Bills & Legislation

High School diploma seal of biliteracy; designation as high-demand industry workforce credential.

High school diploma seal of biliteracy; designation as high-demand industry workforce credential for certain purposes. Requires the Board of Education to include on its list of industry workforce credentials its diploma seal of biliteracy and to consider such seal to be a high-demand industry workforce credential for the purpose of satisfying graduation requirements and determining and calculating high school student readiness in its school accountability system.

Tony O. WiltRepublican

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

Minimum wage; farm laborers or farm employees; temporary foreign workers. Eliminates the exemptions from Virginia's minimum wage requirements for (i) persons employed as farm laborers or farm employees and (ii) certain temporary foreign workers.

Adele Y. McClureDemocrat

Firearm industry members; standards of responsible conduct, civil liability.

Firearm industry members; standards of responsible conduct; civil liability. Creates standards of responsible conduct for firearm industry members and requires such members to establish and implement reasonable controls regarding the manufacture, sale, distribution, use, and marketing of the firearm industry member's firearm-related products, as those terms are defined in the bill. Such reasonable controls include reasonable procedures, safeguards, and business practices that are designed to (i) prevent the sale or distribution of a firearm-related product to a straw purchaser, a firearm trafficker, a person prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law, or a person who the firearm industry member has reasonable cause to believe is at substantial risk of using a firearm-related product to harm themselves or unlawfully harm another or of unlawfully possessing or using a firearm-related product; (ii) prevent the loss of a firearm-related product or theft of a firearm-related product from a firearm industry member; (iii) ensure that the firearm industry member complies with all provisions of state and federal law and does not otherwise promote the unlawful manufacture, sale, possession, marketing, or use of a firearm-related product; and (iv) ensure that the firearm industry member does not engage in an act or practice in violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill also provides that a firearm industry member may not knowingly or recklessly create, maintain, or contribute to a public nuisance, as defined in the bill, through the sale, manufacturing, importing, or marketing of a firearm-related product. The bill creates a civil cause of action for the Attorney General or a local county or city attorney to enforce the provisions of the bill or for any person who has been injured as a result of a firearm industry member's violation to seek an injunction and to recover costs and damages.

Adam P. EbbinDemocrat

Elections; primary dates, presidential year primaries.

Elections; primary dates; presidential year primaries. Provides that all primaries for offices to be filled at the November election in presidential election years shall be held on the date of the presidential primary. With respect to candidates for election in November of a presidential election year, the bill also lifts the requirement that petition signatures must be collected after January 1 of the presidential election year. The bill adjusts campaign finance filing deadlines for candidates in presidential year elections to account for the March primary date. This bill is identical to SB 1119.

Dan I. HelmerDemocrat

Human trafficking; issuance of writ of vacatur for victims.

Issuance of writ of vacatur for victims of human trafficking. Amends the procedure that allows victims of human trafficking, defined in the bill, to file a petition of vacatur in circuit court to have certain convictions vacated and the police and court records expunged for such convictions. This bill is identical to HB 2393.

Mamie E. LockeDemocrat

Firearms, certain; age requirement for purchase, penalty.

Purchase of certain firearms; age requirement; penalty. Prohibits any person under 21 years of age from purchasing an assault firearm, with exceptions for the purchase of an assault firearm by a law-enforcement officer, correctional officer, jail officer, or member of the Armed Forces of the United States, the Virginia National Guard, or the National Guard of any other state. Accordingly, the bill prohibits a licensed dealer from selling, renting, trading, or transferring from his inventory an assault firearm to any person under 21 years of age. A violation of either prohibition is a Class 6 felony. The bill also expands the definition of assault firearm as the term applies to criminal history record information checks.

Saddam Azlan SalimDemocrat

Real Estate Board; membership, qualifications.

Real Estate Board; membership; qualifications. Increases from five to seven years the amount of time a licensed real estate broker or salesperson must be actively engaged in the profession in order to serve as a member of the Real Estate Board. The bill also provides additional qualifications and requirements specific to those members who are licensed real estate brokers or salespersons. This bill is identical to HB 2210.

Bryce E. ReevesRepublican

Elections administration; duties of local electoral board, certification of election, civil penalty.

Elections administration; duties of local electoral board; certification of election; grounds for removal; civil penalty. Provides that the certification of the results of an election is a clear ministerial duty of the local electoral boards and that a member of the local electoral board who neglects or refuses to perform such duty in accordance with law shall be subject to removal proceedings by the State Board of Elections and assessed a penalty not exceeding $1,000. The bill also authorizes the State Board of Elections to intervene and carry out the duties related to election certification in the event a local electoral board fails or refuses to do so.

Marcia S. "Cia" PriceDemocrat

Authority of local governments; definitions, service employees.

Authority of local governments; service employees. Permits any county, city, or town in the Commonwealth to provide for certain requirements concerning incumbent and successor service employers, defined in the bill, by local ordinance or resolution. For example, such local ordinance or resolution may require that successor service employers retain incumbent service employees during a transition period of 90 days. Under the bill, service employees are those who perform work in connection with the care or maintenance of property, services at an airport, or food preparation services at schools. The provisions of the bill do not include any building owned by the Commonwealth or any institution of higher education. The bill provides that an employer that violates the provisions of a local ordinance or resolution enacted pursuant to the bill may be subject to a civil action and monetary damages. This bill is identical to HB 2559.

Lamont BagbyDemocrat

Charter; City of Portsmouth.

Charter; City of Portsmouth. Amends the charter for the City of Portsmouth by authorizing the City Manager to require city departments to implement appropriate enhancement or remedial measures consistent with prevailing law wherever there exists (i) a compelling government interest, (ii) an analysis that documents a statistically significant disparity between the availability and utilization of minority-owned and women-owned businesses, or (iii) direct evidence by minority-owned businesses or women-owned businesses of the impact of race by discrimination. This bill is identical to SB 872.

C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.Democrat

Chronic student absenteeism; task force to examine its effects on local school divisions, etc.

Chronic Absenteeism Task Force; examination of chronic student absenteeism; report. Directs the Chronic Absenteeism Task Force convened by the Department of Education, in consultation with such interested stakeholders as it deems appropriate, to (i) examine chronic student absenteeism and its effects on local school divisions and (ii) make recommendations to the Board of Education, the Governor, and the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2025, on the feasibility and advisability of amending the Board of Education's regulations to exclude certain student absences from the calculation of chronic student absenteeism for the purpose of balancing the importance of student attendance with the need for administrative flexibility for local school divisions. This bill incorporates HB 1788.

Marty MartinezDemocrat

Fines, restitution, forfeiture, etc.; criminal and traffic cases, itemized statement.

Fines, restitution, forfeiture, penalties, and other costs; criminal and traffic cases; itemized statement. Requires the clerk of the court, upon written or electronic request, to provide an itemized statement to any defendant convicted of a traffic infraction or a violation of any criminal law of the Commonwealth or of any political subdivision thereof, or found not innocent in the case of a juvenile, who is sentenced to pay a fine, restitution, forfeiture, or penalty or assessed any other costs in the circuit court or appropriate district court of his county or city at the time such fine, restitution, forfeiture, penalty, or other costs are assessed, or within a reasonable time after assessment. The bill requires the clerk to also provide an updated statement of the outstanding balances of any fines, forfeiture, and penalties, restitution and costs, or payment history upon written or electronic request of the defendant. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.

Michael J. JonesDemocrat

Private well permit application; application shall include whether repair of existing well, etc.

Private well permit applications. The bill requires any permit application for private well construction to include (i) an indication as to whether such permit is for new construction of a well, repair of an existing well, or modification of an existing well and (ii) if such permit is for new construction of a well that will replace an existing well, an indication as to the reason such existing well will no longer be used.

Lashrecse D. AirdDemocrat

Electric utilities; distribution cost sharing program established, etc.

State Corporation Commission; distribution cost sharing program; required distribution system upgrades. Directs the State Corporation Commission by July 1, 2026, to establish by regulation a distribution cost sharing program for Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power to construct distribution system upgrades required to interconnect participating projects, as defined in the bill. The bill directs the Commission to require each such utility to file any tariffs, agreements, or forms necessary for the implementation of the program by December 1, 2026, and to submit a report on the implementation of the program by November 1, 2028. This bill is identical to SB 1058.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

Purchase, sale, transfer, etc., of assault firearms and certain ammunition feeding devices prohibited; penalties.

Importation, sale, manufacture, etc., of assault firearms and certain ammunition feeding devices prohibited; penalties. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, or transfers an assault firearm, as that term is defined in the bill with some exceptions, and prohibits a person who has been convicted of such violation from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm for a period of three years from the date of conviction. The bill provides that an assault firearm does not include any firearm that is an antique firearm, has been rendered permanently inoperable, is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action, or was manufactured before July 1, 2025. The bill also prohibits the sale of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, as that term is defined in the bill. The bill provides that any person who willfully and intentionally (i) sells an assault firearm to another person or (ii) purchases an assault firearm from another person is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and that any person who imports, sells, barters, or transfers a large capacity ammunition feeding device is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill also makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person younger than 21 years of age to import, sell, manufacture, purchase, possess, transport, or transfer an assault firearm regardless of the date of manufacture of such assault firearm with some exceptions. This bill is identical to SB 1181.

Dan I. HelmerDemocrat

Taxation, Department of; repealing Virginia Free File Tax program.

Department of Taxation; free tax filing program. Directs the Tax Commissioner to terminate the Virginia Free File program and the related agreement with the Consortium for Virginia. The bill also requires the Tax Commissioner to develop and offer a free individual state income tax filing program, effective beginning in taxable year 2028, that is similar to and compatible with the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Direct File program. To implement the new program, the bill requires the Tax Commissioner to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the IRS and coordinate with the IRS in program development. The bill contains technical amendments that remove obsolete language regarding fillable forms. This bill is identical to SB 1306.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

Medical Assistance Services, Department of; appeals of agency determinations.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; appeals of agency determinations. Allows health care providers to appeal any adverse action or determination by the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) or a DMAS contractor. Under current law, such appeal is allowed for a determination of overpayment to a provider by DMAS. The bill adds provisions allowing for DMAS and an appealing provider to stay the deadline for their appeal decision to facilitate settlement discussions. The bill further specifies that DMAS contractors are required to represent themselves during appeal proceedings. This bill is identical to HB 2082.

Jennifer B. BoyskoDemocrat

Offshore Wind Industry Workforce Program and Fund; established, report, sunset.

Department of Energy; workforce development in offshore wind industry. Directs the Director of the Department of Energy to identify and develop training resources to advance workforce development in the offshore wind industry in the Commonwealth.

Michael B. FeggansDemocrat

Custodial interrogations; false statements to a child prohibited, inauthentic replica documents.

Custodial interrogations; false statements to a child prohibited; inauthentic replica documents. Prohibits law-enforcement officers from knowingly and intentionally making false statements about any known material fact, including by use of inauthentic replica documents, prior to or during a custodial interrogation of a child to secure the cooperation, confession, or conviction of such child. The bill defines "inauthentic replica documents" as any documents, including computer-generated documents, created by any means, including artificial intelligence, by a law-enforcement officer or his agent that (i) contain a false statement, signature, seal, letterhead, or contact information or (ii) materially misrepresent any fact. The bill provides that if a law-enforcement officer knowingly violates such prohibition, any statements made by such child shall be inadmissible in any delinquency proceeding or criminal proceeding against such child, unless the attorney for the Commonwealth proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the statement was made knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily.

Jackie H. GlassDemocrat

Towing and storage of certain vehicles; limitation on charges.

Charges for towing and storage of certain vehicles. Increases the maximum hookup and initial towing fee of a passenger car from $150 to $210.

David W. MarsdenDemocrat

Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states.

Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. Provides that the Superintendent of State Police, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, shall determine whether other states meet the statutory qualifications for Virginia to recognize the concealed handgun permit of a person from such other state. Under current law, any out-of-state permit is recognized in the Commonwealth, provided that (i) the issuing authority provides the means for instantaneous verification of the validity of all such permits or licenses issued within that state, accessible 24 hours a day; (ii) the permit or license holder carries a photo identification issued by a government agency of any state or by the U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. Department of State and displays the permit or license and such identification upon demand by a law-enforcement officer; and (iii) the permit or license holder has not previously had a Virginia concealed handgun permit revoked. The bill prevents a Virginia resident, except for an active duty service member or such service member's spouse, who has not been issued a valid resident concealed handgun permit from using a concealed handgun or concealed weapon permit or license issued by another state to carry a concealed handgun in the Commonwealth. The foregoing provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.The bill requires the Superintendent of State Police, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, to review any agreements for reciprocal recognition that are in place with any other states as of July 1, 2025, to determine whether the requirements and qualifications of those states' laws are adequate to prevent possession of a permit or license by persons who would be denied a permit in the Commonwealth and revoke any reciprocity agreement or recognition of any states that do not meet such requirements or qualifications by December 1, 2025. The bill requires the Attorney General to provide a written explanation for any determination that a state's laws are adequate to prevent possession of such permit or license by persons who would be denied such permit in the Commonwealth.

Dan I. HelmerDemocrat

Prisoners; Department of Corrections-issued identification, report.

Prisoners; Department of Corrections-issued identification; report. Requires that prior to the release or discharge into the community of any prisoner who has been confined for at least 90 days and does not possess a government-issued identification card, birth certificate, or social security card, the Department of Corrections, in conjunction with the Department of Motor Vehicles, the State Registrar of Vital Records, and any other relevant government agency, shall provide such prisoner with a certified copy of his birth certificate, his social security card, or a government-issued identification card, unless such provision of a government-issued identification card is not possible, in which case, the Department of Corrections shall provide the prisoner with a Department of Corrections Offender Identification form. The bill also specifies what identifying information must be included on such form and provides that such form shall be verified by the Department of Corrections and provided to the Department of Motor Vehicles in a secured format and by a means mutually agreed upon by both and shall serve as proof of identity and proof of Virginia residency and may serve as proof of legal presence in the United States or proof of a social security number, if one is available, as required to obtain a government-issued identification card for the 120 days immediately following the release or discharge of the prisoner identified on such form. The bill also requires the Department of Corrections and the Department of Motor Vehicles to cooperatively establish procedures for verifying a Department of Corrections Offender Identification form and all information contained therein and prohibits the Department of Motor Vehicles from accepting such form if the form or any of the information contained on the form cannot be verified. These provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. The bill also directs the Department of Corrections, in coordination with the State Board of Local and Regional Jails, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and the State Registrar of Vital Records, to (i) identify the number of prisoners released with and without identification cards; (ii) review the processes involved in assisting a prisoner in applying for and obtaining a government-issued identification card, birth certificate, or social security card; (iii) identify any obstacles that may interfere with a prisoner obtaining such identification or documents prior to such prisoner's release or discharge; and (iv) issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2025.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Jurisdiction of district courts in felony cases; specialty dockets; Behavioral Health Docket Act.

Jurisdiction of district courts in felony cases; specialty dockets; Behavioral Health Docket Act. Authorizes a general district court and a juvenile and domestic relations district court to retain jurisdiction over a felony offense for the purpose of allowing the accused to complete a specialty docket or behavioral health docket established pursuant to relevant law. Current law only explicitly provides such courts with the ability to certify felony charges to the circuit court or dismiss such charges after a preliminary hearing to determine if probable cause exists for such charges.

Vivian E. WattsDemocrat

Divorce; adultery, filing, parties living separate and apart.

Divorce; adultery; filing; parties living separate and apart. Specifies that a divorce may be decreed on the grounds of adultery, provided that such adultery occurred prior to the final separation of the parties. The bill further allows for a divorce from bed and board to be decreed on the application of either party upon the parties living separate and apart; under current law, a divorce from bed and board may only be decreed for cruelty, reasonable apprehension of bodily hurt, willful desertion, or abandonment. The bill specifies that no waiting period is required for the filing of such a divorce, but the decree of such a divorce may only be decreed pursuant to certain requirements otherwise specified in the law.

Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.Democrat

Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund; established and created.

Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund created. Creates the Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund to assist private developers with non-utility costs associated with the installation of electric vehicle charging stations (i) in certain localities; (ii) on eligible public land, as defined in the bill; or (iii) within one mile of the boundary of eligible public land. The bill provides that a private developer may apply for a grant in an amount equal to 70 percent of the private developer's non-utility costs for the installation of such public electric vehicle charging stations. The awarding of a grant under the Program would be conditional upon an agreement with the applicant that any cost of a project not funded by a grant awarded by the Program be funded by non-federal funds. The Department of Energy shall establish guidelines for the administration of the Program, including guidelines related to the application for and award of grants. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2030.

Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.Democrat

Human Resource Management, Department of; establishing a career group for licensed behavior analysts

Department of Human Resource Management; stakeholder advisory group; establishing a career group for licensed behavior analysts; report. Directs the Department of Human Resource Management to convene a stakeholder advisory group to provide advice to the Department on establishing a career group and any other necessary associated defined roles within the health and human services occupational family for licensed behavior analysts employed by the Commonwealth. The bill directs the advisory group to submit its findings and recommendations to the Department no later than November 1, 2025.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

School board policies; unpaid educational leave for certain employee association officers.

School board policies; unpaid educational leave for certain employee association officers; purchase of service credit. Requires each school board to adopt a policy that requires the school board to approve unpaid educational leave for school board employees who are state employee association officers and for at least two school board employees who are local employee association officers for a maximum of four years per officer. The bill permits employee association officers approved for such leave to purchase service credit with the Virginia Retirement System for such period of leave.

Shelly A. SimondsDemocrat

Electric utilities; construction of renewable energy facilities.

Electric utilities; construction of renewable energy facilities. Requires Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power, in constructing any renewable energy facility, to develop and submit a plan to the State Corporation Commission for review and approval that addresses the following considerations, to the extent not already addressed in existing filings: (i) options for utilizing local workers; (ii) the economic development benefits of the project for the Commonwealth, including capital investments and job creation; (iii) opportunities to advance the Commonwealth's workforce and economic development goals, including furtherance of apprenticeship and other workforce training programs; and (iv) giving priority to the hiring, apprenticeship, and training of local workers, workers from historically economically disadvantaged communities, and veterans. The bill requires that in approving any such facility, the Commission shall issue findings related to how the facility will advance such interests.

Aaron R. RouseDemocrat

State Corporation Commission; powers and duties.

State Corporation Commission; powers and duties. Provides that in proceedings before the State Corporation Commission relating to the regulation and oversight of Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power, the Commission shall consider public health and safety, the economy of the Commonwealth, the promotion of workforce development for residents of the Commonwealth, and the maintenance of fair labor standards for workers employed by public service companies and their contractors, if applicable to the proceedings.

Aaron R. RouseDemocrat

Teacher training; Department of Education to establish and maintain an index of each training, etc.

Department of Education; index of required teacher training. Requires the Department of Education (the Department) to establish and maintain an index of each training in which any public elementary and secondary school teacher in the Commonwealth is required to participate pursuant to state or federal law or regulation, including training required as a condition of licensure by the Department. The bill requires such index to include information on the classification of teacher required to complete each training; the topic, length, and frequency of each training activity; and the total number of hours of training that each teacher is required to complete in a specific period of time. The bill requires the Department to review and update such index annually, when a training is added, or when an existing training on the index is changed in length or frequency to ensure that the information therein is accurate and to post such index in an easily and publicly accessible format and location on its website no later than August 1, 2025.

Atoosa R. ReaserDemocrat

Tangible personal property tax; electric landscaping equipment.

Tangible personal property tax; electric landscaping equipment. Establishes a separate classification of tangible personal property for electric-powered landscaping equipment employed in a trade or business and used to maintain commercial, public, or private gardens, lawns, trees, shrubs, or other plants, including lawn mowers, edgers, trimmers, leaf blowers, and chainsaws. Such property may be taxed by a locality at a rate not to exceed that applied to the general class of tangible personal property.

David A. ReidDemocrat

Alcoholic beverage control; requirements for restaurant retail licensees.

Alcoholic beverage control; requirements for restaurant retail licensees; provision of free potable water. Requires persons licensed to sell alcoholic beverages at retail for on-premises consumption to ensure that free potable water is available upon request to customers who have placed an order, with some exceptions specified in the bill. The bill provides that any person determined to have violated such provisions shall be subject to a (i) written warning for a first offense and (ii) civil penalty for any second or subsequent offense that occurs within three years of the first offense.

Elizabeth B. Bennett-ParkerDemocrat

Affordable housing; application for special use permit for assisted living facilities.

Affordable housing; assisted living facilities. Allows localities that have adopted an affordable housing program to negotiate that in an application for a special exception or special use permit affordable rental units be included for any proposed development of an assisted living facility. Such ordinance shall apply to applications approved on or after January 1, 2026.

Atoosa R. ReaserDemocrat

Medical Assistance Services, Department of; appeals of agency determinations.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; appeals of agency determinations. Allows health care providers to appeal any adverse action or determination by the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) or a DMAS contractor. Under current law, such appeal is allowed for a determination of overpayment to a provider by DMAS. The bill adds provisions allowing for DMAS and an appealing provider to stay the deadline for their appeal decision to facilitate settlement discussions. The bill further specifies that DMAS contractors are required to represent themselves during appeal proceedings. This bill is identical to SB 1237.

Patrick A. HopeDemocrat

Multi-family shared solar program; amends requirements for a shared facility, etc.

Multi-family shared solar program; minimum bill. Amends requirements for a shared solar facility for the purposes of the multi-family shared solar program to include facilities that are located on a rooftop of a commercial building that shares a common or adjacent substation of the investor-owned utility with the multi-family shared solar subscriber. The bill also adds requirements for the minimum bill for the multi-family shared solar program requiring that a subscriber's net bill not fall below the minimum bill and requiring that the calculation of a subscriber's minimum bill be based on the amount of kilowatt-hours billed by the utility. The bill requires the State Corporation Commission, by December 31, 2025, to adopt amendments to its regulations governing the multi-family shared solar program to reflect the bill's provisions.

Irene ShinDemocrat

Labor & employment provisions; application of law, protection of employees, definition of employer.

Labor and employment provisions; application of law; payment of wages; definition of employer. Provides that the exemption for the Commonwealth or any of its agencies, institutions, or political subdivisions, or any public body, under Title 40.1 does not apply when expressly provided otherwise. The bill provides a definition of "public body" for Title 40.1. Additionally, the bill provides that for the purposes of various requirements related to the protection of employees, including the payment of wages, "employer" includes the Commonwealth and its agencies, institutions, and political subdivisions, or any public body. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

Michelle Lopes MaldonadoDemocrat

Public Utility Ombudsman,Office of the; established, effective date.

Office of the Public Utility Ombudsman; established. Requires the State Corporation Commission to establish the Office of the Public Utility Ombudsman to protect the interests of residential customers of public utilities. The Office of the Public Utility Ombudsman shall serve (i) residential customers of public utilities that are jurisdictional or of limited jurisdiction and (ii) residential customers who cannot be assisted by other Commission staff due to a potential conflict of interest. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

Karen Keys-GamarraDemocrat

Paid family and medical leave insurance program; definitions, notice requirements, civil action.

Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements; civil action. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning January 1, 2028. Under the program, benefits are paid to covered individuals, as defined in the bill, for family and medical leave. Funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning January 1, 2027. The bill provides that the amount of a benefit is 80 percent of the employee's average weekly wage, not to exceed 120 percent of the state weekly wage, which amount is required to be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the statewide average weekly wage. The bill caps the duration of paid leave at 12 weeks in any application year and provides self-employed individuals the option of participating in the program.

Briana D. SewellDemocrat

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; rental payment methods.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; rental payment methods. Prohibits a landlord subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act from charging a tenant any fee for the collection or processing of any payment of rent, security deposit, or any other fees, unless the landlord offers an alternative method of payment that does not include additional fees. This bill is identical to SB 1356.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

Virginia Residential Landlord & Tenant Act; material noncompliance by landlord, rent escrow.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; material noncompliance by landlord; rent escrow; relief. Removes the requirement that, prior to the granting of any relief, a tenant shall pay into escrow any amount of rent called for under the rental agreement. The bill requires the tenant, during the pendency of the action, to pay into escrow the amount of rent that becomes due within five days of the date due under the rental agreement, unless or until such amount is modified by a subsequent order of the court. The bill also provides that a failure of the tenant to make timely payments into escrow shall not be grounds for dismissal of the underlying action but may be considered by the court when issuing an order.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Public school employees; suspension, notice and opportunity for a hearing.

Public school employees; suspension; conditions for continued receipt of salary. Clarifies that no school board employee shall be suspended without notice and, if applicable, an opportunity to be heard and that any individual who is so suspended, regardless of the length of such suspension, shall continue to receive his then applicable salary unless and until the school board, after a hearing, determines otherwise.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Financial institutions; loans and legal rate of interest.

Financial institutions; loans and legal rate of interest. Provides that for the purposes of provisions governing usury and the legal rate of interest, "make" or "making," when used in reference to a loan, means advancing, offering to advance, or making a commitment to advance funds to a borrower for a loan. The bill provides that the prohibition against a contract for the payment of interest on a loan at a rate that exceeds 12 percent per year applies to any person who seeks to evade its application by any device, subterfuge, or pretense whatsoever, including (i) making loans disguised as personal property sale and leaseback transactions; (ii) disguising loan proceeds as a cash rebate for the pretextual installment sale of goods or services; and (iii) making, offering, assisting, or arranging a debtor to obtain a loan with a greater rate of interest, consideration, or charge than permitted through any method, including mail, telephone, Internet, or any electronic means, regardless of whether the person has a physical location in the state.

Lamont BagbyDemocrat

Standards of Quality; measurement of student educational performance and academic achievement.

Standards of Quality; standards of accreditation; measurement of student educational performance and academic achievement; calculation of proportionality score required. Directs the Board of Education (the Board), in consultation with the Department of Education (the Department), to establish and implement standards for determining and recognizing student educational performance and academic achievement in the form of a weighted proportionality score for each school, to account for no less than five percent of such school's accreditation rating score or metric under the current school accountability system, for the purpose of identifying, accounting for in determining accreditation ratings, and addressing disparities in access to educational resources across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups in public schools in the Commonwealth. The bill requires the Department to (i) develop a metric for calculating the weighted proportionality score for each school using certain variables calculated by the Department; (ii) develop a metric for calculating the improvement of a school's proportionality score received year over year; (iii) assign for each school based on such school's proportionality score a proportionality designation of "highly proportional," "proportional," "somewhat disproportional," and "highly disproportional"; and (iv) require any school board that contains within the school division a school assigned a proportionality designation of "highly disproportional" to develop and submit to the Department a remediation plan detailing the actions such school board will take to reduce disparities in access to education resources. The bill directs the Board to (a) amend its regulations to include as a school quality indicator the weighted proportionality score developed in accordance with the bill and (b) submit to the U.S. Department of Education within 90 days of the effective date of the bill any amendments necessary to its state plan pursuant to the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended, that are necessary to implement the provisions of the act. Finally, the bill requires its provisions to be implemented beginning with the 2025–2026 school year.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Comprehensive plan; environmental justice strategy.

Comprehensive plan; environmental justice strategy. Requires cities with populations greater than 20,000 and counties with populations greater than 100,000 to consider, at the next and all subsequent reviews of the comprehensive plan, adopting an environmental justice strategy. The bill provides that the locality's strategy shall be to identify environmental justice and fenceline communities within the jurisdiction of the local planning commission and identify objectives and policies to reduce health risks, to promote civic engagement, and to prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of environmental justice and fenceline communities, as those terms are defined by the bill.

Lamont BagbyDemocrat

Real property tax; exemption for religious buildings, rebuilding structure.

Real property tax; exemption for religious buildings; rebuilding structure. Provides that the property tax exemption for property used for religious worship shall include property on which a church or other building for religious worship is being replaced or rebuilt. The property owner shall demonstrate the intention to use such structure exclusively for religious worship or for the residence of the minister of any church or religious body, as well as certain other requirements provided in the bill. This bill applies to tax years on and after January 1, 2023.

Mark D. SicklesDemocrat

Boarding establishments; work group to consider whether to propose state license, etc.

Grooming and boarding establishments; inspections by animal control officers. Allows an animal control officer to inspect a grooming or boarding establishment that is not regulated by the Board of Veterinary Medicine with the consent of the owner or person in charge or pursuant to a warrant upon a receipt of a complaint or twice annually upon their own motion to ensure compliance with state animal care laws and regulations. The bill requires an animal control officer, a law-enforcement officer, or the State Veterinarian to obtain the consent of the owner or person in charge of any business premises of any dealer, pet shop, groomer, or boarding establishment to investigate allegations of a complaint of a suspected violation of state or local animal care laws. Current law does not require such consent to investigate allegations of a complaint. The bill allows an animal control officer to search a building or place pursuant to a warrant after making a sworn statement regarding any potential violations of the cruelty to animals laws. Current law only allows a sheriff, deputy sheriff, or police officer to conduct such a search. The bill also directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to, in consultation with the State Veterinarian, convene a work group to consider whether to propose a state license and other regulatory requirements for animal boarding establishments similar to the current licensing requirements for animal shelters and submit its report of such findings and recommendations by December 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 1051.

Alfonso H. LopezDemocrat

Culturally responsive & language-appropriate mental health support & services; guidance & policies.

Department of Education; culturally responsive and language-appropriate mental health support and services; guidance and policies. Requires, no later than October 1, 2026, the Department of Education to develop, adopt, and provide to each local school board guidance on the adoption of policies governing the provision of culturally responsive and language-appropriate mental health support and services for students in the local school division and permits any school board to develop and adopt policies in the local school division that are consistent with the guidelines adopted and provided by the Department of Education.

Irene ShinDemocrat

Trespass with an unmanned aircraft system; penalties.

Trespass with an unmanned aircraft system; penalties. Creates a Class 4 felony for any person who knowingly and intentionally, and without authorization, causes an unmanned aircraft system to enter the airspace over any public services or utilities or critical infrastructure, as defined in relevant law, including any military base authorized by the U.S. Department of Defense, or any facility, as defined in relevant law, covered by the federal Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002. The bill also adds that the offenses related to trespass with an unmanned aircraft system shall not apply to any person who causes an unmanned aircraft system to enter any prohibited property if such person is (i) an employee of the property and is conducting official business or (ii) an employee of a public service or utility, critical infrastructure, or facility and is conducting official business.

Emily M. JordanRepublican