Bills & Legislation

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

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

Katrina CallsenDemocrat

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; powers of the board.

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

Alex Q. AskewDemocrat

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

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

Charniele L. HerringDemocrat

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

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

Marcus B. SimonDemocrat

Affordable housing; preservation, definitions, civil penalty.

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

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Charitable gaming; regulations, predetermined percentage of receipts.

Charitable gaming; regulations; predetermined percentage of receipts. Amends charitable gaming law to allow, as a condition of receiving a charitable gaming permit or authorization to conduct electronic gaming, an organization established on or before December 31, 1977, that is qualified under § 501(c)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code and is incorporated, in part, to raise funds for donation to organizations whose missions include promoting early detection of and public education about and supporting research and treatment options for heart disease and various cancers, to use a predetermined percentage of its receipts for expenses related to the rental of real property where such real property is involved in the operation of the organization and used for lawful religious, charitable, community, or educational purposes.

Alex Q. AskewDemocrat

Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment Act; created, prohibited practices, penalties.

Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment Act; prohibited practices; penalties. Creates the Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment Act to regulate the practices of persons seeking to receive compensation for preparing, presenting, prosecuting, advising, consulting, or assisting any individual regarding any veterans' benefits matter, as defined in the bill. The bill provides that a violation of its provisions constitutes a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. This bill is identical to SB 315.

Charniele L. HerringDemocrat

Charitable gaming; definitions, Texas Hold'em poker tournaments, minimum age to participate.

Charitable gaming; Texas Hold'em poker tournaments. Increases from 18 years of age to 21 years of age the minimum age an individual must be to participate in Texas Hold'em poker tournaments. The bill provides that no qualified organization may conduct Texas Hold'em poker tournaments (i) at a location outside of the county, city, or town in which its principal office, as registered with the State Corporation Commission, is located or in an adjoining county, city, or town or (ii) at an establishment that has been granted a retail alcoholic beverage control license unless such license is held by the qualified organization. The bill also allows unlimited rebuys during the first two hours of tournament play or until the first break, whichever occurs first, and permits one add-on at the end of the rebuy period before play resumes at the end of the first break.

Paul E. KrizekDemocrat

Clean energy and community flood preparedness; market-based trading program.

Clean energy and community flood preparedness; market-based trading program. Directs the Department of Environmental Quality and the State Air Pollution Control Board to establish and maintain a market-based trading program consistent with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative program, as defined in existing law, to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generating units in the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to SB 802.

Charniele L. HerringDemocrat

Sickle cell disease education and screening program; cancer risk.

Sickle cell disease education and screening program; cancer risk. Requires the sickle cell screening and treatment program to include the offering of educational resources to health care providers on the increased risks for certain cancers among individuals with sickle cell disease or the sickle cell trait.

Alex Q. AskewDemocrat

Habitat Policy Oversight Committee; established, membership, powers and duties, report.

Marine Resources Commission; Habitat Policy Oversight Committee established; powers and duties. Establishes the Habitat Policy Oversight Committee within the Marine Resources Commission to advise the Commission and the Habitat Management Division of the Commission on policies within their jurisdiction and to support the Commission's coastal resilience efforts. The bill establishes the powers and duties of the Committee, establishes how the members of the Committee are appointed, and provides that the Committee shall have 11 voting members and two ex-officio members. This bill incorporates HB 619.

Alex Q. AskewDemocrat

Powers of service districts; control of invasive plant species.

Powers of service districts; control of invasive plant species. Allows a service district created within a locality to control the spread of any plant that is identified on the list of invasive plant species established by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. This bill is identical to SB 89.

Katrina CallsenDemocrat

Duty of settlement agent; restrictive covenants.

Duty of settlement agent; restrictive covenants. Requires a settlement agent to notify the purchaser of any residential real property of the purchaser's right to remove a prohibited restrictive covenant that is contained in an instrument affecting the title of the property and disclosed as the result of the title search performed pursuant to the real estate transaction.

