a practical nursing program to registered nursing program transfer agreement with the System that aligns with the practical nursing program common curriculum established pursuant to the bill and (b) permits any private institution of higher education that offers a registered nursing degree program to be consulted regarding and participate on a voluntary basis in such a transfer agreement. This bill was incorporated into SB 953.

Christopher T. HeadRepublican

Virginia National Guard; financial assistance for tuition grants.

Institutions of higher education; financial assistance; tuition grants; Virginia National Guard. Increases from $50,000 to $250,000 the amount of grant funding that the Department of Military Affairs may use each year to recruit qualified applicants for service in the Virginia National Guard.

Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.Republican

Opioid antagonists; dispensing and administration by person acting on behalf of an organization.

Opioid antagonists; dispensing and administration by person acting on behalf of an organization. Permits persons acting on behalf of an organization that provides services to individuals at risk of experiencing an opioid overdose or training in the administration of naloxone or other opioid antagonists to dispense other opioid antagonists. The bill also allows persons to whom other opioid antagonists are dispensed to possess and administer such opioid antagonists. Under current law, persons acting on behalf of such organizations may only dispense naloxone.

Christopher T. HeadRepublican

Electric utilities; regional transmission entities; annual report.

Electric utilities; regional transmission entities; annual report. Requires each incumbent electric utility that is a member of or has established a regional transmission entity for purposes of management and control of its transmission system as required under current law to submit an annual report by February 1 of each year. Such report shall include all recorded votes cast by the utility during the immediately preceding calendar year, all votes cast by an affiliate of the utility, and a brief description explaining how each vote cast by the utility or its affiliate is in the public interest.

Amy J. LauferDemocrat

Provider contracts; pharmacies allowed to refuse to fill certain prescriptions.

Provider contracts; pharmacies; refusal to fill certain prescriptions. Requires a provider contract between a health carrier or its pharmacy benefits manager and a pharmacy or its contracting agent to contain a specific provision allowing the pharmacy to refuse to fill a prescription for a drug that is reimbursed below the actual cost of the medication.

H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.Republican

SCHEV; publishing of certain institution-level data on website required.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; publishing of certain institution-level data on website required. Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to annually publish in an easily accessible format and location on its website data for each public institution of higher education and each nonprofit private institution of higher education eligible to participate in the Tuition Assistance Grant Program on the (i) cost of tuition and fees; (ii) student retention rate; (iii) student graduation rate; (iv) wages of former students three years after graduation; (v) 20 baccalaureate degree programs with the highest average annual wages following graduation; and (vi) 20 associate degree or certificate programs with the highest average annual wages following graduation. The bill requires such data to be presented in a user-friendly format so that the user can compare the data clearly and visually.

Christopher T. HeadRepublican

Southwest Regional Recreation Authority; powers.

Southwest Regional Recreation Authority; powers. Provides for the board of the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority to adopt policies for the procurement of goods and services and requires such policies to incorporate certain provisions of the Virginia Public Procurement Act. In addition, the bill authorizes the Director of the Department of General Services to lease vehicles and construction and forestry equipment to the Authority.

James W. MorefieldRepublican

RS & UT; food for human consumption and essential personal hygiene products, delayed effective date.

Sales and use tax; food purchased for human consumption and essential personal hygiene products. Eliminates the remaining one percent local sales and use tax that is imposed on food purchased for human consumption and essential personal hygiene products. Under current law, no other sales and use tax is currently applied to such products. The bill requires an equivalent amount of revenue to be distributed to cities and counties on a monthly basis in compensation for the lost tax revenue. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

School safety; employment of school security officers, criteria.

School safety; employment of school security officers; criteria. Modifies the criteria that an individual employed as a school security officer, as defined by applicable law, must satisfy in order to carry a firearm in the performance of his duties by eliminating the requirement that within 10 years immediately prior to being hired, he was either an active law-enforcement officer, as defined by applicable law, in the Commonwealth or was employed by a law-enforcement agency of the United States or any state or political subdivision thereof. The bill instead requires any such individual to be age 75 or younger at the time he is hired to be a school security officer, in addition to the other requirements set forth in applicable law, in order to carry a firearm in the performance of his duties.

Tammy Brankley MulchiRepublican

Toll limits; electronic toll collection device.

Toll limits; electronic toll collection device. Limits to $200 per month the tolls charged to residents of Planning District 8 or Planning District 16 via electronic toll collection devices for the use of toll bridges, toll ferries, toll tunnels, or toll roads in Planning District 8 or Planning District 16. The bill prohibits misusing, sharing, or transferring an electronic toll collection device for the purpose of (i) generating tolls to reach the toll limit or (ii) obtaining toll-free use of toll facilities in Planning District 8 or Planning District 16.

Kannan SrinivasanDemocrat

Contraception; right to access.

Contraception; right to access.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

K-12 schools and institutions of higher education; student participation in women's sports; civil cause of action.

K-12 schools and institutions of higher education; student participation in women's sports; civil cause of action. Requires each interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural, or club athletic team or sport sponsored by a public school, or any other school that is a member of the Virginia High School League, or by a public institution of higher education to be expressly designated as one of the following based on the biological sex of the students who participate on the team or in the sport: (i) males, men, or boys; (ii) females, women, or girls; or (iii) coed or mixed if participation on such team or sport is open to both males and females. The bill requires that the biological sex of any student seeking to participate on such an expressly designated team be affirmed by a signed physician's statement. The bill prohibits any such team or sport that is expressly designated for females from being open to students whose biological sex is male. The bill prohibits any government entity, licensing or accrediting organization, or athletic association or organization from entertaining a complaint, opening an investigation, or taking any other adverse action against any such school or institution of higher education based on a violation of the provisions of the bill and creates a cause of action for any school or institution of higher education that suffers harm as a result of a violation of the bill. Finally, the bill creates a civil cause of action for any student who suffers harm as a result of a knowing violation of a provision of the bill by a school or institution or as a result of the student's reporting a violation of a provision of the bill by a school, institution, athletic association, or organization.

Tammy Brankley MulchiRepublican

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; increases civil penalties.

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; civil penalties. Increases the minimum and maximum civil penalties that may be imposed upon an officer, employee, or member of a public body for violations of certain provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. The bill also adjusts the minimum and maximum civil penalty for such second and subsequent violations, in addition to increasing the minimum and maximum civil penalties that can be imposed on a public body for violations related to certifying a closed meeting.

N. Baxter EnnisRepublican

School-based mental health teletherapy services; policies and requirements.

School boards; school-based mental health teletherapy services; increasing accessibility of mental health teletherapy services; policies and requirements. Directs the Department of Education (the Department) to include in the model memorandum of understanding between a school board and a nationally recognized school-based telehealth provider that it is required to develop and distribute to each school board pursuant to applicable law parameters for the provision of mental health teletherapy for students outside of regular school hours and during regular school hours on school property. The bill also requires each school board to, for the purpose of increasing the accessibility of mental health services for public school students, (i) permit any student enrolled in the school division to schedule and participate in mental health teletherapy services during regular school hours on the same basis as such students are permitted to participate in school counseling services; (ii) enter into a memorandum of understanding, consistent with the model memorandum of understanding developed by the Department, with a nationally recognized school-based telehealth provider that ensures and sets forth parameters for the provision of such mental health teletherapy services during regular school hours; (iii) develop and implement policies and procedures for permitting any student to participate in such mental health teletherapy services during regular school hours; and (iv) develop, post in a publicly accessible location on its website, and make available to all administrative and instructional personnel in the school division at the beginning of each school year informational materials relating to such mental health teletherapy policies.

Russet PerryDemocrat

Dulles Greenway; toll rates.

Dulles Greenway; toll rates. Requires that (i) the toll rates for the Dulles Greenway set by the State Corporation Commission do not materially discourage the public's use of the toll road; (ii) the cost of operating the toll road is reasonably apportioned across all toll road users based on the relative distance each class of user travels on the toll road, such that the toll rates are established in a reasonable and nondiscriminatory manner in relation to the benefit obtained; and (iii) such toll rates provide the operator with no more than a reasonable return, which is defined in the bill.

Russet PerryDemocrat

Transportation infrastructure; JLARC to study Department of Transportation's policies and funding.

Study; JLARC; policies and funding allocations of the Department of Transportation for maintenance of transportation infrastructure; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to analyze policies and funding allocations of the Department of Transportation in regard to the maintenance of highways, bridges, sidewalks, bicycle paths and lanes, shared-use paths, and other transportation infrastructure. The study requires JLARC to submit each of its reports no later than the first days of the 2026 and 2027 Regular Sessions of the General Assembly.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

Zoning appeals, board of; petition for appeal, clarifies procedure.

Board of zoning appeals; petition for appeal; emergency. Clarifies the procedure by which a person aggrieved by a decision of the board of zoning appeals may appeal the decision to the circuit court by changing the manner in which a petition is styled. The bill also (i) changes instances of \"board\" to \"board of zoning appeals\" to clarify that \"board\" does not refer to a county's board of supervisors, (ii) provides that service of process is to be obtained as in other actions at law, and (iii) contains a retroactive savings clause that is intended to prevent dismissal of certain appeals that have not yet been finally adjudicated. The bill contains an emergency clause.

Thomas C. Wright, Jr.Republican

Solar facilities; local regulations, special exceptions for solar photovoltaic projects.

Local regulation of solar facilities; special exceptions. Provides that a ground-mounted solar energy generation facility to be located on property zoned agricultural, commercial, industrial, or institutional shall be permitted pursuant to various criteria to be included in a local ordinance, such as specifications for setbacks, fencing, solar panel height, visual impacts, and grading, and a decommissioning plan for solar energy equipment and facilities.

Schuyler T. VanValkenburgDemocrat

Artificial Intelligence Transparency Act; established.

Artificial Intelligence Transparency Act established. Requires developers of generative artificial intelligence systems made available in the Commonwealth to ensure that any generative artificial intelligence system that produces audio, images, text, or video content includes on such AI-generated content a clear and conspicuous disclosure that meets certain requirements specified in the bill. The bill also requires developers of generative artificial intelligence systems to implement reasonable procedures to prevent downstream use of such system without the required disclosures and requires any third-party licensee of a generative artificial intelligence system to also implement such procedures. The bill provides that a violation of the disclosure requirements constitutes a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill allows the Attorney General to offer developers a right to cure noncompliance that is noticed by the Attorney General and provides that a person or entity claiming to be injured due to a violation of the disclosure requirements shall be entitled to initiate an action for monetary damages or equitable relief.

Saddam Azlan SalimDemocrat

Energy Innovation Pilot Program; established, report.

Energy Innovation Pilot Program established. Establishes the Energy Innovation Pilot Program to foster the development of innovative energy projects by allowing Program participants to provide grid services or other beneficial energy measures. Under the Program, a participant, after obtaining State Corporation Commission approval, is not required to comply with specific state statutes and regulations pertaining to the generation, transmission, or distribution of electric energy for sale, except for those laws and regulations that are required for worker safety, public safety, or environmental protection, for a period of five years. The bill includes provisions for application requirements, an approval process, Program exit procedures, a test period extension process, suspension or revocation of Commission approval, consumer protections, Commission investigations, and recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

Firefighters and emergency medical services providers; collective bargaining.

Collective bargaining by firefighters and emergency medical services providers. Authorizes firefighters and emergency medical services providers employed by a political subdivision of the Commonwealth to engage in collective bargaining through labor organizations or other designated representatives. The bill establishes the Fire Service Cooperation Board to administer its provisions. The bill provides for the appointment of a three-member board of arbitration regarding any dispute arising between an employer and firefighters or emergency medical services providers. Under the bill, determinations made by such board of arbitration are final on a disputed issue and are binding on the parties involved. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.

L. Louise LucasDemocrat

Virginia State Route 55; Department of Transportation to study traffic congestion reduction.

Study; Department of Transportation; traffic congestion reduction on Virginia State Route 55; report. Requests the Department of Transportation to study traffic reduction on Virginia State Route 55. The study shall include the identification of methods and solutions for traffic reduction on Virginia State Route 55 and an assessment of the feasibility, cost, and impact on traffic flow of such methods and solutions.

