Bills & Legislation

Highway rights-of-way; invasive species.

Highway rights-of-way; invasive species. Prohibits the Commonwealth Transportation Board (the Board) and Commissioner of Highways from planting or causing or suffering to be planted any invasive plant on the list of invasive plants created by the Department of Conservation and Recreation on the right-of-way of any state highway. Current law prohibits the planting of three listed plants if the governing body of the locality declares such weeds or plants to be injurious and requires the Board to remove such plants. The bill removes such requirement for the Board to remove such plants and requires the Department of Transportation to conduct a review of the processes and resources that are necessary and appropriate to (i) determine the prevalence of invasive plants on the list of invasive plant species created by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and develop options for establishing and implementing a plan to remove or control such plants and manage such plants on an ongoing basis.

Amy J. LauferDemocrat

Zoning; wireless facilities, temporary support structures.

Zoning; wireless facilities; temporary support structures. Requires a locality to include in its zoning ordinance provisions that allow for the use of temporary support structures that meet certain requirements. The bill defines a temporary support structure as a monopole or portable wireless communications facility used to provide wireless voice, data, or image transmission within a designated area. The bill provides that an application for a temporary support structure may request approval for up to 180 days with extensions not to exceed two years.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Accountancy, Board of; licensing requirements, inactive and emeritus status.

Board of Accountancy; licensing requirements; inactive and emeritus status. Directs the Board of Accountancy to establish "Inactive" and "Emeritus" CPA license statuses for licensees who no longer provide services to the public or services to or on behalf of an employer. The bill requires the Board to develop guidelines to provide active and inactive licensees additional clarity governing the manner in which such licensees should reference autobiographical and biographical information with respect to their CPA licensure to remain historically accurate and compliant with the law and relevant regulations. The bill directs the Board of Accountancy to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. This bill incorporates HB 228 and is identical to SB 605.

Stacey Annie CarrollDemocrat

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 SB 74.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP), Commission on; structure and responsibilities.

Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP). Restructures the existing governance structure and responsibilities of the Commission on VASAP and expands its oversight authority over local alcohol safety action programs. The provisions of the bill related to a fiscal agent locality have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2028. The bill also directs the Commission on VASAP to convene a work group with relevant stakeholders to review the sustainability of the structure and funding model for VASAP and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Commission on VASAP and the Chairs of the House Committees on Appropriations and for Courts of Justice and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and for Courts of Justice by October 1, 2026. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on VASAP and is identical to SB 391.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Local & Reg. Jails, St. Bd.; standards, etc., regarding lactation policies for incarcerated persons.

State Board of Local and Regional Jails; standards and regulations for pregnant and postpartum incarcerated persons in local and regional correctional facilities; report. Directs the State Board of Local and Regional Jails to set minimum standards and regulations regarding lactation policies for incarcerated persons and their infants by December 1, 2028. In developing such regulations and standards, the Board is directed to consider best practices related to lactation and how to incorporate such practices into the regulations and standards set by the Board.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Farm to School Program Task Force; membership requirements.

Department of Education; Farm to School Program Task Force; membership requirements. Amends the membership requirements of the Farm to School Program Task Force established in accordance with applicable law by requiring the membership to include (i) one member of the Senate, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules after consideration of the recommendation of the Chair of the Senate Committee on Education and Health; (ii) one member of the House of Delegates, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates after consideration of the recommendation of the Chair of the House Committee on Education; (iii) at least four members to be appointed by the Department of Education, including at least one school board member, one representative of the Department of General Services involved in procurement, one representative of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and one farmer or producer in the Commonwealth who sells only the farm or agricultural products produced or grown by him; and (iv) such additional members as the Department of Education deems necessary or appropriate.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Real property tax; local classification or designation for property, nonprofit organizations.

Real property tax; local classification or designation for portion of property. Clarifies that, in accordance with the Constitution of Virginia and by adoption of a local ordinance, any locality may by designation or classification exempt from real or personal property taxes, or both, the real or personal property, or both, owned by an ownership entity of which a controlling interest of the managing member or general partner of such ownership entity is held, directly or indirectly, by one or more nonprofit organizations, notwithstanding any for-profit ownership interests, that is used for charitable or benevolent purposes. The bill requires such local ordinance to stipulate any suspension or termination of such exemption in such ordinance.The bill also provides that any rental income or other sources of income received from any portion of real property that is used for charitable or benevolent purposes in accordance with such constitutional designation or classification shall not be considered a source of revenue or profit for which tax shall be assessed. Finally, the bill provides that the purpose of the bill is to stimulate public purpose projects by clarifying that localities have such authority and provides that the provisions of the bill providing that any county, city, or town may exempt from real or personal property taxes, or both, any real or personal property owned by an ownership entity of which a controlling interest of the managing member or general partner of such ownership entity is held directly or indirectly by one or more nonprofit organizations, notwithstanding any for-profit ownership interests, that is used for charitable or benevolent purposes are declaratory of existing law.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Public school employees; suspension, notice and opportunity for a hearing.

Public school employees; suspension; notice and opportunity for a hearing. Provides that no school board employee shall be suspended without notice and, if applicable, an opportunity to be heard and amends current law to require any individual who has been so suspended, regardless of the length of the suspension, to continue to receive his then applicable salary unless and until the school board, after a hearing, determines otherwise. Under current law, such requirement only applies to any individual who has been suspended for a period in excess of five days.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Unlawful detainer; bifurcation of case, contested rent and damages.

Unlawful detainer; bifurcation of case; contested rent and damages. Provides that, at an initial hearing on an unlawful detainer, if the defendant contests the amount of rent and damages alleged to be due and owing to the plaintiff, the court shall not bifurcate the unlawful detainer case. Under current law, at the initial hearing, upon request of the plaintiff, the court is required to bifurcate the unlawful detainer case and set a continuance date no later than 120 days from the date of the initial hearing to determine final rent and damages.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

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 SB 777.

Amy J. LauferDemocrat

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 SB 677.

Shelly A. SimondsDemocrat

State plan for medical assistance services; adds provision related to doula care.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; state plan for medical assistance services; doula care. Adds provisions related to the provision of doula care under the state plan for medical assistance services specifying that such care includes support during labor and delivery and up to two linkage-to-care incentive payments for doulas.

Adele Y. McClureDemocrat

Public schools; right to free public elementary and secondary education, discrimination, etc.

Public schools; right to free public elementary and secondary education; discrimination based on immigration status prohibited; civil cause of action. Prohibits any child in the Commonwealth from being denied a free public education through secondary school on the basis of the actual or perceived immigration or citizenship status of the child or the child's parents, in accordance with the Constitution of Virginia and consistent with the requirements of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The bill also, among other things, prohibits any school board, public elementary or secondary school, school resource officer employed by a local law-enforcement agency in any public elementary or secondary school, or any individual who is an employee, contractor, or agent of a school board from engaging in certain enumerated actions and practices that involve or result in the denial of a free public education, or denial of the benefits or exclusion from participation in any program or activity thereof, of a child on the basis of the actual or perceived immigration or citizenship status of the child or the child's parents. The bill establishes a civil cause of action for violations of the foregoing prohibitions. The bill requires the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General, to develop and make available to each school board by August 1, 2026, guidance and resources on developing policies and procedures to implement the requirements set forth in the bill and requires each school board to develop and implement by December 31, 2026, such policies and procedures and to require each public elementary and secondary school principal and administrator in the school division to complete training on compliance with the provisions of the bill as soon as is practicable but not later than the beginning of the 2027–2028 school year, consistent with the guidance and resources developed and made available by the Department of Education. This bill incorporates HB 912 and is identical to SB 491.

Sam RasoulDemocrat

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Eviction Diversion Program, eligibility.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Eviction Diversion Program; eligibility. Requires any general district court that implements the Eviction Diversion Program to attach information about the Program, including eligibility criteria, to any summons for unlawful detainer. The bill also alters eligibility requirements for a tenant to participate in the Program. This bill is identical to SB 273.

Adele Y. McClureDemocrat

Land subdivision and development; optional provisions of a subdivision ordinance, etc.

Land subdivision and development; optional provisions of a subdivision ordinance; electric vehicle charging stations; Department of Energy; report. Allows, effective July 1, 2027, a locality to include in its subdivision ordinance a requirement for electric vehicle (EV) supply equipment, EV-ready charging spaces, or EV-capable parking spaces that provide infrastructure to facilitate future EV charging, including electrical capacity, prewiring, and conduit for a development containing commercial, industrial, or multifamily residential uses. Effective in due course, the bill directs the Department of Energy to evaluate the design and deployment of the electrical distribution infrastructure necessary to support the installation of electric vehicle charging facilities in new developments consisting of single-family and multifamily residential units, to provide recommendations on the appropriate number and type of EV charging spaces for new commercial and industrial developments, and to report its findings and recommendations to the State Corporation Commission no later than November 15, 2026.

Adele Y. McClureDemocrat

Pharmacy benefits managers; requirements, application of law, report, delayed effective date.

Pharmacy benefits managers; requirements; scope; report. Requires all health insurance carriers to use the pass-through pricing model and may limit a pharmacy benefits manager from deriving income from pharmacy benefits management services provided to a carrier except for income derived from a pharmacy benefits management fee. The bill prohibits a pharmacy benefits manager from (i) reversing and or resubmitting the claim of a pharmacist or pharmacy without meeting certain requirements, (ii) reducing any payment to a pharmacist or pharmacy to an effective rate of reimbursement, or (iii) retroactively denying or reducing a claim or aggregate of claims except under certain circumstances. The bill requires the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) to examine the practice of carriers or pharmacy benefits managers requiring or inducing covered individuals to utilize pharmacy services at an affiliated pharmacy. The Commission is required to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by December 1, 2027. Certain provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 669.

Katrina CallsenDemocrat

Academic year Governor's School; maximizing school meal offerings.

Academic year Governor's Schools; school meals. Requires the Virginia Department of Education Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs to provide technical assistance to the regional governing board of each academic year Governor's School to assist such schools in identifying costs, funding sources, and infrastructure requirements to maximize school meal offerings to all students enrolled in such schools.

Kimberly Pope AdamsDemocrat

Health Insurance Reform Commission; powers and duties.

Health Insurance Reform Commission; powers and duties. Provides that it is a power and duty of the Health Insurance Reform Commission, upon request of the Chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce or Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor, to assess proposed legislation affecting the cost of health insurance through changes to plan design or cost sharing impacting consumers, employers, unions, and employee welfare benefit plans.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Electric utilities; disconnection reports, State Corporation Commission database, annual summary.

Electric utilities; disconnection reports; State Corporation Commission database; annual summary. Requires each investor-owned utility and electric cooperative operating in the Commonwealth to provide a monthly report on residential account disconnections to the State Corporation Commission. The monthly report is required to include specific information outlined in the bill, including the number of residential accounts involuntarily disconnected due to nonpayment, the amount of time in which such accounts were reconnected to service, the amounts of arrearages attributable to such disconnected accounts and other residential accounts, and information related to how many of the disconnected accounts participate in a payment assistance program or have a serious medical condition certification form on file with the electric utility. The bill requires the Commission to publish the information from such monthly reports in a comprehensive and easily accessible online database. The bill also requires the Commission to submit an annual executive summary to the Governor and the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation on trends in electric utility disconnections based on the reports submitted by electric utilities, the first of which is due by September 1, 2027. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to SB 516.

Charniele L. HerringDemocrat

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 SB 736.

Mark C. DowneyDemocrat

Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority; administration of nursing scholarships.

Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority; administration of nursing scholarships. Grants the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority the authority to administer scholarships related to nursing and to promulgate regulations exempt from the requirements of the Administrative Process Act as may be necessary to carry out the administration of nursing scholarship and loan programs. Under current law, the Board of Health is the administrative authority for such scholarships and the Commissioner of Health serves as the fiscal agent for the Board in the administration of some scholarship funds. The bill directs the Authority to establish an annual reporting schedule requiring submission of health workforce data, requires the Authority to establish and provide oversight and strategic guidance to the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center, and grants the Authority the authority to evaluate health workforce programs administered or supported by the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center to establish an advisory board to provide it with strategic oversight and guidance. This bill is identical to SB 405.

Mark C. DowneyDemocrat

Insurance; unfair claim settlement practices, modification of loss estimate.

Insurance; unfair claim settlement practices; modification of loss estimate. Prohibits an insurer, when reducing a loss estimate of $3,000 or more, from altering or amending an insurance adjuster's estimate of damages, photographic report data, or narrative report without meeting certain requirements including providing the policyholder with a detailed explanation as to why any change that has the effect of reducing the loss estimate was made.

Dan I. HelmerDemocrat

Electric utilities; shared solar programs, Phase II Utility.

Electric utilities; shared solar programs; Phase II Utility. Amends certain provisions related to the shared solar program established by the State Corporation Commission for Dominion Energy Virginia. Under the bill, Dominion Energy Virginia is authorized to release an additional 525 megawatts of capacity as part two of such program upon the earlier of (i) a determination that at least 90 percent of the aggregate program capacity has been subscribed and project construction is substantially complete or (ii) July 1, 2026. The bill directs Dominion Energy Virginia to petition the Commission to initiate a proceeding to determine the capacity for part three of such program on or before part two of such program is substantially complete for 268 megawatts of capacity. The bill directs the Commission to evaluate the costs and benefits of the shared solar program under such proceeding and to consider the results of such proceeding in determining any future allocations of shared solar capacity and changes in program design. The bill directs the Commission to update its regulations on shared solar programs to comply with the provisions of the bill by December 31, 2026, and to require each participating utility to file any tariffs, agreements, or forms necessary for implementation of such programs by March 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 254.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Industrial development authorities; promoting safe and affordable housing.

Industrial development authorities; housing. Allows industrial development authorities to exercise their powers with respect to facilities used primarily for single or multi-family residences in order to promote safe and affordable housing in the Commonwealth. Under current law, such powers may be exercised only in a locality where a housing authority has not been activated. The bill also grants industrial development authorities the power to issue bonds associated with the construction of affordable housing.

Betsy B. CarrDemocrat

Vacant buildings; registration by registered agents, etc., annually.

Vacant building registration; registered agents. Permits any locality to require, by ordinance, the owner, or his registered agent, of any building that has been continuously vacant for at least three years to register such building with the locality annually. The bill also allows the registered agent of an owner of any building that has been vacant for at least 12 months and (i) that meets the definition of "derelict building" in relevant law, (ii) that meets the definition of "criminal blight" in relevant law, or (iii) in which a locality has determined a person is living without the authority of the owner to file the registration forms required to be filed by the owner under current law. Finally, the bill provides that the registration forms shall include a requirement to provide the name and contact information for an owner required to register, or his registered agent.

Betsy B. CarrDemocrat

Repairs or maintenance of property; entering adjoining property, petition for entry.

Repairs or maintenance of property; entering adjoining property; petition for entry. Allows an owner of real property who seeks to repair or maintain the exterior of his property to petition the circuit court for a right of entry to an adjoining property for the purpose of performing the repairs or maintenance when the property is so situated that it is impossible to perform the repairs or maintenance without entering such adjoining property and permission to enter such adjoining property has been denied. The bill requires the petition and affidavits to contain specific information including the nature of the repairs and what efforts were made by the owner to obtain permission. The bill also provides that the petitioner shall be required to return the adjoining property to its previous condition and shall be liable to the adjoining owner or his lessee for actual damages occurring as a result of the entry. This bill is identical to SB 77.

Betsy B. CarrDemocrat

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Manufacturing Grant Fund; established.

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Manufacturing Grant Fund. Establishes the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Manufacturing Grant Fund to provide grant installment awards between July 1, 2026, and July 1, 2045, in an amount not to exceed $15 million per fiscal year and in an aggregate amount not to exceed $130 million, to a qualified company that (i) engages in the manufacture of pharmaceutical substances, (ii) executes a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth, and (iii) is expected to make a capital investment of at least $2,148,793,019 and create and maintain at least 468 new full-time jobs. This bill is identical to SB 404.

Luke E. TorianDemocrat

Power Transformer Manufacturing Grant Fund; created.

Power Transformer Manufacturing Grant Fund. Establishes the Power Transformer Manufacturing Grant Fund to provide grant installment awards between July 1, 2026, and July 1, 2035, in an amount not to exceed $4.6 million per fiscal year and in an aggregate amount not to exceed $29.4 million, to a qualified company that (i) engages in the manufacture of power transformers, (ii) executes a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth, and (iii) is expected to make a capital investment of at least $457,157,000 and create and maintain at least 825 new full-time jobs. This bill is identical to SB 403.

Luke E. TorianDemocrat

Virginia Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act; definitions, digital assets.

Virginia Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act; digital financial assets. Creates a statutory framework for the treatment and disposition of unclaimed intangible property in the form of digital assets, as defined in the bill.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Drug overdose and drug overdose deaths; VDH to develop plan for opioid overdose response.

Department of Health; reduction of opioid overdose and opioid overdose deaths; report. Directs the Department of Health to develop a strategic plan for opioid overdose response to reduce rates of drug overdose and drug overdose deaths in the Commonwealth and to provide a report on the status of such strategic plan and its implementation to the Governor, the Chairs of the House Committees on Appropriations and Health and Human Services and the Senate Committees on Education and Health and Finance and Appropriations, and the Joint Commission on Health Care by November 1, 2026, and annually thereafter. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care. This bill is identical to SB 308.

Atoosa R. ReaserDemocrat

Health insurance; requirements for certain opioid antagonists.

Health insurance; requirements for certain opioid antagonists. Requires each health insurer, corporation providing health care subscription plans, and health maintenance organization whose policy, contract, or plan includes coverage for prescription drugs to include coverage for at least one other opioid antagonist used for overdose reversal dispensed pursuant to an oral, written, or standing order of a prescriber and ensure that cost-sharing for at least one opioid antagonist used for overdose reversal is included on the lowest cost tier of the insurer's, corporation's, or health maintenance organization's prescription drug formulary. The bill provides that such coverage shall be exempt from any prior authorization or step therapy requirement on coverage of benefits. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care. This bill is identical to SB 257.

Atoosa R. ReaserDemocrat

Lexington, City of; amending charter, relating to city council, city attorney, etc.

Charter; City of Lexington. Amends the charter for the City of Lexington by deleting outdated provisions related to a formerly appointed school board and by updating or clarifying several other provisions of the charter.

Terry L. AustinRepublican

Vehicle crash reports; open to inspection by towing and recovery operators.

Vehicle crash reports; open to inspection by certain persons; towing and recovery operators. Makes certain vehicle crash reports open for inspection and available to towing and recovery operators that responded to a public safety towing request for the removal of a vehicle involved in such crash for purposes of obtaining registered owner information and insurance information for any such vehicle. The bill prohibits the dissemination of any such crash report received by such a towing and recovery operator to any other party.

Terry L. AustinRepublican

Hotel policies; denial of guests residing within certain distance prohibited in certain instances.

Hotel policies; denial of guests residing within certain distance prohibited in certain instances. Prohibits a hotel from enforcing a policy denying the ability of a guest to stay at such hotel solely on the grounds that such guest's primary residence is located within a certain distance of such hotel if such guest is seeking to stay for his health or safety.

Terry L. AustinRepublican

Constitutional amendment; fundamental right to reproductive freedom(submitting to qualified voters).

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); fundamental right to reproductive freedom. Provides for a referendum at the November 3, 2026, election to approve or reject an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia relating to the right to make one's own decisions related to reproductive health care, including access to abortion. The amendment protects patients and their doctors and nurses from being punished for making such decisions. The amendment allows the state to place restrictions on access to abortion during the third trimester of pregnancy except when the patient's life or physical or mental health is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive. This bill is identical to SB 449.

Charniele L. HerringDemocrat

Zoning; development agreements in certain localities within Planning District 23 (Hampton Roads).

Zoning; development agreements in certain localities. Allows any locality within Planning District 23 with a population between 245,000 and 350,000 that has adopted a transfer of development rights ordinance to include provisions in its zoning ordinance that allow the governing body to enter into binding development agreements with owners of real property in the locality, so long as the property to be developed contains at least 1,000 acres or is located within (i) a receiving area of a transfer of development rights program and (ii) a tax increment financing district. Current law allows only New Kent County to include such provisions allowing for development agreements in its zoning ordinance.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Adult and Dislocated Worker funds; minimum allocation requirement waived.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Adult and Dislocated Worker funds; minimum allocation requirement waived. Authorizes the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement to waive the 40 percent allocation requirement of certain funding under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 for a local workforce development board that submits a request for a waiver and demonstrates that the board is unable to meet the requirement due to (i) a lack of available training providers in the local workforce development area, (ii) a lack of demand for training services among eligible participants, or (iii) other extraordinary circumstances. The bill requires the Department to develop and publish a process for the application and approval of such waivers.

Virgil ThorntonDemocrat

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 SB 650.

Charniele L. HerringDemocrat

Highland Wildlife Management Area; Dept. of Wildlife Resources to convey a non-exclusive easement.

Conveyance of easement. Authorizes the Department of Wildlife Resources to grant and convey an appurtenant and non-exclusive easement and right-of-way at the Highland Wildlife Management Area (the WMA) to A1 Land LLC to allow vehicular ingress and egress along Davis Run Road to access the grantee's property. The bill also authorizes the Department to accept a similar easement from A1 Land LLC to allow vehicular ingress and egress over the LLC's property to access the WMA.

Chris S. RunionRepublican

Public utilities; discounted water and sewer fees, Town of Hurt.

Public utilities; discounted water and sewer fees; Town of Hurt. Adds the Town of Hurt to those localities that may develop criteria for providing discounted water and sewer fees and charges for low-income, elderly, or disabled customers.

Eric R. ZehrRepublican

Medical marijuana; administration to terminally ill patients.

Medical cannabis; administration to terminally ill patients; report. Directs the Department of Health to promulgate regulations specifying that hospital staff may store, dispense, and administer cannabis oil when a patient has valid certification and exempts such staff from criminal penalties for possession of cannabis oil. The bill directs the Department of Health to convene a work group to discuss the implementation process for providing cannabis products to patients in medical care facilities and report on its discussion to the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2026. This bill incorporates HB 486. This bill is identical to SB 332.

Karen Keys-GamarraDemocrat

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan; consolidation of agricultural commitments.

Impaired waters clean-up plan report; consolidation of the agricultural commitments in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan annual report. Consolidates the report on the implementation of the Commonwealth's agricultural commitments in the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan into the impaired waters clean-up plan report submitted annually by the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources.

Chris S. RunionRepublican

Fertilizer and lime; amends provisions governing permit requirements.

Fertilizer and lime permit requirements. Amends the provisions governing the permit requirements for bulk lime materials to add a distributor who holds a valid license to distribute a regulated product, as defined in the bill, to the list of people who can sell bulk liming material. The bill also removes duplicative language relating to (i) when a permit expires, (ii) the cost of obtaining a permit, and (iii) the authority of the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to issue written notices and collect fees for failing to obtain a permit.

Chris S. RunionRepublican

Health insurance; required provisions regarding prior authorization for prescription drugs.

Health insurance; carrier contracts; required provisions regarding prior authorization for prescription drugs. Amends existing required provisions for health carrier contracts related to prior authorizations for prescription drugs. Current law requires that if prior authorization is approved for prescription drugs and such prescription drugs have been scheduled, provided, or delivered to the patient consistent with the authorization, health carriers may not revoke, limit, condition, modify, or restrict that authorization except in certain circumstances. The bill requires this limitation on carriers to apply for the duration of the authorization, which the bill requires to be a minimum of six months for initial authorizations and a minimum of 12 months for continued authorizations. The bill adds circumstances under which a prior authorization may be revoked, limited, conditioned, modified, or restricted by a carrier, including (i) a final action by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, other regulatory agencies, or the manufacturer communicating a patient efficacy issue that would affect the authorization and (ii) when additional safety and efficacy monitoring is clinically appropriate or recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, other regulatory agencies, or the manufacturer.

Michelle Lopes MaldonadoDemocrat

Physician assistants; authorization to practice without a practice agreement.

Physician assistants; authorization to practice without a practice agreement. Authorizes a physician assistant with at least three years of full-time clinical experience to practice without a practice agreement upon receipt of an attestation from a patient care team physician or patient care team podiatrist who provided collaboration and consultation to such physician assistant verifying the length and nature of the physician assistant's practice. The bill establishes methods for a physician assistant who is unable to obtain the required attestation to submit other evidence that the physician assistant meets the requirements to practice without a practice agreement and establishes a method for physician assistants who obtain licensure by endorsement to practice without a practice agreement if they meet the applicable requirements. The bill also establishes a scope of practice for physician assistants who practice without a practice agreement. The bill specifies that the effective date of the foregoing provisions are contingent upon the Board of Medicine adopting regulations to implement the bill's provisions and to establish processes for granting authorization to physician assistants to practice without a practice agreement.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Juvenile and domestic relations district courts; petitions for relief of care and custody.

Juvenile and domestic relations district courts; petitions for relief of care and custody; custodians. Allows the custodian of a child to file a petition for relief of the care and custody of such child in a juvenile and domestic relations district court. Current law only authorizes the parent or parents of a child to file such petition for relief of care and custody. The bill also requires the petitioning parent or custodian to cooperate with any services provided by a local department of social services during the initial investigation by such local department of social services after such petition for relief of care and custody has been filed. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Commission on Youth and is identical to SB 206.

Joshua G. ColeDemocrat

Agritourism purposes; Bd. of HCD to review regulations for temporary tents.

Board of Housing and Community Development; Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code; temporary tents used for agritourism purposes. Directs the Board of Housing and Community Development to review the relevant regulations of the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code and consider amending such regulations to allow temporary tents used for agritourism purposes to remain in place for up to 12 months on a single site. This bill is identical to SB 132.

James A. "Jay" LeftwichRepublican

Owner of a servient estate; reasonable rules of use for easement.

Owner of a servient estate; reasonable rules of use for easement. Provides that an owner of a servient estate upon which an easement lies may establish reasonable rules of use of such easement, including establishing a reasonable speed limit. The bill further provides that a servient estate owner may bring a civil action against someone in violation of such reasonable rules and may recover actual damages or $500, whichever is greater, and reasonable attorney fees and costs and may seek injunctive relief.

James A. "Jay" LeftwichRepublican

Health, State Board of; permanent pump and haul of sewage, agritourism

State Board of Health; permanent pump and haul of sewage; agritourism. Requires the State Board of Health to amend regulations to exempt in Planning District 23 the pumping and hauling of sewage associated with an agritourism activity from the prohibition on pumping and hauling sewage on a permanent basis unless done under the auspices and supervision of a government entity when the agritourism activity is unable to establish and maintain a connection to an existing sewer or onsite sewage system.

James A. "Jay" LeftwichRepublican