Bills & Legislation

Admissions tax in counties; retail sales and use tax dedicated to promotion of tourism.

Admissions tax in counties; retail sales and use tax dedicated to promotion of tourism. Allows a county in which a state sales and use tax of at least one percent that is at least partially dedicated to the promotion of tourism is imposed to levy a tax on admissions for attendance at an event. Under current law, any county may levy a tax on admissions for attendance at an event except such counties in which a state sales and use tax of at least one percent that is at least partially dedicated to the promotion of tourism is imposed. This bill is identical to SB 400.

Jessica L. AndersonDemocrat

Practice of radiologic technology; licensure exceptions, sunset.

Practice of radiologic technology; licensure exceptions. Permits a person employed or engaged by a hospital, health system, or urgent care center that is affiliated with a hospital or health care system to practice within the scope of his employment as a radiologic technologist, radiologic assistant, or radiologic technologist, limited without obtaining a license. Under current law, such exception only applies to radiologic technologists who are employees of a hospital. The bill exempts the initial promulgation of regulations pursuant to the bill by the Board of Medicine from the requirements of the Administrative Process Act. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2029.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

Comprehensive mental health, substance abuse, & developmt. disability crisis services; written plan.

Comprehensive crisis system; Marcus alert system; Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; comprehensive mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disability crisis services; written plan. Allows the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, in collaboration with the Department of Criminal Justice Services, to amend the written plan created pursuant to relevant law after the publication of such written plan, provided that (i) the stakeholders listed in relevant law are consulted during the development of any new language to be added to such written plan and (ii) a public comment period of no less than 30 days is held prior to the finalization of such written plan. The bill also provides that the written plan shall serve as the operational framework for relevant components of the comprehensive crisis system and the Marcus alert system and that state agencies and local implementing partners shall align their policies, procedures, and operations on an ongoing basis with the requirements and guidance set forth in the written plan, as amended. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Behavioral Health Commission. This bill is identical to SB 513.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

DCJS; removes requirement to develop model addiction recovery program.

Department of Criminal Justice Services; powers and duties; local and regional jails; repeal of model addiction recovery program. Removes the requirement that the Department of Criminal Justice Services, in consultation with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, develop a model addiction recovery program that may be administered by sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, jail officers, administrators, or superintendents in any local or regional jail. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care and identical to SB 690.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

Va. Opioid Use Red. & Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Trtmt. and Transition Fund; grant procedure.

Virginia Opioid Use Reduction and Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Transition Fund; grant procedures. Requires the grant procedure to govern funds awarded to local and regional jails for the planning or operation of substance use disorder treatment services and transition services for persons with substance use disorder who are incarcerated in local and regional jails to include requirements that (i) any grant awarded shall be made for up to three years and (ii) an applicant for a grant submit a plan demonstrating how such applicant will become independently financially viable within the time period for which the grant is awarded. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care and is identical to SB 599.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

Health, State Board of, regulations; standards for levels of neonatal care.

State Board of Health regulations; standards for levels of neonatal care. Directs the State Board of Health to establish standards for designation of care in neonatal services consistent with, but not necessarily identical to, standards published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The bill directs the Board of Health to promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of the bill by July 1, 2027, and prohibits enforcement of such regulations until July 1, 2029. This bill is identical to SB 291.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

Hate crimes; crime victim's right to nondisclosure of certain information.

Crime victim's right to nondisclosure of certain information; hate crimes. Prohibits a law-enforcement agency from disclosing to the public information that directly or indirectly identifies the victim of a hate crime, defined in relevant law, except to the extent that disclosure is (i) of the site of the crime, (ii) required by law, (iii) necessary for law-enforcement purposes, or (iv) permitted by the court for good cause unless such victim, or his next of kin if he is a minor and his death results from any crime, provides written consent. The bill also prohibits, at the request of the victim, the Court of Appeals of Virginia and the Supreme Court of Virginia from listing the first or last name of the victim of a hate crime in an appellate decision.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Small Business & Supplier Diversity, Dept. of; powers & duties, employment services organizations.

Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity; employment services organizations. Amends provisions related to the powers and duties of the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity to allow the Department to implement any remediation or enhancement measure for employment services organizations as may be authorized by the Governor pursuant to existing law and develop regulations for program implementation. The bill also directs the Department to amend relevant regulations of the Virginia Administrative Code to reflect the intent of the General Assembly to specifically reference "employment services organizations" in such regulations.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Special education; certain educational settings, student age range restriction.

Special education; student age range restrictions in educational settings. Prohibits any student with a disability in grades kindergarten through six from being regularly assigned to any educational setting, including any specialized educational setting, in which the maximum age range exceeds four years unless the student's individualized education program (IEP) team determines that an exception is appropriate and justifies such exception in the student's IEP. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Health Ed. SOL; Bd. of Ed. to require literacy instruction in grade 9 & 10 in next revision.

Board of Education; review and revision of Health Education Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework; development of health care literacy instruction; removal of duplicative or outdated health instruction. Directs the Board of Education, during its next regularly scheduled revision of the Health Education Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework to, in consultation with the School Health Services Committee, (i) develop a health care literacy program of instruction to be required at grades nine and 10 for the purpose of helping students navigate the health care system efficiently and effectively and, in developing such program of instruction, to consider the inclusion of certain topics and content enumerated by the bill and (ii) identify and remove from such Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework for grades nine and 10 any instructional subjects or topics the inclusion of which is duplicative or outdated.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; definitions, meetings, quorum and electronic communication.

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; definitions; meetings; quorum and electronic communication. Amends the definition of "meeting" for purposes of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act such that any assemblage of a quorum of the constituent membership of a public body constitutes a meeting. Under current law, as many as three members or a quorum, if less than three, of the constituent membership of a public body constitutes a meeting. The bill additionally authorizes members of a public body participating through electronic communication in a meeting in which other members are participating in person to count toward the quorum as if the individual were physically present, should such member's physical absence be due to an approved cause of absence.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Housing and Community Development, Department of; powers and duties of director.

Department of Housing and Community Development; powers and duties of director; accessory dwelling unit construction guide. Requires the director of the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop an accessory dwelling unit construction guide that provides (i) an overview of the accessory dwelling unit construction process; (ii) a review of ordinances, permits, fees, programs, and incentives related to accessory dwelling unit development by locality; and (iii) a catalog of model accessory dwelling unit designs suitable for various local restraints. Such guide shall be updated at least every five years.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Behavior Analysis, Advisory Board on; amends composition.

Advisory Board on Behavior Analysis; composition. Amends the composition of the Advisory Board on Behavior Analysis to require that three members shall be licensed behavior analysts or licensed assistant behavior analysts who have practiced for at least three years. Under current law, the composition of the Advisory Board requires two licensed behavior analysts who have practiced for at least three years and one licensed assistant behavior analyst who has practiced for at least three years.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

State Corporation Commission; time frame for completion of certain proceedings.

State Corporation Commission; time frame for completion of certain proceedings. Requires the State Corporation Commission to complete proceedings involving an application for a certificate, permit, or approval required for the construction or operation by a public utility of certain transmission lines within nine months following such application, as required by current law for small renewable energy projects. The bill permits the Commission to enlarge such nine-month period for up to 120 days for applications regarding certain transmission lines. This bill is identical to SB 310.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Students with disabilities; development of transition IEP, access by students, report.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; guidelines for developing a transition IEP; report. Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (the Council), in consultation with the Department of Education and representatives of public institutions of higher education and public secondary schools in the Commonwealth, to develop and submit to the Department of Education for public posting and access by the individualized education program (IEP) team of any student with a disability guidelines for developing a transition IEP to help facilitate the timely provision of transition services and accommodations for students with disabilities by public institutions of higher education across the Commonwealth. The bill requires the Council to encourage private institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth to make such guidelines available to help facilitate the timely provision of transition services and accommodations for such students at such institutions. The bill requires the Council to submit to the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education by November 1, 2026, a report on its findings and recommendations that includes a copy of such guidelines.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Autism Competencies Checklist; positive behavior support facilitators, training.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; Autism Competencies Checklist; positive behavior support facilitators; training. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to amend its regulations relating to the Autism Competencies Checklist to allow positive behavior support facilitators to conduct training sessions on such competencies for direct support professionals and direct support professional supervisors who provide support for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

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.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Real estate with delinquent taxes or liens; apptmt. of special commissioner, increases value.

Real estate with delinquent taxes or liens; appointment of special commissioner; increases required value. Increases from $75,000 to $125,000 the maximum assessment that an individual parcel of land may be valued at to be subject to a locality's appointment of a special commissioner to convey property with delinquent taxes or liens to the locality, to the locality's land bank entity, or to an existing nonprofit entity designated by the locality to carry out the functions of a land bank entity in lieu of sale at public auction. The bill contains technical amendments.

Sam RasoulDemocrat

Continuing care providers; quarterly meeting requirements.

Continuing care providers; quarterly meeting requirements. Amends the quarterly meeting requirements for continuing care facilities to provide that at least two of such meetings per year shall be open to all residents and that certain individuals shall participate in at least two of such meetings per year. The bill also requires, if requested by the resident council or a majority of the independent living residents of a continuing care facility, the provider to include as a participant in the meetings of its board of directors or other governing body a resident representative elected by a majority of such residents, who shall participate in a non-voting, advisory capacity. This bill is identical to SB 358.

Vivian E. WattsDemocrat

Diploma seal for excellence in fine arts; established, industry-recognized workforce credential.

Diploma seal for excellence in fine arts established; industry-recognized workforce credential. Requires the Board of Education to establish criteria for awarding a high school diploma seal for excellence in fine arts, which may include a sequence of coursework, cumulative grade point average in such sequence of coursework, or any other performance-based criteria that the Board deems appropriate. The bill also requires the Board to add such diploma seal to its list of industry-recognized workforce credentials for the purpose of satisfying the career and technical education credential option for high school graduation.

Vivian E. WattsDemocrat

Securities Act; investment advisor advertising.

Securities Act; investment advisor advertising. Permits an investment advisor to solicit, disseminate, or otherwise use advertisements, including client testimonials and endorsements, provided such advertisements comply with the requirements for an advertisement solicited, disseminated, or used by a federally registered investment advisor under federal law.

Dan I. HelmerDemocrat

Prior authorization; requiring physician review for denial.

Prior authorization; requiring physician review for denial. Prohibits a health insurance carrier from making an adverse determination of a prior authorization request (i) for prescription drugs unless such denial has been reviewed and approved by a licensed physician or, if a licensed physician is not available, by a licensed pharmacist or (ii) for health care services unless such adverse determination has been reviewed and approved by (a) a licensed physician; (b) in the case of mental health services, a licensed mental health provider if a licensed physician is unavailable; or (c) in the case of dental services, a licensed dentist if a licensed physician is unavailable.

Patrick A. HopeDemocrat

Prescription Drug Affordability Board; established.

Prescription Drug Affordability Advisory Panel established; maximum fair price; annual reports; civil penalties. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to establish the Prescription Drug Affordability Advisory Panel to conduct data analyses, develop policy recommendations, and identify implementation barriers related to strategies to improve prescription drug affordability, enhance price transparency, and strengthen data collection practices for prescription drugs across public and private payers. The bill requires the Panel to (i) report annually on prescription drug pricing trends and any policy recommendations on legislation to improve prescription drug affordability and (ii) provide quarterly updates on prescription drug pricing trends. The bill requires each pharmacy benefits manager to provide to the Panel, upon request, certain information relating to the dispensation of a referenced drug, as defined in the bill.The bill prohibits prescription drug manufacturers or wholesale distributors permitted or licensed in the Commonwealth from accepting payment at an amount higher than the maximum fair price established by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services pursuant to federal law for the sale of a referenced drug intended for use by individuals in the Commonwealth. Under the bill, an entity that violates such prohibition is subject to a civil penalty of $10,000 per violation. The bill also prohibits a manufacturer subject to its provisions from removing a referenced drug from sale distribution in the Commonwealth for the purpose of avoiding the impact of the bill's rate limitations without providing certain prior notice. Under the bill, a manufacturer that violates such prohibition on removing a referenced drug without the required notice is subject to a civil penalty equal to the greater of $100,000 or the total amount of annual savings for the referenced drug, as determined by the Board of Pharmacy. This bill is identical to SB 271.

Karrie K. DelaneyDemocrat

Health insurance; ethics and fairness in carrier business practices, downcoded claims.

Health insurance; ethics and fairness in carrier business practices; downcoded claims. Prohibits a carrier, intermediary, administrator, or representative of a carrier from downcoding a claim unless the decision to downcode is determined by a person or electronic system that reflects correct coding standards and considers all relevant patient data from the billing provider in making the determination. The bill requires a carrier, intermediary, administrator, or representative that downcodes a claim to provide certain notice to the provider. The bill requires that all downcoding dispute decisions are reviewed and adjudicated by a natural person.

Irene ShinDemocrat

Children's Cabinet; established, report.

Children's Cabinet established; report. Establishes the Children's Cabinet to advise the Governor on matters pertaining to children in the Commonwealth and ways to improve their health, safety, and well-being.

Irene ShinDemocrat

Norfolk, City of; Marine Resources Commission to convey easement for certain property.

State-owned bottomlands; Marine Resources Commission; conveyance of certain easements to City of Norfolk; Coastal Storm Risk Management Program. Allows the Marine Resources Commission to convey to the City of Norfolk, in locations acceptable to the Commission, permanent easement interests, temporary construction easements, and fee simple interests in subaqueous land that are necessary for the City’s Phase I drawings, defined in the bill, pursuant to quitclaims. The bill also allows the Commission to quitclaim to the City any interest that the Commonwealth may have in and to the property known as Newton Canal, a/k/a Mahone's Canal, a/k/a Brambleton Canal, which property is located within the boundaries of City of Norfolk GPIN 1437339770.

Phil M. HernandezDemocrat

Wage garnishment; state tax debt.

Wage garnishment; state tax debt. Provides that the maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings of an individual for any workweek that is subject to garnishment to collect delinquent taxes and charges owed to the state government shall not exceed the lesser of (i) 25 percent of such individual's disposable earnings for that week or (ii) the amount by which such individual's disposable earnings exceed 40 times the federal or Virginia minimum wage, whichever is greater. The bill also directs the Department of Taxation to recognize Currently Not Collectible status granted by the Internal Revenue Service and to offer taxpayers with such status a similar Virginia status with comparable protections from collection activities. The bill contains technical amendments and has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Phil M. HernandezDemocrat

Health insurance; coverage for early refills of prescription eye drops.

Health insurance; coverage for early refills of prescription eye drops. Prohibits a health carrier from denying coverage to a covered person of an early refill of prescription eye drops if (i) the prescription eye drops are a covered benefit, (ii) the amount of time that has elapsed from the previous dispensing of such prescription would result in at least 85 percent of such prescription eye drops being used if taken consistently with the prescriber's directions, and (iii) the prescriber has indicated that additional quantities are medically necessary and the refill requested does not exceed such additional quantity. The provisions of the bill are applicable to contracts, policies, or plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in the Commonwealth on and after January 1, 2027.

Patrick A. HopeDemocrat

Absentee voting; ballots received, marked, and cast electronically through the Internet.

Elections; absentee voting; accessibility; ballots received, marked, and cast electronically through the internet. Requires the Department of Elections to make available to all localities a tool to allow a voter with a visual impairment or print disability or a covered voter to receive, mark, and return his absentee ballot electronically through the internet. The bill makes the tool available through the internet in lieu of other currently available assistive technologies.

Patrick A. HopeDemocrat

Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference in state government, certain former federal employees.

Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference in state government; certain former federal employees. Allows for an applicant's status as a former federal employee to be given consideration when applying for employment with the Commonwealth if such applicant was terminated from a position of employment with the federal government on or after January 1, 2025, due to a reduction in the federal budget or initiatives put in place by the federal Department of Government Efficiency, provided that such person meets all of the knowledge, skill, and ability requirements for the available position. The bill directs the Department of Human Resource Management, on or before January 1 of each year, to submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly that includes the number of job applications submitted by candidates who self-identified as former federal employees, as well as the number of jobs offered to such candidates. The bill has an expiration date of January 21, 2029.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

School boards; mental health awareness training for full-time school bus drivers.

School boards; mental health awareness training; full-time school bus drivers. Permits any school board to require each school bus driver employed on a full-time basis in the local school division to complete mental health awareness training at least once. The bill requires the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to consider condensing and abbreviating the existing mental health first aid training program into a two-hour module that any school board may utilize in order to train full-time school bus drivers.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

Certain data from water users; water use consumption for domestic, etc., purposes, data centers.

Certain data from water users; water use consumption for domestic, commercial, and industrial purposes and from data centers. Requires any water user required to register water withdrawal and use data to the State Water Control Board that provides water to another person offsite to include in its report, submitted on its regular reporting schedule, the total volume of potable water and, reported separately, the total volume of reclaimed water, as defined in the bill, provided during each month for each of the following categories: (i) a data center with an air permit issued by the Department of Environmental Quality and (ii) to the extent available without utility billing system modifications, (a) domestic purposes, (b) commercial and industrial purposes, separately or combined as available, and (c) all other non-categorized purposes. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 553.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

Motor carrier violations; authority of law-enforcement officers.

Motor carrier violations; authority of law-enforcement officers. Authorizes the enforcement of motor carrier violations of license, registration, and tax requirements and vehicle size limitations at locations other than permanent weighing stations and clarifies that law-enforcement officers, in addition to size and weight compliance agents, may enforce such provisions.

Vivian E. WattsDemocrat

New state park; Dept. of Conservation & Recreation to acquire prop. to establish in Loudoun County.

Department of Conservation and Recreation; acquisition of property to establish a state park; Loudoun County. Allows the Department of Conservation and Recreation to acquire from the Conservation Fund approximately 1,240 acres of real property and any buildings or structures thereon between Little River Turnpike, James Monroe Highway, and Tail Race Road, known as Oak Hill Farm, in Loudoun County for the purpose of establishing and operating a state park on such property. This bill incorporates HB 239.

John Chilton McAuliffDemocrat

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; powers of the board.

Public institutions of higher education; other educational and cultural institutions; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; powers of the board. Amends the enumerated powers of the board of trustees of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts by replacing the authority to adopt regulations to establish classes of membership in the Museum with the authority to adopt regulations and set fees relating to the use and visitation of properties under the control of the board. The bill clarifies that the regulations on museum and grounds use and access set forth in the Virginia Administrative Code shall continue in effect and be deemed to constitute the regulations adopted pursuant to the bill.

Alex Q. AskewDemocrat

Cottage food laws; sale of certain food over phone and internet, report.

Cottage food laws; sale of certain food over phone and internet; work group; report. Expands the exemption from state inspection requirements for private homes where the resident processes and prepares certain food products, including pickles and other acidified vegetables, to allow for such person to sell such products at any location, through the internet, or by telephone to an individual in the Commonwealth for his own consumption and deliver such products in person, by mail, or by delivery service subject to certain restrictions. Current law only allows for the sale to take place in person at the private home, a temporary event, or a farmer's market. The bill also directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to convene a work group to examine the structural, equipment, and facility standards for private homes in the Commonwealth producing products that do not meet the cottage food law exemptions. The bill requires the work group to complete its meetings by November 1, 2026, and report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources by the first day of the 2027 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Katrina CallsenDemocrat

Enslaved Ancestors College Access Scholarship and Memorial Program; scholarships, administration.

Enslaved Ancestors College Access Scholarship and Memorial Program; parameters. Prohibits any such institution from passing the cost of any scholarship program established in accordance with the provisions of the Enslaved Ancestors College Access Scholarship and Memorial Program to other enrolled students by increasing the rate of tuition or mandatory fees. The bill also requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to (i) establish a work group that consists of a representative of each institution that participates in the Program that meets at least semiannually to discuss Program administration, including sharing best practices on administration and research, coordinating funding and fundraising strategies, developing outreach and marketing plans, collaborating on historical and genealogical research efforts, and aligning government and community engagement initiatives, and (ii) develop and maintain a single statewide online portal that describes each institution's program, criteria, and investments in scholarship students or the community, lists designated points of contact at each institution, shares application timelines and processes, and offers historical context and ongoing memorial updates.

David A. ReidDemocrat

Workers' compensation; disability of law-enforcement officer, spousal wage replacement, report.

Workers' compensation; disability of law-enforcement officer; spousal wage replacement; report. Requires the employer of a law-enforcement officer who sustains a line of duty injury, as defined in the bill, to pay or cause to be paid to the spouse of such law-enforcement officer 66 percent of such spouse's average weekly wage during the previous three years, up to 80 percent of the average weekly wage of the Commonwealth, provided that certain requirements are met. The bill directs the Workers' Compensation Commission to establish an application review process for claims for spousal wage replacement pursuant to the bill's provisions by January 1, 2027. Certain provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

David A. ReidDemocrat

Passing a stopped school bus; divided highways, access roads, and certain driveways.

Passing a stopped school bus; divided highways, access roads, and certain driveways. Clarifies that the exemption from the requirement for a driver of a motor vehicle to stop for a stopped school bus if such bus is stopped on the other roadway of a divided highway, on an access road, or on a driveway when the other roadway, access road, or driveway is separated from the roadway on which he is driving by a physical barrier or an unpaved area applies regardless of whether the physical barrier or unpaved area is continuous or segmented when necessary to accommodate an intersection or turning vehicles.

David A. ReidDemocrat

School boards; participation in SAT School Day program required, student participation.

School boards; participation in SAT School Day program required; student participation. Requires each school board to (i) participate in the SAT School Day program (the program) or any similar program offered by the College Board whereby high school students are permitted to take the SAT during regular school hours at the high school at which they are enrolled and (ii) offer each high school student in the school division the opportunity to take the SAT pursuant to the program at least once during the student's junior or senior year, in either the fall testing window or the spring testing window at the public high school at which the student is enrolled, provided that (a) no such student shall be required to participate in the program and (b) if the school board offers such opportunity during the fall testing window, the school board shall, to the extent feasible, align the days on which it offers such opportunity with the PSAT testing window and offer high school students in the school division to take either the SAT or the PSAT, as applicable, during regular school hours at the high school on the same school day.

David A. ReidDemocrat

Commissioner of Highways; certain agreements with U.S. Department of Transportation.

Commissioner of Highways; certain agreements with the U.S. Department of Transportation; National Environmental Policy Act. Authorizes the Commissioner of Highways to enter into agreements for a term of five years with the U.S. Department of Transportation, as provided for in federal law, regarding state assumption of responsibility for categorical exclusions and the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program. The bill authorizes the Department of Transportation to assume certain responsibilities of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation pursuant to such agreement. Under the bill, the Commonwealth waives its immunity from civil suit in a federal court under certain circumstances. The bill contains an expiration date of five years after the date on which the first agreement is entered into. This bill is identical to SB 716.

David A. ReidDemocrat

High School Certified Nurse Aide Training/Certification Program; established, requirements, report.

Board of Education; Board of Nursing; High School Certified Nurse Aide Training and Certification Program established; requirements; report. Establishes the High School Certified Nurse Aide Training and Certification Program for the purpose of creating a pathway for qualified high school students, as defined by the bill, to prepare for and obtain certification as a certified nurse aide (CNA) in the Commonwealth by approving and supporting the establishment of approved training programs, as that term is defined by the bill, whereby any qualified high school student may participate in a program of instruction that (i) is designed to prepare such students for certification as a CNA, in accordance with the requirements of the Board of Nursing; (ii) is taught by an individual who is qualified to provide such instruction, consistent with the requirements of the Board of Education and the Board of Nursing; and (iii) supports each participating student in meeting the requirements for and obtaining certification as a CNA. The bill directs the Board of Education, in collaboration with the Board of Nursing, to administer the Program and to establish policies and procedures for the administration of the Program. Finally, the bill requires the Board of Education to submit to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education by November 1 of each year a report on the activities of the Program for the preceding year.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

Two-Year college Transfer Grant, etc.; eligibility.

Selective Service; Two-Year College Transfer Grant; Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant Program. Removes the requirement that individuals register for the Selective Service in order to be eligible for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant, the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant Program, or any other state direct tuition assistance.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba); designating as official state fruit.

Official emblems and designations; state fruit; pawpaw. Designates the pawpaw fruit (Asimina triloba) as the official state fruit.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

School buses; use for public purposes by local governing bodies, insurance reimbursement.

Use of school buses for public purposes by local governing bodies; insurance reimbursement. Permits any local governing body that use school buses for certain public purposes pursuant to an agreement with a school board to reimburse the school board for the proportionate share of any insurance costs, both fixed and variable, of such buses incurred by such school board that are attributable to the use of such buses pursuant to such agreement in lieu of the existing statutory requirement for such a local governing body to supply sufficient insurance for such school buses.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

Approval of land use applications; residential development.

Approval of land use applications; residential development. Requires every locality to take final action to approve, approve with conditions, or deny any land use application for the rezoning or development of property that includes residential development within 12 months from the date of submission of such application to the locality.

Nicole ColeDemocrat

Public utilities; reopening rate case in certain instances.

Public utilities; reopening rate case in certain instances. Provides that if an application is filed with the State Corporation Commission for approval of the acquisition or disposition of control involving a public utility and such application is filed within 24 months after the entry of a final order in a rate increase proceeding, the Commission may, on its own initiative or upon petition of any interested person, reopen such rate increase proceeding.

Nicole ColeDemocrat

Eminent domain; condemnation of public waterworks systems, determination of lost profits.

Eminent domain; condemnation of public waterworks systems; determination of lost profits. Requires the body determining just compensation in a condemnation proceeding initiated by a locality for the taking of a waterworks system to consider in its determination of lost profits the difference between the rates, fees, and charges for water service provided by (i) the condemning locality or authority and (ii) the owner on the date of valuation. The bill requires, upon the petition of any party or upon the request of the court, that such determination of lost profits be commensurately reduced to the extent that the body determining just compensation and the court find to be just and reasonable.

Nicole ColeDemocrat