Marcus B. SimonDemocrat

SCHEV; exemption of certain courses and programs of instruction from certification requirement.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; exemption of certain courses and programs of instruction from certification requirement. Exempts from the requirement to be certified by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia any course or program of instruction on Scrum, Kanban, or other Agile-based methods or frameworks, provided that no such exempted course or program of instruction exceeds the number of hours required by the certifying body.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Alcoholic beverage control; operation of government stores, tastings.

Alcoholic beverage control; operation of government stores; tastings. Allows an authorized employee of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to conduct an organized tasting event at a government store. The bill also clarifies that any products used in connection with distilled spirits as approved by the Board may be sold at government stores. The bill also removes the option to obtain a permit to purchase certain grain spirits or alcohol with a proof greater than 151 from government stores for commercial or culinary use.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Celiac disease; training materials for restaurant personnel.

State Health Commissioner; training materials for restaurant personnel; celiac disease. Directs the State Health Commissioner to add celiac disease awareness and safety to the topics included in written materials provided for the training of restaurant personnel.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Investigation or autopsy of dead bodies; notification of retention of whole organ.

Investigation or autopsy of dead bodies; Office of the Chief Medical Examiner; notification of retention of whole organ. Requires the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to inform through written communication a decedent's next of kin, other person authorized by law to make arrangements for the disposition of a decedent's remains, or funeral service establishment or funeral service licensee if an investigation or autopsy requires the retention of any whole organ of a dead body. If the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner provides written notification to the funeral service establishment or funeral service licensee, the bill requires such establishment or licensee to provide such written notification to the decedent's next of kin or other person authorized by law to make arrangements for the disposition of the decedent's remains.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Public schools; mental health awareness training and instruction, requirements.

Public schools; mental health awareness training and instruction; requirements. Requires each teacher and other relevant personnel, as determined by the applicable school board, employed on a full-time basis to complete mental health awareness training that addresses the needs of youth populations that are at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders in accordance with evidence-based best practices developed by the American Psychological Association. Current law requires such teachers and personnel to complete mental health awareness training but does not contain any requirements relating to the specific topics such training must address. The bill prohibits any of its provisions or any policy adopted in accordance with its provisions from being construed to permit biased or discriminatory treatment of any youth population deemed to be at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act; written rental agreement, lot rent increase prohibition, etc.

Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act. Requires landlords subject to the Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act to include, on the first page of a written lot rental agreement, an itemization of all charges to the tenant, along with a statement that states: "No additional security deposits or rent shall be charged unless such security deposits or rent are listed below or incorporated into this rental agreement by way of a separate addendum after the execution of this rental agreement." The bill also prohibits, with certain exceptions, any owner or operator of a manufactured home community from increasing the annual lot rent of a tenant at the time of renewal if the manufactured housing community has received a notice of violation of zoning, building, or fire code or an inspection report listing violations of habitability from the locality where the community operates and the notice of violation remains unresolved. Lastly, the bill requires any manufactured home community operating in the Commonwealth to register with the Department of Housing and Community Development.

Paul E. KrizekDemocrat

Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act; right of first refusal, resident entities and localities.

Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act; right of first refusal; resident entities and localities. Provides for a right of first refusal, under the Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act, for resident entities, defined in the bill, and localities in which a manufactured home park is located when a manufactured home park owner enters into a contract to sell such manufactured home park.

Paul E. KrizekDemocrat

Restaurants; food allergy awareness notice required.

Restaurants; food allergy awareness notice required. Requires the State Health Commissioner to publish in multiple languages a notice on the Department of Health's website containing procedures for restaurant staff to follow when a customer has a food allergy. The bill requires restaurants to post such notice in a conspicuous location. The bill also requires restaurants to include the phrase, "If you have a food allergy, please notify us," and its translation, if applicable, on their menus or on a sign posted conspicuously in the restaurant. This bill is identical to SB 248.

Marty MartinezDemocrat

End Hunger, Virginia Commission to; changes membership.

