Bills & Legislation

Virginia Gaming Commerce Regulation Act; established, penalties distribution of funds, report.

Virginia Gaming Commerce Regulation Act established; penalties. Establishes the Virginia Gaming Commerce Regulation Act for the purpose of providing a regulatory and registration scheme for electronic gaming devices in the Commonwealth. The bill authorizes and specifies the registration requirements for the distribution, operation, hosting, and play of electronic gaming devices, as defined in the bill. The bill imposes a $1,200 monthly tax on each electronic gaming device from each distributor, as defined in the bill, and provides for the use of such tax proceeds after deposit in the Virginia Gaming Commerce Regulation Fund, established in the bill for distribution as follows: (i) 70 percent to the Elementary and Secondary Education Fund, also established in the bill, but only to supplement and not supplant existing funding for public primary and secondary education; (ii) 15 percent to the host locality contingent upon 33 percent of such amount being used for local law enforcement; (iii) five percent for the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program and Fund; (iv) three percent to the I-81 Corridor Improvement Fund, (v) three percent to the Gaming Regulatory Fund for administration and oversight costs; (vi) 2.5 percent to the State Police for the Office of Gaming Enforcement; and (vii) 1.5 percent to the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund. The bill directs the Virginia Lottery Board to promulgate regulations no later than June 30, 2026, to implement the provisions of the bill and authorizes the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to grant a provisional registration, until the Virginia Lottery Board regulations are promulgated, to any entity that meets the respective criteria.

Bill DeStephRepublican

Insecure uncrewed aircraft systems; prohibition on procurement and use, report.

Prohibition on procurement and use of insecure uncrewed aircraft systems; report. Prohibits, beginning on July 1, 2025, any public body from purchasing, leasing, or otherwise procuring an insecure uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), as that term is defined in the bill. The bill further prohibits, beginning on July 1, 2029, any public body from using, whether directly or through work with or on behalf of another public body, an insecure UAS. The bill directs the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) to establish cybersecurity standards for the certification of secure UAS and maintain a list of approved UAS manufacturers and models on its website. The bill also requires the Joint Commission on Technology and Science, in collaboration with stakeholders, to review cybersecurity standards and make recommendations every two years to ensure alignment with emerging UAS technologies, evolving cybersecurity threats, the operational and safety needs of public bodies, and public safety priorities within the Commonwealth. Finally, the bill establishes the Uncrewed Aircraft Replacement Grant Program, to be administered by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, to award grants to aid public bodies with the transition from insecure UAS to secure UAS.

Bonita G. AnthonyDemocrat

Public middle schools; programs of instruction.

Public middle schools; programs of instruction; Middle School Mathematics Innovation Program established. Establishes the Middle School Mathematics Innovation Program, to be administered by the Department of Education (the Department), for the purpose of assisting school divisions, in partnership with a certain provider, to be selected by the Department in accordance with criteria set forth in the bill, in the implementation of personalized, competency-based mathematics education and evidence-based mathematics learning models in mathematics courses offered in grades six through eight in any public middle school designated as a mathematics innovation school. Any public middle school may apply for the mathematics innovation school designation. The bill directs the Department to give preference to public middle schools that (i) demonstrate a need for support based on data from the immediately preceding school year on the Standards of Learning mathematics assessment results for grades six, seven, and eight; (ii) are located in rural areas; or (iii) are located in economically disadvantaged areas.

Tara A. DurantRepublican

Charitable gaming; definition of poker events.

Charitable gaming; poker events. Defines poker event for the purposes of charitable gaming to mean a Texas Hold'em poker game or Texas Hold'em poker tournament in which (i) a schedule of fixed and variable fees for entry into the poker event and the number of chips received for such fees is established and posted; (ii) rebuys, reentries, and add-ons are permitted without limitation; (iii) chips with cash value are permitted to be used; (iv) games and tournaments may be run concurrently; (v) no limit applies to how many poker events occur during the time listed on the permit for such poker event; and (vi) a seating fee may be charged at a rate of up to $8 up to once every 30 minutes. The bill requires any qualified organization that conducts any poker event to use at least 20 percent of its poker adjusted gross receipts, defined in the bill, from the conduct of Texas Hold'em poker tournaments for (a) those lawful religious, charitable, community, or educational purposes for which the organization is specifically chartered or organized or (b) those expenses related to the acquisition, construction, maintenance, or repair of any interest in real property involved in the operation of the organization and used for lawful religious, charitable, community, or educational purposes. The bill also outlines certain specifics related to the conduct of poker events, including remuneration to operators and tips or gratuities paid to dealers and employees of such operators.

Michael J. JonesDemocrat

Arrest of probationer without a warrant; repeals provision.

Arrest of probationer without a warrant; repeal. Repeals the provision allowing any probation officer appointed pursuant to relevant law to arrest a probationer without a warrant, or to deputize any other officer with power to arrest to do so, by a written statement setting forth that the probationer has, in the judgment of the probation officer, violated one or more of the terms or conditions upon which the probationer was released on probation.

Will DavisRepublican

Electric utilities; renewable energy portfolio standard program, zero-carbon electricity.

Electric utilities; renewable energy portfolio standard program; zero-carbon electricity. Amends the definition of renewable energy for purposes of the Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act to include energy derived from hydrogen and nuclear power. The bill provides that the existing renewable energy portfolio standard program that establishes goals for the sale of renewable energy shall also include goals for the sale of zero-carbon electricity and adds zero-carbon electricity generating resources and certain other resources approved by the State Corporation Commission to the list of eligible sources for purposes of the renewable portfolio standard program.

Tony O. WiltRepublican

Designated illegal acts; transfer of prisoners convicted of acts.

Transfer of prisoners convicted of designated illegal acts. Adds certain felony offenses related to driving while intoxicated or operating a watercraft while intoxicated to the list of offenses that allow the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to take physical custody of and responsibility for any alien upon conviction.

Mark L. Earley, Jr.Republican

Retail Sales and Use Tax; dealer discount.

Sales and use tax; dealer discount. Provides that the dealer discount deduction for state retail sales and use tax that the dealer accounts for in submitting his return and paying the amount due, beginning July 1, 2025, will be six percent of the first three percent of the tax imposed. Under current law, the dealer discount is allowed as a deduction from the first three percent of the state retail sales and use tax that the dealer accounts for in submitting his return and paying the amount due in the following percentages: four percent, if the monthly taxable sales of the dealer are $0 to $62,500; three percent, if the monthly taxable sales of the dealer are $62,501 to $208,000; and two percent if the monthly taxable sales of the dealer are $208,001 and above.

Tammy Brankley MulchiRepublican

Workers' compensation; presumption of compensability for lymphoma or myeloma.

Workers' compensation; presumption of compensability for lymphoma or myeloma. Expands the workers' compensation presumption of compensability for certain cancers causing the death or disability of certain employees who have completed five years of service in their position to include lymphoma and myeloma. The presumption for these cancers does not apply for any individual diagnosed with such a condition before July 1, 2025.

Will DavisRepublican

Electric utilities; controlled environment agriculture facilities, time-of-use.

Electric utilities; controlled environment agriculture facilities; time-of-use. Requires electric utilities, upon the request of a controlled environment agriculture facility, as defined in the bill, to advise such facility of available time-of-use rate structures for such facility based on its expected electricity usage patterns.

Ian T. LovejoyRepublican

Absentee voting in person; available beginning 14 days prior to election, hours of operation.

Absentee voting in person; available beginning 14 days prior to election; hours of operation. Limits the availability of absentee voting in person to beginning 14 days prior to any election. During these two weeks, the bill requires that absentee voting in person be available Monday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. each day. Under current law, absentee voting in person is available during regular business hours of the office of the general registrar beginning 45 days prior to any election with a requirement to be open a minimum of eight hours between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on the first and second Saturdays immediately preceding the election.

Phillip A. ScottRepublican

Abortion; born alive infant, treatment and care, penalty.

Abortion; born alive infant; treatment and care; penalty. Requires every health care provider licensed by the Board of Medicine who attempts to terminate a pregnancy to (i) exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of a human infant who has been born alive following such attempt as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care practitioner would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age and (ii) take all reasonable steps to ensure the immediate transfer of the human infant who has been born alive to a hospital for further medical care. A health care provider who fails to comply with the requirements of the bill is guilty of a Class 4 felony and may be subject to disciplinary action by the Board. The bill also requires every hospital licensed by the Department of Health to establish a protocol for the treatment and care of a human infant who has been born alive following an attempt to terminate a pregnancy and for the immediate reporting to law enforcement of any failure to provide such required treatment and care.

Timothy P. GriffinRepublican

Hospital Oversight Fund, etc.; established, health care credentialing and billing oversight.

Health care credentialing and billing oversight; Hospital Oversight Fund established; Independent Credentialing Review Board established; Medicaid Billing Oversight Task Force established; reports. Establishes a Hospital Oversight Fund, Independent Credentialing Review Board, and Medicaid Billing Oversight Task Force to fund and carry out oversight of credentialing, as that term is defined in the bill, for health care providers and Medicaid billing. The bill establishes protections for whistleblowers that report unsafe medical practices, fraudulent billing, or noncompliance with credentialing standards to the Department of Health; directs the Department to establish and maintain a statewide database for health care provider credentialing; and authorizes the Department to enter into public-private partnerships to conduct compliance audits.

Bonita G. AnthonyDemocrat

Immigration and Customs Enforcement; transfer of certain incarcerated persons.

Transfer of certain incarcerated persons to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Requires the Director of the Department of Corrections, sheriff, or other official in charge of the correctional facility in which an alien is incarcerated, upon receipt of a detainer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to transfer custody of the alien to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement no more than five days prior to the date that he would otherwise be released from custody.

Tony O. WiltRepublican

Constitutional amendment; tax exemption for motor vehicles owned for personal, noncommercial use.

Constitutional amendment (first reference); personal property tax; exemption for motor vehicles owned for personal, noncommercial use. Requires the General Assembly to exempt from personal property taxes motor vehicles owned by an individual for personal, noncommercial use, provided that for the first year following the effective date of such law, the exemption shall be equal to 20 percent of the tax rate imposed by a locality on tangible personal property, and shall increase by an additional 20 percent of such rate for each year thereafter until such time that the exemption is equal to 100 percent. For purposes of the exemption, "motor vehicle" includes only automobiles, pickup trucks, and motorcycles. The amendment provides that the exemption is applicable on the date the motor vehicle is acquired or the effective date of the amendment, whichever is later, but is not applicable for any period of time prior to the effective date.

Chris ObenshainRepublican

Certificate of public need; hospitals that provide maternity care, exception.

Certificate of public need; hospitals that provide maternity care; exception. Specifies that hospitals that solely provide maternity care are not considered to be medical care facilities subject to provisions requiring such facilities to obtain a certificate of public need.

Delores OatesRepublican

Tangible personal property; computer equipment and peripherals used in data centers.

Classification of tangible personal property; computer equipment and peripherals used in data centers; facilities housing systems used to engage in digital asset mining business activities. Provides that, for purposes of the separate tax classification of tangible personal property for computer equipment and peripherals used in a data center, a data center includes facilities housing systems used to engage in digital mining business activities, defined in the bill.

Michael J. WebertRepublican

Corrections, Dept. of; designated employees with same power as sheriff or law-enforcement officer.

Department of Corrections; designated employees with same power as sheriff or law-enforcement officer. Allows the Department of Corrections to designate employees to have the same power as a sheriff or a law-enforcement officer for the purpose of enforcing the criminal laws of the Commonwealth. Under current law, the Department can designate such employees with internal investigations authority to have such law-enforcement powers in the investigation of allegations of criminal behavior affecting the operations of the Department. Accordingly, the bill makes technical changes to additional sections that reference such designated employees, including in the definition of a law-enforcement officer used in various places throughout the Code and for the purposes of the Line of Duty Act, assault and battery of a law-enforcement officer, retired law-enforcement officers being able to carry a concealed handgun, and certain retired law-enforcement officers being able to purchase their service handgun or other weapon.

Tony O. WiltRepublican

Natural gas utilities; retail supply choice, report.

Natural gas utilities; retail supply choice; work group; report. Allows every person access to distribution service or retail natural gas from a natural gas utility authorized to provide natural gas service to the area where the service will be received. The bill prohibits a public entity from adopting an ordinance, resolution, or any other requirement that limits or prohibits customers from acquiring natural gas service and supply from both utility and non-utility gas companies. The bill prohibits public entities from denying building permits solely based on a proposed utility provider and directs public entities to ensure that all applicable permits and fees are reasonable, as compared to other utility providers, and do not restrict an applicant's ability to use the services of an authorized utility provider. The bill also directs the Department of Energy to convene a work group for the purposes of evaluating the impact of critical infrastructure sectors on natural gas service or natural gas supply choice and the impact of any public entity restricting a critical infrastructure sector from acquiring fuel and to submit a report of its findings and recommendations by November 1, 2025.

Israel D. O'QuinnRepublican

Electric utilities; rate caps, Commission on Electric Utility Regulation, utility rate reviews.

Electric utilities; rate caps; Commission on Electric Utility Regulation; utility rate reviews. Requires the State Corporation Commission to establish capped rates for Appalachian Power. The bill requires the capped rates to be the rates in effect for each Phase I electric utility as of July 1, 2025. The bill authorizes the Commission to adjust such capped rates in connection with the electric utility's recovery of fuel and purchased power costs. The bill's capped rates expire on July 1, 2027. The bill requires the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation (the Commission) to review and make recommendations regarding certain petitions filed by Appalachian Power with the State Corporation Commission. For each such review, the bill requires the Commission to convene a subcommittee that includes one nonlegislative citizen member from each planning district commission within the Phase I Utility's service territory, each of whom is appointed by the relevant planning district commission. The Commission shall submit its recommendation to the State Corporation Commission no later than 90 days following the date such petition is filed. The bill prohibits the Commission from adopting any recommendation if a majority of the members of the subcommittee vote against the recommendation. The bill requires the State Corporation Commission to consider the recommendations of the Commission.

James W. MorefieldRepublican

Uniform Statewide Building Code; installation of natural gas leak detectors in residential bldgs.

Uniform Statewide Building Code; amendments; natural gas leak detectors. Directs the Board of Housing and Community Development to consider adopting amendments to the Uniform Statewide Building Code to require the installation of natural gas leak detectors in residential buildings with natural gas piping installed.

James A. "Jay" LeftwichRepublican

Persons with disabilities; JLARC to study transportation options in rural areas.

Study; JLARC; transportation options in rural areas for persons with disabilities. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to study transportation options in rural areas for persons with disabilities and identify ways to expand or enhance such transportation services. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Disability Commission.

Amy J. LauferDemocrat

Standards of Quality; SOL assessments in languages other than English, development & administration.

Standards of Quality; Standards of Learning assessments in languages other than English; development and administration. Requires (i) the Board of Education to develop Standards of Learning assessments in native languages other than English that are most commonly spoken in the Commonwealth; (ii) each school board to make available any such native language assessment to any English language learner student who speaks any such language natively and is identified as having limited English proficiency; (iii) the English language learner faculty at any such student's school to make the final determination as to whether administration of any such native language assessment is appropriate; and (iv) the provisions of the bill to be implemented by the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year. Finally, the bill directs the Department of Education to submit to the U.S. Department of Education by August 1, 2025 any amendments to its consolidated plan under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, that are necessary to implement its provisions.

Barbara A. FavolaDemocrat

Lobbyist registration; definition of "lobbyist".

Lobbyist registration; definition of "lobbyist"; representatives of public institutions of higher education. Amends the definition of "lobbyist" to include individuals who represent public institutions of higher education for the purpose of lobbying.

William M. Stanley, Jr.Republican

Elections; electoral board appointments, up to five party recommendations.

Elections; administration; electoral board appointments; up to five party recommendations. Allows the political party entitled to the appointment of an electoral board member to make recommendations of up to five qualified voters for each appointment. Under current law, the political party entitled to the appointment of an electoral board member must make recommendations of at least three qualified voters for each appointment.

Eric PhillipsRepublican

Electric utilities; renewable energy definition and facilities.

Electric utilities; renewable energy definition and facilities. Amends the definition of "renewable energy" for the purposes of electric utility regulation to include fuel cells. The bill also adds any renewable energy generation facility located in the coalfield region of the Commonwealth to the list of projects for which a utility may seek a rate adjustment clause.

Terry G. KilgoreRepublican

Public education; early childhood care and education, funding formula calculations, etc.

Public education; early childhood care and education; funding formula calculations; Early Childhood Care and Education Fund established; report. Requires the Department of Education to (i) establish and maintain a funding formula for the provision of early childhood care and education services that establishes the minimum funding and number of slots per biennium for such providers based on a cost of quality rate per child, actual data from the prior year, unserved waitlists, and a multiplier based on enrollment and parent demand growth in prior biennia; (ii) make disbursements from the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund (the Fund), established in the bill, to support the provision of early childhood care and education services in accordance with the funding formula set forth in the bill; (iii) make certain funding calculations, in consultation with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, to be included in the funding formula, for the purpose of determining the number of slots to be added to support local or regional economic development efforts; and (iv) submit to the Commission on Early Childhood Care and Education a report on the status of the Fund, including the data used to calculate the minimum funding and number of slots per biennium established pursuant to the funding formula. The bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to submit to the Generally Assembly by November 1 of each year a report on Fund revenues, distributions, and balances.

Mamie E. LockeDemocrat

Health insurance; coverage for breast examinations for high-risk individuals.

Health insurance; coverage for breast examinations for high-risk individuals. Requires health insurance carriers to cover diagnostic breast examinations and supplemental breast examinations, as those terms are defined in the bill, based on sound medical practices for any high-risk individual, as defined in the bill, without cost sharing under certain insurance policies, subscription contracts, and health care plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in the Commonwealth on and after January 1, 2026. The bill provides that such examinations include examinations using a health care provider's choice of diagnostic mammography, breast magnetic resonance imaging, or breast ultrasound. This bill was incorporated in HB 1828.

Karen Keys-GamarraDemocrat

Income tax deduction; tips.

Income tax deduction; tips. Provides, for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2026, an income tax deduction for the amount of cash tips received during the taxable year that are included on statements furnished to the employer for federal tax purposes.

Ryan T. McDougleRepublican

Athlete agents; deregulation.

Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; deregulation of athlete agents. Repeals certain provisions of the Code related to the regulation of athlete agents and makes it a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act to accept compensation for representing a student athlete without a properly executed agency contract.

Mike A. CherryRepublican

Income tax, state; deductions and earned income tax credit, removes sunset.

Income tax; deductions and earned income tax credit; sunset. Removes the current January 1, 2026 expiration date for the standard deduction in the amount of $8,500 for single individuals and $17,000 for married individuals. Current law provides that on and after January 1, 2026, the standard deduction shall revert back to the amounts that existed before taxable year 2019, which was $3,000 for individuals and $6,000 for married individuals.The bill also removes the current January 1, 2026 expiration date from the partially refundable credit that an individual or married individuals may claim against their Virginia income tax liability in an amount equal to 15 percent of the federal earned income tax credit claimed by an individual or married individuals for federal earned income tax purposes. This bill incorporates SB 845 and SB 951.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

Uniform Statewide Building Code; unsafe structures.

Uniform Statewide Building Code; unsafe structures. Provides that for any structure deemed unsafe under the Uniform Statewide Building Code, and therefore eligible for demolition upon the unsafe notice process being completed, the owner or his agent may temporarily overcome the unsafe structure designation by vacating and securing the structure by board up of all access points. The bill further provides that after six months have elapsed from the time the board up was first learned of and internally recorded by the locality, if the structure would still otherwise be considered an unsafe structure, the locality may issue and send a written notice to the owner that if the other conditions specified in the notice are not adequately improved, or an appeal not received, within two months, the unsafe designation will once again come into effect.

James A. "Jay" LeftwichRepublican

Illegal drugs; venue for certain distribution offenses.

Illegal drugs; venue for certain distribution offenses. Provides that a prosecution for an offense related to distribution of a Schedule I or II drug, where an overdose death occurred from such distribution, may be had in any county or city in which (i) any act in furtherance of the crime was committed or (ii) the deceased person was located.

Ryan T. McDougleRepublican

Income tax, state; eligible low-income taxpayers to claim a refundable income tax credit.

Earned income tax credit. Allows eligible low-income taxpayers to claim a refundable income tax credit equal to 20 percent of the federal earned income tax credit claimed that year by the taxpayer for the same taxable year. The bill also states that individuals who would have been entitled to the federal equivalent of this credit but for the fact that the individual, the individual's spouse, or one or more of the individual's children does not have a valid social security number are eligible to claim this credit. Under current law, taxpayers may choose to claim either a nonrefundable tax credit equal to 20 percent of the federal earned income tax credit claimed that year or a refundable tax credit equal to 15 percent of the federal earned income tax credit claimed that year.

Aaron R. RouseDemocrat

Consumer data privacy; automakers, civil penalty.

Consumer data privacy; automakers; civil penalty. Prohibits automakers operating in the Commonwealth from collecting or processing the personal data of a consumer without such consumer's express consent and from engaging in the sale of personal data. The bill contains requirements for an automaker that has received express consent from a consumer for the collecting or processing of personal data, and includes personal data rights that such consenting customer may invoke at any time. Under the bill, the Attorney General is authorized to investigate violations and enforce the provisions of the bill by initiating an action, seeking an injunction, and seeking civil penalties of up to $7,500 for each violation.

Tara A. DurantRepublican

Real property tax; surviving spouses of members of armed forces who died in line of duty.

Real property tax exemption; surviving spouses of members of the armed forces who died in the line of duty. Authorizes localities by ordinance to provide a total exemption from real property taxes regardless of assessed value beginning in tax years beginning on and after January 1, 2025, for surviving spouses of members of the armed forces who died in the line of duty. Under law effective January 1, 2025, a total exemption is only allowed for such surviving spouses for those dwellings in the locality with assessed values in the most recently ended tax year that are not in excess of the average assessed value for such year of a dwelling situated on property that is zoned as single family residential.

Aaron R. RouseDemocrat

Voter registration; list of registered voters and persons voting at elections.

Voter registration; list of registered voters and persons voting at elections. Requires the Department of Elections to provide digital lists of all registered voters and of persons who voted at any primary, special, or general election held in the four preceding years at no cost and manually prepared paper lists of such voters and persons at actual cost to certain persons. Under current law such lists are provided at a reasonable price and no format is specified.

Timothy P. GriffinRepublican

Retail Sales and Use Tax; exemption for data centers, reports.

Retail sales and use tax; exemption for data centers; reports. Requires a data center operator, in order to be eligible for the existing data center sales and use tax exemption to (i) beginning July 1, 2030, purchase a certain percentage of the data center's annual electric load from clean energy resources, (ii) beginning July 1, 2030, demonstrate sufficient investment in energy efficiency measures to provide system-wide benefits, and (iii) beginning July 1, 2027, use only backup generators that meet certain emissions standards. The bill requires the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation to examine the cost and feasibility of data centers using onsite backup and primary generation that is not diesel-fired and report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly no later than December 1, 2025. The bill requires the Department of Energy to (a) identify opportunities for beneficial use of waste heat from data centers; (b) create and publish on its website an interactive map of existing and proposed data centers and potential public and private heat users; (c) develop a strategic plan to accelerate data center heat reuse in the Commonwealth; (d) designate an employee within the Department to lead the Commonwealth's efforts to reuse data center heat; and (e) convene a stakeholder work group to provide expertise and feedback on the Department's efforts to accelerate the use of waste heat from data centers. The Department is required to report its findings to the General Assembly no later than December 1, 2025. Finally, the bill requires investor-owned electric utilities to file with the State Corporation Commission for approval of a voluntary tariff to facilitate large customer procurement of clean energy.

Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.Democrat

Charitable gaming; use of proceeds, charitable gaming adjusted gross receipts, effective date.

Charitable gaming; use of proceeds; charitable gaming adjusted gross receipts. Amends charitable gaming law to allow certain organizations, as a condition of receiving a charitable gaming permit or authorization to conduct electronic gaming, to use (i) with respect to charitable gaming, other than electronic gaming, a predetermined percentage of its charitable gaming adjusted gross receipts, not to exceed 25 percent, and (ii) with respect to electronic gaming, a predetermined percentage of its electronic gaming adjusted gross receipts, not to exceed 25 percent; however, at no time shall such predetermined percentage be calculated at an amount equal to less than 10 percent of its gross receipts derived from electronic gaming less the amount of prize money paid out to players. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.

Tony O. WiltRepublican

Statewide Fire Prevention Code; consumer fireworks, penalties.

Statewide Fire Prevention Code; State Fire Marshal; consumer fireworks; penalties. Authorizes the use of consumer fireworks in the Commonwealth and distinguishes by definition consumer fireworks from display fireworks and permissible fireworks. The bill provides that the storage and transportation of consumer fireworks are to be considered the same hazard class as the storage and transportation of 1.4G explosives under the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (SFPC) and Uniform Statewide Building Code. The bill requires any locality authorizing the sale of consumer fireworks to require annual permits for any business offering consumer fireworks for retail sale and provides that the State Fire Marshal or other issuing authority may charge a fee for the retail sale of fireworks on a permanent basis or on a temporary basis in localities that do not employ a local fire marshal. The bill excludes from the provisions of the SFPC, unless prohibited by a local ordinance, (i) the sale of consumer or permissible fireworks; (ii) any person using, igniting, or exploding consumer or permissible fireworks on private property with the consent of the owner of such property; or (iii) such consumer or permissible fireworks when they are being transported from a locality where they were legally obtained to a locality where they are legally permitted. Current law only excludes the sale of permissible fireworks or the use of such fireworks on private property. The bill also directs 13 percent of the sales and use tax revenue generated by the local sales and use tax on the sale of consumer or permissible fireworks to be allocated to a special fund and specifies that, of such 13 percent, 10 percent will be used for providing funding for first responders, as defined in the bill, and three percent will be allocated to the local fire marshal or, for localities that do not appoint a fire marshal, to the State Fire Marshal to be used solely on behalf of the locality that transferred such funds. The bill contains technical amendments and has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.

Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.Republican

Estimated tax; failure by individual, trust, or estate to pay.

Estimated tax; failure by individual, trust, or estate to pay. Increases from $150 to $1,000 the maximum underpayment of estimated tax for which no addition to tax shall be added.

Joseph P. McNamaraRepublican

Emergency Response Exposure Grant Fund and Program.

Emergency Response Exposure Grant Fund and Program. Creates the Emergency Response Exposure Grant Fund and Program to award grants to localities to support certain emergency responders who were exposed to a qualifying emergency, defined in the bill. The bill requires funding to be used for annual cancer screenings and health care expenses incurred by eligible emergency responders, defined in the bill, in the event such emergency responders are diagnosed with cancer from toxic material exposure. The bill permits funding to be used for out-of-pocket medical expenses not otherwise covered by insurance, workers' compensation, or other available funding. The Department of Fire Programs shall administer the Fund and Program.

Aaron R. RouseDemocrat

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

State Corporation Commission; time frame for completion of certain transmission lines proceedings. Requires the State Corporation Commission to complete proceedings regarding the approval of certain transmission lines of 138 kilovolts or more that are located in Planning District 1, 2, or 3 within nine months.

Jason S. BallardRepublican

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; algorithmic pricing devices, report.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; algorithmic pricing devices; study; report. Prohibits a landlord from, for the purpose of advising the landlord of the amount of rent to charge a prospective tenant for the occupancy of a dwelling unit, using, incorporating, or training an algorithmic pricing device, defined in the bill, to restrain the rental housing market in ways that constitute an unfair method of competition. The bill grants a tenant with a reasonable belief that his landlord has violated the prohibition an opportunity to file a written complaint with the Office of the Algorithmic Rent Pricing Ombudsman, created in the bill, or to bring an action against his landlord. The bill requires a landlord who uses an algorithmic pricing device to advise him of the amount of rent to charge a prospective tenant for the occupancy of a dwelling unit to disclose the same to a tenant. The bill also directs the Virginia Housing Commission to study the deployment of algorithmic pricing devices and similar predictive technologies for the sale of housing in the Commonwealth to determine whether such devices perpetuate systemic biases prevalent in the housing market. The Commission shall report its findings and any recommendations for legislation to the Chairmen of the House Committee on General Laws and the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology by November 1, 2026.

Bonita G. AnthonyDemocrat

Campaign finance; campaign contribution limits, civil penalty.

Campaign finance; campaign contribution limits; civil penalty. Prohibits persons from making any single contribution, or any combination of contributions, that exceeds $20,000 to any one candidate for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, or the Senate of Virginia or $10,000 to any one candidate for the House of Delegates in any one election cycle. The bill does not place any limits on in-kind contributions to such candidates from political party committees. The bill establishes thresholds for any candidates making contributions to their own campaign in excess of $400,000 in a race for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, or the Senate of Virginia or $200,000 in a race for House of Delegates. The bill also prohibits persons from making any single contribution, or any combination of contributions, that exceeds $10,000 to any one political committee in any calendar year. Civil penalties for violations of the limits established by the bill may equal up to two times the excess contribution amounts.

David L. BulovaDemocrat

Conflict of Interests Act, State & Local Gov't.; contracts, nonexclusive towing service programs.

State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act; contracts; nonexclusive towing service programs. Provides that a contract, for purposes of the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act, does not include a contract for nonexclusive towing service programs regulated pursuant to an ordinance adopted by the governing body of a locality to regulate towing services rendered pursuant to police towing requests by any business engaged in the towing or storage of unattended, abandoned, or immobile vehicles.

Mike A. CherryRepublican

Income tax, state; pass-through entities, sunset.

Income tax; pass-through entities; sunset. Removes the sunset for the elective entity level tax on pass-through entities that is currently set to expire after taxable year 2025.

Joseph P. McNamaraRepublican

Firearm/explosive material; carrying into a bldg. owned or leased by the Commonwealth, exceptions.

Carrying a firearm or explosive material into a building owned or leased by the Commonwealth; exceptions for highway rest areas and government stores. Provides that the prohibition on carrying a firearm or explosive material in any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth shall not apply to any highway rest area or government store, as those terms are defined in relevant law.

Timothy P. GriffinRepublican