Timmy FrenchRepublican

Motor vehicle accidents; actions brought by uninsured motorists, limited damages.

Motor vehicle accidents; actions brought by uninsured motorists; limited damages. Places limits on the amount of recoverable damages in a motor vehicle accident resulting in personal injury or property damage when the person injured or whose property was damaged is an uninsured motorist. The bill provides that the limits do not apply if (i) the tortfeasor was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, (ii) the tortfeasor failed to stop and report the injury of damage after such accident, or (iii) the injury or damage was a result of an intentional act taken by the tortfeasor to injure the person or damage such person's property.

Eric R. ZehrRepublican

COVID-19 pandemic; DEM to convene work group to study the Commonwealth's response, report.

Department of Emergency Management; work groups related to the Commonwealth's response to the COVID-19 pandemic; report. Directs the Department of Emergency Management to convene work groups to (i) study the reliance of the Commonwealth and its localities on federal grants for core emergency management functions, (ii) study and develop a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework to take effect during a disaster for which a state of emergency has been declared, and (iii) study and develop solutions to address breaks in technology continuity among communities across the Commonwealth during emergencies. The bill directs each work group to complete its work and report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly no later than November 30, 2025. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee to Study Pandemic Response and Preparedness in the Commonwealth. This bill was incorporated into SB 1326.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

ABC Board; primary law-enforcement agency for certain crimes against property and involving fraud.

Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority; police power; primary law-enforcement agency for certain crimes against property and involving fraud. Provides that special agents of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board shall serve as the primary law-enforcement agency for enforcing, reporting, and investigating certain crimes against property and crimes involving fraud that occur on property owned or leased by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority.

Christie New CraigRepublican

Campaign finance; coordination and required independent expenditure committee disclosure.

Campaign finance; coordination and required independent expenditure committee disclosure; civil penalties. Provides a more detailed definition of the term "coordinated" or "coordination" in the context of campaign finance than current law. The bill also requires all persons making independent expenditures to file statements of organization and to file campaign finance reports thus making such persons subject to existing civil penalties for violations of filing laws.

Rozia A. Henson, Jr.Democrat

Short-term rentals; registration, civil penalty, effective date.

Short-term rentals; registration; civil penalty. Directs the Department of Taxation to establish a registry of short-term rental properties and requires accommodations providers and accommodations intermediaries to register with the Department. Under the bill, an accommodations provider shall provide to the Department its name and the address of each property it offers for short-term rental. The bill states that the Department shall issue each such accommodations provider a unique numerical identifier for each such property. Furthermore, an accommodations intermediary shall provide the Department with its name and the contact information for the individual responsible for liaising with state and local officials regarding noncompliant short-term rental listings. The bill states that as a condition of listing a short-term rental on its platform, an accommodations intermediary shall require each accommodations provider to provide such provider's name and the unique numerical identifier and specific address for each short-term rental offered. Under the bill, such information, as well as information regarding receipts and taxes paid, shall be provided to the Department by the accommodations intermediary on a quarterly basis, unless the accommodations intermediary submits monthly reports containing the property addresses and gross receipts for all accommodations facilitated by such intermediary in a locality during such quarter.The bill states that the Department shall provide the commissioner of the revenue for each locality with access to the registry and information contained therein. The commissioner of the revenue shall notify an accommodations intermediary of any short-term rental on its platform that is not lawfully authorized to be offered on its platform, and the accommodations intermediary shall remove any such listing from its platform. Under the bill, any accommodations intermediary that does not remove such a listing from its platform shall be subject to a civil penalty of $1,000 to be paid into the Virginia Housing Trust Fund.The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

David W. MarsdenDemocrat

Motor vehicle accidents; actions brought by uninsured motorists, limited damages.

Motor vehicle accidents; actions brought by uninsured motorists; limited damages. Places limits on the amount of recoverable damages in a motor vehicle accident resulting in personal injury or property damage when the person injured or whose property was damaged is an uninsured motorist. The bill provides that the limits do not apply if (i) the tortfeasor was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, (ii) the tortfeasor failed to stop and report the injury or damage after such accident, or (iii) the injury or damage was a result of an intentional act taken by the tortfeasor to injure the person or damage such person's property.

Eric R. ZehrRepublican

Commending Wesley Brown.

Commending Wesley Brown.

Emily M. JordanRepublican

Commending Phyliss Bryum.

Commending Phyliss Bryum.

L. Louise LucasDemocrat

Celebrating the life of Roosevelt Harmon, Jr.

Celebrating the life of Roosevelt Harmon, Jr.

L. Louise LucasDemocrat

Celebrating the life of Mark Robert Outlaw.

Celebrating the life of Mark Robert Outlaw.

Emily M. JordanRepublican

Possession of retail tobacco products and hemp products intended for smoking by a person younger than 21 years of age prohibited; penalty.

Possession of retail tobacco products and hemp products intended for smoking by a person younger than 21 years of age prohibited; penalty. Prohibits any person younger than 21 years of age from possessing any retail tobacco product or hemp product intended for smoking, as those terms are defined in relevant law. A violation of such prohibition is punishable by a civil penalty not to exceed $100 for a first violation and a civil penalty not to exceed $250 for a second or subsequent violation. The bill also provides that a court may, as an alternative to the civil penalty, and upon motion of the defendant, prescribe the performance of up to 20 hours of community service for a first violation and up to 40 hours of community service for a second or subsequent violation, but if the defendant fails or refuses to complete the community service as prescribed, the court may impose the civil penalty. Additionally, upon such violation, the judge may enter an order suspending the motor vehicle and driver's license of such person pursuant relevant law.

Paul V. MildeRepublican

Va. Alcoholic Bev. Control Authority; law-enforcement agency for certain larceny-related offenses.

Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority; police power; primary law-enforcement agency for certain larceny-related offenses. Provides that special agents of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board shall serve as the primary law-enforcement agency for enforcing and investigating certain larceny and fraud-related crimes that occur in government stores.

Jeion A. WardDemocrat

Commending Josh A. Wyche, Sr.

Commending Josh A. Wyche, Sr.

Emily M. JordanRepublican

Commending Judith Brooks-Buck, Ph.D.

Commending Judith Brooks-Buck, Ph.D.

L. Louise LucasDemocrat

Collective bargaining; individual home care providers.

Collective bargaining; individual home care providers. Establishes within the Department of Medical Assistance Services the Virginia Home Care Authority to ensure the effectiveness and quality of the services of home care programs in the Commonwealth. The bill authorizes individual providers, as defined in the bill, to select an exclusive bargaining representative and to collectively bargain with the Virginia Home Care Authority regarding matters including wages, benefits, and all terms and conditions of employment that are within the Authority's control. The bill's provisions do not become effective unless legislation is enacted in the Commonwealth authorizing public employees to engage in collective bargaining. This bill was incorporated into SB 917.

Jennifer D. Carroll FoyDemocrat

Commemorating the life and legacy of Private Oscar Cleveland Hicks, USA.

Commemorating the life and legacy of Private Oscar Cleveland Hicks, USA.

Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.Republican

Enhanced earned sentence credits; exemptions, felony drug offenses.

Enhanced earned sentence credits; exemptions; felony drug offenses. Removes any person convicted of a second or subsequent felony drug offense from being eligible to earn enhanced earned sentence credits.

Mark J. PeakeRepublican

Health insurance; coverage for at-home blood pressure monitors, report.

Health insurance; coverage for at-home blood pressure monitors. Requires health insurers, health maintenance organizations, and corporations providing health care coverage subscription contracts to provide coverage for at-home blood pressure monitors to individuals who (i) have a diagnosis of hypertension, (ii) are at risk of developing hypertension, or (iii) have been recommended for at-home blood pressure monitoring by a licensed health care provider. The coverage provided under the bill shall not be subject to any copayment or fees for an at-home blood pressure monitor. The bill directs the Bureau of Insurance, in consultation with the Department of Health, to establish guidelines for implementing the coverage required by the bill, to monitor compliance of such requirements by health care providers, and to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by December 1, 2026.

Stella G. PekarskyDemocrat

Campaign finance; coordination and required independent expenditure committee disclosure.

Campaign finance; coordination and required independent expenditure committee disclosure; civil penalties. Provides a more detailed definition of the term "coordinated" or "coordination" in the context of campaign finance than current law. The bill also requires all persons making independent expenditures to file statements of organization and to file campaign finance reports thus making such persons subject to existing civil penalties for violations of filing laws.

Nadarius E. ClarkDemocrat

Natural gas utilities; retail supply choice, report.

Natural gas utilities; retail supply choice; work group; report. Allows every person access to distribution service or retail natural gas from a natural gas utility authorized to provide natural gas service to the area where the service will be received. The bill prohibits a public entity from adopting an ordinance, resolution, or any other requirement that limits or prohibits customers from acquiring natural gas service and supply from both utility and non-utility gas companies. The bill prohibits public entities from denying building permits solely based on a proposed utility provider and directs public entities to ensure that all applicable permits and fees are reasonable, as compared to other utility providers, and do not restrict an applicant's ability to use the services of an authorized utility provider. The bill also directs the Department of Energy to convene a work group for the purposes of evaluating the impact of critical infrastructure sectors on natural gas service or natural gas supply choice and the impact of any public entity restricting a critical infrastructure sector from acquiring fuel and to submit a report of its findings and recommendations by November 1, 2025.

Bill DeStephRepublican

Governor; protecting the resiliency of the Commonwealth's critical infrastructure.

Governor; protecting the resiliency of the Commonwealth's critical infrastructure. Directs the Governor to establish two committees, the Critical Infrastructure Committee and the Resilient Energy Committee, consisting of security professionals, energy experts, utility representatives, and scientists, for the purpose of assessing Virginia's critical infrastructure and making recommendations for the protection of such infrastructure from all hazards.

Luther Cifers, IIIRepublican

Celebrating the life of Abraham Mitchell.

Celebrating the life of Abraham Mitchell.

Emily M. JordanRepublican

Juvenile secure detention facilities; closure or consolidation, funding contributions.

Juvenile secure detention facilities; closure or consolidation; funding contributions; education programs. Provides that upon the closure or consolidation of a juvenile secure detention facility, any locality or commission operating a juvenile secure detention facility in which juveniles will be placed who previously would have been placed in the closed or consolidated juvenile secure detention facility shall negotiate in good faith with the locality from which a juvenile may be placed to arrive at mutually agreeable funding contributions for the operation of such receiving juvenile secure detention facility. The bill requires such agreements to include certain provisions related to equal access to post-dispositional programming and medical and hospitalization costs and provides that such agreements may include provisions related to transportation of juveniles and transportation options for parents or guardians.The bill further states that if the localities or commissions are unable to reach such an agreement, then the Department of Juvenile Justice shall determine the funding contributions and that failure of any locality or commission to comply with such determination may result in the loss or reduction of state funding. Under the bill, any locality or commission operating a juvenile secure detention facility that refuses to accept placement of juveniles who previously would have been placed in a closed or consolidated juvenile secure detention facility shall not be eligible for state funding.The bill changes the required staffing ratio for education programs in regional and local detention homes to one full-time equivalent program employee for every six students based on a rolling average daily population at the facility as calculated by the Department of Education from the previous three fiscal years. Under current law, the ratio for such programs is one teacher for every 12 beds based on the capacity of the facility. The bill also provides that the Board of Education shall require all such education programs to have either a principal or a lead teacher on site and requires contracts for the hiring and supervision of teachers to allow a teacher employed by a local school board to continue teaching in his local school division and be hired as a part-time teacher for such an education program. The bill requires that each part-time teacher for an education program be provided an annual $3,000 bonus.Lastly, the bill directs the closure of seven juvenile secure detention facilities across the Commonwealth and specifies the facilities to be closed and the facilities into which they may be consolidated. The bill requires the facilities to be closed and consolidated by January 1, 2026, and states that any such facility that fails to comply with the requirements for closure and consolidation, in addition to any other remedy available at law, shall not be eligible for state funding.

David W. MarsdenDemocrat