Bills & Legislation

Alternative graduation pathways to earn Standard Diploma; development, approval, and implementation,

Board of Education; development, approval, and implementation of alternative graduation pathways to earn a Standard Diploma; report. Directs the Board of Education to develop, approve, and implement alternative graduation pathways to earn a Standard Diploma that are designed to expand opportunities for students to complete the verified credit requirements for the Standard Diploma that do not require achieving a passing score on applicable Standards of Learning assessments. In developing, approving, and implementing such alternative graduation pathways, the bill directs the Board to (i) consult with and integrate the perspectives of a broad range of relevant stakeholders; (ii) consider alignment with the competencies articulated in the Profile of the Virginia Graduation; (iii) consider certain elements for incorporation into such alternative pathways, including nonassessment demonstrations of competence, alternative assessments that could be used in lieu of or alongside Standards of Learning assessments, and pathway structures or elements designed to encourage hands-on learning and civic engagement; (iv) ensure that any such alternative graduation pathways do not impact or replace the current requirements for earning a Standard Diploma or an Advanced Studies Diploma; (v) ensure at least one alternative pathway is approved that includes a nonassessment demonstration of competence; and (vi) consider potential timelines for implementation of such alternative graduation pathways. Finally, the bill directs the Board to submit to the Governor and Chairs of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by January 1, 2027, a report detailing the Board's progress in developing, approving, and implementing alternative graduation pathways to earn a Standard Diploma, in accordance with the provisions of the bill.

Stella G. PekarskyDemocrat

Marijuana field test; testimony as to the results; consuming, etc., while in a motor vehicle.

Marijuana field test; testimony as to the results; consuming or possessing marijuana or marijuana products while in a motor vehicle or on public school grounds. Allows a law-enforcement officer to testify as to the results of any marijuana field test approved as accurate and reliable by the Department of Forensic Science regarding whether or not any plant material at issue is marijuana in a trial for a violation of using or consuming marijuana or marijuana products while in a motor vehicle being driven upon a public highway or consuming or possessing marijuana or marijuana products in or on public school grounds, provided the defendant has been given written notice of his right to request a full chemical analysis. Current law allows a law-enforcement officer to testify as to the results of a marijuana field test in a trial for underage possession or consumption of marijuana.

Ryan T. McDougleRepublican

Income tax, state; subtractions for income attributable to overtime.

Individual income tax subtractions; overtime. Establishes an individual income tax subtraction for income attributable to overtime in an amount equal to (i) 25 percent of the federal overtime deduction for taxable year 2026 and (ii) 50 percent of the federal overtime deduction for taxable year 2027 and thereafter.

Ryan T. McDougleRepublican

Income tax, state; subtraction for long-term capital gains from sale of principal residence.

Individual income tax subtraction; long-term capital gains from sale of principal residence. Provides an individual income tax subtraction in taxable years 2025 through 2029 for income that is (i) taxed as a long-term capital gain for federal income tax purposes, (ii) attributable to the sale of property that served as the taxpayer's principal residence for at least two of the five years preceding such sale, and (iii) in excess of federal limitations only allowing an exclusion from gross income for up to $250,000, or $500,000, for joint filers, of gain from such a sale.

Jeremy S. McPikeDemocrat

Zoning; special exceptions for City of Portsmouth.

Zoning; special exceptions; City of Portsmouth. Adds the City of Portsmouth to those localities that have been granted authority to impose a condition upon any special exception relating to retail alcoholic beverage control licensees that provides that such special exception will automatically expire upon a change of ownership of the property, a change in possession, a change in the operation or management of a facility, or the passage of a specific period of time.

L. Louise LucasDemocrat

Medicaid waivers; consumer-directed services, employer of record.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; Medicaid waivers; consumer-directed services; employer of record. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) to modify the program rules for consumer-directed services available through certain Medicaid waivers to allow an individual receiving services to serve as the employer of record (EOR) for his own service delivery and designate another individual to perform all or a portion of the duties of the EOR on the individual's behalf when the individual receiving services is unable to perform such duties or direct his own care. The bill specifies that when an individual (i) has not yet reached the age of majority, (ii) is ineligible to use his existing employer identification number (EIN) to facilitate the taxation of benefits, or (iii) is otherwise determined to be ineligible by DMAS by administrative rule, the EIN shall be assigned to the individual receiving services and shall not be transferred to another individual. Under the bill, DMAS has the authority to limit such amendments to specify that an individual receiving services may make such designation no more than twice per calendar year.

Tara A. DurantRepublican

Virginia Retirement System; service retirement allowance, return to work.

Virginia Retirement System; service retirement allowance; return to work. Allows a retired law-enforcement officer to continue to receive his service retirement allowance during a subsequent period of employment by a local law-enforcement agency in a civilian role that does not require law-enforcement certification as a fingerprint examiner, forensics specialist, property and evidence technician, background investigator, or firearms instructor, so long as he has a break in service of at least six calendar months between retirement and reemployment, did not retire under an early retirement program, did not retire under the Workforce Transition Act of 1995, and retired in good standing from his sworn law-enforcement officer position.

Christie New CraigRepublican

Certified school library specialists; Superintendent of Public Instruction to employ in DOE.

Superintendent of Public Instruction; employment of certified school library specialists. Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to employ in the Department of Education at least one certified school library specialist who shall have several duties enumerated in the bill, including (i) providing leadership and technical assistance with the implementation and use of information literacy skills to school divisions, Department staff, and other stakeholders to support student achievement; (ii) directing the implementation of state and national school library standards and consulting with and providing technical assistance to local school divisions relating to such standards; (iii) collaborating on various grants and other initiatives that promote student literacy through school library programs throughout the Commonwealth; (iv) supporting student learning through instructional programs in which students are required to demonstrate information literacy, digital literacy and fluency, and effective use of technology and instructional programs that incorporate science, technology, engineering, and math learning; and (v) providing the Department, the Board of Education, the General Assembly, and school boards with support relating to student learning through the use of school library standards and library resources.

Stella G. PekarskyDemocrat

Full-time deputy sheriffs, certain; salary increase.

Salaries of certain full-time deputy sheriffs. Provides that, beginning on and after July 1, 2026, the salary of certain full-time deputy sheriffs shall be increased by an amount equal to $100 for each full year of service.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

School boards; high school courses or dual enrollment programs for certain certifications.

School boards; courses of instruction; high school courses or dual enrollment programs for certification as a certified nurse aide, emergency medical technician, or firefighter; establishment permitted; requirements. Permits any school board to provide to high school students, either on school premises or through a dual enrollment program or other partnership with a comprehensive community college, courses of instruction that prepare students for and lead to (i) certification as a certified nurse aide, provided that such course is approved by and meets the requirements of the Board of Nursing and is taught by a qualified individual, consistent with the requirements of the Board of Nursing; (ii) certification as an emergency medical technician, provided that such course is consistent with the requirements established by the Office of Emergency Medical Services and taught by an emergency medical technician instructor who meets the requirements set forth in the bill; or (iii) firefighting level 1 certification, as defined by the bill, provided that such course is consistent with the National Fire Protection Association 1001, level one, firefighter standards as administered by the Department of Fire Programs and taught by an individual qualified to provided such instruction. The bill also requires any school board that provides any such course of instruction on school premises to high school students to ensure that any individual employed, contracted, or permitted to volunteer to provide instruction in such course meets the requirements set forth in applicable law relating to data on convictions for certain crimes and child abuse and neglect, fingerprinting, and criminal history records checks.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Med. assistance serv.; supplemental payment for ground emerg. medical serv. vehicle transportation.

Medical assistance services; volunteer emergency medical services agencies; supplemental payment for ground emergency medical services vehicle transportation. Directs the State Board of Health to include a provision in the state plan for medical assistance services to implement a supplemental payment program for qualified volunteer emergency medical services agencies to cover the difference between the agency's costs for ground emergency medical services vehicle transport services and the reimbursement amount received from the Department of Medical Assistance Services.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Medical malpractice; limitations on recovery, certain actions.

Medical malpractice; limitation on recovery; certain actions. Eliminates the cap on the recovery in actions against health care providers for medical malpractice where the act or acts of malpractice occurred on or after July 1, 2026, and occurred against a patient age 10 or younger.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program; establishment of student meal plan credit donation program.

Institutions of higher education; Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program; establishment of student meal plan credit donation program. Renames the Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program, established pursuant to applicable law, as "the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program" and amends the Program by expanding the criteria that a public institution of higher education or eligible private institution of higher education must satisfy to receive a designation as a "Hunger-Free Campus" and be awarded a grant under the Program to include a requirement that any such institution to establish both (i) an on-campus food pantry, pursuant to current law, and (ii) if such institution offers a meal swipe program or equivalent student meal swipe plan, a student meal credit sharing program, whereby students may voluntarily donate unused meal plan credits to be distributed for use by other students at campus dining halls or at its on-campus food pantry or to otherwise support its on-campus food pantry. The bill also requires grants awarded pursuant to the Program to be used to support on-campus efforts and initiatives to eliminate student food insecurity at such institution through the maintenance and operation of both its food pantry, pursuant to current law, and its student meal credit sharing program established in accordance with the bill.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

Data centers; taxes on banks that are tenants of a center.

Bank franchise tax; retail sales and use tax; tangible personal property tax; data centers. Provides that on and after July 1, 2026, if any tenant of a data center is a bank, then the retail sales and use tax exemption for data center computer equipment shall not apply to the data center operator and any tenants of the data center. The bill also adds computer equipment and peripherals of all banks used in a data center to personal property that is taxable for banks subject to the bank franchise tax in lieu of most other taxes.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program; tuition and fee waivers.

Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program; tuition and fee waivers. Requires the Commissioner of Veterans Services to consider certain domicile or physical presence requirements for the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program satisfied when (i) the failure to meet such requirements is solely attributable to a relocation outside of the Commonwealth by lawful military order or (ii) in the case of a survivor or dependent that meets all other eligibility requirements who has relocated to the Commonwealth by lawful military order, when the survivor or dependent has established residency in the Commonwealth, after having been enrolled in a higher education tuition and fees program for military survivors and dependents in another state.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

Equity in public school funding and staffing; At-Risk Program established, Standards of Quality.

Public schools; Standards of Quality; certain calculations; At-Risk Program established. The bill establishes (i) the At-Risk Program for the purpose of supporting programs and services for students who are educationally at-risk, including programs and services of prevention, intervention, or remediation; (ii) a state-funded, flexible per pupil Standards of Quality funding add-on to be applied for each special education student, calculated in accordance with the provisions of the bill, for the purpose of better meeting the educational needs of students with disabilities; and (iii) a state-funded, flexible per-pupil Standards of Quality funding add-on to be provided for each English language learner student, calculated in accordance with the provisions of the bill, for the purpose of better meeting the educational needs of English language learner students. The bill also establishes requirements and conditions for each school division receiving funding pursuant to the At-Risk Program or either of the per pupil Standards of Quality funding add-ons established pursuant to the bill, including a requirement that each such school division annually report to the Department of Education on the planned and actual uses of such funds. The bill directs the Department to annually compile and publish on its website a summary of the reports received from each school division on the use of such funds. Finally, the bill authorizes the Department, upon providing notice and an opportunity for corrective action, withhold, recover, or redirect funds provided pursuant to the bill from any school division found to be in noncompliance with the requirements set forth in the bill.

Barbara A. FavolaDemocrat

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

Virginia Personnel Act; certain Department of Elections officers and employees not exempt.

Virginia Personnel Act; certain Department of Elections officers and employees not exempt. Excludes the Department of Elections from the provision of the Virginia Personnel Act that exempts employees of executive branch agencies who have accepted serving in the capacity of chief deputy, or equivalent, and of a confidential assistant for policy or administration.

Schuyler T. VanValkenburgDemocrat

Nationally Certified School Psychologist Program; established.

Nationally Certified School Psychologist Program established; incorporation into National Teacher Certification Incentive Reward Program and Fund. Establishes the Nationally Certified School Psychologist Program and incorporates such program into the existing National Teacher Certification Incentive Reward Program. The bill also renames the National Teacher Certification Incentive Reward Program Fund as the National Teacher Certification Incentive Reward Program and Nationally Certified School Psychologist Program Fund (the Fund) and expands the purpose for which disbursements may be made from the Fund to include the award of incentive grants to school psychologists obtaining national certification from the National Association of School Psychologists consisting of an initial state-funded award of $5,000 and a subsequent award of $2,500 each year for the life of the certificate.

Tammy Brankley MulchiRepublican

School boards; payment of school meal debt.

Department of Education; impact of requiring each school board to pay unpaid meal balance from uncollectible school meal debts; report. Directs the Department of Education to evaluate and submit to the chairs of the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Education and Health and the House Committees on Appropriations and Education by November 1, 2026, a report on the impact of requiring each school board, at the end of each school year, to pay for the total unpaid school meal balance on the nonprofit food service account of each public elementary or secondary school in the school division resulting from uncollectible school meal debts on any student account.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

DJJ; transfer of responsibility to Secretary of Health and Human Resources.

Department of Juvenile Justice; transfer of responsibility from Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to Secretary of Health and Human Resources; stakeholder work group. Directs the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a stakeholder work group to create a plan and recommended timeline for transferring responsibility for the Department of Juvenile Justice from the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources. The bill requires the work group to be composed of interested parties, including representatives from civil liberty organizations, organizations engaged in the daily work of youth justice and violence prevention, formerly incarcerated persons and their families, and mental health experts. The bill directs the work group to submit its plan and recommended timeline for executing the transfer to the Chairs of the House Committee for Courts of Justice, House Committee on Public Safety, Senate Committee for Courts of Justice, and Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by November 1, 2026.

Mamie E. LockeDemocrat

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 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, 2027.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

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

Income tax, state; standard deduction and earned income tax credit.

Income tax; standard deduction and earned income tax credit. Removes the sunset from and makes permanent the standard deduction amounts of $8,750 for single individuals and $17,500 for married individuals filing jointly. Under current law, the standard deduction is scheduled to revert to $3,000 for single individuals and $6,000 for married individuals filing jointly after taxable year 2026. The bill also removes the sunset from and makes permanent the increase in Virginia's refundable earned income tax credit from 15 percent to 20 percent of the allowable federal earned income tax credit. Under current law, the Virginia refundable earned income tax credit expires in taxable year 2027 and Virginia's nonrefundable earned income tax credit, which has no expiration date, is equal to 20 percent of the federal credit.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

School breakfasts; availability at no cost to students.

School breakfast; availability at no cost to students. Requires each school board to require each public elementary and secondary school in the local school division to participate in the federal National School Lunch Program and the federal School Breakfast Program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and to make breakfast available to any student who requests such a meal at no cost to the student, unless the student's parent has provided written permission to the school board to withhold such a meal from the student. The bill requires the Department of Education to reimburse each public elementary and secondary school for each school breakfast served to a student, with a maximum of one breakfast per student per school day, and provides the formula for determining the state reimbursement rate for such meals. Finally, the bill repeals a provision of law relating to the federal School Breakfast Program that is rendered obsolete by the provisions of the bill.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

Christian Heritage Week.

Christian Heritage Week. Designates April 24 to April 30, in 2026 and in each succeeding year, as Christian Heritage Week in Virginia.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

599 funding; effects of revising distribution to distressed localities with high crime rates, etc.

Study; JLARC; potential effects of revising the distribution of 599 funding to distressed localities with high crime and poverty rates; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the potential effects of revising the distribution of 599 funding to distressed localities with high crime and poverty rates.

Kimberly Pope AdamsDemocrat

Winter Salt Week.

Winter Salt Week. Designates the week of the fourth Monday in January, in 2027 and in each succeeding year, as Winter Salt Week in Virginia.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

Constitutional amendment; qualifications of voters, 16-year-olds permitted to vote.

Constitutional amendment (first reference); qualifications of voters; 16-year-olds permitted to vote. Provides that, notwithstanding the requirement that a voter shall be 18 years of age, any person who is 16 years of age or older and is otherwise qualified to vote shall be permitted to register to vote and to vote in local elections.

Jackie H. GlassDemocrat

Housing projects; JLARC to study zoning restrictions and permitting and approval processes.

Study; JLARC; housing projects; zoning restrictions and permitting and approval processes; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study local zoning ordinances and permitting and approval processes for housing projects. The resolution additionally directs JLARC to provide recommendations to address regulations, ordinances, and processes that inhibit the approval and construction of multi-family or smaller square-footage housing projects in order to improve access to more affordable housing for residents of the Commonwealth.

JJ SinghDemocrat

Qualifying vehicles, certain; Dept. of Tax. to study options for abolishing personal property tax.

Study; Department of Taxation; options for abolishing the personal property taxation of certain qualifying vehicles; report. Directs the Department of Taxation to study options for abolishing the personal property taxation of certain qualifying vehicles and to evaluate alternative local revenue sources in order to account for the shortfall in local tax revenues that will result from the abolition of such tax.

Lily V. FranklinDemocrat

Higher education; JLARC to study options to improve affordability for students.

Study; JLARC; public institutions of higher education; options to improve affordability for students; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study options and provide updated recommendations to improve the affordability of higher education for students in the Commonwealth.

Destiny LeVere BollingDemocrat

Birthplace of American Cuisine Day; designates as April 27, 2026, & each succeeding year thereafter.

Birthplace of American Cuisine Day. Designates April 27, in 2026 and in each succeeding year, as Birthplace of American Cuisine Day in Virginia.

Anne Ferrell TataRepublican

Legacy property managed retreat studies; JLARC to study, non-federal sponsor contributions.

Study; JLARC; non-federal sponsor contributions to conduct legacy property managed retreat studies; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to study the methodology for determining the monetary contributions by localities or other non-federal sponsors to the total cost of legacy property managed retreat studies, as those terms are defined in the resolution. The study also directs JLARC to determine whether a stand-alone fund shall be established to support and manage cost-share requests from non-federal sponsors to provide relief to legacy property owners threatened by sea level rise.

Jackie H. GlassDemocrat

Wolf Creek Cherokee Tribe of Virginia; General Assembly to extend state recognition.

Recognition of the Wolf Creek Cherokee Tribe of Virginia. Extends state recognition to the Wolf Creek Cherokee Tribe of Virginia within the Commonwealth.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Income tax, state; Department of Taxation, et al., to study impact of repealing individual tax.

Study; Department of Taxation; impact of repealing the individual income tax; report. Requests the Department of Taxation, in cooperation with the Secretary of Finance, to study the impact of repealing the individual income tax. In conducting its study, the Department shall consider and assess potential reforms to the Commonwealth's tax structure which would be necessary to eliminate individual income tax liability in the Commonwealth. The Department shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2026, and submit a report of its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly for publication as a House or Senate Document no later than the first day of the 2027 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Timothy P. GriffinRepublican

Constitutional amendment; tax exemption for motor vehicles owned for personal, noncommercial use.

Constitutional amendment (first reference); personal property tax; exemption for motor vehicles owned for personal, noncommercial use. Exempts one motor vehicle used for personal, noncommercial purposes from state and local taxes. The amendment specifies that such exemption is only applicable (i) for automobiles, motorcycles, and pickup trucks and (ii) on and after the date the motor vehicle is acquired or the effective date of the amendment, whichever is later, and is not applicable for any period of time prior to the effective date of the amendment.

Timothy P. GriffinRepublican

Digital innovation & infrastructure; establishing rights in digital property & technology resources.

Digital innovation and infrastructure; establishing rights in digital property and technology resources; requiring risk management policies for critical infrastructure facilities controlled by critical artificial intelligence systems; providing safe harbors; preempting local regulation; and providing for enforcement and remedies.

Martin E. WilliamsRepublican

Spouse of an eligible service member; employment and economic opportunities.

Military - spouse employment and economic opportunities.

Madison WhittleRepublican

Fraud and Abuse Whistle Blower Protection Act; Auditor of Public Accounts.

Fraud and Abuse Whistle Blower Protection Act; Auditor of Public Accounts. Adds the Auditor of Public Accounts to the definition of "appropriate authority" for purposes of whistle blower reporting pursuant to the Fraud and Abuse Whistle Blower Protection Act. The bill also requires additional notice and posting requirements related to the Act for local governments. Finally, the bill grants authority to the Auditor of Public Accounts to perform any type of audit, review, or investigation of the accounts and records of a locality that may be required pursuant to the Act.

Eric PhillipsRepublican

Local approval of data centers; temporary moratorium.

Local approval of data centers; temporary moratorium. Prohibits final approval of any application for a rezoning, special exception, special use permit, site plan, or plan of development for the siting of a new data center by a locality until the earlier of (i) the fulfillment of all pending requests for interconnection to distribution service by an electric utility customer that is a data center or (ii) July 1, 2028.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

DJJ; transfer of responsibility to Secretary of Health and Human Resources.

Department of Juvenile Justice; transfer of responsibility from Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to Secretary of Health and Human Resources; stakeholder work group. Directs the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a stakeholder work group to create a plan and recommended timeline for transferring responsibility for the Department of Juvenile Justice from the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources. The bill requires the work group to be composed of interested parties, including representatives from civil liberty organizations, organizations engaged in the daily work of youth justice and violence prevention, formerly incarcerated persons and their families, and mental health experts. The bill directs the work group to submit its plan and recommended timeline for executing the transfer to the Chairs of the House Committee for Courts of Justice, House Committee on Public Safety, Senate Committee for Courts of Justice, and Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by November 1, 2026.

Patrick A. HopeDemocrat

Standby generators; DEQ shall conduct a study of generators used by by commercial facilities, etc.

Department of Environmental Quality; standby generators study; report. Directs the Department of Environmental Quality to conduct a one-year study of all standby generators used by a commercial facility with an air permit in the Commonwealth. The bill requires the study to (i) identify commercial facilities with an air permit that use standby generators, (ii) identify the type of pollutants emitted from such standby generators, and (iii) analyze and describe the amount of pollutants from such standby generators. The Department is required to report its 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 July 1, 2027.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

Hampton University; recognition and restoration of status as a land-grant university.

Educational and cultural institutions; Recognition and restoration of status of Hampton University as a land-grant university; Hampton University Land-Grant Restoration Fund established; requirements.

Jeion A. WardDemocrat

Medicaid; oversight of services facilitation for consumer directed services.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; enhanced oversight of services facilitators. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to enhance oversight of Medicaid services facilitation for consumer directed services, including incorporation of such services into the statewide Fiscal Employer Agent contract and development of a contract monitoring and oversight plan.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

Court of Appeals of Virginia; maximum number of judges, summary disposition of certain civil cases.

Maximum number of judges on the Court of Appeals of Virginia; hearings en banc; summary disposition of certain civil cases. 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. Additionally, the bill permits the Court of Appeals to summarily affirm the decision below in certain civil cases.

Patrick A. HopeDemocrat

Virginia Fungi Task Force; established, report.

Virginia Fungi Task Force established; report. Requires the Director of the Department of Conservation and Recreation to establish the Virginia Fungi Task Force to assess, categorize, and protect the Commonwealth's natural fungi species and explore the economic potential of fungi. The bill directs the Task Force to develop recommendations to (i) conduct a gap analysis and needs assessment on the Commonwealth's natural fungi species; (ii) identify economic development opportunities for fungi; (iii) build a Virginia database of native and invasive fungi species; (iv) conduct statewide fungal monitoring and research; (v) support forest health, agriculture, and water quality in the Commonwealth; (vi) provide guidance on toxic mushrooms and public safety; and (vii) build public education and identification resources on fungi in the Commonwealth. The bill requires the Task Force to report its initial findings and recommendations to the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources and the Chairs of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources by December 1, 2027, and update such report at least every five years.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Higher educational institutions, public; restrictions on student speech, limitations.

Public institutions of higher education; students and campus; restrictions on student speech; limitations. Clarifies the requirements for and limitations on the ability of a public institution of higher education to impose restrictions on the time, place, or manner of student speech that occurs in outdoor areas of the institution's campus and is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States by (i) clarifying the criteria for demonstrating that the restriction is permissible; (ii) prohibiting any public institution of higher education from imposing certain restrictions, punishments, policies, or restraints designed to restrict student speech in ways that violate the First Amendment rights of students, faculty, and staff; and (iii) requiring any public institution of higher education that deems any student speech or assembly unlawful and imposes a restriction on the time, place, or manner of such speech to submit to the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education within 45 days of imposing such restriction a report detailing the justification for such restriction, demonstrating how the restriction satisfies the criteria required pursuant to applicable law and the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican