Bills & Legislation

Department of Health Professions; 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 SB 1438.

Marcia S. "Cia" PriceDemocrat

Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund; loan and grant program, eligible recipients.

Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund; loan and grant program; eligible recipients; federally recognized tribes; Virginia recognized tribes. Expands the type of eligible recipients for loans and grants from the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund to include federally recognized tribes and Virginia recognized tribes. Under current law, only localities are eligible to receive loans or grants from the Fund. This bill is identical to HB 2077.

David W. MarsdenDemocrat

Real estate brokers and salespersons; duties, licensees engaged by buyers.

Real estate brokers and salespersons; licensees engaged by buyers. Repeals the provision providing that, notwithstanding any other provision of law requiring written brokerage agreements or governing the duties of licensees, nothing shall be construed to require that a written agreement between a licensee and a prospective buyer or tenant be executed prior to the licensee's showing properties to the prospective buyer. The bill also provides that a licensee engaged by a seller or landlord shall not be required to show property to a prospective buyer when such showing is conducted pursuant to and in accordance with a brokerage agreement entered into with a seller or landlord client. This bill is identical to SB 1309.

Briana D. SewellDemocrat

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 SB 1428.

Jonathan "Jed" ArnoldRepublican

Controlled substances; prohibited equipment related to manufacturing, selling, etc., penalties.

Prohibited equipment related to manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance; penalties. Exempts permitted outsourcing facilities and pharmacies from the prohibition for any person to possess, purchase, sell, give, distribute, or possess with intent to sell, give, or distribute an encapsulating machine or a tableting machine that manufactures, compounds, converts, produces, processes, prepares, or otherwise introduces into the human body a controlled substance. Current law exempts permitted manufacturers.

H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.Republican

DMAS; application for medical assistance, eligibility for Medicaid Works.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; application for medical assistance; eligibility for Medicaid Works. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to seek the necessary approvals from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to amend its application for medical assistance to gather all necessary information to determine an applicant's eligibility for the Medicaid Works program.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Pregnant qualified individuals; Va. Health Benefit Exchange to establish special enrollment period.

Virginia Health Benefit Exchange; special enrollment period for pregnancy. Requires the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange to establish by January 1, 2026, a special enrollment period for a pregnant qualified individual to enroll in a qualified health plan at any time after the commencement of the pregnancy.

Irene ShinDemocrat

Women's Health, Commission on; established, report.

Commission on Women's Health established; report. Establishes the Commission on Women's Health as a permanent commission in the legislative branch of state government for the purpose of studying and making recommendations on issues related to women's and maternal health. The Commission consists of 15 members, 10 of whom are legislative members and five of whom are nonlegislative citizen members with significant experience or expertise in women's or maternal health policy.

Candi Mundon KingDemocrat

Real property tax; assessment of affordable rental housing.

Real property tax; assessment of affordable rental housing. Directs the Department of Taxation to develop a uniform income and expense reporting form that may be provided by duly authorized assessors and completed by the owners of affordable rental housing properties prior to assessment of such affordable rental housing properties. The bill provides that the duly authorized real estate assessor charged with determining the fair market value of affordable rental housing shall use the income approach when such housing generates income unless certain information is not provided by the property owner. The bill specifies that the foregoing provisions shall become effective for assessments beginning on or after January 1, 2026. Finally, the bill directs the Department to develop, in consultation with a stakeholder group, the uniform income and expense reporting form no later than September 1, 2025, and directs the Department to provide by November 1, 2025, a letter to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the House Committee on Finance with an update on the development of such form and implementation of training for assessing officials and contracted assessors on the assessment of affordable rental housing.

Katrina CallsenDemocrat

Optometry; dissolves TPA-Formulary and TPA-Formulary Committee.

Optometry; TPA-Formulary; TPA-Formulary Committee; dissolution. Dissolves the TPA-Formulary and the TPA-Formulary Committee. The TPA-Formulary is the list of the therapeutic pharmaceutical agents that a TPA-certified optometrist may prescribe. The TPA-Formulary Committee provides recommendations to the Board of Pharmacy regarding the therapeutic pharmaceutical agents to include on the TPA-Formulary for the treatment of diseases and abnormal conditions of the eye and its adnexa by TPA-certified optometrists. This bill is identical to HB 1898.

Ghazala F. HashmiDemocrat

Therapeutic interchange; Bd. of Pharmacy to convene work group to review authority of pharmacists.

Board of Pharmacy; therapeutic interchange; work group; report. Directs the Board of Pharmacy to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to review the current authority of pharmacists to initiate therapeutic interchange and make recommendations to streamline and modernize the therapeutic interchange process in the Commonwealth. The bill also directs the work group to submit a report to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 15, 2025.

Barbara A. FavolaDemocrat

Bd. of Psychology, et al., to study education, training, etc.

Board of Psychology; prescriptive authority for clinical psychologists work group; report. Directs the Boards of Psychology and Medicine to jointly convene a work group with stakeholders to study the education, training, and qualifications of clinical psychologists licensed in the Commonwealth and assess under what conditions it may be appropriate for clinical psychologists to be granted prescriptive authority. The bill requires the work group to report its findings to the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2025.

Barbara A. FavolaDemocrat

Consumer Protection Act; prohibited practices, etc., reproductive or sexual health information.

Virginia Consumer Protection Act; prohibited practices; obtaining, disclosing, etc., reproductive or sexual health information without consumer consent. Provides that obtaining, disclosing, selling, or disseminating personally identifiable reproductive or sexual health information, as defined in the bill, without the consent of the consumer is a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.

Barbara A. FavolaDemocrat

Trespass with an unmanned aircraft system; contracted defense facility, penalty.

Trespass with an unmanned aircraft system; contracted defense facility; penalty. Creates a Class 4 felony for any person who knowingly, intentionally, and without authorization causes an unmanned aircraft system to enter the property of and obtains or attempts to obtain any videographic or still image that contains or reveals any controlled technical information located within a contracted defense facility, as those terms are defined in the bill. The bill also provides that the owner or operator of a contracted defense facility and its employees shall be immune from criminal prosecution and civil liability as a result of preventing, stopping, deterring, interrupting, or repelling, or attempting to prevent, stop, deter, interrupt, or repel, an unmanned aircraft system from entering the property of such contracted defense facility or from stopping, interrupting, or repelling, or attempting to stop, interrupt, or repel, an unmanned aircraft system that has entered such property, provided that such action does not result in injury to any person. This bill is identical to HB 1726.

Mamie E. LockeDemocrat

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 HB 1781.

Emily M. JordanRepublican

Transportation Trust Fund; extends limitation on personal liability for loss in investments.

Transportation Trust Fund; investments; personal liability. Extends the limitation on personal liability for loss in investments from moneys in the Transportation Trust Fund to an individual's actions taken while serving on or employed by certain entities, even if such individual no longer serves on or is employed by any such entity. The bill also applies such limitation on personal liability for loss in investments to members and employees of the Central Virginia Transportation Authority. This bill is identical to SB 1250.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Va. Criminal Sentencing Commission; use of Virginia crime code in documents for jailable offenses.

Use of Virginia crime code in documents for jailable offenses; Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission. Provides that the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission shall develop, maintain, and modify the Virginia crime codes used in documents for jailable offenses as may be deemed necessary. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Children's Services Act; changes to state pool of funds.

Children's Services Act; state pool of funds. Makes a number of changes to the Children's Services Act state pool of funds for the provision of public or private nonresidential or residential services for troubled youth and families, including (i) removing from the purpose of the state pool of funds the consolidation of categorical agency funding and the institution of community responsibility for the provision of services; (ii) removing language specifying that references to funding sources and current placement authority for the target population served by the state pool of funds are for the purpose of accounting for the funds and should not be intended to categorize children and youth into funding streams in order to access services; (iii) modifying the target population served by the state pool of funds by (a) removing references to the Department of Education's private tuition assistance and the Interagency Assistance Fund for Noneducational Placement for Handicapped Children and (b) adding children and youth who are determined to be a child in need of services, as such term is defined in relevant law; (iv) removing the requirement that the financial and legal responsibility for certain special education services remains with the placing jurisdiction, unless the placing jurisdiction has transitioned all appropriate services; (v) requiring that the uniform assessment instrument used to determine eligibility for funding through the state pool of funds be approved by the State Executive Council for Children's Services; and (vi) modifying the eligibility criteria for funding through the state pool of funds by adding language that (a) specifies that the child or youth's emotional or behavioral problems have resulted in the child or youth, or place the child or youth at imminent risk of, entering purchased residential care and (b) includes the determination by a court that the child or youth is a child in need of services, as such term is defined in relevant law. The bill also includes technical changes. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Commission on Youth.

Barbara A. FavolaDemocrat

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 HB 2174.

Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.Republican

Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance prohibited; penalties.

Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance prohibited; penalties. Removes the distinction between cocaine, which refers to powder cocaine, its salts, optical and geometric isomers, and salts of isomers and a mixture or substance that contains cocaine base, which refers to crack cocaine, for the offense of manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance. This bill is identical to SB 888.

Debra D. GardnerDemocrat

Real property tax; exemption for elderly and disabled individuals.

Real property tax; exemption for elderly and disabled individuals. Revises various provisions of the local real property tax exemption and deferral program for elderly and disabled individuals. The bill allows a locality to require that an individual (i) pay all delinquent taxes, penalties, and interest assessed by the locality and incurred prior to becoming eligible for an exemption or deferral; (ii) enter into an installment agreement with the locality for the payment of all such delinquent amounts in installments over a period that is reasonable under the circumstances, but that in no event shall exceed 72 months; (iii) submit and obtain the treasurer's agreement to an offer in compromise with respect to all amounts of delinquent taxes, penalties, and interest; or (iv) carry out a combination thereof. Additionally, the bill provides that notice of the terms and conditions of the exemption and deferral program may be included in any notice of change in assessment and that the treasurer shall post such information on the locality's website. Finally, the bill allows a locality to provide a prorated exemption or deferral for the portion of the taxable year during which the taxpayer would have qualified for such exemption or deferral but had not yet filed an application. This bill is identical to HB 2029.

Aaron R. RouseDemocrat

Women's Health, Commission on; established, report.

Commission on Women's Health established; report. Establishes the Commission on Women's Health as a permanent commission in the legislative branch of state government for the purpose of studying and making recommendations on issues related to women's and maternal health. The Commission consists of 15 members, 10 of whom are legislative members and five of whom are nonlegislative citizen members with significant experience or expertise in women's or maternal health policy.

L. Louise LucasDemocrat

Public elementary & secondary schools; cardiac emergency response or emergency action plans.

Public elementary and secondary schools; cardiac emergency response or emergency action plans required. Requires each public elementary or secondary school to develop a cardiac emergency response plan (CERP) or an athletic emergency action plan (EAP), as those terms are defined in the bill, that addresses the appropriate use of school personnel to respond to incidents involving an individual who is experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency while on school grounds and, in the event that such school has an athletic department or organized athletic program, while attending or participating in an athletic practice or event. The bill requires each such CERP or athletic EAP to integrate nationally recognized evidence-based core elements and nationally recognized evidence-based guidelines and to integrate certain additional provisions and guidelines, including those relating to establishing a cardiac emergency response team, activating such team in response to a sudden cardiac event, and integrating the CERP or athletic EAP into the local community's emergency medical services response protocols. This bill is identical to HB 1695.

Aaron R. RouseDemocrat

Community-based outpatient stabilization programs for voluntary treatment; referrals.

Referrals to community-based outpatient stabilization programs for voluntary treatment. Requires health care professionals and evaluators to consider whether a referral to a community-based outpatient stabilization program for voluntary treatment is appropriate prior to a patient's release from an emergency custody order or a temporary detention order.

Barbara A. FavolaDemocrat

Nursing facilities; use of electronic monitoring devices in resident rooms.

Nursing facilities; electronic monitoring in resident rooms. Permits residents of nursing facilities to have electronic monitoring devices placed in their rooms. The bill defines "electronic monitoring" as the use of a surveillance device with a fixed position video camera or audio recording device, or combination thereof, that is installed in a resident's room and broadcasts or records activities or sounds occurring within the confines of the room. The bill contains several provisions establishing the requirements for the placement and utilization of any such electronic monitoring device in any resident's room, including requirements relating to ensuring that residents or their legal representatives and residents' roommates or their legal representatives consent to the placement and utilization of electronic monitoring devices in their rooms. The bill directs the Virginia Board of Health to promulgate regulations consistent with the bill, and the provisions of the bill become effective when such regulations become effective.

Christie New CraigRepublican

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 HB 1623.

Mamie E. LockeDemocrat

Remote patient monitoring patients with chronic conditions, report.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; remote patient monitoring for patients with chronic conditions; report. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to develop a plan and estimate costs for expanding eligibility criteria under Medicaid for remote patient monitoring for individuals with chronic conditions and to report such plan and cost estimate to the Joint Commission on Health Care by October 1, 2025. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care.

Barbara A. FavolaDemocrat

Sex Offender & Crimes Against Minors Registry; registration intervals for Tier I &Tier II offenses.

Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry; registration intervals for Tier I and Tier II offenses. Requires any person who is required to register with the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry and who is convicted of a Tier I or Tier II offense to register yearly. The bill also requires any person convicted of providing false information or failing to provide registration information where such person was included on the Registry for a Tier I or Tier II offense to register twice a year.

Christie New CraigRepublican

Probationer; arrest without a warrant, timeframe for service of process.

Arrest of probationer without a warrant; timeframe for service of process. Provides that upon the arrest of a probationer, the probation officer shall forthwith, but in all cases no later than three business days after the arrest of the probationer, (i) submit a copy of any written statement alleging a violation of the terms and conditions of parole or probation, including all relevant case numbers, to the local attorney for the Commonwealth and the clerk of court for the circuit court responsible for supervision of the probationer and advise such persons of his arrest and (ii) request the circuit court of the sentencing jurisdiction to promptly issue a capias or bench warrant for the alleged violation contained in the written statement.

Katrina CallsenDemocrat

Water & wastewater utilities; eligible infrastructure replacement and enhancement.

Water utilities and wastewater utilities; eligible infrastructure replacement and enhancement; cost recovery. Permits a water or wastewater utility to petition the State Corporation Commission for the approval of an eligible infrastructure replacement and enhancement plan, as defined in the bill. The bill requires that a water or wastewater utility that receives approval for an eligible infrastructure replacement and enhancement rider shall provide a proposed earnings test for informational purposes in each annual informational filing or base rate proceeding filed with the State Corporation Commission before December 1, 2030. The provisions of the bill expire on July 1, 2035. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the State Water Commission. This bill is identical to HB 2711.

Scott A. SurovellDemocrat

Deferred or installment payment agreements; universal minimum payments.

Deferred or installment payment agreements; minimum payments. Provides that if the defendant requests to enter into an installment agreement, the court may offer installment payments of (i) $25 per month, or a higher amount, depending upon a defendant's ability to pay or (ii) less than $25 per month if the defendant is determined to be indigent.

Michael J. JonesDemocrat

Photo speed monitoring devices; proof of violation affirmed by retired law-enforcement officials.

Photo speed monitoring devices; proof of violation; retired law-enforcement officials. Allows a retired sworn law-enforcement officer, defined in the bill, to swear to or affirm a certificate for a vehicle speed violation enforced by a photo speed monitoring device.

Christie New CraigRepublican

Portable changeable message signs; certain vehicles authorized to be equipped with signs.

Portable changeable message signs; certain vehicles. Authorizes certain towing, traffic management, and highway maintenance vehicles to be equipped with a portable changeable message sign that may be used without prior authorization from the Department of Transportation, provided that certain conditions are met.

Adele Y. McClureDemocrat

Mixed bev. licensees; prohibition on delivery to consumer of original bottle of alcoholic beverage.

Alcoholic beverage control; mixed beverage licensees; prohibition on delivery to consumer of original bottle of alcoholic beverage; exception. Adds an exception to the prohibition on mixed beverage licensees or any agent or employee of such licensees delivering to a consumer an original bottle of an alcoholic beverage purchased under such license by allowing the delivery of the entire contents of an original container of spirits for on-premises or off-premises consumption provided that the (i) container is 16 ounces or less and (ii) alcohol content is no greater than 15 percent by volume.

Bryce E. ReevesRepublican

Higher educational institutions, public; SNAP eligibility, applications, and participation.

Public institutions of higher education; Department of Social Services; SNAP eligibility, applications, and participation; guidance, resources, and education. Requires the Department of Social Services (the Department) to (i) develop, annually update, and provide to each public institution of higher education in advance of the start of each school year an information sheet on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) with information relating to SNAP eligibility, applications, participation, requirements, and such other information as the Department deems necessary or appropriate, relevant to students enrolled in public institutions of higher education and (ii) provide information, resources, and education to certain faculty members employed by each public institution of higher education regarding opportunities for assisting students enrolled in public institutions of higher education with completing SNAP applications. The bill requires each public institution of higher education to ensure that such SNAP information sheet developed by the Department is provided to each student enrolled in such institution at the beginning of the fall semester of each school year or, in the case of any student who enrolls after the beginning of the fall semester, as soon as practicable after enrollment and is included in any orientation materials distributed to each new student.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

Maternal health; protocols and resources for hospitals and outpatient providers, etc.

Maternal health; protocols and resources for hospitals and outpatient providers; report. Requires all hospitals with an emergency department or labor and delivery, freestanding emergency departments, and birthing centers to implement standardized protocols for identifying and responding to obstetric emergencies, including obstetric hemorrhage, preeclampsia, and eclampsia. Such standardized protocols shall be based on protocols established by the Virginia Neonatal Perinatal Collaborative for inpatient and outpatient providers regarding the treatment of obstetric emergencies, the recognition of urgent maternal warning signs, and the transfer of pregnant and postpartum patients. The bill requires the Virginia Neonatal Perinatal Collaborative to collect data and submit an annual report to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources and the General Assembly with data relating to the implementation of standardized protocols and maternal health outcomes. This bill incorporates HB 2518 and is identical to SB 1279.

C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.Democrat

Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund; loan and grant program, eligible recipients.

Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund; loan and grant program; eligible recipients; federally recognized tribes; Virginia recognized tribes. Expands the type of eligible recipients for loans and grants from the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund to include federally recognized tribes and Virginia recognized tribes. Under current law, only localities are eligible to receive loans or grants from the Fund. This bill is identical to SB 1335.

Paul E. KrizekDemocrat

Florence Neal Cooper Smith Sickle Cell Research Endowment Fund; established.

Florence Neal Cooper Smith Sickle Cell Research Endowment Fund established. Establishes the Florence Neal Cooper Smith Sickle Cell Research Endowment Fund to support medical and biomedical sickle cell disease research conducted in institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth that relates to the causes and potential cures of sickle cell disease. The Fund shall be administered by the Commonwealth Health Research Board.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Unemployment Compensation, Commission on; increases membership, powers and duties.

Commission on Unemployment Compensation; membership; compensation; powers and duties. Adds two nonlegislative citizen members to the membership of the Commission on Unemployment Compensation and transfers the powers and duties of the subcommittee on unemployment insurance, which is removed by the bill, to the Commission. The bill provides that existing nonlegislative members of the subcommittee on unemployment compensation shall serve as the two nonlegislative citizen members added to the Commission until July 1, 2026, and thereafter, one such member shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates and one by the Senate Committee on Rules.

