Bills & Legislation

Prevailing wage rate; apprenticeship requirements, RPS-eligible source work, penalties.

Prevailing wage rate; apprenticeship requirements; RPS-eligible source work; penalties. Requires each public service company, including its contractors and subcontractors, or third-party developer to ensure payment at the prevailing wage rate set by the Department of Labor and Industry for any mechanic, laborer, or worker employed, retained, or otherwise hired to perform construction, maintenance, or repair work for certain electricity generating sources. The bill requires each public service company to (i) ensure that 15 percent of the total labor hours of such work is performed by qualified apprentices and (ii) employ at least one qualified apprentice if four or more individuals are employed to perform such work. Under the bill, a public service company that fails to meet the requirements of its provisions is required to make penalty payments to the Commissioner of Labor and Industry. This bill is identical to SB 853.

Candi Mundon KingDemocrat

Filing of six-year financial outline by Governor; alternative estimates.

Filing of six-year financial outline; alternative recession estimates; revenue estimates based on Governor's Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates. Requires the Governor to include, in addition to all other requirements in law, (i) alternative recession estimates of anticipated general fund and nongeneral fund revenue and (ii) revenue estimates for the general fund and nongeneral fund based on the assumptions presented to the Governor's Advisory Council on Revenue Estimates in his financial plan for a prospective period of six years submitted to the General Assembly.

L. Louise LucasDemocrat

Child abuse and neglect; custody and visitation, possession or consumption of authorized substances.

Child abuse and neglect; custody and visitation; possession or consumption of authorized substances. Provides that a child shall not be considered an abused or neglected child, and no person shall be denied custody or visitation of a child, based only on the fact that the child's parent or other person responsible for his care, or the person petitioning for custody or visitation of the child, possessed or consumed legally authorized substances. The bill directs the Board of Social Services to amend its regulations, guidance documents, and other instructional materials to ensure that such regulations, documents, and materials comply with, and that investigations and family assessments are conducted by local departments of social services in accordance with, the provisions of the bill.

Nadarius E. ClarkDemocrat

Hampton Roads Interstate Highway Corridor Improvement Program and Fund, etc.; created.

Hampton Roads Interstate Highway Corridor Improvement Program and Fund; Hampton Roads Highway Coastal Resilience Program and Fund; Planning District 23. Creates (i) the Hampton Roads Interstate Highway Corridor Improvement Program for the purpose of planning, developing, financing, building, constructing, and otherwise making infrastructure and safety improvements to, or maintaining the infrastructure of, certain new or existing highway corridors, highways, bridges, and tunnels in Planning District 23 (Hampton Roads) and (ii) the Hampton Roads Highway Coastal Resilience Program for the purpose of planning, developing, financing, building, constructing, and maintaining infrastructure to address transportation infrastructure that is at risk due to recurrent and coastal flooding in Planning District 23.

Jackie H. GlassDemocrat

Overtime for certain employees; domestic service workers and live-in domestic workers.

Overtime for certain employees; domestic service workers and live-in domestic workers. Adds domestic workers, as defined in the bill, to provisions related to overtime pay. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 897.

Rozia A. Henson, Jr.Democrat

Disposable plastic bag tax; distribution to towns.

Disposable plastic bag tax; distribution to towns. Provides that any town located within a county that has imposed a disposable plastic bag tax shall receive a distribution of revenues collected by the county based on the local sales tax distribution formula for appropriations to towns. The bill requires that towns use such revenues for the same purposes allowable for a county or city.

Marty MartinezDemocrat

Elections; procedures for removal of electoral board members and general registrars.

Elections; procedures for removal of electoral board members and general registrars. Allows the State Board of Elections to remove any member of an electoral board or general registrar by a recorded two-thirds majority vote of all its members after a public hearing on related matters. The bill provides that any such removal or any removal proceedings instituted against an electoral board member or general registrar by the State Board shall be based on neglect of a clear ministerial duty of the office, misuse of the office, or incompetence in the performance of the duties of the office, or an unambiguous indication of a future refusal or failure to carry out the duties of the office where such refusal or failure is likely to have a material adverse effect upon the conduct of the office. Such decision shall be final and not subject to appeal. The bill also allows an electoral board to remove a general registrar by a unanimous vote of all its members after a public hearing on related matters. A registrar who is so removed may file an appeal to the State Board. The bill provides that any such removal or any removal proceedings instituted against a general registrar by the electoral board shall be based on the same standards as required for removals by the State Board.

Marcus B. SimonDemocrat

Driver communication improvement program; DMV to develop and implement program.

Department of Motor Vehicles; driver communication improvement program. Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to develop and implement a program for the promotion, printing, and distribution of envelopes for use by drivers diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, as that term is defined in relevant law, to provide to a law-enforcement officer for the purpose of easing communication during a traffic stop or upon such law-enforcement officer's arrival at the scene of a traffic accident.

Sam RasoulDemocrat

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.

Rozia A. Henson, Jr.Democrat

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; enforcement by localities.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; enforcement by localities. Provides that if a condition exists in a rental dwelling unit that constitutes a material noncompliance by the landlord with the rental agreement or with any provision of law that, if not promptly corrected, constitutes a fire hazard or serious threat to the life, health, or safety of tenants or occupants of the premises, a locality may institute an action for injunction and damages to enforce the landlord's duty to maintain the rental dwelling unit in a fit and habitable condition, provided that (i) the property where the violation occurred is within the jurisdictional boundaries of the locality and (ii) the locality has notified the landlord who owns the property, either directly or through the managing agent, of the nature of the violation and the landlord has failed to remedy the violation to the satisfaction of the locality within a reasonable time after receiving such notice.

Marcia S. "Cia" PriceDemocrat

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies; noncompliance with rental agreement.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies; noncompliance with rental agreement. Increases from five days to 14 days the mandatory waiting period after a landlord serves written notice on a tenant notifying the tenant of his nonpayment of rent and of the landlord's intention to terminate the rental agreement if rent is not paid before the landlord may pursue remedies for termination of the rental agreement. This bill is identical to SB 812.

Marcia S. "Cia" PriceDemocrat

Public service companies; prevailing wage rate for underground infrastructure works.

Prevailing wage rate for underground infrastructure works by public service companies. Directs the Department of Labor and Industry to determine and make available the prevailing wage rate for underground infrastructure work. Under the bill, each public service company shall ensure that its bid specifications or other contracts applicable to underground infrastructure works require payment at the prevailing wage rate. The bill requires contractors and subcontractors to post the prevailing wage rate in a prominent and accessible place at the work site. The bill also requires each contractor or subcontractor subject to the provisions of the bill to comply with certain recordkeeping requirements. The provisions of the bill apply to contracts entered into on or after July 1, 2025.

Irene ShinDemocrat

Electric utilities; energy efficiency upgrades, report.

Phase I and Phase II Utilities; energy efficiency upgrades; low-income residents; report. States that it is the policy of the Commonwealth to reduce, wherever feasible and cost-effective, heating-related costs of living for low-income residents. The bill requires Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power to make best, reasonable efforts to provide by December 31, 2030, prescriptive efficiency measures, as defined in the bill, and related efficiency improvements to at least 30 percent of the qualifying households, as defined in the bill, identified by such utilities, provided that the State Corporation Commission determines that such upgrades are in the public interest. The bill requires such utilities to report to the Commission its activities, plans, and filings regarding the bill's provisions no later than January 1, 2027, annually thereafter, and in any recurring filing that the Commission deems appropriate. This bill is identical to SB 1342.

Mark D. SicklesDemocrat

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 incorporates HB 2227 and is identical to SB 1460.

Candi Mundon KingDemocrat

Firearms, etc.; possession, etc., by person convicted of hate crime.

Possession or transportation of firearms, firearms ammunition, stun weapons, or explosives or carrying concealed weapons by persons convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime prohibited; penalty. Prohibits any person who has been convicted, on or after July 1, 2025, of assault or assault and battery if it appears on the face of the warrant upon such conviction that such person intentionally selected the person against whom the offense was committed because of his race, religious conviction, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, or ethnic or national origin from knowingly and intentionally possessing or transporting any firearm or ammunition for a firearm, any stun weapon, or any explosive material or carrying a concealed weapon, a violation of which is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

Speech-language pathology assistants; licensure, qualifications, scope of practice.

Speech-language pathology assistants; licensure, qualifications, scope of practice; revocation or suspension of license; continuing education. Adds speech-language pathology assistants to the professions governed by the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. The bill also establishes qualifications, scope of practice, and supervision requirements for speech-language pathology assistants. The bill directs the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology to adopt regulations governing the speech-language pathology assistant profession by July 1, 2026, and specifies that the provisions governing the licensure of speech-language pathology assistants have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Holly M. SeiboldDemocrat

Prescription Drug Affordability Board; established, drug cost affordability review, report.

Prescription Drug Affordability Board established; drug cost affordability review. Establishes the Prescription Drug Affordability Board for the purpose of protecting the citizens of the Commonwealth and other stakeholders within the health care system from the high costs of prescription drug products. The bill requires the Board to meet in open session at least four times annually, with certain exceptions and requirements enumerated in the bill. Members of the Board are required to disclose any conflicts of interest, as described in the bill. The bill also creates a stakeholder council for the purpose of assisting the Board in making decisions related to drug cost affordability. The bill tasks the Board with identifying prescription, generic, and other drugs, as defined in the bill, that are offered for sale in the Commonwealth and, at the Board's discretion, conducting an affordability review of any prescription drug product. The bill lists factors for the Board to consider that indicate an affordability challenge for the health care system in the Commonwealth or high out-of-pocket costs for patients. The bill also provides that any person aggrieved by a decision of the Board may request an appeal of the Board's decision and that the Attorney General has authority to enforce the provisions of the bill. The bill provides that the Board shall establish no more than 12 upper payment limit amounts annually between July 1, 2026, and January 1, 2029.The bill requires the Board to annually report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly, beginning on December 31, 2026. Provisions of the bill apply to state-sponsored and state-regulated health plans and health programs and obligate such policies to limit drug payment amounts and reimbursements to an upper payment limit amount set by the Board, if applicable, following an affordability review. The bill specifies that Medicare Part D plans are not bound by such decisions of the Board.The bill also requires the nonprofit organization contracted by the Department of Health to provide prescription drug price transparency to provide the Board access to certain data reported by manufacturers. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

Karrie K. DelaneyDemocrat

Encrypted telecommunications; DCJS, et al., to establish a model policy on use.

Department of Criminal Justice Services; Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council; Virginia Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee; encrypted telecommunications. Requires the Department of Criminal Justice Services to, in consultation with the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council and the Virginia Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee, establish a model policy on the use of encrypted telecommunications by law-enforcement agencies. The bill requires the Department of Criminal Justice Services to establish and publish such model policy by January 1, 2026.

Marcus B. SimonDemocrat

Electric utilities; integrated resource plans, Phase I or Phase II files updated plans, etc.

Electric utilities; integrated resource plans. Makes various changes related to the content and process for an integrated resource plan (IRP) developed by an electric utility that provides a forecast of its load obligations and a plan to meet those obligations. The bill (i) extends the planning timeframe from 15 to 20 years; (ii) requires Appalachian Power to file an IRP by removing an exception from the definition of "electric utility"; (iii) changes the frequency a utility is required to file an IRP from biennially to triennially; and (iv) requires utilities to consider the use of grid-enhancing technologies as alternatives to new transmission infrastructure, and when new transmission lines are envisioned, to provide the reasons grid-enhancing technologies are not sufficient to defer or eliminate the need for new transmission infrastructure.The bill requires that the current stakeholder review process for integrated resource plans be facilitated by a third-party facilitator selected by the State Corporation Commission and compensated by the utility. The bill requires, as part of the stakeholder review process, the utility to provide stakeholders with reasonable access to the same modeling software, modeling assumptions, modeling inputs, and data used by the utility to evaluate supply and demand resources in its integrated resource plan to enable stakeholders to create modeling scenarios for the utility's consideration during the development of its integrated resource plan.The bill requires the Commission to (a) establish guidelines that ensure that utilities develop comprehensive integrated resource plans and provide meaningful public engagement and maximum transparency during the planning process; (b) conduct a proceeding by July 1, 2026, and at least once every five years thereafter, to identify and review each of its existing orders relevant to integrated resource plans to determine if such orders remain necessary and effective and are not overly burdensome; and (c) to convene a work group to make recommendations on the required guidelines.Finally, the bill requires any petition to permit the construction and operation of electrical generating facilities filed by an electric utility that is required to file an integrated resource plan to (1) incorporate the intent to construct and operate such generating facilities or (2) if the utility's intent to construct and operate such generating facilities was not identified in the utility's most recently approved integrated resource plan, provide a detailed explanation of why the utility did not anticipate the need for such generating facilities.As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to SB 1021.

Candi Mundon KingDemocrat

Transportation network companies; publishing and disclosure requirements, effective date.

Transportation network companies; publishing and disclosure requirements. Requires a transportation network company (TNC) to (i) issue an annual report to the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles containing the aggregate data regarding the average fare collected from passengers, the total time driven by TNC partners while transporting a passenger, and the total amount earned by TNC partners in connection with prearranged rides and (ii) disclose to TNC partners details about the deactivation process and provide a weekly summary that includes the total fare collected from passengers, the total amount earned, and the percentage earned by such TNC partner that week. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 1348.

JJ SinghDemocrat

Land development; solar canopies in surface parking areas.

Land development; solar canopies in parking areas. Provides that any locality may include in its land development ordinances a provision that requires that an applicant must install a solar canopy over designated surface parking areas. Such provisions shall apply only to nonresidential parking areas with 100 parking spaces or more and may require coverage of up to 50 percent of the surface parking area. The bill provides that localities shall allow for deviations, in whole or in part, from the requirements of the ordinance when its strict application would prevent the development of uses and densities otherwise allowed by the locality's zoning or development ordinance. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

David L. BulovaDemocrat

Election of certain governing bodies; conversion to single-member districts.

Election of certain governing bodies; conversion to single-member districts. Allows the governing body of a locality that has been subject to a court order imposing a remedial election system under voting rights laws to adopt an ordinance to convert one or more at-large members of such body to single-member districts. The bill provides that members of such governing body in office on the effective date of such ordinance shall complete their terms of office.

Alex Q. AskewDemocrat

Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention, Va. Center for; created, etc.

Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention; creation. Creates the Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention within the Department of Criminal Justice Services. The bill states that the Center will serve as the primary resource for research, best practices, and strategies for the implementation of firearm violence intervention, community-based intervention, and group violence intervention programs designed to reduce violence in communities. The bill also requires that the Center evaluate state and community based violence intervention programs and policies that receive funding through the Center, apply for and accept federal grants, and provide technical assistance. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

Marcia S. "Cia" PriceDemocrat

Reckless driving; definition of "exhibition driving," penalties.

Reckless driving; exhibition driving; penalties; emergency. Expands reckless driving to include exhibition driving, defined in the bill. The bill prohibits (i) slowing or stopping traffic for a race or exhibition driving, (ii) riding as a passenger on the hood or roof of a motor vehicle during a race or exhibition driving, or (iii) aiding or abetting exhibition driving. The bill establishes penalties for violations and establishes a process for impounding or immobilizing motor vehicles driven by persons arrested for exhibition driving. The bill contains an emergency clause.

David L. BulovaDemocrat

Small Business and Supplier Diversity, Department of; powers and duties.

Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity; employment services organizations. Amends provisions related to the powers and duties of the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity to allow the Department to implement any remediation or enhancement measure for employment services organizations as may be authorized by the Governor pursuant to existing law and develop regulations for program implementation. The bill also directs the Department to amend relevant regulations of the Virginia Administrative Code to reflect the intent of the General Assembly to specifically reference "employment services organizations" in such regulations. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Disability Commission.

Laura Jane CohenDemocrat

Tidal and nontidal wetlands; policy task force to evaluate policies regarding protection, etc.

Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources; protection of existing tidal and nontidal wetlands; wetland restoration and creation; policy task force; report. Directs the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources to establish a policy task force to develop (i) strategies to protect existing tidal and nontidal wetlands and restore, create, and plan for the persistence of such wetlands in the Commonwealth and (ii) mechanisms to incorporate such strategies into appropriate plans, including the Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan and the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan, to address losses and adverse impacts from human activities and climate change. The bill requires the task force to include certain relevant stakeholders, to meet at least two times annually, to report its initial findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources by December 1, 2025, and to update its report at least every two years.

Shelly A. SimondsDemocrat

Comprehensive plan; housing development by nonprofit organizations.

Department of Housing and Community Development; affordable housing; development by nonprofit organizations. Directs the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop a document describing considerations that a locality may consider when implementing an ordinance to stimulate affordable housing and strategies on property owned by a property tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Such document shall be published on the Department's website no later than December 31, 2025.

Betsy B. CarrDemocrat

Weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health or developmental services.

Weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services; penalty. Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to knowingly and intentionally possess in the building of any hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services in the Commonwealth, including an emergency department or other facility rendering emergency medical care, a (i) firearm, (ii) knife with a blade over three and one-half inches, or (iii) other dangerous weapon, including explosives and stun weapons. The bill also provides that notice of such prohibitions shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance of any hospital and no person shall be convicted of the offense if such notice is not posted, unless such person had actual notice of the prohibitions. The bill provides that any such firearm, knife, explosive, or weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth and specifies exceptions to the prohibition. This bill is identical to HB 1977.

Angelia Williams GravesDemocrat

Cemeteries on private property; registration by localities.

Registration by localities of cemeteries on private property; Planning District 8. Requires localities in Planning District 8 (Northern Virginia) to adopt an ordinance setting forth a register of identified cemeteries, graveyards, or other places of burial located on private property not belonging to any memorial or monumental association. Under current law, all localities are permitted but not required to pass such an ordinance. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

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 HB 1794.

Schuyler T. VanValkenburgDemocrat

Propagation of mammalian wildlife; unlawful without a permit premature separation.

Department of Wildlife Resources; propagation of mammalian wildlife unlawful; premature separation; hybridization. Makes it unlawful to prematurely separate any mammalian wildlife offspring born in captivity from the mother prior to the natural time of weaning that is appropriate for such species, except that wildlife offspring may be prematurely separated if a medical necessity exists pursuant to a written order from a veterinarian licensed to practice in the Commonwealth with appropriate species-specific experience and expertise. The bill excludes the following from its provisions: (i) noncommercial transfers or trades between accredited zoological facilities, (ii) an accredited zoological facility that retains the mammalian wildlife offspring that has already been prematurely separated by such zoological facility, and (iii) a person operating under a wildlife rehabilitator permit issued by the Department of Wildlife Resources. The bill also makes it unlawful to intentionally and for commercial purposes propagate mammalian wildlife of different species, also known as hybridization.

Jennifer B. BoyskoDemocrat

Driver education programs; classroom training may be administered in-person or online.

Board of Education; driver education programs; computer-based driver education courses; requirements. Clarifies that the classroom training portion of the standardized program of driver education in the safe operation of motor vehicles, established by the Board of Education pursuant to applicable law, may be administered in-person or online, except in the case of the parent/student driver education component of the classroom training portion administered in Planning District 8, which pursuant to applicable law must be administered in person. The bill contains technical amendments.

Jennifer B. BoyskoDemocrat

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 HB 2266.

Adam P. EbbinDemocrat

Virginia Human Rights Act; definition of "employer."

Virginia Human Rights Act; definition of "employer." Reduces from 15 to five the number of employees for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year for the purposes of the definition of "employer."

Adam P. EbbinDemocrat

Social Services, Department of; appointment of receiver for assisted living facilities.

Department of Social Services; assisted living facilities; appointment of receiver. Specifies the circumstances under which the Commissioner of Social Services may petition the court to appoint a receiver for an assisted living facility, which is permitted under current law, and describes the procedures to be followed (i) for the filing of such petition and (ii) when a receivership has been established. The bill contains an emergency clause.

Mark D. ObenshainRepublican

Solar Interconnection Grant Program; established, sunset, report.

Solar Interconnection Grant Fund and Program; established; sunset. Establishes the Solar Interconnection Grant Program for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to public bodies to offset costs associated with the interconnection of solar facilities to the grid. The Program is administered by the Division of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency of the Department of Energy. The bill requires that priority be given to solar facilities located on previously developed project sites. The bill requires the Division to establish and publish guidelines and criteria for the awarding of grants and general requirements of the Program. The provisions of the bill expire on July 1, 2026.

Charniele L. HerringDemocrat

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 HB 2313.

Adam P. EbbinDemocrat

Eminent domain; condemnation proceedings.

Eminent domain; condemnation proceedings. Makes various changes to provisions governing eminent domain, primarily relating to procedures in condemnation proceedings and the transfer of a defeasible title by certificate. The bill specifies that, in a condemnation proceeding initiated by an authorized condemnor or the Commissioner of Highways, a certificate transferring a defeasible title shall include certain information describing the property and any rights to the property being taken or damaged. Finally, the bill repeals the requirement that the court refer a matter initiating a condemnation proceeding to a dispute resolution orientation.

Mark D. ObenshainRepublican

Demand response programs; Dept. of Energy to evaluate & assess benefits, and recommendations.

Department of Energy; demand response programs; evaluation and assessment; report. Directs the Department of Energy to evaluate and assess benefits, impacts, best practices, and implementation recommendations for demand response programs in the Commonwealth and to report such evaluation and assessment by November 1, 2025.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

Virginia Public Procurement Act; solar photovoltaic equipment and facilities.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; solar photovoltaic equipment and facilities. Prohibits state and local agencies from including a provision in any request for proposal, procurement agreement, contract, ordinance, policy, permit, or accompanying document that directs the exclusion from use of any materials contained in or products associated with solar photovoltaic equipment and facilities that are manufactured in the United States. This bill is identical to HB 2024.

Saddam Azlan SalimDemocrat

Public school teachers; written notice of noncontinuation of continuing contract.

Public school teachers; written notice of noncontinuation of continuing contract. Provides that written notice of noncontinuation of a continuing teacher contract by the teacher must be given by June 15 of each year; otherwise, the contract continues in effect for the ensuing year in conformity with local salary stipulations, including increments. Current law provides that written notice of noncontinuation of a continuing teacher contract by either the teacher or the school board must be given by June 15 of each year; otherwise, the contract continues in effect for the ensuing year in conformity with local salary stipulations, including increments. This bill is identical to HB 1915.

Stella G. PekarskyDemocrat

Motor Vehicles, Department of; electronic transactions, voluntary contributions.

Voluntary contributions during electronic Department of Motor Vehicles transactions. Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide a method by which an individual conducting an electronic Department transaction for the renewal of a driver's license, other form of identification issued by the Department, or vehicle registration may make a voluntary contribution to the Virginia Highway Safety Improvement Program. Under current law, the Department is only required to provide a method by which voluntary contributions may be made to the Virginia Donor Registry and Public Awareness Fund.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

School boards; powers and duties, school meal policies, payment of school meal debt.

School boards; powers and duties; school meal policies; payment of school meal debt. Requires each school board, at the end of each school year, to pay for the total unpaid school meal balance, resulting from uncollectable school meal debts on any student account, on the nonprofit school food service account for each public elementary or secondary school in the school division using any appropriated nonfederal funds, except that each school board is prohibited from requiring any public elementary or secondary school in the school division from paying for or providing any funds to pay for such school's unpaid school meal balance. The bill requires each school board to adopt policies in accordance with the provisions of the bill in order to pay these unpaid balances at the end of each school year.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

Neurocognitive disorder, etc.; affirmative defense to prosecution.

Affirmative defense or reduced penalty for a neurocognitive disorder or intellectual or developmental disability. Provides an affirmative defense to prosecution of a person for assault or assault and battery against certain specified persons for which the enhanced Class 6 felony and six-month mandatory minimum apply if such person proves, by a preponderance of the evidence, that at the time of the assault or assault and battery (i) the person's behaviors were a result of (a) mental illness or (b) a neurocognitive disorder, including dementia, or an intellectual disability or a developmental disability such as autism spectrum disorder, as defined in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association, or (ii) the person met the criteria for issuance of an emergency custody order.The bill requires such person or his counsel to give notice in writing to the attorney for the Commonwealth at least 60 days prior to his trial in circuit court, or at least 14 days if the trial date is set within 21 days of his last appearance, of his intention to present such evidence. Additionally, if such notice is not given, and the person proffers such evidence at his trial as a defense, then the court may in its discretion either allow the Commonwealth a continuance or, under appropriate circumstances, bar such person from presenting such evidence; any such continuance shall not be counted for speedy trial purposes pursuant to relevant law.Lastly, the bill provides that if such person does not prove that his behaviors were a result of his mental illness, intellectual disability, developmental disability, or neurocognitive disorder but the evidence establishes that his mental illness, intellectual disability, developmental disability, or neurocognitive disorder otherwise contributed to his behaviors, the finder of fact may find such person guilty of a misdemeanor assault or assault and battery. The bill also provides that such affirmative defense shall not be construed to allow an affirmative defense for voluntary intoxication.

Jennifer B. BoyskoDemocrat

Assault firearms and certain ammunition feeding devices; prohibits sale, transfer, etc.

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 HB 1607.

R. Creigh DeedsDemocrat

Capitol Sq. or building owned/leased by the Commonwealth, carrying firearm/explosive material, etc.

Carrying a firearm or explosive material within Capitol Square or building owned or leased by the Commonwealth; exemptions; public institutions of higher education; penalty. Permits the governing board of a public institution of higher education to adopt a policy prohibiting the carrying of any firearm, ammunition, or components or combination thereof within any building owned or operated by such public institution of higher education. The bill allows such policy to include security measures that are designed to reasonably prevent the unauthorized access of buildings that are open to the public. Finally, the bill exempts certain activities, defined in the bill, operated at public or private institutions of higher education from any policy created by a governing board. This bill is identical to HB 1876.

R. Creigh DeedsDemocrat

Elections; conduct of election, ranked choice voting, report.

Elections; conduct of election; ranked choice voting; report. Makes the decision to conduct an election by ranked choice voting subject to a determination of feasibility by the State Board of Elections. The bill provides procedures for tabulating and reporting results of elections conducted using ranked choice voting, including procedures for duplicating damaged or defective ballots. The bill requires the State Board of Elections to provide standards for and to approve vote tabulating software for use with existing voting systems in elections conducted by ranked choice voting and to produce generalized voter education materials on ranked choice voting. The bill permits the State Board of Elections to create and modify recount procedures to the extent necessary to accommodate a recount of an election conducted by ranked choice voting. Finally, the bill directs the Department of Elections to review the testing and approval framework for voting equipment in the Commonwealth and submit a report of such review no later than the first day of the 2026 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Saddam Azlan SalimDemocrat

Adults charged w/ criminal offense punishable by confinement in jail, etc.; collecting, etc., data.

Collection and reporting of data related to adults charged with a criminal offense punishable by confinement in jail or a term of imprisonment; Virginia Longitudinal Data System. Allows the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission to contribute the statewide and locality-level data it collects on adults charged with criminal offenses punishable by incarceration to the Virginia Longitudinal Data System administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

R. Creigh DeedsDemocrat