Bills & Legislation

Clerk fees; secure remote access to nonconfidential court records by certain attorneys.

Clerk fees; secure remote access to nonconfidential court records by certain attorneys. Provides that no clerk shall charge a fee to an attorney for secure remote access to nonconfidential court records when such attorney is certified by the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission in the jurisdiction served by such clerk, provided that such attorney is currently appointed to represent a defendant in such jurisdiction and agrees to continue accepting appointments in such jurisdiction. The bill also provides that if, after receiving secure remote access for nonconfidential court records, such attorney (i) is found to have abused such privilege of such secure remote access; (ii) is removed from the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission's court-appointed attorney list; or (iii) ceases to accept appointments for representation from the granting court, the clerk may terminate the agreement granting such secure remote access. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission. This bill is identical to SB 82.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; definition of essential services.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; essential services. Adds central air conditioning when supplied by the landlord and operating or represented as operating as of the effective date of the rental agreement to the list of what constitutes an essential service for purposes of the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.

Marty MartinezDemocrat

Sports betting; prohibition on use of credit cards.

Sports betting; prohibition on use of credit cards. Prohibits the Director of the Virginia Lottery from approving the use of credit cards as a method for sports bettors to fund sports betting accounts. The bill also requires a permit holder to take reasonable measures to prohibit the acceptance of credit cards to fund sports betting accounts on its sports betting platform.

Marty MartinezDemocrat

Certain data from water users; water use consumption for domestic, etc., purposes, data centers.

Certain data from water users; water use consumption for domestic, commercial, and industrial purposes and from data centers. Requires any water user required to register water withdrawal and use data to the State Water Control Board that provides water to another person offsite to include in its report, submitted on its regular reporting schedule, the total volume of potable water and, reported separately, the total volume of reclaimed water, as defined in the bill, provided during each month for each of the following categories: (i) a data center with an air permit issued by the Department of Environmental Quality and (ii) to the extent available without utility billing system modifications, (a) domestic purposes, (b) commercial and industrial purposes, separately or combined as available, and (c) all other non-categorized purposes. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 553.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference in state government, certain former federal employees.

Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference in state government; certain former federal employees. Allows for an applicant's status as a former federal employee to be given consideration when applying for employment with the Commonwealth if such applicant was terminated from a position of employment with the federal government on or after January 1, 2025, due to a reduction in the federal budget or initiatives put in place by the federal Department of Government Efficiency, provided that such person meets all of the knowledge, skill, and ability requirements for the available position. The bill directs the Department of Human Resource Management, on or before January 1 of each year, to submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly that includes the number of job applications submitted by candidates who self-identified as former federal employees, as well as the number of jobs offered to such candidates. The bill has an expiration date of January 21, 2029.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

Health insurance; coverage for early refills of prescription eye drops.

Health insurance; coverage for early refills of prescription eye drops. Prohibits a health carrier from denying coverage to a covered person of an early refill of prescription eye drops if (i) the prescription eye drops are a covered benefit, (ii) the amount of time that has elapsed from the previous dispensing of such prescription would result in at least 85 percent of such prescription eye drops being used if taken consistently with the prescriber's directions, and (iii) the prescriber has indicated that additional quantities are medically necessary and the refill requested does not exceed such additional quantity. The provisions of the bill are applicable to contracts, policies, or plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in the Commonwealth on and after January 1, 2027.

Patrick A. HopeDemocrat

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.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Prior authorization; requiring physician review for denial.

Prior authorization; requiring physician review for denial. Prohibits a health insurance carrier from making an adverse determination of a prior authorization request (i) for prescription drugs unless such denial has been reviewed and approved by a licensed physician or, if a licensed physician is not available, by a licensed pharmacist or (ii) for health care services unless such adverse determination has been reviewed and approved by (a) a licensed physician; (b) in the case of mental health services, a licensed mental health provider if a licensed physician is unavailable; or (c) in the case of dental services, a licensed dentist if a licensed physician is unavailable.

Patrick A. HopeDemocrat

Securities Act; investment advisor advertising.

Securities Act; investment advisor advertising. Permits an investment advisor to solicit, disseminate, or otherwise use advertisements, including client testimonials and endorsements, provided such advertisements comply with the requirements for an advertisement solicited, disseminated, or used by a federally registered investment advisor under federal law.

Dan I. HelmerDemocrat

Diploma seal for excellence in fine arts; established, industry-recognized workforce credential.

Diploma seal for excellence in fine arts established; industry-recognized workforce credential. Requires the Board of Education to establish criteria for awarding a high school diploma seal for excellence in fine arts, which may include a sequence of coursework, cumulative grade point average in such sequence of coursework, or any other performance-based criteria that the Board deems appropriate. The bill also requires the Board to add such diploma seal to its list of industry-recognized workforce credentials for the purpose of satisfying the career and technical education credential option for high school graduation.

Vivian E. WattsDemocrat

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

Continuing care providers; quarterly meeting requirements.

Continuing care providers; quarterly meeting requirements. Amends the quarterly meeting requirements for continuing care facilities to provide that at least two of such meetings per year shall be open to all residents and that certain individuals shall participate in at least two of such meetings per year. The bill also requires, if requested by the resident council or a majority of the independent living residents of a continuing care facility, the provider to include as a participant in the meetings of its board of directors or other governing body a resident representative elected by a majority of such residents, who shall participate in a non-voting, advisory capacity. This bill is identical to SB 358.

Vivian E. WattsDemocrat

Autism Competencies Checklist; positive behavior support facilitators, training.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; Autism Competencies Checklist; positive behavior support facilitators; training. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to amend its regulations relating to the Autism Competencies Checklist to allow positive behavior support facilitators to conduct training sessions on such competencies for direct support professionals and direct support professional supervisors who provide support for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Students with disabilities; development of transition IEP, access by students, report.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; guidelines for developing a transition IEP; report. Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (the Council), in consultation with the Department of Education and representatives of public institutions of higher education and public secondary schools in the Commonwealth, to develop and submit to the Department of Education for public posting and access by the individualized education program (IEP) team of any student with a disability guidelines for developing a transition IEP to help facilitate the timely provision of transition services and accommodations for students with disabilities by public institutions of higher education across the Commonwealth. The bill requires the Council to encourage private institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth to make such guidelines available to help facilitate the timely provision of transition services and accommodations for such students at such institutions. The bill requires the Council to submit to the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education by November 1, 2026, a report on its findings and recommendations that includes a copy of such guidelines.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

State Corporation Commission; time frame for completion of certain proceedings.

State Corporation Commission; time frame for completion of certain proceedings. Requires the State Corporation Commission to complete proceedings involving an application for a certificate, permit, or approval required for the construction or operation by a public utility of certain transmission lines within nine months following such application, as required by current law for small renewable energy projects. The bill permits the Commission to enlarge such nine-month period for up to 120 days for applications regarding certain transmission lines. This bill is identical to SB 310.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Behavior Analysis, Advisory Board on; amends composition.

Advisory Board on Behavior Analysis; composition. Amends the composition of the Advisory Board on Behavior Analysis to require that three members shall be licensed behavior analysts or licensed assistant behavior analysts who have practiced for at least three years. Under current law, the composition of the Advisory Board requires two licensed behavior analysts who have practiced for at least three years and one licensed assistant behavior analyst who has practiced for at least three years.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Special education; certain educational settings, student age range restriction.

Special education; student age range restrictions in educational settings. Prohibits any student with a disability in grades kindergarten through six from being regularly assigned to any educational setting, including any specialized educational setting, in which the maximum age range exceeds four years unless the student's individualized education program (IEP) team determines that an exception is appropriate and justifies such exception in the student's IEP. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Health Ed. SOL; Bd. of Ed. to require literacy instruction in grade 9 & 10 in next revision.

Board of Education; review and revision of Health Education Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework; development of health care literacy instruction; removal of duplicative or outdated health instruction. Directs the Board of Education, during its next regularly scheduled revision of the Health Education Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework to, in consultation with the School Health Services Committee, (i) develop a health care literacy program of instruction to be required at grades nine and 10 for the purpose of helping students navigate the health care system efficiently and effectively and, in developing such program of instruction, to consider the inclusion of certain topics and content enumerated by the bill and (ii) identify and remove from such Standards of Learning and Curriculum Framework for grades nine and 10 any instructional subjects or topics the inclusion of which is duplicative or outdated.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Health, State Board of, regulations; standards for levels of neonatal care.

State Board of Health regulations; standards for levels of neonatal care. Directs the State Board of Health to establish standards for designation of care in neonatal services consistent with, but not necessarily identical to, standards published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The bill directs the Board of Health to promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of the bill by July 1, 2027, and prohibits enforcement of such regulations until July 1, 2029. This bill is identical to SB 291.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

DCJS; removes requirement to develop model addiction recovery program.

Department of Criminal Justice Services; powers and duties; local and regional jails; repeal of model addiction recovery program. Removes the requirement that the Department of Criminal Justice Services, in consultation with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, develop a model addiction recovery program that may be administered by sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, jail officers, administrators, or superintendents in any local or regional jail. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care and identical to SB 690.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

Comprehensive mental health, substance abuse, & developmt. disability crisis services; written plan.

Comprehensive crisis system; Marcus alert system; Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; comprehensive mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disability crisis services; written plan. Allows the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, in collaboration with the Department of Criminal Justice Services, to amend the written plan created pursuant to relevant law after the publication of such written plan, provided that (i) the stakeholders listed in relevant law are consulted during the development of any new language to be added to such written plan and (ii) a public comment period of no less than 30 days is held prior to the finalization of such written plan. The bill also provides that the written plan shall serve as the operational framework for relevant components of the comprehensive crisis system and the Marcus alert system and that state agencies and local implementing partners shall align their policies, procedures, and operations on an ongoing basis with the requirements and guidance set forth in the written plan, as amended. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Behavioral Health Commission. This bill is identical to SB 513.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

Vital Records, Office of; fees for certified copies, annual report.

Office of Vital Records; fees for certified copies. Permits the Board of Health to prescribe a fee of up to $15 for a certified copy of vital records and directs the Department of Motor Vehicles to collect a fee of $15 for each certified copy of a vital record that it issues. Under current law, both fees are limited to $12.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

Practice of radiologic technology; licensure exceptions, sunset.

Practice of radiologic technology; licensure exceptions. Permits a person employed or engaged by a hospital, health system, or urgent care center that is affiliated with a hospital or health care system to practice within the scope of his employment as a radiologic technologist, radiologic assistant, or radiologic technologist, limited without obtaining a license. Under current law, such exception only applies to radiologic technologists who are employees of a hospital. The bill exempts the initial promulgation of regulations pursuant to the bill by the Board of Medicine from the requirements of the Administrative Process Act. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2029.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

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

Debtor's disposable earnings; exemptions form garnishment, exemptions in bankruptcy proceedings.

Exemptions from garnishment; exemptions in bankruptcy proceedings; disposable earnings. Provides that the exemption provided for a debtor's disposable earnings, defined by current law, that are subject to garnishment also applies to disposable earnings for the purposes of a bankruptcy proceeding.

Marcus B. SimonDemocrat

Uniform Consumer Debt Default Judgments Act; established.

Uniform Consumer Debt Default Judgments Act established. Creates the Uniform Consumer Debt Default Judgments Act for the award of a default judgment in actions for the collection of certain consumer debts, defined in the bill as an obligation or alleged obligation of an individual to pay money that arises out of a transaction in which the money, property, insurance, or service that is the subject of the transaction is primarily for a personal, family, or household purpose. The bill provides that a default judgment in such actions shall only be entered if the warrant in debt or civil action to recover a consumer debt includes certain statements and the required notice to the consumer, as described in the bill. Finally, the bill directs the Office of the Executive Secretary to promulgate a form for the consumer notice provisions created by the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Marcus B. SimonDemocrat

Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act; numerous revisions to Act, delayed effective date.

Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act. Provides for numerous revisions to the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act. Among other revisions, the bill (i) authorizes certain actions to derive from its bylaws in addition to its articles of incorporation, (ii) makes changes to the process of amending articles of incorporation and bylaws, (iii) authorizes inclusion of an exclusive forum provision in the bylaws, (iv) permits transfer of membership interests, (v) authorizes members to bring derivative proceedings, (vi) permits a court to remove a director in certain circumstances, (vii) provides for abandonment of an amendment or restatement of the articles of incorporation, (viii) extends the current provisions related to mergers to include interest exchanges and to provide for parent-subsidiary mergers, (ix) replaces existing provisions on conversion with provisions based on the Virginia Stock Act, and (x) adds provisions governing charitable corporations and charitable assets, including the authority of the Office of the Attorney General with respect to such. The bill includes technical amendments and has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 246.

Patrick A. HopeDemocrat

Insurance; standards of conduct for public adjusters, unauthorized practice of public adjusting.

Insurance; standards of conduct for public adjusters; unauthorized practice of public adjusting. Prohibits any person who does not hold a valid public adjuster license from soliciting, investigating, negotiating, adjusting, or providing advice to a policyholder, in relation to a first party claim arising under an insurance contract that insures the real or personal property of a policyholder, for the purpose of effecting the settlement of a claim on behalf of the policyholder. The bill prohibits any public adjuster from assisting in a claim where the policyholder has improperly assigned the duties, rights, or benefits under the relevant policy to any contractor or vendor. The bill adds requirements for advertisements by public adjusters, and excludes certain materials from being considered advertisements. The bill also includes specific standards of conduct for public adjusters regarding vulnerable adults, as defined in the bill, and contains technical amendments.

Destiny LeVere BollingDemocrat

Electric utilities; electric grid utilization metrics; State Corporation Commission.

Phase I and Phase II Utilities; electric grid utilization metrics. Requires Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to petition the State Corporation Commission for approval of grid utilization metrics by October 15, 2026, which petition may be consolidated with the integrated resource plan filing for Dominion Energy in 2026. Under the bill, the petition shall include certain assessments comparing current electric grid system performance with optimal utilization of existing electric grid assets. The bill also requires the Commission to include in an existing annual report its findings on each applicable utility's assessment of relevant grid utilization metrics, which shall include an analysis of the potential for each applicable utility to increase electric grid utilization through the deployment of non-wires alternatives. This bill is identical to SB 621.

Destiny LeVere BollingDemocrat

New College Institute; reconstitution of Institute as West Piedmont Higher Education Center, etc.

New College Institute; name; membership and composition of board of directors. Renames New College Institute as the West Piedmont Higher Education Center (the Center) and makes several revisions to the membership requirements for the board of directors of the Center, including (i) increasing from 15 to 20 members the total membership of the board of directors; (ii) modifying the composition of the board of directors by adding as required members the Executive Director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia or his designee, the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System or his designee, and the presidents of George Mason University, Longwood University, Radford University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and Virginia State University or their designees; (iii) reducing from 10 to seven the total number of nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor and requiring five of such nonlegislative citizen members to be representatives of West Piedmont public education and area business and industry, including one division superintendent, one public school teacher, and three business and industry leaders; and (iv) adding the president of Patrick & Henry Community College or his designee to serve as an ex officio nonvoting member. The bill also requires the board of directors of the Center, in collaboration with representatives of GO Virginia Region 3, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, Patrick & Henry Community College, local school boards, and major regional employers, to develop a sustainability plan, including a comprehensive strategic plan and customer recruitment and expansion strategy, to provide higher education degree and certification programs in accordance with its mission, to review options to achieve the goals stated in such plan, and to report on such options to the Governor, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, and the Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations no later than August 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 299.

Destiny LeVere BollingDemocrat

Newborn screening; evaluation of disorders for inclusion, process for considering other disorders.

Newborn screening; process for evaluation of disorders for inclusion. Directs the Department of Health to establish a process for considering the addition of disorders to the Commonwealth's newborn screening program that are not included on the federal Recommended Uniform Screening Panel, which process shall include criteria and a timeline for consideration of disorders and a timeline for initiation of rulemaking.

Destiny LeVere BollingDemocrat

Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Commission; extends of sunset provision.

Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Commission; extension of expiration date. Extends the expiration date of the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Commission from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2029. This bill is identical to SB 682.

Destiny LeVere BollingDemocrat

Electric utilities; definitions, integrated resource plans, report.

Electric utilities; integrated resource plans. Makes various changes related to the content and process for an integrated resource plan (IRP) developed by an electric utility that provides a forecast of its load obligations and a plan to meet those obligations. The bill (i) extends the planning timeframe from 15 to 20 years; (ii) requires Appalachian Power to file an IRP by removing an exception from the definition of "electric utility"; (iii) changes the frequency with which a utility is required to file an IRP from biennially to triennially; (iv) requires utilities to consider the use of grid-enhancing technologies as alternatives to new transmission infrastructure, and when new transmission lines are envisioned, to provide the reasons grid-enhancing technologies are not sufficient to defer or eliminate the need for new transmission infrastructure; and (v) requires utilities to consider the use of surplus interconnection service, as defined in the bill, to add new electric generation projects and energy storage resources to the grid. The bill requires that the current stakeholder review process for integrated resource plans be facilitated by a third-party facilitator selected by the State Corporation Commission and compensated by the utility. The bill requires, as part of the stakeholder review process, the utility to provide stakeholders with reasonable access to the same modeling software, modeling assumptions, modeling inputs, and data used by the utility to evaluate supply and demand resources in its integrated resource plan to enable stakeholders to create modeling scenarios for the utility's consideration during the development of its integrated resource plan. The bill requires the State Corporation Commission to (a) establish guidelines that ensure that utilities develop comprehensive integrated resource plans and provide meaningful public engagement and maximum transparency during the planning process; (b) conduct a proceeding by July 1, 2027, and at least once every five years thereafter, to identify and review each of its existing orders relevant to integrated resource plans to determine if such orders remain necessary and effective and are not overly burdensome; and (c) convene a work group to make recommendations on the required guidelines. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to SB 249.

Destiny LeVere BollingDemocrat

Uniform, comprehensive data information system; info on self-identified students who are parents.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; uniform, comprehensive data information system; information on self-identified students who are parents. Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to include in its uniform, comprehensive data information system information on self-identified students who are parents, as that term is defined in relevant law.

Destiny LeVere BollingDemocrat

Pregnant and postpartum patients; reimbursement for remote monitoring services.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; remote monitoring services through pregnancy and postpartum for high-risk pregnant patients; reimbursement. Expands provision for payment of medical assistance for remote patient monitoring services provided via telemedicine to include high-risk pregnant persons through 12 months postpartum. The bill directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to assess expanding similar provision of payment for patients with advanced maternal age and submit a report of its findings to the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2026.

Destiny LeVere BollingDemocrat

Workers' compensation; employer's offset in event of recovery.

Workers' compensation; employer's offset in event of recovery. Amends provisions related to an employer's offset for recovery in certain actions brought under the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act. The bill requires that lifetime medical award benefits and ongoing indemnity award benefits shall remain in full force and effect if the claimant is under such an award at the time that recovery is effected, subject to the employer offset provisions. Under the bill, an employer's credit shall be applied as a continuing, pro rata reduction to benefits otherwise payable under an existing award until the employer's required credit is exhausted. The bill also removes language limiting an employee's entitlement to compensation and expenses for medical, surgical, and hospital attention and funeral expenses.

Destiny LeVere BollingDemocrat

Roanoke Higher Education Authority; board of trustees, reduces membership.

Roanoke Higher Education Authority; board of trustees; membership. Reduces from 19 to 18 the total membership of the board of trustees of the Roanoke Higher Education Authority by removing the presidents of Old Dominion University and the University of Virginia or their designees and adding the president of Appalachian College of Pharmacy or his designee. The bill also permits the President of Total Action for Progress to designate an individual to serve in his place on such board of trustees. This bill is identical to SB 242.

Sam RasoulDemocrat

Health insurance; definitions, prohibited restrictions on in-network referrals.

Health insurance; prohibited restrictions on in-network referrals. Prohibits a health insurance carrier from prohibiting an in-network provider, as defined in the bill, from referring any enrollee or specimen to any in-network clinical laboratory or in-network pathology service provider under the terms of such insurance unless such referral would constitute a violation of certain laws. This bill is identical to SB 745.

Destiny LeVere BollingDemocrat

Water utilities; prohibition of multiple rate increases within 3-year period for water utilities.

Water utilities; prohibition of multiple rate increases within three-year period for water utilities. Prohibits a public utility authorized to furnish water or water and sewer service from filing an application for a rate increase more frequently than once in any three-year period. The bill provides exceptions to such prohibition for the utility to file an application (i) for a decrease in rates; (ii) limited to a rate adjustment clause, rider, or surcharge; (iii) for a temporary emergency increase in rates; or (iv) for an increase upon a finding by the State Corporation Commission that extraordinary circumstances exist. The provisions of the bill do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2027 Session of the General Assembly.

Nicole ColeDemocrat

School buses; use for public purposes by local governing bodies, insurance reimbursement.

Use of school buses for public purposes by local governing bodies; insurance reimbursement. Permits any local governing body that use school buses for certain public purposes pursuant to an agreement with a school board to reimburse the school board for the proportionate share of any insurance costs, both fixed and variable, of such buses incurred by such school board that are attributable to the use of such buses pursuant to such agreement in lieu of the existing statutory requirement for such a local governing body to supply sufficient insurance for such school buses.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

Commissioner of Highways; certain agreements with U.S. Department of Transportation.

Commissioner of Highways; certain agreements with the U.S. Department of Transportation; National Environmental Policy Act. Authorizes the Commissioner of Highways to enter into agreements for a term of five years with the U.S. Department of Transportation, as provided for in federal law, regarding state assumption of responsibility for categorical exclusions and the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program. The bill authorizes the Department of Transportation to assume certain responsibilities of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation pursuant to such agreement. Under the bill, the Commonwealth waives its immunity from civil suit in a federal court under certain circumstances. The bill contains an expiration date of five years after the date on which the first agreement is entered into. This bill is identical to SB 716.

David A. ReidDemocrat

High School Certified Nurse Aide Training/Certification Program; established, requirements, report.

Board of Education; Board of Nursing; High School Certified Nurse Aide Training and Certification Program established; requirements; report. Establishes the High School Certified Nurse Aide Training and Certification Program for the purpose of creating a pathway for qualified high school students, as defined by the bill, to prepare for and obtain certification as a certified nurse aide (CNA) in the Commonwealth by approving and supporting the establishment of approved training programs, as that term is defined by the bill, whereby any qualified high school student may participate in a program of instruction that (i) is designed to prepare such students for certification as a CNA, in accordance with the requirements of the Board of Nursing; (ii) is taught by an individual who is qualified to provide such instruction, consistent with the requirements of the Board of Education and the Board of Nursing; and (iii) supports each participating student in meeting the requirements for and obtaining certification as a CNA. The bill directs the Board of Education, in collaboration with the Board of Nursing, to administer the Program and to establish policies and procedures for the administration of the Program. Finally, the bill requires the Board of Education to submit to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education by November 1 of each year a report on the activities of the Program for the preceding year.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

Two-Year college Transfer Grant, etc.; eligibility.

Selective Service; Two-Year College Transfer Grant; Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant Program. Removes the requirement that individuals register for the Selective Service in order to be eligible for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant, the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant Program, or any other state direct tuition assistance.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

School boards; participation in SAT School Day program required, student participation.

School boards; participation in SAT School Day program required; student participation. Requires each school board to (i) participate in the SAT School Day program (the program) or any similar program offered by the College Board whereby high school students are permitted to take the SAT during regular school hours at the high school at which they are enrolled and (ii) offer each high school student in the school division the opportunity to take the SAT pursuant to the program at least once during the student's junior or senior year, in either the fall testing window or the spring testing window at the public high school at which the student is enrolled, provided that (a) no such student shall be required to participate in the program and (b) if the school board offers such opportunity during the fall testing window, the school board shall, to the extent feasible, align the days on which it offers such opportunity with the PSAT testing window and offer high school students in the school division to take either the SAT or the PSAT, as applicable, during regular school hours at the high school on the same school day.

David A. ReidDemocrat

Enslaved Ancestors College Access Scholarship and Memorial Program; scholarships, administration.

Enslaved Ancestors College Access Scholarship and Memorial Program; parameters. Prohibits any such institution from passing the cost of any scholarship program established in accordance with the provisions of the Enslaved Ancestors College Access Scholarship and Memorial Program to other enrolled students by increasing the rate of tuition or mandatory fees. The bill also requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to (i) establish a work group that consists of a representative of each institution that participates in the Program that meets at least semiannually to discuss Program administration, including sharing best practices on administration and research, coordinating funding and fundraising strategies, developing outreach and marketing plans, collaborating on historical and genealogical research efforts, and aligning government and community engagement initiatives, and (ii) develop and maintain a single statewide online portal that describes each institution's program, criteria, and investments in scholarship students or the community, lists designated points of contact at each institution, shares application timelines and processes, and offers historical context and ongoing memorial updates.

David A. ReidDemocrat

Cottage food laws; sale of certain food over phone and internet, report.

Cottage food laws; sale of certain food over phone and internet; work group; report. Expands the exemption from state inspection requirements for private homes where the resident processes and prepares certain food products, including pickles and other acidified vegetables, to allow for such person to sell such products at any location, through the internet, or by telephone to an individual in the Commonwealth for his own consumption and deliver such products in person, by mail, or by delivery service subject to certain restrictions. Current law only allows for the sale to take place in person at the private home, a temporary event, or a farmer's market. The bill also directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to convene a work group to examine the structural, equipment, and facility standards for private homes in the Commonwealth producing products that do not meet the cottage food law exemptions. The bill requires the work group to complete its meetings by November 1, 2026, and report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources by the first day of the 2027 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Katrina CallsenDemocrat

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; powers of the board.

Public institutions of higher education; other educational and cultural institutions; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; powers of the board. Amends the enumerated powers of the board of trustees of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts by replacing the authority to adopt regulations to establish classes of membership in the Museum with the authority to adopt regulations and set fees relating to the use and visitation of properties under the control of the board. The bill clarifies that the regulations on museum and grounds use and access set forth in the Virginia Administrative Code shall continue in effect and be deemed to constitute the regulations adopted pursuant to the bill.

Alex Q. AskewDemocrat

Motion picture production; increases aggregate cap on tax credit, extends sunset.

Motion picture production tax credit; sunset extended. Extends the motion picture production tax credit sunset date from taxable year 2026 to taxable year 2030. This bill is identical to SB 612.

Charniele L. HerringDemocrat

Plastic firearms or receivers, etc., transfer, etc., prohibited; penalties.

Manufacture, importation, sale, transfer, or possession of plastic firearms and unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms prohibited; penalties. Creates a Class 5 felony for any person who knowingly manufactures or assembles, imports, purchases, sells, transfers, or possesses any firearm that, after removal of all parts other than a major component, as defined in the bill, is not detectable as a firearm when subjected to inspection by the types of detection devices, including X-ray machines, commonly used at airports, government buildings, schools, correctional facilities, and other locations for security screening. The bill updates language regarding the types of detection devices that are used at such locations for detecting plastic firearms. Under current law, it is unlawful to manufacture, import, sell, transfer, or possess any plastic firearm and a violation is punishable as a Class 5 felony. The bill also creates a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, for any person to knowingly possess a firearm or any completed or unfinished frame or receiver that is not imprinted with a valid serial number or to knowingly import, purchase, sell, offer for sale, or transfer ownership of any completed or unfinished frame or receiver, unless the completed or unfinished frame or receiver (i) is deemed to be a firearm pursuant to federal law and (ii) is imprinted with a valid serial number. The bill also creates a Class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, for any person to manufacture or assemble, cause to be manufactured or assembled, import, purchase, sell, offer for sale, or transfer ownership of any firearm that is not imprinted with a valid serial number. The provisions of the bill prohibiting unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027; however, the provisions of the bill prohibiting the knowing possession of a firearm or any completed or unfinished frame or receiver that is not imprinted with a valid serial number have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 323.

Marcus B. SimonDemocrat

Affordable housing; preservation, definitions, civil penalty.

Preservation of affordable housing; definitions; civil penalty. Creates a framework for localities to preserve affordable housing by exercising a right of first refusal on publicly supported housing, defined in the bill. The bill authorizes localities to adopt an ordinance that requires an owner to accept a right of first refusal offer by the locality or qualified designee, defined in the bill, in order to preserve affordable housing for at least 15 years. The bill requires that any locality with a population greater than 3,500 adopting such an ordinance to preserve affordable housing submit an annual report to the Department of Housing and Community Development pursuant to existing law.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican