Bills & Legislation

Health insurance; reporting requirements.

Health insurance; reporting requirements. Amends various reporting requirements related to health insurance, including by requiring the State Corporation Commission to maintain and publicly post an inventory of mandated benefits and providers, requiring health carriers to report annually on provider terminations and reinstatements, and consolidating reports related to balance billing and arbitration. The bill repeals reporting requirements related to the Comparable Health Care Service Incentive Program and Virginia Health Savings Account Plan. This bill is identical to HB 618.

Mark D. ObenshainRepublican

Graduation with an advanced studies diploma; requirements, complet. of Int'l Baccalaureate diploma.

Board of Education; high school graduation; simultaneous completion of International Baccalaureate diploma and advanced studies diploma. Requires the Board of Education to permit any student who (i) during or after grade 10, transferred into a public high school in the Commonwealth and (ii) is simultaneously pursuing an advanced studies diploma and an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma to complete certain courses or sequences of courses required for an IB diploma, as approved by the Board, including substitutes for the Virginia and U.S. history and government courses and for the economics and personal finance credit requirement. The bill also directs the Board to grant a waiver from the training in emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the use of automated external defibrillators required for graduation to any student who (a) pursuant to his individualized education program or Section 504 Plan cannot successfully complete the training or (b) after grade 10, transfers from a school or other education program that does not require or give credit for such training. This bill is identical to HB 595.

Saddam Azlan SalimDemocrat

Health insurance; tobacco surcharge.

Health insurance; tobacco surcharge. Eliminates the authority of a health carrier to vary its premium rates based on tobacco use. Under current law, a health carrier may charge premium rates up to 1.5 times higher for a tobacco user than for a nonuser. The provisions of the bill apply to health benefit plans providing individual or small group health insurance coverage entered into, amended, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 220.

Jennifer D. Carroll FoyDemocrat

Emergency medical services and medical support; VDH to publish resources regarding large events.

Department of Health; resources for provision of emergency medical services for events. Directs the Department of Health to publish on its website a document for event planners and event venues to provide to prospective clients containing (i) notice that emergency medical services personnel may be made available for events, (ii) information regarding the benefits of appropriate medical support for large or high-risk events, and (iii) a list of emergency medical services providers available to provide services at event venues in each locality of the Commonwealth.

Kannan SrinivasanDemocrat

Virginia Human Rights Act; nondiscrimination, procedures for charge of unlawful discrimination.

Virginia Human Rights Act; procedures for a charge of unlawful discrimination. Provides that, for the purposes of nondiscrimination in places of public accommodation, "place of public accommodation" includes educational institutions. The bill reduces from 15 to five the number of employees in the definition of "employer" for purposes of nondiscrimination in employment. The bill also amends from 300 days to two years the timeframe for filing a complaint alleging unlawful discrimination with the Office of the Attorney General.

Adam P. EbbinDemocrat

Office-based buprenorphine treatment; Board of Medicine to amend regulations.

Board of Medicine; office-based buprenorphine treatment; counseling. Directs the Board of Medicine to amend its regulations regarding office-based buprenorphine treatment to require providers to offer counseling or referral to counseling to each patient as clinically necessary and mutually agreed-upon. The bill specifies that a patient's refusal of counseling does not preclude the patient from receiving office-based buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care and is identical to HB 712.

Todd E. PillionRepublican

Counties, cities, & towns; members of governing body, continuing personal interest in transactions.

Local government; certain towns; suspension of officers, study, remedial plan, and meeting requirements. Provides that any member of a governing body in any locality, who has been employed by any governmental agency that is a component part of and that is subject to the ultimate control of the governing body of which he is a member, is deemed to have continuing personal interest in that agency for a period of two years following the termination of such employment. The bill also requires the court, in a criminal proceeding against an officer of any town in Planning District 8 with a population between 8,000 and 10,000 alleging the commission of a felony offense, to enter an order suspending the officer pending the resolution of such proceeding and any related proceeding for the officer's removal. The bill requires any such town to also procure a study by a public institution of higher education to evaluate the condition and status of the town's debt, infrastructure, utilities, and other significant liability risks. Such town is required to adopt a plan consistent with the study to address such town's needs, as identified in the study, in a fiscally appropriate manner that does not jeopardize the town's bond rating. The bill also prohibits the town council of any such town from voting on matters that have not been properly published at least three days prior to the vote as part of a town council agenda or otherwise approved as additional agenda items or as amendments to existing agenda items by a three-fourths vote of all the members of the council at the start of the meeting. The bill requires that any full-time town manager of such town must be a resident of the Commonwealth unless the town council has waived such requirement by a majority vote. This bill is identical to HB 505.

Russet PerryDemocrat

Real property tax; special assessment on basis of use, notice requirements.

Real property tax; special assessment for land use; notice requirements; civil penalty. Establishes notice requirements for the sale of real estate that is valued, assessed, and taxed by a locality under a special assessment on the basis of use. The bill directs the Department of Taxation to create a written notice that may be provided to the purchaser of real estate in a land use program. The notice must include disclosures regarding the special classification of the real estate and liability for roll-back taxes if a change in use occurs. The bill also requires settlement agents to provide this written notice to purchasers of real estate in a land use program and to obtain the purchaser's written acknowledgement of receipt of the notice. The willful failure of a settlement agent to provide the notice and obtain the written acknowledgement will subject the settlement agent to a civil penalty in an amount not exceeding $250. The bill directs the Real Estate Board to include in the residential property disclosure statement on its website a statement that the owner makes no representations or warranties with respect to whether the property is located in a locality that has adopted a land-use plan that may provide use value assessment and taxation for certain real estate and that advises purchasers to exercise due diligence to determine whether the property may be subject to roll-back taxes and interest for taxation on the basis of a use assessment and the liability for additional taxes and penalties that may attach if a change in use occurs. Finally, the bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Mark D. ObenshainRepublican

Public utilities; water and sewerage companies, discounted rates for low-income customers.

Public utilities; water and sewerage companies; discounted rates for low-income customers. Provides that a public utility engaged in the business of furnishing water or sewerage facilities may propose and the State Corporation Commission may approve rates and tariff provisions that provide discounted service to customers with an annual household income equal to or less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The bill permits the utility to recover the costs of providing such discounted service through its rates for commercial and industrial customers. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027, and is identical to HB 770.

David W. MarsdenDemocrat

Virginia Self-Service Storage Act; disposal of abandoned personal property in certain cases.

Virginia Self-Service Storage Act; disposal of abandoned personal property in certain cases; definitions. Creates a process by which the owner of a self-service storage facility may dispose of the personal property of an occupant of a leased storage space when such personal property has been left in such leased storage space or on the property of the self-service storage facility following the termination or nonrenewal of a rental agreement, provided that such noncompliance did not involve a failure to meet any financial or monetary obligation. The bill also clarifies that an occupant's last known address may be updated pursuant to a specific method as may be required by the terms of the rental agreement.

Aaron R. RouseDemocrat

Local housing policy; expands the range of changes that are required.

Department of Housing and Community Development; local housing policy; report to Department. Expands the range of local housing policy changes that are required to be submitted annually in a report to the Department of Housing and Community Development by any locality with a population greater than 3,500. This bill is identical to HB 356.

Kannan SrinivasanDemocrat

Residential land development and construction; fee transparency, local housing development.

Department of Housing and Community Development; housing development database. Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to collect from each locality and make available to the public, localities, state agencies, and other state and regional public entities in a centralized, machine-readable, screen reader compatible database various data for each new and existing housing development in each locality in the Commonwealth, including data related to the number of housing development plans submitted and approved by the locality and the average approval timeline for housing development plans.

Kannan SrinivasanDemocrat

Restaurants; exempts certain facilities or programs.

Restaurants; certain facilities or programs; exemptions. Exempts certain facilities that provide custodial care to 12 or fewer adults or children in a home from regulations applicable to restaurants. This bill is identical to HB 840.

Christopher T. HeadRepublican

Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Commission; extends sunset provision.

Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Commission; extension of expiration date. Extends the expiration date of the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Commission from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2029. This bill is identical to HB 431.

Christopher T. HeadRepublican

Public waterworks; appointment of receiver for waterworks.

Appointment of receiver for waterworks; public waterworks. Allows the Commissioner of Health to petition the circuit court for the jurisdiction in which any public or private waterworks is located for the appointment of a receiver for such waterworks. Currently such appointment of receivership is only for private waterworks.

Bryce E. ReevesRepublican

School bd. policies; communication & language accessibility for limited English proficient parents.

School boards; language access plan for limited English proficient parents. Requires each school board to develop, implement, and post in a publicly accessible location on its website a language access plan consisting of policies and procedures designed to ensure meaningful communication with and informational accessibility for limited English proficient (LEP) parents, as that term is defined in the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 1278.

Stella G. PekarskyDemocrat

Western Virginia Public Education Consortium; governance, funding, duties, report.

Western Virginia Public Education Consortium; governance; funding; duties. Makes several changes relating to the Western Virginia Public Education Consortium (the Consortium), including (i) requiring the chair of the board of the Consortium to submit an annual executive summary only in each biennium in which the Consortium receives funding from the General Assembly, (ii) adjusting the membership of the governing board of the Consortium to (a) accurately reflect school division consolidation that occurred after the Consortium's initial establishment and (b) include each member of the House of Delegates who represents a House District that is partially or wholly located in Western Virginia and each member of the Senate of Virginia who represents a Senatorial District that is partially or wholly located in Western Virginia, and (iii) removing the requirement for the governing board of the Consortium to develop and maintain linkages with schools and school divisions in Northern Virginia to promote enhanced usage of educational technology. This bill is identical to HB 584.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

Motor vehicle insurance; unfair discrimination based on individual's consumer credit info., report.

Motor vehicle insurance; use of certain factors to establish rates prohibited. Prohibits an insurer from refusing to insure, refusing to continue to insure, or limiting the amount or extent of motor vehicle insurance coverage, or charge an individual a different rate for the same motor vehicle insurance coverage, solely because of such individual's consumer credit information or credit-based insurance score. The bill also directs the State Corporation Commission's Bureau of Insurance to study the use by insurers of an insured's or applicant's consumer credit information or credit-based insurance score in connection with underwriting motor vehicle insurance polices and to submit a report of its findings and recommendations by October 1, 2027.

Emily M. JordanRepublican

Private activity bonds; allocation of state ceiling.

Private activity bonds; allocation of state ceiling. Increases the housing allocation of the Virginia state ceiling on private activity bonds from 57 to 67 percent by (i) increasing the allocation to the Virginia Housing Development Authority from the current 43 percent to 50 percent and (ii) increasing the allocation to local housing authorities from the current 14 percent to 17 percent. The bill also maintains the current 18 percent for the Governor's state allocation portion and reduces the industrial development bonds for manufacturing and exempt facilities portion of the ceiling from 25 to 15 percent. This bill is identical to HB 1227.

Michael J. JonesDemocrat

Medicaid billing navigation for certain school services; DMAS to train local school division staff.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; Medicaid billing navigation. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to provide training to local school division staff regarding assisting schools in effectively navigating the laws, policies, rules, regulations, and guidelines governing Medicaid billing for reimbursable services rendered at school sites, including the federal Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and to ensure that all school divisions are able to fully leverage Medicaid funding opportunities to enhance student health services in the Commonwealth. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the School Health Services Committee.

Kannan SrinivasanDemocrat

Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections.

Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections; report. Requires the governing body of any county or city that contracts with a private company to provide transportation services to (i) require such company to provide any employee of such company providing such services compensation and benefits that are, at a minimum, equivalent to the compensation and benefits provided to a public employee, as defined in the bill, with a position requiring equivalent qualifications and years of service; (ii) provide transportation services through such company's own employees; and (iii) if such county or city subsequently elects to provide its own system of public transportation, adopt an ordinance or resolution providing for collective bargaining and ensure all employees of such private company are offered employment with such subsequent public transportation system without loss of compensation or benefits. The bill clarifies that the bill only applies to actions occurring on or after the effective date and excludes any action taken, contract signed, liability incurred, or right accrued prior to July 1, 2026, from the requirements. Finally, the bill directs the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to convene a work group to develop recommendations on how to implement the provisions of the bill and requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce and Senate Committee on Local Government by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 547.

Saddam Azlan SalimDemocrat

State/Local Hospitalization Program; repealing provisions relating to Program.

State/Local Hospitalization Program; repeal. Eliminates the State/Local Hospitalization Program. Under current law, with such funds as may be appropriated by the General Assembly, the State/Local Hospitalization Program is established to assist indigent persons with certain inpatient and outpatient hospital expenses. This bill is identical to HB 817.

T. Travis HackworthRepublican

Hospitals; emergency department physicians.

Hospitals; psychiatric emergency departments. Allows hospitals with psychiatric emergency departments located in the City of Hampton to operate without a physician on duty when certain conditions are met, including having written agreements in place with emergency medical service providers and being immediately adjacent to a non-psychiatric emergency department. The bill requires such psychiatric emergency departments to submit treatment data to the General Assembly on an annual basis by November 1. This bill is identical to HB 1318.

Emily M. JordanRepublican

Affordable housing; local zoning ordinance authority.

Affordable housing; local zoning ordinance authority. Authorizes any locality in the Commonwealth to provide for an affordable housing dwelling unit program by amending the zoning ordinance of such locality. Current law restricts such authorization to counties with an urban county executive form of government or county manager plan of government and certain other localities. In addition to optional increases in density, the bill provides that such program may include certain additional implementation measures including lot size reductions and accessory housing unit allowances. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027, and is identical to HB 867.

Jeremy S. McPikeDemocrat

Removal of clutter; cutting of grass; agricultural use exemption; Planning District 19.

Removal of clutter; cutting of grass; agricultural use exemption; Planning District 19. Exempts localities located in Planning District 19 from provisions that exclude agricultural land from requirements relating to the removal of clutter and cutting of grass when such land is one acre or less and located in an area that is used for a residential purpose. This bill is identical to HB 1316.

Lashrecse D. AirdDemocrat

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

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

Motor vehicles; glass repair and replacement, emissions inspections, penalties, repeals.

Motor vehicle glass repair and replacement; emissions inspection; penalties. Establishes various notice requirements for motor vehicle glass repair shops, defined in the bill, and provides that a violation of such requirements is a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill permits a motor vehicle to qualify for an emissions inspection waiver if such vehicle has failed an inspection and the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system is in a not-ready condition to be tested when presented for reinspection. This bill is identical to HB 312.

Luther Cifers, IIIRepublican

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Constitutional amendment (second reference); fundamental right to reproductive freedom.

Constitutional amendment (second reference); fundamental right to reproductive freedom. Provides that every individual has the fundamental right to reproductive freedom and that such right shall not be, directly or indirectly, denied, burdened, or infringed upon unless justified by a compelling state interest, as defined in the amendment, and achieved by the least restrictive means. The amendment specifies that, notwithstanding the other provisions of the amendment, the Commonwealth may regulate the provision of abortion care in the third trimester, provided that in no circumstance shall the Commonwealth prohibit an abortion (i) that in the professional judgment of a physician is medically indicated to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant individual or (ii) when in the professional judgment of a physician the fetus is not viable.

Jennifer B. BoyskoDemocrat

Foreign-trained chiropractors; licensure by endorsement.

Foreign-trained chiropractors; licensure by endorsement. Permits the Board of Medicine to issue a license to practice chiropractic to a foreign-trained chiropractor who meets certain requirements.

Wendell S. WalkerRepublican

Chatham, Town of; amending charter, updating or removing outdated provisions.

Charter; Town of Chatham. Amends the charter for the Town of Chatham in Pittsylvania County by updating or removing outdated provisions. This bill is identical to SB 127.

Eric PhillipsRepublican

Opioid antagonist; distribution program, reports.

Department of Health; opioid antagonist distribution program; reports. Directs the Department of Health to maintain a list of agencies and organizations that submit requests for and receive opioid antagonists through its distribution program and requires the Department to submit a quarterly report to the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Health and Human Services, the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the chair of the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority on its distribution of opioid antagonists. The bill requires the Department to submit an annual report to the Joint Commission on Health Care and the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by December 1 of each year estimating the costs of the opioid antagonist distribution program for the following fiscal year using a methodology developed by the Department pursuant to parameters set out in the bill. As introduced, the bill was a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care.

M. Keith HodgesRepublican

Regional emergency communications authorities; creation and powers.

Regional emergency communications authorities; creation and powers. Authorizes localities to create a regional authority to operate and manage emergency communication services including public safety answering points. The bill authorizes such authorities to employ or contract for personnel, acquire and manage property, enter into agreements, and receive and expend funds, and requires compliance with the standards of the 9-1-1 Services Board.

M. Keith HodgesRepublican

High school students; completion of certain applications for student financial aid required.

School boards; high school students; establishment of certain goals for completion of certain applications for student financial aid required; provision of data and guidance relating to student financial aid applications. Requires each school board to (i) annually provide to each high school student and the parent of each high school student guidance and other informational materials on student financial aid applications, as defined by the bill, for the purpose of promoting awareness of federal and state financial aid programs, resources, eligibility criteria, application deadlines, and other processes and requirements; (ii) utilize federally available data to establish a five-year goal for encouraging and increasing the completion of student financial aid applications by high school students during the students' final school year before graduation; and (iii) annually post in a publicly accessible location on its website federally available data relating to student financial aid applications and submit to the Department of Education a report on the progress toward achieving the five-year goal established pursuant to clause (ii). The bill clarifies that nothing in the bill shall be construed to require any school board to establish a goal of universal completion of a student financial aid application prior to graduation by each high school student in the school division. The bill also prohibits any school board or employee thereof from disclosing any personally identifiable information relating to the requirements set forth in the bill to any individual or entity outside of the school division. Finally, the bill directs the Department of Education, in collaboration with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, to provide to each school board (a) by the beginning of each school year, the website containing federally available data on the rates of completion of student financial aid applications; (b) guidance or other informational materials on student financial aid applications; and (c) guidance and other informational resources designed to support school boards in making progress toward the five-year goals established pursuant to the bill. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2031.

JJ SinghDemocrat

Medetomidine; manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing, penalties.

Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing medetomidine; penalties. Provides that any person who knowingly manufactures, sells, gives, distributes, or possesses with the intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute the substance medetomidine, when intended for human consumption, is guilty of a Class 5 felony. Under the bill, any person who knowingly possesses medetomidine, when intended for human consumption, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Under the bill, it is not an offense to (i) manufacture medetomidine for legitimate veterinary use; (ii) distribute or sell medetomidine for authorized veterinary use; (iii) possess, administer, prescribe, or dispense medetomidine in good faith for use by animals within the course of legitimate veterinary practice; or (iv) possess or administer medetomidine pursuant to a valid prescription from a licensed veterinarian.

M. Keith HodgesRepublican

Nonemergency medical transportation providers; fee disclosure.

Nonemergency medical transportation providers; fee disclosure. Requires a nonemergency medical transportation provider or the medical care facility prearranging transport through such a provider, prior to providing such transportation services to a patient, to provide the patient or the patient's representative with a standardized disclosure form of all associated fees or other charges for which the patient will be responsible for such transportation services. The bill also requires that nonemergency medical transportation providers provide the medical care facility with the required form. Such provisions have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. Finally, effective July 1, 2026, the bill directs the Department of Health to develop and publish a standardized disclosure form on its website by October 1, 2026.

May NivarDemocrat

Electric utilities; duty to furnish adequate service, high-demand customers.

Electric utilities; delay in provision of service permitted. Provides that a distributor of electric energy may delay the provision of service if such delay is necessary to maintain electric grid reliability, to avoid exceeding available generation or transmission capacity constraints, or to ensure compliance with load interconnection policies or rules issued by the State Corporation Commission or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 423.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

School board employee grievance procedure; timing of dispute resolution.

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

Jeion A. WardDemocrat

Authorized septic system inspectors; scope of services and requirements for performance, etc.

Authorized septic system inspectors; scope of services and requirements. Provides that system components are not considered readily accessible if access requires removal of surface material exceeding 30 inches in depth to uncover septic tank access lids, distribution devices, or other inspection ports. The bill specifies that an authorized septic system inspector shall submit a written report to the client within 10 business days from the start of the inspection, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the parties, which shall also indicate whether the system is operating as intended. The bill removes the requirement that authorized septic system inspectors report the advertised bedroom count or design capacity as listed in the multiple listing service or written statement by the property owner. This bill is identical to SB 401.

Kimberly Pope AdamsDemocrat

Artificial intelligence; use of systems for student instruction.

Department of Education; artificial intelligence system use in instructional settings; development of AIS safety guidance required; AIS Innovation in Education Pilot Program established; report. Requires the Department of Education, in consultation with school divisions and other relevant stakeholders, to compile information on current uses of artificial intelligence systems (AIS) for student instruction in public schools in the Commonwealth and to establish and post in a publicly accessible location on its website guidance for the safe, ethical, and equitable use of AIS in instructional settings in public elementary and secondary schools. The bill requires each school board to establish, implement, and enforce policies consistent with the guidance developed by the Department in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill also directs the Department to establish and oversee the AIS Innovation in Education Pilot Program for the purpose of funding, evaluating, and scaling innovative uses of AIS in public elementary and secondary schools by providing support to school divisions in piloting AIS applications for instruction, tutoring, student engagement, operational efficiency, and teacher support and to submit an annual report to the Chairs of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by December 1. The Pilot Program has an expiration date of July 1, 2030. This bill is identical to SB 394.

Sam RasoulDemocrat