Adam P. EbbinDemocrat

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; early termination of rental agreement.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; early termination of rental agreement; victims of family abuse, sexual abuse or criminal sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking. Provides that a tenant who is a victim of family abuse, sexual abuse or other criminal sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking may terminate such tenant's obligations under an active and current rental agreement if the tenant has obtained a preliminary protective order or a magistrate, law-enforcement agency, grand jury, special grand jury, or court has issued a warrant, summons, information, or indictment charging any such crime. Under current law, there must be a permanent protective order or a conviction before the tenant may terminate such obligations under a rental agreement. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Housing Commission.

Russet PerryDemocrat

Anesthesiologist assistants; establishes criteria for licensure.

Board of Medicine; licensure of anesthesiologist assistants. Establishes criteria for the licensure of anesthesiologist assistants and directs the Board of Medicine to adopt regulations governing the practice of anesthesiologist assistants. The bill provides that no person shall use or assume the title "anesthesiologist assistant" or hold himself out as an anesthesiologist assistant unless such person holds a license as an anesthesiologist assistant issued by the Board. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care.

Mamie E. LockeDemocrat

Predetermination for licensing eligibility; prior convictions.

Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; Department of Health Professions; predetermination for licensing eligibility; prior convictions. Prohibits the use of vague or arbitrary terms by a regulatory board within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation or Department of Health when refusing a person a license, certificate, or registration to practice, pursue, or engage in any regulated occupation or profession. The bill requires such regulatory board denying a registration, license, or certificate based on information in the applicant's criminal history record to notify the applicant in writing of (i) the specific offense or offenses that contributed to such denial; (ii) how the criminal history directly relates to the occupation for which the registration, license, or certificate applies; and (iii) how the regulatory board weighed rehabilitation factors when making its decision.The bill further allows an applicant to request a written predetermination from a regulatory board within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation concerning whether his criminal record would disqualify him from obtaining a license, certificate, registration, or other authority to engage in a particular occupation, trade, or profession in the Commonwealth.

Mamie E. LockeDemocrat

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 HB 2124.

Adam P. EbbinDemocrat

Unemployment insurance; weekly benefit amount, increasing threshold for deduction of wages payable.

Unemployment insurance; weekly benefit amount; increasing threshold for deduction of wages payable. Provides that each individual eligible for unemployment benefits shall be paid a weekly benefit amount less any part of the wages payable to such individual for such week that is in excess of $100. Currently, each eligible individual shall be paid a weekly benefit amount less any part of the wages payable to such individual for such week that is in excess of $50. This bill is a recommendation of the Commission on Unemployment Compensation.

Adam P. EbbinDemocrat

Invasive plant species; retail sales, penalty, delayed effective date January 1, 2027.

Invasive plant species; retail sales. Requires, for the retail sale of certain invasive plant species for outdoor use, a retail establishment to post in a conspicuous manner on the property located in proximity to each invasive plant signage identifying such plant as invasive, educating consumers regarding invasive plant species, and encouraging consumers to ask about alternatives. The bill requires the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to designate the format, size, and content of such signage no later than October 1, 2025, and requires the Commissioner to issue a stop sale order and mark or tag a plant in a conspicuous manner when an invasive plant is for sale at a retail establishment without appropriate signage. In such case, the bill requires the Commissioner to give written notice of a finding made to the owner, tenant, or person in charge of such retail establishment and requires the stop sale order issued to remain in effect until the required signage is posted. Certain provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 1166.

Holly M. SeiboldDemocrat

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 HB 2269.

Lashrecse D. AirdDemocrat

Water and sewer connection fees; new residential development.

Water and sewer connection fees; new residential development. Allows a locality to provide for the full or partial reimbursement of water and sewer connection fees, capital recovery charges, and availability fees remitted by an applicant in connection with any new residential development.

Lamont BagbyDemocrat

Zoning; enhanced civil penalties, certain residential violations.

Zoning; enhanced civil penalties; certain residential violations. Allows enhanced civil penalties for zoning violations involving property that is zoned or used for multifamily residential purposes. The bill also requires that for any violation involving property that is zoned or used for multifamily residential purposes, a person who admits liability shall be required to abate or remedy the violation within a period of time specified by the locality that is no less than 30 days but no more than 24 months from the date of admission of liability.

Lashrecse D. AirdDemocrat