Virginia Commission to End Hunger; membership. Replaces the public school student representative with a representative of a public school nutrition program in the membership of the Virginia Commission to End Hunger. In addition, the bill adds five public school student liaisons, each representing a Virginia health planning region, to be appointed by the chair of the Commission. The bill provides that such student liaisons not be included for purposes of a quorum for meetings of the Commission.

Marcia S. "Cia" PriceDemocrat

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

Electric utilities; renewable energy portfolio standard; zero-carbon electricity; accelerated clean energy buyers. Revises the conditions under which accelerated clean energy buyers, defined in existing law as accelerated renewable energy buyers, may contract with Appalachian Power or Dominion Energy Virginia to obtain renewable energy certificates (RECs). The bill exempts an accelerated clean energy buyer obtaining capacity, energy, or RECs from qualifying resources or facilities from the assignment of non-bypassable costs associated with compliance with the renewable portfolio standard program based on the amount and type of renewable energy certificates obtained in proportion to such accelerated clean energy buyer's total electric energy consumption. This bill is identical to SB 598.

David A. ReidDemocrat

Developmental disability waivers; financial eligibility standards, sunset repeal.

Developmental disability waivers; financial eligibility standards; sunset repeal. Repeals the July 1, 2026, sunset on provisions directing the Department of Medical Assistance Services to disregard Social Security Disability Insurance income above the maximum monthly Supplemental Security Income when determining financial eligibility for developmental disability waivers.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Virginia Consumer Protection Act; prohibited practices, kratom products.

Virginia Consumer Protection Act; prohibited practices; kratom products. Prohibits selling or offering for sale (i) any kratom product to a person younger than 21 years of age; (ii) any kratom product that does not include a label listing all ingredients and the required disclosure; (iii) any kratom product not stored in an area that is not directly accessible to consumers, including behind a retail counter or in a locked display case, except for kratom products required to be refrigerated which may be stored, in accordance with relevant Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority regulations, in the same beverage cooler or refrigerator as wine and beer; (iv) any kratom product containing any synthesized material, semi-synthetic alkaloid, or synthetic kratom-like compound; (v) any kratom product containing 7-hydroxymitragynine in an alkaloid fraction exceeding one percent of total alkaloids in the container or providing more than one milligram of 7-hydroxymitragynine per serving; (vi) any kratom product adulterated with any dangerous, poisonous, or otherwise deleterious non-kratom ingredient, including any substance listed as a controlled substance under state or federal law; (vii) any kratom product that is combustible or intended for vaporization or injection; (viii) any kratom product that is manufactured, packaged, or marketed in a manner attractive to children; or (ix) any kratom extract product containing residual solvent levels exceeding applicable statutory or pharmacopeial limits.

Joshua G. ColeDemocrat

Earned sentence credits; incarceration while awaiting trial or pending an appeal, effective date.

Earned sentence credits; incarceration while awaiting trial or pending an appeal. Provides that a person's eligibility for earned sentence credits includes any period of time actually spent in any state or local correctional facility, state hospital, or juvenile detention facility awaiting trial or pending an appeal that was deducted from such person's term of incarceration or detention. The bill provides that the provisions apply retroactively to any person who is confined in any state or local correctional facility on July 1, 2028. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2028.

Holly M. SeiboldDemocrat

Medicare supplement policies; regulations establishing minimum standards, report.

Medicare supplement policies; regulations establishing minimum standards; work group; report. Amends provisions related to the State Corporation Commission's issuance of regulations to establish minimum standards regarding Medicare supplement policies to include minimum standards for the disclosure of methodology used in coverage decisions. The bill directs the Bureau of Insurance to convene a work group to review and make recommendations related to minimum standards regarding Medicare supplement policies, implementation of risk adjustment mechanisms, ways to eliminate waste and abuse from overpayments, methodologies used in coverage decisions, ways to improve care under such policies, and the effectiveness and utilization of existing consumer protections related to Medicare supplement policies and to submit a report of its findings and recommendations by December 1, 2026.

Dan I. HelmerDemocrat

Local housing policy; expands the range of changes that are required.

