Bills & Legislation

Public schools; enrollment of certain military children with disabilities; provision of special education services and accommodations.

Public schools; enrollment of certain military children with disabilities; provision of special education services and accommodations. Provides that whenever a child of a service member who enrolls in a school division in accordance with applicable law is also a child with disabilities, the school board of the school division is required to, upon receipt of documentation from the service member parent or an official letter from the service member's command indicating such service member's relocation to such school division, coordinate with such child's parent and such child's previous school division to facilitate the prompt provision of comparable special education services and accommodations for such child.

Briana D. SewellDemocrat

Zoning violations; appeals, fines.

Zoning violations; appeals; fines. Provides that a zoning ordinance may prescribe an appeal period of less than 30 days but not less than 10 days for a notice of violation involving the storage or disposal of nonagricultural excavation material, waste, and debris. The bill also provides for enhanced fines for any conviction resulting from a violation of provisions regulating the storage or disposal of nonagricultural excavation material, waste, and debris.

Bryce E. ReevesRepublican

Deputy Hunter D. Reedy Memorial Bridge; designating as bridge on Adwolfe Rd., etc. over I-81.

Deputy Hunter D. Reedy Memorial Bridge. Designates the bridge on Adwolfe Road and U.S. Route 11/State Route 660 over Interstate 81 in Smyth County the "Deputy Hunter D. Reedy Memorial Bridge." This bill is identical to HB 1853.

T. Travis HackworthRepublican

Closure of the U.S. government; civil relief for furloughed employees and contractors.

Military and emergency laws; closure of United States government; civil relief for furloughed employees and contractors; emergency. Extends from 30 days to 60 days the stay of a foreclosure proceeding on any mortgage or the execution of or sale under any deed of trust for any (i) homeowner who defaults on a note that is secured by a one-family to four-family residential property or (ii) owner who rents a one-family to four-family residential dwelling unit who defaults on a note that is secured by such property after the commencement of a closure of the United States government. The bill also removes from the definition of "closure of the United States government" the requirement that such closure be for a period of 14 consecutive days or longer. The bill contains an emergency clause.

Aaron R. RouseDemocrat

Health insurance; cost sharing for breast examinations.

Health insurance; cost sharing for breast examinations. Prohibits health insurance carriers from imposing cost sharing for diagnostic breast examinations and supplemental breast examinations, as those terms are defined in the bill, under certain insurance policies, subscription contracts, and health care plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in the Commonwealth on and after January 1, 2026. The bill provides that such examinations include examinations using diagnostic mammography, breast magnetic resonance imaging, or breast ultrasound. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Health Insurance Reform Commission. This bill incorporates SB 1238 and is identical to HB 1828.

Russet PerryDemocrat

Charter; City of Norfolk.

Charter; City of Norfolk. Amends the charter for the City of Norfolk to exempt the position of deputy fire chief from the classified service. This bill is identical to SB 987.

Alex Q. AskewDemocrat

High-risk pregnant patients; remote patient monitoring services available to patients.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; remote patient monitoring; high-risk pregnant patients. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to amend its regulations, guidance, and provider manuals to clarify that remote patient monitoring services for high-risk pregnant patients include pregnant patients with maternal diabetes and maternal hypertension. The bill requires the Department to submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2025, on the number of persons receiving remote patient monitoring services for maternal diabetes and maternal hypertension and the cost of providing such services.

Amy J. LauferDemocrat

Health regulatory boards; regulations, licensure by endorsement.

Department of Health Professions; health regulatory boards; regulations; licensure by endorsement. Directs each health regulatory board regulated by the Department of Health Professions to enact regulations to provide a licensure by endorsement pathway for qualified applicants as practitioners of the particular profession or professions regulated by such board. The bill specifies that the Board of Medicine shall be the first health regulatory board to enact regulations to provide a licensure by endorsement pathway. This bill is identical to HB 1861.

Tara A. DurantRepublican

WIC applications; DH to provide information to food banks regarding providing assistance.

Department of Health; WIC applications; information. Directs the Department of Health to provide information, resources, and education to food banks regarding providing assistance to individuals completing a Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) application.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

Board of Education; support services personnel; annual collection of certain staffing data required; report.

