Bills & Legislation

Fishing license requirements; free fishing days.

Fishing license requirements; exemptions; free fishing days. Increases from three to six days the maximum number of free fishing days, during which a person is allowed to fish without a fishing license, that the Board of Wildlife Resources may designate for inland waters in the Commonwealth and the Commissioner of Marine Resources may designate for saltwater recreational fishing in the Commonwealth.

Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.Republican

Search warrants; electronic records includes commercial enterprise, domestic & foreign corporations.

Search warrants; electronic records; commercial enterprise; domestic and foreign corporations. Provides that, for the purposes of search warrants, \"any object, thing, or person\" includes electronic records stored within or outside the Commonwealth of a commercial enterprise, whether a domestic corporation or a foreign corporation, that is transacting or has transacted any business in the Commonwealth that constitute evidence of the commission of crime. The bill requires the affidavit for any search warrant issued for such records of a foreign corporation to contain a statement that the complainant believes such records are actually or constructively possessed by such foreign corporation. Lastly, the bill establishes a procedure for the execution of a search warrant for such records or other information stored outside of the Commonwealth by a commercial enterprise, whether a domestic corporation or a foreign corporation, that is transacting or has transacted any business in the Commonwealth.

Amanda E. BattenRepublican

Public elementary & secondary schools; copies of minor's discharge plan sent to schools and parents.

Discharge plans; copies to public elementary and secondary schools. Provides that, prior to the discharge of any minor admitted to inpatient treatment (i) who is a student at a public elementary or secondary school and (ii) for whom the facility deems (a) such discharge poses a threat of violence or physical harm to himself and others or (b) additional educational services are needed, such facility is required to provide to the school's mental health professional or school counselor the portions of such discharge plan relevant to the threat of violence or harm or the necessary additional educational services. The bill requires such facility to, prior to providing any such portions of any minor's discharge plan, provide to the parent of such minor student reasonable notice of the types of information that would be included in any portions of the discharge plan being provided and of the parent's right to, upon written request, refuse the provision of any such information.

Tony O. WiltRepublican

Affordable housing; counties with executive form of government.

Affordable housing; county executive form of government. Adds counties with the county executive form of government to the list of localities with authority to provide for an affordable dwelling unit program. Albemarle County, which is already granted such authority under current law, and Prince William County are the only counties that have adopted such form of government.

Ian T. LovejoyRepublican

Persons seeking temporary shelter; provision of temporary shelter by locality.

Persons seeking temporary shelter; provision of temporary shelter by locality. Prohibits a locality from adopting or enforcing any ordinance that creates criminal penalties for sleeping or seeking temporary shelter in a legally parked vehicle and provides that no person who is sleeping or seeking temporary shelter in a legally parked car shall be detained solely for such reason. The bill prohibits a locality from detaining any person who is public camping, as defined in the bill, solely for such reason unless the locality is able to immediately provide other temporary shelter to such person or the person is deemed to pose an immediate threat to the public. The bill also requires a locality to make a reasonable effort to provide temporary shelter for individuals without housing and gives authority to use government-owned property for such purpose.

Joshua G. ColeDemocrat

Motor vehicle accidents; VSP to review property damage threshold, report.

Department of State Police; work group; reporting threshold for motor vehicle accidents; report. Directs the Department of State Police to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to review the property damage threshold for submitting a motor vehicle accident report to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Ian T. LovejoyRepublican

Virginia College Access and Affordability Scholarship Fund; established, report.

Commonwealth Savers Plan; State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; Virginia College Access and Affordability Scholarship Fund established; work group; report. Directs the transfer of actuarial surplus defined benefit prepaid tuition contract funds from the fund of the Commonwealth Savers Plan (the Plan) into a DB529 subfund established in the bill to be used for (i) a surplus rebate program and (ii) establishing the Virginia College Access and Affordability Scholarship Fund (the Access Fund). The surplus rebate program returns actuarial surplus funds, in $2,500 checks, to owners of a prepaid tuition contract who entered into such contract before July 1, 2019, and claim such rebate before July 1, 2026. The amount of rebates available shall not exceed $350 million. When claiming the rebate, the application allows such rebate amount to be applied to a new prepaid tuition contract or a Roth individual retirement account in lieu of the check. The bill establishes an Investment Board with investment and actuarial expertise to review and make recommendations to the General Assembly on each deposit from the DB529 Fund to the Access Fund. After an initial $500 million deposit from the DB529 subfund, dedicated assets of the Access Fund shall be invested and managed by the Plan. Funds in the Access Fund shall be used to establish a scholarship program to be managed and administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (the Council). The scholarship program provides scholarship awards to students enrolled in an eligible education program, defined in the bill, and a portion of the funds are to be devoted to college access resources or programs to assist low-income students, first generation college students, students from underrepresented communities, or other at-risk students with their introduction to the higher education system in Virginia, college applications, financial aid applications, and resources assisting with a successful transition from high school to college. The Council is required to report on the Access Fund and scholarship program no later than December 31 each year. Finally, the bill (a) directs the Council to establish a work group of higher education stakeholders to make recommendations on allocations of funds available through the Access Fund and scholarship program and directs the work group to report to the House Committees on Education and Appropriations and Senate Committees on Education and Health and Finance and Appropriations no later than November 1, 2025, and (b) prohibits the Plan from implementing or taking part in any initiatives relating to the accessibility or the aforementioned college access programs on or after July 1, 2025.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

Trespass with an unmanned aircraft system; penalties.

Trespass with an unmanned aircraft system; penalties. Increases the penalty for knowingly and intentionally causing an unmanned aircraft system to (i) take off or land in violation of current Federal Aviation Administration Special Security Instructions or UAS Sensitive Airspace Restrictions, including the airspace over any state or local correctional facility or a juvenile correctional center or (ii) (a) drop any item within the boundaries of or (b) obtain any videographic or still image of any identifiable inmate or resident at any state or local correctional facility or juvenile correctional center from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony. The bill creates a Class 4 felony for any person who knowingly and intentionally causes an unmanned aircraft system to enter the property of any public services or utilities or critical infrastructure, as defined in relevant law. The bill states that any person who does such action and subsequently obtains and shares any videographic or still image of such public services, utilities, or critical infrastructure with the intent to commit espionage is guilty of a Class 3 felony. The bill clarifies that such offenses shall not apply to any person who causes an unmanned aircraft system to enter any prohibited property if such person is an employee of the property and is conducting official business.

Amanda E. BattenRepublican

Information and communications technology and services; transactions with foreign adversaries.

Information and communications technology and services; transactions with foreign adversaries. Requires the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Virginia Information Technologies Agency to establish and maintain a list of prohibited information and communications technology and services that (i) are designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign adversary and (ii) have been determined to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of the United States. The bill specifies that the list shall include any information and communications technology and services determined by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, or any other appropriate federal agency to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of the United States pursuant to the provisions of Executive Order 13873 on Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain and any related regulations or official guidance. The bill prohibits any public body or person conducting business in the Commonwealth from acquiring, importing, transferring, installing, dealing in, or using any information and communications technology and services included on the list established and maintained by the CIO unless (i) (a) such transaction was initiated, is pending, or will be completed after July 1, 2025, or (b) the public body received a waiver from the CIO and (ii) such transaction is not otherwise prohibited by law. The bill also allows the Superintendent of State Police, in consultation with the CIO, to grant an exception to the prohibition on such transactions by public bodies for the purpose of allowing any employee, agent, person, or entity to participate in any law-enforcement-related matters

Nicholas J. FreitasRepublican

Poquoson, City of; amending charter, powers of city council.

Charter; City of Poquoson. Amends the charter for the City of Poquoson to give the city council authority to expel, by a vote of four-sevenths of the whole city council, any person appointed to a city board or commission by the city council.

A.C. CordozaRepublican

Benefits consortium; governing bodies of three or more cities, counties, or school boards to form.

Benefits consortium for localities. Authorizes the governing bodies of three or more cities, counties, or school boards to form a benefits consortium for the purpose of establishing a self-funded employee welfare benefit plan. Under current law, such governing bodies or school boards are authorized to form such a benefits consortium if they comprised the membership of a multiple employer welfare arrangement as of December 31, 2014. Such a benefits consortium is required to be a nonstock corporation established to operate a benefits plan. Each member of the benefits consortium is contractually liable for its allocated share of the consortium's liabilities, and the benefits consortium is exempt from taxation and from insurance regulations.

A.C. CordozaRepublican

Retail Sales and Use Tax; imposes firearm and ammunition taxes.

Retail sales and use tax; firearm and ammunition taxes. Imposes (i) a firearm tax in the amount of $5 per firearm and (ii) a firearm ammunition tax of one cent ($0.01) per round of firearm ammunition that is sold by firearm seller, defined in the bill. The bill requires any revenue proceeds from such taxes to be used to prevent gun violence and enhance school safety.

Alfonso H. LopezDemocrat

Address Confidentiality Program; removal of Program participant, penalty.

Department of Law; Address Confidentiality Program; removal of Program participant; penalty. Permits the Office of the Attorney General to cancel a participant's certification in the Address Confidentiality Program if such Program participant (i) has reached the age of 18, is not incapacitated, and did not submit recertification for participation in the Program within 60 days of his eighteenth birthday or (ii) initiates any legal action against the Office of the Attorney General. The bill clarifies that participation in the Program shall not affect custody or visitation orders in effect prior to or during Program participation. Finally, the bill penalizes any individual who knowingly discloses or publishes a Program participant's confidential address or any other confidential information with intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass such Program participant or any other person.

Amanda E. BattenRepublican

Health & family life ed.; certain videos & animations relating to human development inside uterus.

Health education and family life education; certain videos and animations relating to human development inside the uterus. Requires health education instruction to include an oral, written, or digital lesson, lecture, or presentation about human biology relating to pregnancy and human development inside the uterus, including (i) a high-definition ultrasound video, at least three minutes in duration, showing the development of the brain, heart, sex organs, and other vital organs in early fetal development and (ii) a high-quality, computer-generated rendering or animation showing the process of fertilization and every stage of human development inside the uterus, noting significant markers in cell growth and organ development for each significant marker of pregnancy until birth. The bill requires any family life education curriculum or similar curriculum offered by a local school division that includes any oral, written, or digital lesson, lecture, or presentation about sexual activity and pregnancy in the context of student health or healthy relationships to also include such a video and rendering or animation.

Phillip A. ScottRepublican

Commending the Douglas Freeman High School girls' lacrosse team.

Commending the Douglas Freeman High School girls' lacrosse team.

Schuyler T. VanValkenburgDemocrat

Commending the Hickory Hill School.

Commending the Hickory Hill School.

Ghazala F. HashmiDemocrat

Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact; enters the Commonwealth into Compact.

Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact. Enters the Commonwealth into the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, the purpose of which is to facilitate the mobility of teachers across the member states, with the goal of supporting teachers through a new pathway to licensure. The Compact is presently in effect, as it has reached the enactment threshold of 10 state members.

Jackie H. GlassDemocrat

Commending Garland Nuckols.

Commending Garland Nuckols.

Bryce E. ReevesRepublican

Certain applicants for employment in public schools; certain official documentation required.

Certain applicants for employment in public schools; certain official documentation required. Directs each school board to require on its application for employment for any individual whose position will involve the provision of direct instruction or support to elementary school students or students with disabilities, whether on a full-time or part-time or on a permanent or temporary basis, official documentation of the individual's criminal, educational, and employment history for at least the immediately preceding three years.

Phillip A. ScottRepublican

Commending the Virginia Electoral Board Association.

Commending the Virginia Electoral Board Association.

Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.Republican

Cardiovascular disease screening coverage; Health Insurance Reform Commission to study.

Study; cardiovascular disease screening coverage; Health Insurance Reform Commission; report. Directs the Health Insurance Reform Commission to study requiring insurance carriers to provide coverage for certain tests for the early detection of cardiovascular disease in at-risk populations. Such coverage would include coverage for computed tomography scans measuring coronary artery calcification or ultrasonography scans measuring carotid intima-media thickness and plaque for an enrollee who is a male between the ages of 45 and 75 years or a female between the ages of 55 and 75 and who is diabetic or has a risk of developing coronary heart disease based on an intermediate or higher score using the Framingham Heart Study coronary prediction algorithm.

Mark L. Earley, Jr.Republican

Tractor-trailers; study of need for expansion of parking along the I-66 & I-95

Study; Department of Transportation; needs and capacity for expanded tractor-trailer parking near and along the I-66 and I-95 corridors; report. Requests the Department of Transportation to study the needs and capacity for expanded tractor-trailer parking near and along the I-66 and I-95 corridors.

Rozia A. Henson, Jr.Democrat

Automation of ports in the Commonwealth; JLARC to study economic and workforce impacts.

Study; JLARC; economic and workforce impacts of the automation of ports in the Commonwealth; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), in collaboration with the Modeling and Simulation Advisory Board, the College of Engineering and Technology at Old Dominion University, and the Department of Political Science and School of Social Work at Norfolk State University, to study the economic and workforce impacts of the automation of ports in the Commonwealth. JLARC is directed to report its recommendations no later than the first day of the 2026 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Bonita G. AnthonyDemocrat

Recognition of the Wolf Creek Cherokee Tribe of Virginia.

Recognition of the Wolf Creek Cherokee Tribe of Virginia. Extends state recognition to the Wolf Creek Cherokee Tribe of Virginia within the Commonwealth.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Land value; DHCD to study tax implications of allowing localities to implement a tax.

Study; Department of Housing and Community Development; tax implications of allowing localities to implement a land value tax; report. Directs the Department of Housing and Community Development to study the potential tax implications that may result from each of the governing bodies of the Cities of Fairfax, Poquoson, Richmond, and Roanoke levying a land value tax and the potential tax implications that may result from allowing all local governing bodies to implement a land value tax.

Irene ShinDemocrat

Celebrating the life of Kathi Gabriella Renee Simons.

Celebrating the life of Kathi Gabriella Renee Simons.

Schuyler T. VanValkenburgDemocrat

Celebrating the life of Elvin Russell Cosby, Jr.

Celebrating the life of Elvin Russell Cosby, Jr.

Schuyler T. VanValkenburgDemocrat

Commending the King William County Courthouse.

Commending the King William County Courthouse.

Richard H. StuartRepublican

Commending Gregory Trepp.

Commending Gregory Trepp.

Schuyler T. VanValkenburgDemocrat

Virginia's campaign finance laws; Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study.

Study; JLARC; Virginia's campaign finance laws; independent agency; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to study Virginia's campaign finance laws. In its study, JLARC is directed to (i) identify any legal, technical, and staffing shortcomings in the current election and campaign finance laws relating to (a) reporting and investigating violations, (b) enforcing legal and regulatory requirements, and (c) implementing directions from state government at the local level and (ii) determine whether current budgetary allocations are sufficient to effectively carry out such aspects of the campaign finance system. To that end, JLARC is directed to analyze how existing campaign finance and election laws can be modernized by creating a new independent agency to increase transparency and accountability using best practices from other jurisdictions across the United States and to produce a report of clear recommendations and best practices for creating such an independent agency for improving the current system.

Michael J. JonesDemocrat

Virginia School Safety Preparedness Fund and Program; created and established, report.

School safety procedures; emergency situations; annual training; safety grants.

Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.Republican

Procurement; local budget.

Procurement; local budget. Provides that a locality may make an Invitation to Bid, a Request for Proposal, and any other solicitation prior to budgeting an anticipated expenditure for such proposal and may include a statement in an Invitation to Bid, a Request for Proposal, or any other solicitation of an intention to cancel any such invitation, request, or solicitation if all bids exceed the anticipated expenditure.

Phillip A. ScottRepublican

Protective orders; violation of child protective order, penalties.

Violations of protective orders; child protective order; penalties. Changes the punishment and sentencing requirements for a violation of a preliminary child protective order and a protective order entered in a dispositional order related to abused, neglected, or abandoned children or children without parental care to the same penalties as violations of preliminary, emergency, and permanent family abuse protective orders, including enhanced penalties for certain violations. Under current law, (i) the maximum penalty for violations of child protective orders constitutes contempt of court; however, if the violation involves an act or acts of commission or omission that endanger the child's life or health, or results in bodily injury to the child, it is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor and (ii) the court is not required to enter a permanent family abuse protective order (i.e., a protective order with a maximum duration of two years) upon a conviction of a violation of a preliminary child protective order.

Chris ObenshainRepublican

Prostitution; increases penalties for a third or subsequent offense of solicitation from an adult.

Prostitution; solicitation; penalties. Increases from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony the penalty for a third or subsequent offense of solicitation of prostitution from an adult. The bill also makes it a Class 5 felony to solicit prostitution from any minor. Under current law, any person who solicits prostitution from a minor is guilty of a Class 6 felony if the minor is 16 years of age or older or a Class 5 felony if the minor is younger than 16 years of age. Finally, the bill increases the fines for certain offenses related to sex trafficking from $100 to $1,000 and from $500 to $2,500, respectively.

Mark L. Earley, Jr.Republican

Education improvement scholarships tax credit; guidelines for scholarship foundations.

Education improvement scholarships tax credit; guidelines for scholarship foundations; scholarship amount. Provides that, on and after July 1, 2025, the aggregate amount of scholarships provided to each student, eligible student with a disability, or pre-kindergarten child by scholarship foundations may exceed the maximum amounts established in current law for such students.

Mark L. Earley, Jr.Republican

Compulsory school attendance; attorneys, etc., for the Commonwealth to prosecute cases.

Attorneys and assistant attorneys for the Commonwealth to prosecute cases involving compulsory school attendance. Provides that the attorney for the Commonwealth and assistant attorney for the Commonwealth of the several counties and cities may, in their discretion, prosecute all cases involving compulsory school attendance pursuant to relevant law. Current law states that it shall be the duty of the attorneys for the Commonwealth of the several counties and cities to prosecute such cases.

Timothy P. GriffinRepublican

Child custody orders; transfer of custody to person with legitimate interest.

Child custody orders; transfer of custody to person with legitimate interest. Provides that when a juvenile and domestic relations district court has entered an order transferring custody of a child to a person with a legitimate interest, the court shall provide notice to such person with a legitimate interest of any motion to terminate or amend such order. The bill also provides that such person with a legitimate interest shall have the opportunity to be heard on such motion to terminate or amend.

James A. "Jay" LeftwichRepublican

Reproductive freedom; Speaker of HOD to order study of legal effects & consequences, etc.

Directing the Speaker of the House of Delegates to order a study of the legal effects and consequences of a constitutional amendment enshrining a right to reproductive freedom. Directs the Speaker of the House of Delegates to order a study of the legal effects and consequences of a constitutional amendment enshrining a right to reproductive freedom, including whether the language of the proposed amendment would constitutionally protect abortion throughout all of pregnancy, create a constitutional right for the parents of a dead child to sell such child's body parts, and legally permit partial birth infanticide, born-alive murder, child pornography, sexual assault, and any other crime after complete extraction or expulsion from the mother so long as the umbilical cord is attached.

Eric R. ZehrRepublican

Virginia Aircraft S&UT; credit for tax paid on aircraft purchased from broker for noncommercial use.

Virginia Aircraft Sales and Use Tax Act; credit for tax paid on aircraft purchased from broker for noncommercial use. Provides that a credit shall be granted against the tax imposed by the Virginia Aircraft Sales and Use Tax Act with respect to a person's use in the Commonwealth of an aircraft purchased from any broker, defined in the bill, for noncommercial use in an amount equal to the tax paid by such person to such broker.

Kim A. TaylorRepublican

Library boards; removal of members, appeal.

Library boards; removal of members; appeal. Provides that the procedure for removal of a library board member shall include a right of appeal by the member to the circuit court within 30 days of a decision to remove such member.

JJ SinghDemocrat

Commending Bradley Muranko.

Commending Bradley Muranko.

Schuyler T. VanValkenburgDemocrat

Commending Erin Schaible.

Commending Erin Schaible.

Saddam Azlan SalimDemocrat

Transportation network companies; minimum compensation.

Transportation network companies; minimum compensation. Establishes minimum compensation rates for TNC partners. The bill also prohibits gratuities from passengers from being included in TNC partner compensation calculations, authorizes TNC partners to collect gratuity in cash or electronically, and prohibits transportation network companies from limiting the amount that can be paid as gratuity through such companies' digital platforms.

Kelly K. Convirs-FowlerDemocrat

Minor's records; access to records contained in or made available through secure website.

Access to minor's records; records contained in or made available through secure website. Specifies that for the purposes of allowing a parent to access the academic or health records of such parent's minor child such access includes access to a secure website where such records are contained or made available.

N. Baxter EnnisRepublican

School bds; examinations made available to students who satisfy compulsory school attendance rqmts.

School boards; certain examinations to be made available to students who satisfy compulsory school attendance requirements. Requires school boards to make Advanced Placement (AP), Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), and PreACT examinations available to any student whose parents satisfy the compulsory attendance requirements set forth in relevant law, including by having the student taught by a tutor or teacher of qualifications prescribed by the Board of Education and approved by the division superintendent.

Delores OatesRepublican

Celebrating the life of Stella Dikos.

Celebrating the life of Stella Dikos.

Ghazala F. HashmiDemocrat

SCHEV; publishing of certain institution-level data on website required.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; publishing of certain institution-level data on website required.

Eric PhillipsRepublican

Gift certificate theft; penalty.

Gift certificate theft; penalty. Includes gift certificates, defined in relevant law, to the crime of credit card theft, which is punishable as grand larceny in existing law.

James A. "Jay" LeftwichRepublican