Department of Housing and Community Development; local housing policy; report to Department. Expands the range of local housing policy changes that are required to be submitted annually in a report to the Department of Housing and Community Development by any locality with a population greater than 3,500. This bill is identical to SB 665.

Joshua E. ThomasDemocrat

Person arrested for a felony; release of accused on secured or unsecured bond.

Release of accused on secured or unsecured bond. Removes the conditions requiring that any person arrested for a felony who (i) has previously been convicted of a felony, (ii) is presently on bond for an unrelated arrest in any jurisdiction, or (iii) is on probation or parole be released only upon a secure bond. Additionally, the bill adds to the factors a judicial officer shall consider in making a bail determination (a) the person's current bond status for an unrelated arrest in any jurisdiction and (b) whether the person is on probation or parole.

Katrina CallsenDemocrat

Benefits consortium; sponsoring association.

Benefits consortium; sponsoring association. Provides that the sponsoring association of a benefits consortium that offers health benefit plans to the members of such sponsoring association may operate as a nonprofit entity under § 501(c)(3), 501(c)(5), or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code. Under current law, such a sponsoring association may only operate under § 501(c)(5) or 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Katrina CallsenDemocrat

Public school students in grades six through 12; annual mental health screening.

Department of Education; School Health Services Committee; annual mental health screenings for public school students in grades six through 12; recommendations on guidance and best practices. Directs the School Health Services Committee (the Committee), in collaboration with the Department of Education, to study and make recommendations on best practices for annual mental health screenings for public school students in grades six through 12 that utilize evidence-based tools. The bill directs the Committee to include its findings and recommendations in its annual report required pursuant to applicable law.

Debra D. GardnerDemocrat

Jury service; exemption for fire marshals.

Exemption from jury service; fire marshals. Adds the State Fire Marshal and any officer appointed as a fire marshal to the list of persons automatically exempt from jury service.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Local authority; authorized by ordinance to establish affordable housing performance grant programs.

Local authority; affordable housing performance grant programs. Allows any locality that has created an industrial development authority or economic development authority (the Authority) to establish, by ordinance, an affordable housing performance grant program. The bill outlines that such ordinance authorizes the Authority to award affordable housing performance grants to qualifying applicants. Such an ordinance must include: (i) a definition of affordable housing; (ii) grant application guidelines and processes, including an identification of the local officer that is designated to receive applications; (iii) criteria for determining whether the construction or improvement of property qualifies for the awarding of the grant; (iv) provisions that require an applicant seeking the award of a grant to acquire appropriate permits and complete the construction or improvement to develop affordable housing before such a grant will be awarded; (v) provisions that require an applicant seeking the award of a grant to present evidence demonstrating that he has filed and recorded a restrictive covenant to provide affordable housing on the property for a set term, as determined by the ordinance, provided that such term shall be no more than 30 years, on the subject qualifying property before such a grant will be awarded; and (vi) a timeline for the Authority to award grants to qualifying applicants, which may be either upon the completion of the construction or improvement of the property, or on January 1 of the year following the completion of the construction or improvement of the property. The bill also limits the total amount of any such grant to being no more than the amount equal to the increase in assessed value resulting from the construction or improvement of a property. Finally, the bill permits a locality that adopts such ordinance to impose a fee, not to exceed $250, to offset the costs of processing an application.

Joshua E. ThomasDemocrat

Military Affairs, Dept. of, emergency vehicles; equipped with flashing red and white warning lights.

Flashing red and white warning lights; emergency vehicle exemptions; Department of Military Affairs emergency vehicles. Authorizes Department of Military Affairs emergency vehicles to (i) be equipped with flashing, blinking, or alternating red or red and white combination warning lights and (ii) disregard certain regulations regarding the operation of vehicles without being subject to criminal prosecution while responding to an emergency. This bill is identical to SB 573.

Michael B. FeggansDemocrat

Military and emergency laws; local emergency management plans.

Military and emergency laws; local emergency management plans. Changes from every four years to every five years the frequency with which every local and interjurisdictional agency has to review and update its emergency operations plan.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; magistrates, availability of complaint forms in courthouses.

Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; magistrates; availability of complaint forms in courthouses. Requires that paper copies of any standardized form developed and utilized by the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission and any standardized form developed and utilized by the Department of Magistrate Services in the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia for the filing of a complaint be made available to the public in the clerk's office in all state courts of the Commonwealth. The bill also requires that a sign be posted in all such courts, in a location accessible to the public, that notes the availability and location of such forms.

Marty MartinezDemocrat

Va. Freedom of Information Act; exclusion to application of chapter, public utility account numbers.

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; exclusions to application of chapter; public utility account numbers. Excludes account numbers of any person or public body for an account with a public utility, as defined in the bill, from the mandatory disclosure provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. However, such information may be disclosed by the custodian in his discretion, except where such disclosure is prohibited by law.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Helmets; wearing whenever riding/carried on skateboard or scooter or nonmotorized scooter.

Helmets; local authority. Permits localities to adopt ordinances requiring children 14 years of age or younger to wear protective helmets whenever riding or being carried on a motorized skateboard or scooter or a nonmotorized scooter. Current law authorizes localities to adopt such ordinances for riders of bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, toy vehicles, and electric power-assisted bicycles.

Marty MartinezDemocrat

Plastic bag tax; distribution to towns.

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

Marty MartinezDemocrat

Sexual Offense Prevention and Response Officer; feasibility of establishing position.

Department of Military Affairs; feasibility of Sexual Offense Prevention and Response Officer; report. Directs the Department of Military Affairs to assess the feasibility of and develop recommendations related to establishing a Sexual Offense Prevention and Response Officer position within the Sexual Offense Prevention and Response Program to perform victim advocacy services. The bill requires the Adjutant General to report to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Delegates, and the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice no later than November 1, 2026.

Joshua G. ColeDemocrat

Service employees; authority of local governments, definition.

Authority of local governments; service employees. Permits a locality to provide for certain requirements concerning 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 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 SB 430.

Alfonso H. LopezDemocrat

Proceedings deferred; payment of costs.

Payment of costs when proceedings deferred and defendant placed on probation. Provides that for any deferral entered into on or after July 1, 2026, pursuant to relevant law, the court shall not require the defendant to pay such costs or other fees imposed pursuant to relevant law as a term or condition of his deferral. The bill states that upon fulfillment of all other terms and conditions, the court shall adjudicate the matter consistent with the agreement of the parties or, if none, by conviction of an alternative charge or dismissal of the case. The bill specifies that such costs and other fees shall remain due until paid, and all methods of payment and collection already available at law to satisfy or collect any outstanding costs or other fees shall remain available to such court after the underlying case against the defendant has been adjudicated or dismissed.

Adele Y. McClureDemocrat

Teacher licensure; career and technical education or dual enrollment, three-year licenses.

Teacher licensure; three-year renewable license to teach career and technical education or dual enrollment courses at public high schools. Requires the Board of Education to provide for the issuance of a three-year renewable license to teach solely career and technical education courses or dual enrollment courses that are creditable toward the compleition of an undergraduate course, degree, or credential offered in and accepted at a public institution of higher education at public high schools in the Commonwealth to any individual who (i) is employed as an instructor by an institution of higher education that is accredited by a nationally recognized regional accreditation body, (ii) is teaching in the specific career and technical education or dual enrollment subject area at such institution in which the individual seeks to teach at a public high school, and (iii) complies with certain requirements set forth in relevant law enumerated by the bill. The bill requires the Board to require any such instructor to maintain continuous employment in such position at the institution of higher education as a condition of continued licensure. The bill also requires each school board that employs an individual issued such a three-year license to provide such instructor training on instruction and assessment during his first year of employment. Finally, the bill directs the Board to amend its regulations in accordance with the provisions of the bill. This bill incorporates HB 785 and is identical to SB 203.

Sam RasoulDemocrat

Commonwealth Health Reinsurance Program; extension of program, percentage goal to decrease premium.

Commonwealth Health Reinsurance Program; extension of program; percentage goal to decrease premium. Directs the State Corporation Commission to apply to the appropriate federal agencies under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for an extension of the existing State Innovation Waiver authorizing the Commonwealth to implement a reinsurance program. The existing State Innovation Waiver is set to expire on January 1, 2028. Additionally, the bill removes the 20 percent upper limit of the premium reduction goal under the Commonwealth Health Reinsurance Program. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Health Insurance Reform Commission.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Signs & advertisements adjacent to certain highways; signs affixed to real property owned by WMATA.

Signs and advertisements adjacent to certain highways; signs affixed to real property owned by WMATA. Adds to the list of signs exempt from certain requirements for outdoor advertising in sight of public highways signs containing advertisements or notices that have been authorized by a county or a city and that are securely affixed to real property that is owned by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, provided that such signs comply with any applicable federal requirements.

Adele Y. McClureDemocrat

Fire Programs, Department of; development of mental health awareness training.

Department of Fire Programs; mental health awareness training. Provides that the Department of Fire Programs shall develop a standardized, two-hour virtual asynchronous training program on mental health awareness tailored to firefighters that includes training on each subject matter set forth in current law. The bill provides the option for each fire department to use such standardized training program as guidance in developing its own mental health awareness training for its personnel. This bill is identical to SB 140.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Data centers; Department of Energy shall lead efforts to accelerate use of waste heat, report.

Department of Energy; use of waste heat from data centers; findings and recommendations; work group; report. Directs the Department of Energy to lead efforts to accelerate the use of waste heat from data centers in the Commonwealth by making certain findings and recommendations and convening a work group to provide expertise, assistance, and feedback on the Department's efforts. The bill requires the Department to submit a report of its efforts, findings, legislative proposals, and recommendations no later than September 1, 2026.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Misbranded food; manufactured-protein food products, civil penalty.

Misbranded food; manufactured-protein food products; civil penalty. Provides that a food is misbranded if it purports to be or is represented as a meat food product or poultry product and such food product (i) bears or contains a manufactured-protein food product, as defined in the bill; (ii) is offered for sale; and (iii) has a label that is part of or placed on the food product package or other container storing such product that identifies the food as a meat food product or poultry product, unless such label bears a conspicuous and prominent qualifying term and is in close proximity to an identifying meat term, as such terms are defined in the bill. The bill exempts a meat food product that the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services determines contains a trace amount of a manufactured-protein food product, prohibits the sale or offering for sale of a food product that is misbranded pursuant to the provisions of the bill, and makes doing so a violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill provides that a person who violates the provisions of the bill is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $500 and allows the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services to adopt increased civil penalties not to exceed $500 for first, second, and subsequent violations of the bill. This bill is identical to SB 186.

Jackie H. GlassDemocrat

Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Advisory Committee; appointment of additional members.

Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; duties; Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Advisory Committee; appointment of members. Requires the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to appoint two additional members of the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Advisory Committee: an employee of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services who specializes in recovery and treatment services and a representative from the Virginia State Police Gaming Enforcement Unit.

Paul E. KrizekDemocrat

Back-end, opt-out automatic voter registration; work group to study implementation.

Secretary of Administration; work group on automatic voter registration. Directs the Department of Elections to convene a work group for the purpose of studying the implementation of back-end, opt-out automatic voter registration (AVR) in the Commonwealth. The work group shall include representatives of the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, and the Office of the Attorney General, in addition to members of the House and Senate Committees on Privileges and Elections, general registrars, and organizations advocating for or working on voting rights and data privacy. The work group is tasked with considering the effectiveness, efficiency, and security of back-end, opt-out AVR as compared to Virginia's current front-end, opt-out process and identifying the costs and benefits of moving to such a system. The Secretary of Administration is required to submit a report of the work group's findings to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees on Privileges and Elections by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 658.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican