Bills & Legislation

Virginia Parole Board; powers and duties, juvenile offenders, parole procedures and considerations.

Virginia Parole Board; powers and duties; juvenile offenders; parole procedures and considerations. Increases the members of the Virginia Parole Board (the Board) from up to five to at least 11 members, five of whom shall be appointed by the Governor within 60 days of inauguration, three of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates within 60 days of a new House being sworn in during a Senate election year, and three of whom shall be appointed by the Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules within 60 days of a new Senate being sworn in after an election, and all of whom shall be subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, if in session when such appointment is made, and if not in session, then at its next succeeding session. The bill specifies that all members of the Board shall have significant professional experience working in criminal law, corrections, reentry and community services, or victim services and that the Board members appointed by the Governor shall include (i) an attorney with significant experience in criminal prosecution; (ii) an attorney with significant experience in criminal defense; (iii) a qualified mental health professional with relevant background in adolescent development, trauma responses, psychology, and decision-making; and (iv) a representative of a crime victims organization or a victim of crime. These provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2028. The bill also requires the Board to provide a meaningful opportunity for release to certain juvenile offenders eligible for parole and specifies various factors the Board shall give substantial weight to when making a determination on whether to grant parole to such juvenile offender. The bill allows a juvenile offender to request for reconsideration or appeal of a decision by the Board not to grant parole based on (a) the Board's failure to give substantial weight to such juvenile offender's age and its related mitigating circumstances as required by the bill or (b) the Board's overreliance on static factors such as the nature and circumstances of the offense and failure to ground its decision in evidence of maturity, rehabilitation, and a lack of present danger to public safety. The bill requires the Board to provide individualized reasons for the grant or denial of parole upon reconsideration or appeal. The bill also requires that if parole is denied for any such juvenile offender, each Board member shall identify his reasoning for such decision at the time such member's vote is cast, including any youth-related factor and evidence of maturity and rehabilitation that was considered. The bill requires that the Board provide to such prisoner for whom parole is denied recommendations to demonstrate commitment to rehabilitation and at the next hearing, the Board is required to consider whether the prisoner has followed such recommendations. The bill also requires the Board to annually review the cases of such juvenile offenders eligible for parole. This bill is identical to HB 318.

Mamie E. LockeDemocrat

Electric utilities; energy efficiency upgrades, report.

Phase I and Phase II Utilities; energy efficiency upgrades; low-income residents; report. States that it is the policy of the Commonwealth to reduce, wherever feasible and cost-effective, heating-related costs of living for low-income residents. The bill requires Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power to make best, reasonable efforts to provide by December 31, 2031, prescriptive efficiency measures, as defined in the bill, and related efficiency improvements to at least 30 percent of the qualifying households, as defined in the bill, identified by such utilities, provided that the State Corporation Commission determines that such measures and improvements are in the public interest. The bill requires such utilities to report to the Commission its activities, plans, and filings regarding the bill's provisions no later than January 1, 2028, annually thereafter, and in any recurring filing that the Commission deems appropriate. The bill also requires that Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power make reasonable efforts to incorporate recommendations or feedback provided by the task force that evaluates barriers to access and enrollment in programs for income-qualified energy customers. This bill is identical to HB 2.

Kannan SrinivasanDemocrat

Law-enforcement officers, state and local; enforcement of federal traffic infractions.

Enforcement of federal traffic infractions by state and local law-enforcement officers; Planning District 8. Provides that state and local law-enforcement officers may enforce federal traffic infractions on any highway within Planning District 8. This bill is identical to HB 77.

Scott A. SurovellDemocrat

Enforcement of vehicle liens; increases property value.

Enforcement of vehicle liens; property value. Increases from $12,500 to $17,000 the maximum value of property that may be sold at public auction to satisfy a lien on a motor vehicle without petitioning for a court order for the sale of such property. This bill is identical to HB 1288.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

Paid family & med. leave insurance program; definitions, notice requirements, civil action, report.

Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements; civil action. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning April 1, 2028. Under the program, benefits are paid to covered individuals, as defined in the bill, for family and medical leave. Funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning April 1, 2028. The bill provides that the amount of a benefit is 80 percent of the employee's average weekly net earnings, not to exceed 100 percent of the statewide average weekly net earnings, which amount is required to be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the statewide average weekly wage. The bill caps the duration of paid leave at 12 weeks in any application year and provides self-employed individuals the option of participating in the program. This bill is identical to HB 1207.

Jennifer B. BoyskoDemocrat

Plea agreements and court orders; prohibited provisions.

Plea agreements and court orders; prohibited provisions. Prohibits plea agreements and court orders executed or entered on or after July 1, 2026, from containing any provision that purports to waive, release, or extinguish a defendant's (i) rights under the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and Article I, Section 10 of the Constitution of Virginia; (ii) right to file a petition requesting expungement of the police records and the court records; or (iii) right to have criminal history record information and court records sealed. The bill provides that any such prohibited provision of a plea agreement or court order is void and unenforceable as against public policy.The bill provides that such prohibition does not apply to any plea agreements, written agreements, or court orders entered into by a defendant and the Commonwealth in certain cases.The bill further provides that any waiver, release, or extinguishment of rights under the Fourth Amendment permissible by law shall be no longer than the period of supervised probation imposed against the defendant; if the defendant is not placed on supervised probation, it shall be no longer than five years.

Saddam Azlan SalimDemocrat

Discovery materials or evidence; accused may request to copy or photograph any materials.

Discovery; methods of delivery; report. Requires the Commonwealth, upon request by the accused or his counsel, to copy or photograph any discovery materials or evidence the accused is permitted to inspect and review, including relevant police reports, criminal records, dashboard camera footage, and body-worn camera footage, and requires the Commonwealth to provide copies to the accused or his counsel, subject to the redaction, restricted dissemination, and protective order provisions of the relevant Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia and unless such material is prohibited from being distributed by law. The bill also directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to evaluate and report, no later than November 1, 2026, the feasibility, costs, and other impacts with requiring the attorney for the Commonwealth to provide counsel of record for the accused a copy of any relevant police report at least 10 days prior to trial or preliminary hearing.

Jennifer D. Carroll FoyDemocrat

Overtime for certain employees; pay for domestic workers, delayed effective date.

Overtime for certain employees; domestic workers. Adds domestic workers, as defined in the bill, to provisions related to overtime pay. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 27.

Jennifer D. Carroll FoyDemocrat

Commending John W. Haun, Ed.D.

Commending John W. Haun, Ed.D.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Commending the Honorable Daniel Webster Marshall III.

Commending the Honorable Daniel Webster Marshall III.

Eric PhillipsRepublican

Commending the Richmond Free Press.

Commending the Richmond Free Press.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Commending the Bruton High School girls' swim and dive team.

Commending the Bruton High School girls' swim and dive team.

Mark C. DowneyDemocrat

Commending the John Marshall High School boys' basketball team.

Commending the John Marshall High School boys' basketball team.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Commending Beth Sholom Temple.

Commending Beth Sholom Temple.

Joshua G. ColeDemocrat

Commending Carl's Frozen Custard.

Commending Carl's Frozen Custard.

Joshua G. ColeDemocrat

Celebrating the life of La Bravia J. Jenkins.

Celebrating the life of La Bravia J. Jenkins.

Joshua G. ColeDemocrat

Commending the Reverend Dr. James Edwards III.

Commending the Reverend Dr. James Edwards III.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Commending Albert S. Moor II.

Commending Albert S. Moor II.

Nadarius E. ClarkDemocrat

Commending the Rock Church School boys' basketball team.

Commending the Rock Church School boys' basketball team.

Nadarius E. ClarkDemocrat

Commending the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis.

Commending the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Commending the International Longshoremen's Association, Local 1248.

Commending the International Longshoremen's Association, Local 1248.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Commending Estelle Newby.

Commending Estelle Newby.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Commending William E. Harrell.

Commending William E. Harrell.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Commending The King's Daughters.

Commending The King's Daughters.

Bonita G. AnthonyDemocrat

Celebrating the life of Bettie Minette Cooper.

Celebrating the life of Bettie Minette Cooper.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Celebrating the life of Hope Tyson Lambert.

Celebrating the life of Hope Tyson Lambert.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Commending the Fairfax Connector.

Commending the Fairfax Connector.

Garrett McGuireDemocrat

Commending Braden Health.

Commending Braden Health.

Martin E. WilliamsRepublican

Commending the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.

Commending the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Commending the Richmond Chapter of Continental Societies, Inc.

Commending the Richmond Chapter of Continental Societies, Inc.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Commending Thomas M. Woody.

Commending Thomas M. Woody.

Scott A. WyattRepublican

Celebrating the life of Abby L. Block.

Celebrating the life of Abby L. Block.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

Commending Justin Simmons.

Commending Justin Simmons.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

Commending Samina Z. Butt.

Commending Samina Z. Butt.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

Commending Major Joseph R. Denti, ANG.

Commending Major Joseph R. Denti, ANG.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

Celebrating the life of Eugene Hamilton Hurst, Jr.

Celebrating the life of Eugene Hamilton Hurst, Jr.

James W. MorefieldRepublican

Commending the veterans of the United States Armed Forces from Augusta County.

Commending the veterans of the United States Armed Forces from Augusta County.

Chris S. RunionRepublican

Commending William Massey.

Commending William Massey.

M. Keith HodgesRepublican

Commending the Smithfield High School KidWind Challenge teams.

Commending the Smithfield High School KidWind Challenge teams.

Nadarius E. ClarkDemocrat

Commending the Bruton High School boys' indoor track and field team.

Commending the Bruton High School boys' indoor track and field team.

Mark C. DowneyDemocrat

Commending Ernest Eugene Copenhaver, Jr.

Commending Ernest Eugene Copenhaver, Jr.

Israel D. O'QuinnRepublican

Commending the Reverend Phillip E. Knight, Sr.

Commending the Reverend Phillip E. Knight, Sr.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Celebrating the life of Mabel Jones Smith.

Celebrating the life of Mabel Jones Smith.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Commending Helen H. Guthrie.

Commending Helen H. Guthrie.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Celebrating the life of Charita Marie Lee.

Celebrating the life of Charita Marie Lee.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Celebrating the life of Frederick Alexander Brown.

Celebrating the life of Frederick Alexander Brown.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Celebrating the life of the Reverend David Anthony Young, Sr.

Celebrating the life of the Reverend David Anthony Young, Sr.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Celebrating the life of Solomon Wilder Jefferson, Ed.D.

Commending Solomon Wilder Jefferson, Ed.D.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Commending Fertility for Colored Girls + Guys.

Commending Fertility for Colored Girls + Guys.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Celebrating the life of Eric Monte Bowman.

Celebrating the life of Eric Monte Bowman.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat