Bills & Legislation

Virginia Passenger Rail Authority; expands authority to exercise power of eminent domain.

Virginia Passenger Rail Authority; eminent domain. Expands the authority of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority to exercise the power of eminent domain.

Marcus B. SimonDemocrat

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

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

Sam RasoulDemocrat

Wage garnishment; state tax debt.

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

Phil M. HernandezDemocrat

Suicide fatality review teams, local and regional; established, membership, penalty.

Local and regional suicide fatality review teams; penalty. Permits localities or combinations of localities to establish a local or regional suicide fatality review team. The bill provides exemptions from the Virginia Freedom of Information Act for information and records obtained or created regarding a review of a fatality by such team.

Marty MartinezDemocrat

Tourism improvement districts; transient occupancy tax in Arlington County.

Tourism improvement districts; administering nonprofits; county manager plan; transient occupancy tax. Allows tourism entities, defined in the bill, to enter into written agreements for the provision of professional services to an administering nonprofit that is under contract with a locality to administer or implement activities specified in a tourism improvement district plan. Current law does not permit such public-private partnerships in tourism improvement districts. The bill also requires a newly formed administering nonprofit's board of directors to be wholly composed of business owners and an existing administering nonprofit to create a committee of business owners to oversee the activities prescribed in the tourism improvement district plan. Finally, the bill permits any locality with the county manager plan of government (Arlington County) to impose an additional transient occupancy tax of up to one percent. This bill is identical to SB 314.

Adele Y. McClureDemocrat

Noise abatement monitoring systems; local authorities to place and operate, civil penalties.

Noise abatement monitoring systems; local authority; civil penalties. Authorizes counties and cities in Planning Districts 8, 9, and 15 to place and operate noise abatement monitoring systems, defined in the bill, on any highway located in the locality for the purpose of recording and enforcing exhaust system violations, also defined in the bill. The bill provides that the operator of a vehicle is liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $100, but the violation shall not be reported on the driver's operating record or to the driver's insurance agency. The bill provides that a locality may exempt from enforcement by noise abatement monitoring systems vehicles used for agricultural, horticultural, or forestry purposes as demonstrated by vehicle license plates. Under the bill, the civil penalty will be paid to the locality in which the violation occurred to be used for the cost of administering the noise abatement monitoring system program and for transportation safety initiatives. The bill contains the same data privacy and storage requirements as are in current law for photo speed monitoring devices. The bill requires any locality that places and operates such a noise abatement monitoring system to report on its public website by January 15 of each year on the number of traffic violations prosecuted, the number of successful prosecutions, and the total amount of monetary civil penalties collected. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2028. This bill incorporates HB 1349.

Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.Democrat

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

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

Jessica L. AndersonDemocrat

Electric cooperatives; authorized to establish and implement a virtual power plant program.

Electric utilities; virtual power plant program; electric cooperatives. Authorizes electric cooperatives to establish and implement a virtual power plant program. The bill defines a virtual power plant as an aggregation of distributed energy resources, enrolled either directly with an electric cooperative or indirectly through an aggregator, that are operated in coordination to provide one or more grid services. Under the bill, an electric cooperative may offer incentives to residential customers to purchase battery storage devices and is required to evaluate various methods to optimize demand. This bill is identical to SB 487.

David A. ReidDemocrat

Uninsured Employer's Fund; administrative expenses.

Uninsured Employer's Fund; administrative expenses. Provides that the costs of administering the Uninsured Employer's Fund, which is administered by the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission, are paid out of such fund. This bill is identical to SB 520.

Jeion A. WardDemocrat

Consumer Counsel, Division of; establishing mechanisms for receiving and investigating complaints.

Division of Consumer Counsel; duties; artificial intelligence fraud and abuse. Expands the duties of the Division of Consumer Counsel to include establishing mechanisms for receiving and investigating complaints by the Commonwealth's consumers involving emerging technologies, including referring appropriate complaints to the federal, state, and local departments or agencies charged with the enforcement of applicable consumer laws.

Jackie H. GlassDemocrat

Western Virginia Public Education Consortium; governance, funding, duties, report.

Western Virginia Public Education Consortium; governance; funding; duties. Makes several changes relating to the Western Virginia Public Education Consortium (the Consortium), including (i) requiring the chair of the board of the Consortium to submit an annual executive summary only in each biennium in which the Consortium receives funding from the General Assembly, (ii) adjusting the membership of the governing board of the Consortium to (a) accurately reflect school division consolidation that occurred after the Consortium's initial establishment and (b) include each member of the House of Delegates who represents a House District that is partially or wholly located in Western Virginia and each member of the Senate of Virginia who represents a Senatorial District that is partially or wholly located in Western Virginia, and (iii) removing the requirement for the governing board of the Consortium to develop and maintain linkages with schools and school divisions in Northern Virginia to promote enhanced usage of educational technology. This bill is identical to SB 692.

Jason S. BallardRepublican

Motor vehicle dealers; conduct of business, business hours, filing changes.

Motor vehicle dealers; conduct of business; business hours; filing changes. Changes the entity with which a dealer who changes his business hours must file such change from the Department of Motor Vehicles to the Motor Vehicle Dealer Board.

Scott A. WyattRepublican

Public schools; wearable panic alarm systems.

Alyssa's Law; public schools; wearable panic alarm systems permitted. Permits any school board to provide any school board employee in a public elementary or secondary school building in the local school division with a wearable panic alarm system, defined in the bill as a security system that is capable of being worn on the body of the user and by which the user manually activates a device that sends (i) a signal to the local 9-1-1 public safety answering point that indicates a school security emergency that requires immediate response and assistance from such public safety answering point and (ii) a multisensory schoolwide school security emergency notification, when appropriate.

Shelly A. SimondsDemocrat

Life or health insurances; unfair discrimination, pre-exposure prophylaxis for prevention of HIV.

Life insurance; health insurance; unfair discrimination; pre-exposure prophylaxis for prevention of human immunodeficiency virus. Prohibits any person from refusing to insure, refusing to continue to insure, or limiting the amount or extent of life insurance or accident and sickness insurance coverage available to an individual or charge an individual a different rate for the same coverage based solely on the status of such individual as having received pre-exposure prophylaxis for the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus.

Jeion A. WardDemocrat

Medical care facility data reporting; value of charity care, gross patient charges, report.

Medical care facility data reporting; value of charity care. Removes certain limitations on the meaning of "reviewable service" as it relates to data reporting requirements for medical care facilities and specifies that the value of charity care for such reporting shall be based on gross patient charges. The bill directs the State Health Commissioner to submit an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly regarding charity care at medical facilities that are required to satisfy a condition of a certificate of public need.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

Dealer's license plates; permitted uses.

Dealer's license plates; permitted uses. Authorizes the use of dealer's license plates on vehicles delivering or transporting vehicle parts and accessories and fuel, so long as such delivery or transport of fuel consists of no more than five gallons of such fuel and such fuel is in a container of a type approved by the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles. The bill also authorizes a dealer to permit his license plates to be used in the operation of a motor vehicle by a person authorized by the dealer on a vehicle that is being driven to or from an automotive retail or supply store or retail facility selling automotive supplies or parts.

Scott A. WyattRepublican

Renewable energy portfolio standard program; requirements, power purchase agreements.

Electric utilities; renewable energy portfolio standard program requirements; power purchase agreements. Amends certain renewable energy portfolio standard program requirements for Dominion Energy Virginia, including the annual percentage of program requirements to be met with solar, wind, or anaerobic digestion resources of one megawatt or less located in the Commonwealth. The bill changes from 2025 to 2027 the compliance year beginning in which at least 75 percent of renewable energy certificates used by Dominion Energy Virginia shall come from eligible resources located in the Commonwealth. The bill also removes the requirement for a solar-powered or wind-powered generation facility to have a capacity of no less than 50 kilowatts to qualify for a third party power purchase agreement under a pilot program. The bill directs the State Corporation Commission, by July 1, 2033, to initiate a proceeding to evaluate the future availability of renewable energy certificates from certain resources and permits the Commission to increase or decrease by up to one percentage point the percentage of program requirements to be met by such resources in future compliance years. The bill provides that it is the policy of the Commonwealth to encourage development on previously developed project sites, as defined in existing law, to reduce the land use impacts of solar development. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to SB 175.

Katrina CallsenDemocrat

Marine Resources Commission; marking of commercial fishing boats, nets, and other devices.

Marine Resources Commission; license tags and identification numbers; marking of commercial fishing boats, nets, and other devices. Provides that license tags or identification numbers for commercial fishing boats, nets, and other devices shall be attached and displayed in a manner prescribed by the Marine Resources Commission and repeals a provision that requires a licensee to apply for a new tag within 24 hours after the discovery of the destruction or loss of the original tag. Currently, the requirements for attaching and displaying license tags or identification numbers are set forth in state law.

Hillary Pugh KentRepublican

Apple Board; repealing Board and Apple Fund effective July 1, 2028, delayed effective date, report.

Apple Board; repeal. Repeals the Apple Board and Apple Fund effective July 1, 2028, and provides that any funds remaining in the Apple Fund as of July 1, 2028, shall be transferred to the Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund. The bill provides that the excise tax levied on apples grown in the Commonwealth shall not be collected for the 2026 harvest season and requires the chair of the Apple Board to file a report with the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services no later than June 30, 2028, with a statement of total receipts and disbursements of the Apple Board for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2028. This bill is identical to SB 390.

Dan I. HelmerDemocrat

Zoning; manufactured housing.

Zoning; manufactured housing. Amends existing provisions that require localities to permit manufactured homes in areas zoned for agriculture by expanding such requirement to all zoning districts where site-built housing is allowed, with certain conditions. The bill provides that localities shall not adopt or enforce any zoning, land-use, or development regulation that treats manufactured homes differently or more restrictively than a single-family site-built dwelling allowed in the same zoning district. The bill also removes the authority of localities without a zoning ordinance to designate the areas within the locality in which manufactured homes may be located. This bill incorporates HB 418 and HB 801 and is identical to SB 346.

Michelle Lopes MaldonadoDemocrat

Offenses relating to gift cards; penalties.

Offenses relating to gift cards; penalties. Adds the offenses of gift card theft, gift card forgery, gift card fraud, and criminally receiving goods and services fraudulently obtained to the existing provisions of law related to credit cards. This bill is identical to SB 444.

Michelle Lopes MaldonadoDemocrat

Health insurance claims; electronic attachments accepted, delayed effective date.

Health insurance; carrier business practices; electronic attachments. Provides that, in the following contexts, information may be submitted by a provider to a health insurance carrier through electronic attachment, as defined in the bill: (i) information related to services rendered as required by the carrier in its provider contract; (ii) information related to any defect or impropriety that prevents the carrier from deeming a health insurance claim a clean claim, as defined in existing law; and (iii) information required to establish medical necessity, benefit coverage, or prior authorization of services, or to conduct reconsideration activities. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 172.

Michelle Lopes MaldonadoDemocrat

Health and insurance; notice of adverse determination.

Health insurance; notice of adverse determination. Requires health carriers to send in writing to a covered person the notice of an adverse determination or final adverse determination and the covered person's right to request an external review, as required by current law, within five business days after the adverse determination or final adverse determination has been made. The bill also requires such notice to include certain information related to the person who made the adverse determination or final adverse determination.

Michelle Lopes MaldonadoDemocrat

Invasive plant species installation; written notification to property owners, civil penalty.

Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services; invasive plant species installation; written notification to property owners; civil penalty. Provides that the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services may assess a civil penalty in an amount of not more than $250 for a first violation, $500 for a second violation, and $1,000 for each subsequent violation to any tradesperson involved with proposing or installing plants who fails to provide written notification to property owners when such plants are on the Department of Conservation and Recreation's list of invasive plant species. Current law provides that any such tradesperson who fails to provide such written notice is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. This bill is identical to SB 383.

Justin PenceRepublican

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.

Rozia A. Henson, Jr.Democrat

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.

C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.Democrat

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.

Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.Democrat

Electric utilities; shared solar programs, Phase I Utility.

Electric utilities; shared solar programs; Phase I Utility. Amends certain provisions related to the shared solar program established by the State Corporation Commission for Appalachian Power Company. The bill permits excess bill credits to be distributed to shared solar subscribers more than once annually. The bill also requires the utility in administering its shared solar program to require net crediting functionality for customer utility bills, as described in the bill. The bill also directs Appalachian Power to (i) release an additional 50 megawatts as part two of the shared solar program on July 1, 2026; (ii) release a further additional 50 megawatts as part three of the shared solar program by January 1, 2028; and (iii) petition the Commission to initiate a shared solar expansion proceeding to determine the capacity for part four of the shared solar program by May 1, 2029. See final enactments for bill effective date. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to SB 255.

Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.Democrat

Health insurance; application of cost-sharing prohibitions.

Health insurance; application of cost-sharing prohibitions. Provides that provisions of state law that prohibit a health insurance carrier from imposing a cost-sharing requirement on an enrollee for receiving a health care service (i) apply only when such enrollee receives such health care service from a participating provider under the health benefit plan and (ii) do not apply if the application of such prohibition would disqualify a high-deductible health benefit plan from eligibility for a health savings account under federal law.

Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.Democrat

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

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

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

Transmission lines, certain; Department of Transportation to identify opportunities for siting.

Policy of the Commonwealth; siting of certain new electric transmission facilities; Department of Transportation work group; report. Provides that in the siting of new electric transmission facilities, it is the policy of the Commonwealth that existing linear infrastructure corridors shall be prioritized over new corridors. The bill directs the Department of Transportation to convene a work group to identify opportunities and develop recommendations to amend regulations and permitting processes to facilitate the expedient and efficient siting of new electrical transmission infrastructure in existing state highway rights-of-way. This bill is identical to SB 497.

Irene ShinDemocrat

Electric utility integrated resource planning; energy storage resources.

Electric utility integrated resource planning; energy storage resources. Requires Dominion Energy, as part of its integrated resource plan, to assess the use of energy storage resources through appropriate modeling that accounts for economic charge and discharge times and represents various economic scenarios. The bill also requires systematic evaluation of and permits proposing investments in energy storage resources in the integrated resource plan.

Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.Democrat

Comprehensive statewide housing needs assessment; review of certain parcels.

Department of Housing and Community Development; powers and duties of Director; comprehensive statewide housing needs assessment; review of certain parcels. Requires the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development to conduct a review of parcels owned by certain partnerships, corporations, or real estate investment trusts as part of the comprehensive statewide housing needs assessment conducted by the Department at least every five years.

Irene ShinDemocrat

Electric utilities; licensed retail suppliers, renewable portfolio standard requirements.

Electric utilities; licensed retail suppliers; notice period for return to service. Permits an individual nonresidential retail customer of electric energy of Appalachian Power or Dominion Energy Virginia whose noncoincident peak demand exceeded five megawatts during the most recent calendar year to purchase electric energy from a licensed supplier within the Commonwealth. Currently, such a customer may only purchase electric energy from a licensed supplier if the customer's peak demand did not exceed one percent of the incumbent electric utility's peak load during the most recent calendar year unless the customer had a noncoincident peak demand of more than 90 megawatts. The bill changes from five years to eighteen months the advance notice period required for such a customer to return to service by an incumbent electric utility. This bill is identical to SB 818.

Alfonso H. LopezDemocrat

Public Instruction, Super. of; state program to support improvement of low-performing schools.

Board of Education and Superintendent of Public Instruction; state program to support the improvement of low-performing schools. Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to consistently and effectively implement a state program to support the improvement of low-performing schools based on school accountability standards established by the Board of Education within the standards of accreditation. The bill requires the Superintendent to ensure that the Department of Education is appropriately organized and employs qualified staff to effectively provide this support to such low-performing schools. The bill requires the Board to ensure that the Superintendent and the Department administer an effective school improvement program to support such low-performing schools. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission.

Sam RasoulDemocrat

Vehicle registration fees; disabled veterans.

Vehicle registration fees; disabled veterans. Extends the current exemption from annual vehicle registration fees for disabled veterans or their unremarried surviving spouse to eligible vehicles displaying a standard passenger license plate. Current law applies such exemption to a vehicle displaying disabled veteran special license plates.

Elizabeth B. Bennett-ParkerDemocrat

Alcoholic beverage control; food-to-beverage ratio, report.

Alcoholic beverage control; food-to-beverage ratio; report. Reduces the current 45 percent food-to-beverage ratio for certain mixed beverage licensees. The bill requires that a mixed beverage restaurant, caterer's, or limited caterer's licensee meet or exceed the following: (i) for such licensees with monthly food sales averaging at least $48,000, the food-to-beverage ratio shall not apply; (ii) for such licensees with monthly food sales averaging at least $25,000 but less than $48,000, the food-to-beverage ratio shall meet or exceed 30 percent; and (iii) for such licensees with monthly food sales averaging at least $4,000, but less than $25,000, the food-to-beverage ratio shall meet or exceed 45 percent, except that for any licensee with monthly food sales averaging less than $25,000 with a seating capacity of less than 30 seats and an occupancy permit for less than 60 people total, the food-to-beverage ratio shall meet or exceed 30 percent. The bill also requires that restaurants have at least as many seats at tables as at counters. The bill requires the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to collect data regarding the compliance of mixed beverage licensees with the provisions of the bill and the impact of the change to the food-to-beverage ratio on the gross amount of food consumed on a licensee's premises. The bill requires the Authority to report such data to the Chairs of the House Committee on General Laws and the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by November 1, 2027.

Elizabeth B. Bennett-ParkerDemocrat

Menstrual products ingredient labeling; restriction of substances, delayed effective date.

Menstrual supplies ingredient labeling; restriction of substances; civil penalty. Requires that each package or box containing menstrual supplies, as defined in the bill, contain a label of all ingredients that are included within such products when sold within the Commonwealth. Such label shall be displayed by the manufacturer in a manner that is visible and easy to understand for the consumer. The bill requires any manufacturer to make changes to the label reflecting any changes of ingredients within 18 months of any such changes. The bill also requires the manufacturer to post the required label information on its website. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Holly M. SeiboldDemocrat

Employment prohibition exceptions; apprenticeship program for children 16 years of age or older.

Employment prohibition exceptions; apprenticeships; children 16 years of age or older. Permits a child 16 years of age or older to serve in an apprenticeship program or other work-based learning experience related to culinary arts or information technology, provided that (i) the child is continuously enrolled in an accredited secondary school, (ii) the child is a registered apprentice, (iii) the child is employed in a work-training program administered under the Board of Education, and (iv) the work being performed is not in violation of federal or state laws. This bill is identical to HB 275.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

School boards; safe storage of prescription drugs and firearms in the household.

School board policies; parental notification; safe storage of prescription drugs and firearms in the household. Requires each school board to develop and implement a policy to require the annual notification of the parent of each student enrolled in the school division, to be sent by email and, if applicable, SMS text message, of (i) the importance of securely storing any prescription drug, as defined in relevant law, present in the household and (ii) the parent's legal responsibility to safely store any firearm present in the household. The bill also requires each parental notification to include information on (a) relevant state laws and regulations relating to safe firearm storage and child access to firearms and (b) firearm-related accidents, injuries, and deaths, including current statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or an equivalent nationally recognized entity or organization on youth firearm fatality rates. Finally, the bill requires each school board to make such parental notification available in multiple languages on its website. This bill is identical to HB 201.

Stella G. PekarskyDemocrat

Public school teachers; reemployment of teacher who has not received continuing contract status.

Public school teachers; terms of employment; reemployment of teacher who has received continuing contract status; written notice required. Requires written notice of noncontinuation of a continuing teacher contract to be given by the teacher by June 15 of each year; otherwise, the contract continues in effect for the ensuing year in conformity with local salary stipulations, including increments. Current law requires such written notice of noncontinuation of a continuing teacher contract to be given by either the teacher or the school board by June 15 of each year. This bill is identical to HB 125.

Stella G. PekarskyDemocrat

Minimum wage; farm laborers or farm employees, temporary foreign workers.

Minimum wage; farm laborers or farm employees. Eliminates the exemption from Virginia's minimum wage requirements for persons employed as farm laborers or farm employees. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027, and is identical to HB 20.

Jennifer D. Carroll FoyDemocrat

Poquoson, City of; amending charter, relating to school boards, terms of membership.

Charter; City of Poquoson. Amends the charter for the City of Poquoson to clarify the name and appointment process for the City's school board. The bill changes the term length from three years to four years, alters the composition of the school board from two members of each district and one at-large member to seven at-large members, and prohibits school board appointees from serving on any other city board, committee, or commission.

J.D. "Danny" DiggsRepublican

Chatham, Town of; amending charter, updating or removing outdated provisions.

Charter; Town of Chatham. Amends the charter for the Town of Chatham in Pittsylvania County by updating or removing outdated provisions. This bill is identical to HB 1050.

Tammy Brankley MulchiRepublican

Delinquent children; loss of driving privileges for alcohol, firearm, and drug offenses, truancy.

Delinquent children; loss of driving privileges for alcohol, firearm, and drug offenses; truancy. Allows the court discretion in ordering the denial of a child's driving privileges in instances when the child has failed to comply with school attendance and meeting requirements as provided in relevant law. Under current law, the court is required to order the denial of such child's driving privileges. The bill also provides that if the court has ordered the denial of a child's driving privileges, the court shall order such child to surrender his driver's license, which shall be held in the physical custody of the court during any period of license denial. This bill is a recommendation of the Committee on District Courts and is identical to HB 123.

Ryan T. McDougleRepublican