Board of Education; support services personnel; annual collection of certain staffing data required; report. Requires (i) each school board to, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, annually collect and submit to the Department of Education a report on data on the average salaries of support services personnel, as that term is defined in the bill, employed by the school board and (ii) the Department to, beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, annually compile such data, include it in the Annual School Report, and publicly post it on the Department's website. The bill requires each school board and the Department to disaggregate the data by career categories of support services personnel and specialized student support personnel as set forth in applicable law. This bill is identical to SB 968.

Alex Q. AskewDemocrat

Local officers; oath of office.

Local officers; oath of office. Provides that, notwithstanding the provisions of any local government charter, or any other provision of law, every elected county, city, town and district officer, on or before the day on which his term of office begins, shall qualify by taking the oath prescribed by general law. Current law allows a local government charter to prescribe a different procedure for taking the oath. This bill is identical to HB 2628.

Angelia Williams GravesDemocrat

Affordable dwelling unit program; adds City of Falls Church to list.

Affordable dwelling unit program; City of Falls Church. Adds the City of Falls Church to the list of localities with authority to provide for an affordable dwelling unit program. This bill is identical to HB 2137.

Saddam Azlan SalimDemocrat

Mineral Mine Safety Act; definition of "surface mineral mine," use of cyanide or cyanide compound.

Mineral Mine Safety Act; definition of "surface mineral mine"; mine inspectors; certificate renewal; use of cyanide or cyanide compound. Amends the definition of "surface mineral mine" in the Mineral Mine Safety Act to exclude excavation or grading when conducted solely in aid of onsite farming or construction and under certain conditions enumerated in the bill. The bill amends the definition of "mining" in existing law, relating to the exemption from permits for a mining operation, to extend the required completion time from six months to one year for excavation or grading conducted to construct or expand a farm pond for agricultural irrigation or provision of water for livestock. The bill also amends the qualification requirements for mineral mine inspectors, removes references to the defunct Board of Mineral Mining Examiners, and prohibits the issuance of any permit for a mineral mining or processing operation that includes the use of cyanide or a cyanide compound. This bill is identical to SB 969.

Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.Republican

Public schools; guidelines and policies on student-athlete extreme heat safety and protection.

Public schools; interscholastic sports and athletics; guidelines and policies on student-athlete extreme heat safety and protection; development and implementation. Requires the Board of Education to develop, biennially review and update as necessary, and distribute to each local school division guidelines on policies relating to extreme heat safety and protection for student-athletes. The bill requires each school board to develop and update, in accordance with the guidelines developed by the Board of Education, policies on student-athlete extreme heat safety and protection that (i) are consistent with any heat guidelines based on Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) levels developed by an organization or entity whose purpose it is to regulate or govern interscholastic athletics programs in the Commonwealth; (ii) establish tiered heat-acclimatization and modification procedures for outdoor athletics practices or games based on the WBGT levels to reduce the risks associated with extreme heat faced by student-athletes; (iii) require student-athletes to be given unhindered access to hydration at all times; (iv) include procedures relating to preventing, recognizing, and addressing heat-related illnesses; and (v) establish a process for reporting and investigating any instance in which a student-athlete experiences a heat-related illness requiring emergency medical treatment or resulting in death. This bill is identical to SB 1104.

Michael J. JonesDemocrat

Synthetic digital content; definition, penalty, report, effective clause.

Synthetic digital content; penalty; work group. Expands the applicability of provisions related to defamation, slander, and libel to include synthetic digital content, defined in the bill. The bill makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to use any synthetic digital content for the purpose of committing any criminal offense involving fraud, constituting a separate and distinct offense with punishment separate and apart from any punishment received for the commission of the primary criminal offense. The bill also authorizes the individual depicted in the synthetic digital content to bring a civil action against the person who violates such prohibition to recover actual damages, reasonable attorney fees, and such other relief as the court determines to be appropriate. The bill directs the Attorney General to convene a work group to study and make recommendations on the current enforcement of laws related to the use of synthetic digital content, including deepfakes, and any further action needed to address the issue of such use in fraudulent acts. The substantive provisions of the bill do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2026 Session of the General Assembly and the provisions directing the Attorney General to convene a work group become effective in due course. This bill is identical to SB 1053.

Michelle Lopes MaldonadoDemocrat

Opioid antagonists; dispensing and administration by person acting on behalf of an organization.

Opioid antagonists; dispensing and administration by person acting on behalf of an organization. Permits persons acting on behalf of an organization that provides services to individuals at risk of experiencing an opioid overdose or training in the administration of naloxone or other opioid antagonists to dispense other opioid antagonists. The bill also allows persons to whom other opioid antagonists are dispensed to possess and administer such opioid antagonists. Under current law, persons acting on behalf of such organizations may only dispense naloxone. This bill is identical to SB 1035.

Patrick A. HopeDemocrat

Eviction Diversion Pilot Program; name change, expiration repealed.

Eviction Diversion Pilot Program; name change; general application; expiration repealed. Renames the Eviction Diversion Pilot Program as the Eviction Diversion Program, removes the July 1, 2025, expiration date from the Program, and makes the Program available to all general district courts. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Housing Commission. This bill is identical to SB 830.

Adele Y. McClureDemocrat

Affordable dwelling unit program; City of Falls Church.

Affordable dwelling unit program; City of Falls Church. Adds the City of Falls Church to the list of localities with authority to provide for an affordable dwelling unit program. This bill is identical to SB 1011.

Marcus B. SimonDemocrat

Unclaimed property presumed abandoned; Vol. Firefighters'/Rescue Squad Workers' Service Award Fund.

Certain unclaimed property presumed abandoned; Volunteer Firefighters' and Rescue Squad Workers' Service Award Fund. Provides that any funds or other property held or payable to a member of the Volunteer Firefighters' and Rescue Squad Workers' Service Award Fund that have remained unclaimed for more than five years after such member's forfeiture of his membership or the dissolution of a volunteer emergency medical services agency or volunteer fire department shall be presumed abandoned for the purposes of the Virginia Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act.

Christie New CraigRepublican

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; public body's FOIA officer training.

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; FOIA officer training. Provides that any legal counsel for a public body who is also designated as the public body's Freedom of Information Act officer (FOIA officer) shall complete a training session or online course offered or approved by the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council.

Betsy B. CarrDemocrat

Architects; alternative to education requirement for licensure.

Professions and occupations; alternative to education requirement for licensure of architects. Requires the Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers and Landscape Architects to adopt regulations establishing work and education experience equivalencies that shall provide an alternative to the requirement of a professional degree in architecture from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board. The bill also requires the Board to adopt regulations establishing a credit system to account for varying degrees of work and education experience and to develop requirements for applicants seeking licensure to certify work and education experience on an annual basis. The bill requires the Board to evaluate any past work or education experience of any applicant under this bill until July 1, 2028. This bill is identical to SB 1310.

Betsy B. CarrDemocrat

Legal duty; action for damages for legal malpractice concerning estate planning.

Legal duty; action for damages for legal malpractice concerning estate planning; third parties to an attorney-client contract. Provides that an attorney does not owe a legal duty to a person other than the client for the purpose of the client's estate planning, including the provision of legal advice or the preparation of legal documents, unless the client and attorney enter into a signed, written agreement expressly allowing for such. The bill provides that its provisions are declarative of existing law. The bill also repeals the provisions under current law that specify the statute of limitations for legal malpractice actions relating to contracts for legal services concerning estate planning and the tolling of such statute of limitations. This bill is a recommendation of the Boyd-Graves Conference and is identical to SB 1115.

Nadarius E. ClarkDemocrat

Unmanned aircraft systems; use by public bodies, certain employees.

Use of unmanned aircraft systems by public bodies; employees. Allows a law-enforcement officer or an employee of a law-enforcement agency to deploy an unmanned aircraft system without a warrant (i) following an accident where a report is required pursuant to relevant law to survey the scene of such accident for the purpose of crash reconstruction and record the scene by photographic or video images or (ii) to (a) aerially survey a primary residence of the subject of the arrest warrant to formulate a plan to execute an existing arrest warrant or capias for a felony offense or (b) locate a person sought for arrest when such person has fled from a law-enforcement officer and a law-enforcement officer remains in hot pursuit of such person. Current law allows a law-enforcement officer to operate an unmanned aircraft system under such conditions. The bill also permits a law-enforcement officer to deploy an unmanned aircraft system without a warrant where such officer is investigating unmanned aircraft systems surrounding or over property of the federal or state government, public critical infrastructure, or nongovernment-operated prison or jail facilities.

Wendell S. WalkerRepublican

Workers' compensation; presumption as to death or disability from throat cancer.

Workers' compensation; throat cancer. Provides that for the purposes of the workers' compensation presumption as to death or disability from certain types of cancer, throat cancer includes cancer that forms in the tissues of the pharynx, larynx, adenoid, tonsil, esophagus, trachea, nasopharynx, oropharynx, or hypopharynx. This bill applies only to diseases diagnosed on or after July 1, 2025. This bill is identical to HB 1933.

Saddam Azlan SalimDemocrat

Students who need or use augmentative and alternative communication; documentation of needs.

Students who need or use augmentative and alternative communication; documentation of needs on individualized education program; staff training. Requires each school division to document on the individualized education program of a student with a disability who needs or uses augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) such student's AAC and communication access and support needs prior to the provision of instruction or support to such student, including any extended school year period. The bill defines AAC as any method or tool other than oral speech that an individual uses to communicate, including gestures, facial expressions, writing, and speech-generating devices. The bill also requires each school division to provide to each employee or contractor who provides instruction or direct support to a student with a disability who needs or uses an AAC individualized training as an assistive technology to support the student's use of AAC and to ensure that access to curricula and instruction is designed or adapted as necessary to accommodate the student's unique communication access needs. The bill also establishes a timeline for such training based on certain circumstances. This bill is identical to SB 1034.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

Trailer franchise requirements; applicability to certain trailers, definitions.

Trailer franchise requirements; applicability to certain trailers. Changes the applicability of trailer franchise requirements to only apply to new trailers with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 30,000 pounds. This bill is identical to SB 1004.

Karrie K. DelaneyDemocrat

Hospitals; reports of threats or acts of violence against health care providers.

Hospitals; reports of threats or acts of violence against health care providers. Requires hospitals in the Commonwealth to establish a workplace violence incident reporting system to document, track, and analyze any incident of workplace violence reported. The bill requires each hospital to (i) report the data collected via the reporting system to the chief medical officer and the chief nursing officer of such hospital on, at minimum, a quarterly basis and (ii) send a report to the Department of Health on an annual basis that includes, at a minimum, the number of incidents of workplace violence voluntarily reported by an employee. The bill also requires the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, in collaboration with the Department of Criminal Justice Services, to convene a stakeholder work group for the purpose of making recommendations on the workplace violence system and policies adopted pursuant to the bill. This bill is identical to SB 1260.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fee disclosure statement.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fee disclosure statement. Requires landlords subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to include on the first page of a written rental agreement an itemization of all charges to the tenant that comprises (i) the security deposit, (ii) the amount of rent due per payment period pursuant to the lease period, and (iii) any additional one-time charges due prior to the commencement date of the rental agreement or that will be included in the first rental payment. Current law requires such landlords to provide a description of any rent and fees to be charged to the tenant in addition to the periodic rent. The bill also requires that such rental agreement contain the following statement immediately above such itemized list: "No additional security deposits or rent shall be charged unless they are listed below or incorporated into this agreement by way of a separate addendum after execution of this rental agreement." The bill applies to rental agreements that are entered into, extended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2025.

Marcus B. SimonDemocrat

Virtual or online learning; development of guidelines and information, public health emergencies.

Department of Education; development of guidelines and information relating to virtual or online learning; public health emergencies. Provides for the Department of Education to develop and post on its official website guidelines and information relating to virtual or online learning. Such guidelines and information shall include (i) statewide policies relating to virtual learning, (ii) the availability of online or virtual learning options and pertinent information on such options, and (iii) guidelines for educators and schools relating to online or virtual learning policies and best practices. In addition, the bill requires each K-12 school in the Commonwealth to include as a component of its annual safety audit a review of the school's plan for school closures during public health emergencies. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee to Study Pandemic Response and Preparedness in the Commonwealth and is identical to SB 1380.

Rozia A. Henson, Jr.Democrat

Electric cooperative subsidiaries; customers exceeding 90 megawatts demand.

Electric cooperative subsidiaries; customers exceeding 90 megawatts demand. Permits electric cooperatives, through one or more of their affiliates, to make unregulated sales of electric power to certain customers that contract for electric utility services to serve a demand that is reasonably expected to exceed 90 megawatts. This bill is identical to SB 1197.

Mark D. SicklesDemocrat

Board of Health; Department of Health Professions; Prescription Monitoring Program; overdose information.

Board of Health; Department of Health Professions; Prescription Monitoring Program; overdose information. Directs the Board of Health to report patient level data on patients who overdose on opioids to the Department of Health Professions for use in the Prescription Monitoring Program. The bill requires practitioners to obtain such data when prescribing opioids.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

Va. Forensic Nursing Advisory Council; established.

Virginia Forensic Nursing Advisory Council established; sexual assault forensic examiners; physical evidence recovery kits; report. Establishes the Virginia Forensic Nursing Advisory Council (the Council), which consists of five members appointed by the Governor, each of whom shall have expertise in forensic examination of sexual assault victims and shall currently reside and practice in the Commonwealth. The Council shall review and make recommendations as necessary to the Board of Health with support from the Coordinator of the Virginia Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Coordination Program concerning (i) criteria to become a sexual assault forensic examiner, (ii) the process for certification as a sexual assault forensic examiner, (iii) the curriculum and training program of an entity seeking approval to train sexual assault forensic examiners, (iv) qualifications of prospective sexual assault forensic examiners, and (v) strategies for expanding access to sexual assault forensic examiners. The bill requires the Council to report, at least annually, to the General Assembly regarding the status of sexual assault forensics in the Commonwealth, including any recommendations to improve the quality of such services. The bill also amends provisions of law related to physical evidence recovery kits. This bill is identical to SB 1041.

Irene ShinDemocrat

Certified nurse midwives, licensed certified midwives, etc.; coverage for nursery services.

Department of Health; coverage for nursery services; certified nurse midwives; licensed certified midwives; pediatric nurse practitioners. Directs the Department of Health to amend its regulations on coverage for nursery services to (i) allow certified nurse midwives, licensed certified midwives, or pediatric nurse practitioners with pediatric privileges and a neonatal resuscitation certification from the American Academy of Pediatrics, including endotracheal intubation training, to be on the 24-hour on-call duty roster for nursery care if a physician is not available and (ii) permit physicians to provide consultation via telehealth when a certified nurse midwife, licensed certified midwife, or pediatric nurse practitioner is providing coverage for the 24-hour on-call duty roster and a physician is incapable of arriving on site within 30 minutes of notification.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

Foreign protective orders in cases of family abuse; enforcement.

Foreign protective orders in cases of family abuse; enforcement. Clarifies that the same criminal penalty applies for any person who violates the provisions of a foreign protective order in a case of family abuse that is accorded full faith and credit and is enforceable in the Commonwealth as if it were an order of the Commonwealth. This bill is a recommendation of the Judicial Council of Virginia and is identical to SB 1095.

Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.Democrat

Information Technology Access Act; digital accessibility, definitions, procurement requirements.

Information Technology Access Act; digital accessibility. Makes numerous organizational changes to the Information Technology Access Act. The bill defines "information and communications technology" as it relates to digital accessibility, defined in the bill, for all persons with disabilities. The bill permits the head of each covered entity, defined in the bill, to designate an employee to serve as such covered entity's digital accessibility coordinator and provides that such digital accessibility coordinator is responsible for developing and implementing such covered entity's digital accessibility policy. The bill has delayed effective dates of April 24, 2026, and April 26, 2027, for specific covered entities according to population size.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

Court of Appeals; procedure on appeal; criminal cases.

Court of Appeals; procedure on appeal; criminal cases. Removes the requirement that a copy of a notice of appeal to the Court of Appeals in a criminal case be mailed or delivered to the Attorney General. This bill is identical to HB 1553.

Richard H. StuartRepublican

Elections; prohibited activities, distribution of referendum materials.

Elections; prohibited activities; distribution of referendum materials. Adds "referendum" to the description of materials that are prohibited from being distributed within certain areas while voting and registration activities are being conducted.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

Surveillance technology; reporting by state/local law-enforcement agencies & sheriff's departments.

Surveillance technology reporting by state and local law-enforcement agencies and sheriff's departments. Adds any third-party service or third-party subscription that allows access to any form of surveillance technology or the data therefrom to the list of what is included in the definition of surveillance technology used in the provisions requiring all state and local law-enforcement agencies and sheriff's departments to annually provide to the Department of Criminal Justice Services a list of all surveillance technologies used, accessed, or procured by such agencies and departments. The bill specifies that such list of surveillance technologies shall include (i) all surveillance technologies used, accessed, or procured where the agency or department is the owner, user, or licensee and (ii) all surveillance technologies used or accessed where the owner or licensee is a separate law-enforcement agency, sheriff's department, government agency or department, or private business, entity, or individual. The bill also clarifies that the Department shall provide such information to the Virginia State Crime Commission and the Joint Commission on Technology and Science by December 1 of each year. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia State Crime Commission.

Sam RasoulDemocrat

Student health and safety; responsibility to contact parent of student at imminent risk of suicide.

Student health and safety; responsibility to contact parent of student at imminent risk of suicide; provision of suicide prevention materials required. Requires any person licensed as administrative or instructional personnel by the Board of Education (the Board) and employed by a local school board who in the scope of his employment has reason to believe, as a result of direct communication from a student, that such student is at imminent risk of suicide to, in addition to contacting at least one of such student's parents to provide notice of the student's mental state, provide to the parent materials on suicide prevention that (i) shall include information on the requirements set forth in current law relating to the safe storage of firearms in the presence of minors and (ii) may include guidance on best practices and strategies for limiting a student's access to lethal means, including firearms and medications. The bill requires any such materials on suicide prevention to be selected in accordance with the guidelines developed by the Board pursuant to applicable law and to include materials that have been pre-approved for such use by the Board.

Atoosa R. ReaserDemocrat

Va. Residential Landlord & Tenant Act; terms and conditions of rental agreement, renewal notice.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; terms and conditions of rental agreement; renewal notice. Provides that a landlord who owns more than four rental dwelling units or more than a 10 percent interest in more than four rental dwelling units, whether individually or through a business entity, in the Commonwealth shall be required to provide written notice of nonrenewal to any tenant. This bill is identical to SB 1043.

Adele Y. McClureDemocrat

Campaign finance; prohibited personal use of campaign funds, etc.

Campaign finance; prohibited personal use of campaign funds; complaints, hearings, civil penalty, and advisory opinions. Prohibits any person from converting contributions to a candidate or his campaign committee for personal use. Current law only prohibits such conversion of contributions with regard to disbursement of surplus funds at the dissolution of a campaign or political committee. The bill provides that a contribution is considered to have been converted to personal use if the contribution, in whole or in part, is used to fulfill any commitment, obligation, or expense that would exist irrespective of the person's seeking, holding, or maintaining public office but allows a contribution to be used for the ordinary and accepted expenses related to campaigning for or holding elective office, including the use of campaign funds to pay for the candidate's dependent care expenses that are incurred as a direct result of campaign activity. The bill provides that any person subject to the personal use ban may request an advisory opinion from the State Board of Elections on such matters. The foregoing provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. The bill directs the State Board of Elections to adopt emergency regulations similar to those promulgated by the Federal Election Commission to implement the provisions of the bill and to publish an updated summary of Virginia campaign finance law that reflects the State Board of Elections' and Attorney General's guidance on the provisions of such law that prohibit the personal use of campaign funds and any new regulations promulgated by the State Board of Elections. This bill incorporates HB 1686 and is identical to SB 1002.

Joshua G. ColeDemocrat

Certificate of public need; task force to develop recommendation for expedited application & review.

Certificate of public need; expedited application and review; medical deserts. Instructs the State Health Commissioner to direct the State Health Services Plan Task Force to develop recommendations for establishing an expedited application and review process for projects requiring a certificate of public need in medical deserts. This bill is identical to HB 2119.

Christopher T. HeadRepublican

Hunter education program personnel; Board of Wildlife Resources to staff.

Hunter education program personnel. Requires the Board of Wildlife Resources to staff the hunter education program with appropriate personnel to ensure that hunter education, training, workshops, and volunteer management are carried out across the Commonwealth. Currently, the Board is required to establish at least one full-time hunter education coordinator position for each Department of Wildlife Resources administrative region, and each coordinator is assigned to a conservation police officer district and has the responsibility for providing hunter education training throughout his administrative region.

Tammy Brankley MulchiRepublican

Motor vehicle dealers; recall and warranty costs, right of first refusal.

Motor vehicle dealers; recall and warranty costs; right of first refusal. Clarifies various requirements for the reimbursement of motor vehicle dealers for costs related to vehicle recalls and warranties. The bill also clarifies the timeline for a manufacturer or distributor to notify a dealer that it is exercising its right of first refusal related to the sale or transfer of a dealership. This bill is identical to SB 1308.

Briana D. SewellDemocrat

Restraints on juveniles; use in court prohibited, exceptions.

Use of restraints on juveniles in court prohibited; exceptions. Prohibits the use of instruments of restraint, as defined in the bill, on a juvenile appearing before the juvenile and domestic relations district court unless, upon motion of the attorney for the Commonwealth or on the court's own motion sua sponte, the court makes a finding that (i) the use of such restraints is necessary (a) to prevent physical harm to such juvenile or another person, (b) because such juvenile has a history of disruptive courtroom behavior that has placed others in potentially harmful situations or presents a substantial threat of serious harm to himself or others as evidenced by recent behavior, or (c) because such juvenile presents a substantial risk of flight from the courtroom and (ii) there are no less restrictive alternatives to such restraints that will prevent flight of or harm to such juvenile or another person, including court personnel or law-enforcement officers. The bill provides that the juvenile shall be entitled to an attorney prior to a hearing on the use of instruments of restraint. The bill also requires the court to provide the juvenile's attorney an opportunity to be heard before the court orders the use of instruments of restraint, and the juvenile's attorney may waive the juvenile's appearance at such hearing. Lastly, the bill requires the court, if such restraints are ordered, to communicate to the parties the basis of the decision either orally or in writing. This bill is identical to HB 2222.

Lamont BagbyDemocrat

Student & campus safety; opioid antagonist administration training for resident assistants required.

Public institutions of higher education; student and campus safety; training in opioid antagonist administration for resident assistants required. Requires each resident assistant in a student housing facility at a public institution of higher education to complete, prior to the commencement of his duties, training in the administration of an opioid antagonist to any student, faculty, or staff member who is believed to be experiencing or about to experience a life-threatening opioid overdose. The bill requires each public institution of higher education to adopt policies and procedures relating to the administration of an opioid antagonist by each resident assistant, including policies and procedures (i) requiring each resident assistant to complete such training pursuant to the provisions of the bill and (ii) arranging for the provision of such opioid antagonist administration training.

Lamont BagbyDemocrat

Physician assistants; Department of Health Professions to study expansion of scope of practice.

Study; Department of Health Professions; expanding scope of practice for physician assistants; report. Directs the Department of Health Professions to conduct a study on expansion of the scope of practice for physician assistants in the Commonwealth as a means to increase autonomy in the profession. In addition to reviewing the education and training requirements for physician assistants in the Commonwealth and the other states, the study includes an analysis of the costs and benefits to patients of increased autonomy for physician assistants. The Department is directed to submit a report with its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2025.

Rozia A. Henson, Jr.Democrat

Relief; Merritt, Gilbert, III, compensation for wrongful incarceration.

Claims; Gilbert Merritt III; compensation for wrongful incarceration. Grants relief in an amount to be appropriated to Gilbert Merritt III, who was wrongly convicted of and subsequently incarcerated for first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.Democrat