Bills & Legislation

Cemeteries; maintenance of abandoned or neglected graveyards, owner unknown.

Cemeteries; maintenance of abandoned or neglected graveyards; owner unknown. Permits the owner of adjacent land or an incorporated nonprofit entity to petition the circuit court for an exclusive license to maintain a graveyard that has been abandoned, is unused and neglected by the owner, and the owner of such graveyard is unknown, or cannot with reasonable diligence be found. The bill requires the petitioner to (i) demonstrate a good faith effort to identify and contact an owner of record of the graveyard and (ii) publish in a newspaper having general circulation in the locality in which the graveyard is located, once a week for two consecutive weeks, notice that a petition for a maintenance license has been filed. The bill allows a court to grant a petitioner an exclusive license for the maintenance of an abandoned graveyard not to exceed five years. Such petitioner may, by petition of the court, renew such license indefinitely. After the court grants a petitioner a license to maintain the property, the owner of such graveyard may petition the circuit court of the county or city in which the graveyard is located to terminate the license.

Briana D. SewellDemocrat

Land development; definitions, solar canopies in surface parking areas, delayed effective date.

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 or more new off-street contiguous parking spaces and may require coverage of up to 50 percent of the surface parking area. The bill provides that an ordinance adopted pursuant to this bill shall be subject to various additional requirements and 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 or when a property owner shows that the solar canopy, if installed as otherwise required under the ordinance, will generate less than 75 percent of the electricity that would be expected, given the nameplate capacity of the solar modules installed on such canopy, if the canopy were to be installed at another location in the locality without surrounding impediments to insolation such as buildings or shading vegetation. Finally, the bill provides that the applicant or owner may use the electric energy generated from such solar canopy to offset the consumption of the parking lot or adjoining building served under the same account. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill incorporates HB 457 and is identical to SB 26.

Briana D. SewellDemocrat

Clerks of circuit court; fees, restitution, online payment systems, report.

Clerks of circuit court; restitution; fees; online payment systems; report. Provides that if a clerk's office allows payment to occur via an already established online payment system for the collection of court fines and fees or costs, it shall offer such payment method for all restitution payments.

Karrie K. DelaneyDemocrat

Commonwealth Aviation Fund; changes allocation amounts.

Commonwealth Aviation Fund; allocations. Changes (i) the allocation amounts from the Commonwealth Aviation Fund, (ii) the entity to which certain funds from such Fund are allocated from air carrier airports to commercial service airport sponsors, and (iii) the classification of airports from air carrier airport and reliever airport to commercial service airport and regional business airport, respectively.

Karrie K. DelaneyDemocrat

Private activity bonds; allocation of state ceiling.

Private activity bonds; allocation of state ceiling. Increases the housing allocation of the Virginia state ceiling on private activity bonds from 57 to 67 percent by (i) increasing the allocation to the Virginia Housing Development Authority from the current 43 percent to 50 percent and (ii) increasing the allocation to local housing authorities from the current 14 percent to 17 percent. The bill also maintains the current 18 percent for the Governor's state allocation portion and reduces the industrial development bonds for manufacturing and exempt facilities portion of the ceiling from 25 to 15 percent. This bill is identical to SB 729.

Joshua E. ThomasDemocrat

Delinquent children; loss of driving privileges for alcohol, firearm, and drug offenses, truancy.

Delinquent children; loss of driving privileges for alcohol, firearm, and drug offenses; truancy. Allows the court discretion in ordering the denial of a child's driving privileges in instances when the child has failed to comply with school attendance and meeting requirements as provided in relevant law. Under current law, the court is required to order the denial of such child's driving privileges. The bill also provides that if the court has ordered the denial of a child's driving privileges, the court shall order such child to surrender his driver's license, which shall be held in the physical custody of the court during any period of license denial. This bill is a recommendation of the Committee on District Courts and is identical to SB 146.

Atoosa R. ReaserDemocrat

Motor Vehicles, Department of; release of data to certain institutions of higher education, fee.

Department of Motor Vehicles data; certain institutions of higher education; fees. Authorizes the release of certain privileged Department of Motor Vehicles data to those institutions of higher education that have entered into an agreement with the Department to offer special license plates bearing the seal, symbol, emblem, or logotype of that institution of higher education. The bill authorizes the Department to charge a one-time fee of $10,000 from each participating institution to cover the cost of implementing the provisions of this bill. The bill limits the use of such data to surveys, marketing, and solicitations related to such institution of higher education and such purposes as are otherwise authorized in writing by the subject of the information and requires the consent of the subject of the information prior to disclosure of the information. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 445.

Briana D. SewellDemocrat

Driver's licenses; requirements for initial licensure, persons age 18 to 21.

Driver's licenses; requirements for initial licensure; persons age 18 to 21. Expands from 60 days to 90 days the length of time an applicant for a first-time noncommercial driver's license who is at least 18 years old and not more than 21 years old is required to hold a learner's permit and requires such an applicant to complete a course of driver instruction prior to being issued a driver's license. The bill provides that learner's permits other than motorcycle learner's permits, accompanied by other documentation verifying that the driver is at least 18 years old and less than 21 years old and has successfully completed an approved driver's education course, constitute a temporary driver's license for the purpose of driving unaccompanied by a licensed driver 18 years old or older, provided that certain other requirements are met. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 396.

Karrie K. DelaneyDemocrat

Transportation electrification; integrated resource planning, fast-charging stations, etc.

Transportation electrification; integrated resource planning; fast-charging stations; cost recovery by electric utilities. Permits Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company to file a proposed tariff with the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) to provide utility owned and operated electrical distribution infrastructure to support electric vehicle charging stations. The bill requires Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company to file transportation electrification plans with the Commission by February 1, 2028, and every three years thereafter, and includes requirements for information to include in such plans. Under the bill, Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company are required to seek recovery of necessary and appropriate expenditures for transportation electrification only through their rates for generation and distribution services.The bill prohibits Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company from petitioning for approval of expenditures to own and operate electric vehicle fast-charging stations unless such stations are located at or beyond a radial distance as determined by the Commission relative to the location of any privately owned fast charging station. The bill also directs the Commission to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to determine the appropriate radial distance for such utility-owned fast-charging stations from privately-owned fast charging stations, to enter its final rule in such proceeding no later than December 31, 2027, and to review such final rule by December 31, 2029. Provisions of the bill restricting the radial distance of utility owned and operated fast-charging stations expire on July 1, 2031. This bill is identical to SB 407.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Higher ed. financial aid programs; amends provisions, Va. Commonwealth Award established, report.

Public institutions of higher education; financial aid review and consolidation; Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program and Fund; Virginia Commonwealth Award established; work group; report. Amends several provisions relating to higher education financial aid programs for the purpose of establishing the Virginia Commonwealth Award in the Code of Virginia and consolidating the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program and Fund with the Virginia Commonwealth Award. Currently, the Virginia Commonwealth Award is established and administered only in the Virginia Administrative Code. In consolidating and establishing such financial aid programs as the Virginia Commonwealth Award, the bill codifies several definitions and provisions relating to award eligibility and renewal for undergraduate students and graduate students. The bill also repeals a provision of law establishing the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Fund. The bill directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to promulgate emergency regulations for the administration of financial aid in accordance with the provisions of the bill by April 1, 2027. The bill also directs the Secretary of Education to (i) establish a work group to conduct a comprehensive review of higher education financial aid systems and processes in the Commonwealth and make recommendations on strategies for maximizing the efficacy and impact of state financial aid appropriations on accessibility and affordability of and student outcomes in higher education in the Commonwealth and (ii) submit to the chairs of the applicable committees of the General Assembly by July 1, 2027, a report on the work group's findings and recommendations. Finally, the bill provides for the gradual phase-out of the award of grants under the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program by (a) prohibiting any first-time students from being offered a grant under the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program beginning with first-time students enrolled in the fall semester of 2027 and (b) permitting any public institution of higher education to provide for the annual renewal of grant awards under such program for no more than three subsequent award years, or up to a total of four award years, to any student who receives a grant during the 2026–2027 school year and continues to meet the requirements for grant renewal set forth in applicable law. This bill is identical to SB 167.

Briana D. SewellDemocrat

Cosmetic products; manufacturing or sale with certain ingredients prohibited.

Manufacturing or sale of cosmetic products with certain ingredients prohibited. Prohibits any person from manufacturing, selling, delivering, offering for sale, or using in connection with a consumer transaction any cosmetic product that contains certain ingredients that are listed in the bill. The bill exempts retailers that do not (i) manufacture cosmetics containing prohibited ingredients or (ii) knowingly sell or offer for sale cosmetics containing prohibited ingredients. The bill provides that a violation of its provisions constitutes a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act and specifies that its provisions do not apply to or restrict the continued sale by a retailer of cosmetics in existing inventory before July 1, 2026. This bill incorporates HB 864.

Karen Keys-GamarraDemocrat

Photo speed monitoring devices; placement and operation.

Photo speed monitoring devices; placement and operation. Directs the Supreme Court of Virginia to develop a summons for vehicle speed violations captured by photo speed monitoring devices and requires summonses issued for such vehicle speed violations to be such summons. The bill makes various changes to the requirements for the use of photo speed monitoring devices, including the use of funds from collected civil penalties, signage, data retention and storage, photo speed monitoring device calibration, making certain information available to the public, requirements for private vendors, and reporting. The bill establishes civil penalties for violations of requirements and provides that for any summons issued, failure to comply with the requirements for the operation of photo speed monitoring devices renders such summons invalid. The bill also limits the use of photo speed monitoring devices in highway work zones to when workers are present, as defined in the bill, and provides that a certificate sworn to or affirmed by a law-enforcement officer or a retired sworn law-enforcement officer is not prima facie evidence of the facts contained therein for a photo speed monitoring device placed in a highway work zone unless the operator of the photo speed monitoring device provides a sworn certification verifying that workers were present at the time of the vehicle speed violation.The bill contains delayed effective dates for certain provisions.

Karrie K. DelaneyDemocrat

Summer camps; employment of children.

Employment of children; summer camps. Permits children 14 years of age or older to be employed by a summer camp operated by a religious, service, or scouting organization and provides that such children may participate in all activities related to providing services to campers, provided that the summer camp is accredited and follows safety guidelines published by a recognized youth services organization.

Karrie K. DelaneyDemocrat

Keeper of livery stable; liens, requirements.

Keeper of livery stable; liens; requirements. Creates a process by which any person that boards, pastures, or otherwise keeps any horse, cattle, or other animal pursuant to an agreement with the owner of such horse, cattle, or other animal may impose a possessory lien for the reasonable charges due for such animal's care, feeding, and maintenance, which includes a provision for the lienholder to retain possession of the animal for 30 days until certain conditions are met and a procedure for the owner of the animal to dispute such lien. The bill also provides that if no such action has occurred upon the expiration of the 30 days, the lienholder may proceed with enforcing the lien as provided by current law.

Delores OatesRepublican

Health insurance; cost-sharing payments for insulin and diabetes equipment and supplies, limit.

Health insurance; cost-sharing payments for insulin and diabetes equipment and supplies; limit. Decreases the cap on the cost-sharing payment that a covered person is required to pay for a covered prescription insulin drug from $50 to $35 for a 30-day supply of the prescription insulin drug and provides such cap is an aggregate cap that applies in situations where the covered person is prescribed more than one insulin drug. The bill also establishes such an aggregate cap of $35 for a 30-day supply of diabetes equipment and supplies.

Karrie K. DelaneyDemocrat

Zoning; small lot residential districts required.

Small lot residential zoning districts. Requires any locality with a population of 50,000 or more to adopt, maintain, and apply to land within its boundaries at least one zoning district classification that permits a single-family dwelling on a lot with a minimum lot area not exceeding 3,000 square feet. The bill provides that such zoning district classifications shall not impose minimum lot widths exceeding 30 feet or setback, lot coverage, or density requirements that would preclude construction of eligible dwellings on conforming lots. The bill's provisions do not apply to areas within a historic district.

Briana D. SewellDemocrat

Public education; early childhood care and education, child care access calculations, report.

Public education; early childhood care and education; child care access calculations; report. Requires the Department of Education to establish and maintain calculations for the provision of early childhood care and education services based on cost of quality rate per child, actual data from the prior year, an estimate of parental demand and choice preferences based on historic growth trends and current eligibility criteria, and an estimate of the number of slots to be added to support local or regional economic development efforts and public-private partnerships focused on increasing the supply of child care services, giving priority to localities or regions identified as child care deserts, as determined by the Department. The bill also contains several provisions relating to the use and appropriation of funds as applicable to such calculations, including (i) providing that the calculations shall not obligate the General Assembly to a specific appropriation, (ii) requiring the calculations to be used to provide information to guide the General Assembly in making decisions about the proportion of parental demand for and supply of early childhood care and education services to be addressed and level of appropriation required to address such demand, and (iii) providing that the annual overall funding available for slots shall be subject to appropriation as determined by the General Assembly. The bill also provides that if waitlists for slots at early childhood care and education sites remain, up to $5 million from prior-year unexpended state general funds appropriated for such purpose in a general appropriation act may be carried forward to the current fiscal year to temporarily provide additional slots during the current fiscal year solely to reduce or eliminate waitlists, unless the general appropriation act authorizes a greater amount to be carried forward and that such prior-year funds shall not be used to increase the base amount of funding required in the subsequent fiscal year and the Department shall monitor program utilization and attrition to ensure that no families will lose access at the end of the current fiscal year. Finally, the bill requires the Department to annually submit to the Commission on Early Childhood Care and Education and post on its website a report on the data used to calculate the minimum funding and number of slots for the calculations in accordance with the provisions of the bill. This bill is identical to SB 134.

Briana D. SewellDemocrat

Electric substation construction agreements; "electric cooperatives" or "cooperative", definitions.

Utility consumer services cooperatives; substation construction agreements. Permits an electric cooperative to enter into an agreement to construct a substation with a member receiving regulated electric service, with an electric demand of at least 20 megawatts during the most recent calendar year, that requires a point of interconnection with a transmission line system of 230 kilovolts or more. The bill provides that, upon final completion of a substation constructed under such an agreement, the member shall transfer ownership of such substation to the cooperative for the cooperative to operate and maintain at the member's sole expense. Under the bill, the costs of acquisition, operation, or maintenance of such a substation shall be excluded from the cooperative's general and base rates and shall not be recovered from any other ratepayer. This bill is identical to SB 377.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Artificial intelligence; use of systems for student instruction.

Department of Education; artificial intelligence system use in instructional settings; development of AIS safety guidance required; AIS Innovation in Education Pilot Program established; report. Requires the Department of Education, in consultation with school divisions and other relevant stakeholders, to compile information on current uses of artificial intelligence systems (AIS) for student instruction in public schools in the Commonwealth and to establish and post in a publicly accessible location on its website guidance for the safe, ethical, and equitable use of AIS in instructional settings in public elementary and secondary schools. The bill requires each school board to establish, implement, and enforce policies consistent with the guidance developed by the Department in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill also directs the Department to establish and oversee the AIS Innovation in Education Pilot Program for the purpose of funding, evaluating, and scaling innovative uses of AIS in public elementary and secondary schools by providing support to school divisions in piloting AIS applications for instruction, tutoring, student engagement, operational efficiency, and teacher support and to submit an annual report to the Chairs of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by December 1. The Pilot Program has an expiration date of July 1, 2030. This bill is identical to SB 394.

Sam RasoulDemocrat

Income tax, state; free tax filing program for individuals.

Department of Taxation; free tax filing program for individuals. Directs the Tax Commissioner to develop and offer a free individual state income tax filing program, effective beginning in taxable year 2028, that is similar to the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Direct File Program as it existed during the 2025 tax filing season. The bill contains technical amendments that remove obsolete language regarding fillable forms. This bill is identical to SB 591.

Kimberly Pope AdamsDemocrat

Authorized septic system inspectors; scope of services and requirements for performance, etc.

Authorized septic system inspectors; scope of services and requirements. Provides that system components are not considered readily accessible if access requires removal of surface material exceeding 30 inches in depth to uncover septic tank access lids, distribution devices, or other inspection ports. The bill specifies that an authorized septic system inspector shall submit a written report to the client within 10 business days from the start of the inspection, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the parties, which shall also indicate whether the system is operating as intended. The bill removes the requirement that authorized septic system inspectors report the advertised bedroom count or design capacity as listed in the multiple listing service or written statement by the property owner. This bill is identical to SB 401.

Kimberly Pope AdamsDemocrat

Financial institutions; check cashers, expiration of registration, delayed effective date.

Financial institutions; check cashers; expiration of registration. Provides that for check cashers registered with the State Corporation Commission, such registration shall automatically expire if a registrant fails to pay the annual registration fee by July 1 of each year. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Stacey Annie CarrollDemocrat

Government. Data Collection & Dissemin. Practices Act; dissemin. of personal info. to federal gov't.

Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act; dissemination of personal information to federal government; civil penalties. Provides that any agency or political subdivision of the Commonwealth shall only disseminate personal information (i) to the extent necessary to comply with state or federal law, including the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; (ii) to the extent necessary to carry out the administration of a state or federal program pursuant to state or federal law; (iii) to comply with a subpoena, court order, or administrative proceeding; (iv) to the extent necessary to ensure fulfillment of the obligations of a purchase or contract made in accordance with the Virginia Public Procurement Act or a memorandum of understanding or management agreement made in accordance with the Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operations Act; (v) when the data subject has given consent; or (vi) to the extent necessary to accomplish a proper purpose of the agency. The bill also prohibits an agency or political subdivision from selling personal information. The bill authorizes a court, in the case of a willful and knowing violation, to subject a specific public officer, appointee, or employee of any agency to civil penalties.

Kathy K.L. TranDemocrat

School board employee grievance procedure; timing of dispute resolution.

School board employee grievance procedure; timing of dispute resolution. Requires the grievance procedure for certain school board employees to afford a timely and fair method of the resolution of disputes arising between the school board and such employees before dismissal or other disciplinary actions, excluding suspensions. Current law requires such procedure to afford a timely and fair method of the resolution of disputes arising between the school board and such employees regarding dismissal or other disciplinary actions, excluding suspensions, but is silent on the timing of such dispute resolution. This bill is identical to SB 824.

Jeion A. WardDemocrat

Community Builders Pilot Program; name change, statewide demonstration model site, repeals sunset.

Community Builders Pilot Program; name change; sunset repeal; statewide demonstration model site. Makes permanent and renames the Community Builders Pilot Program established within Roanoke City Public Schools and Petersburg City Public Schools as the Community Builders Program (the Program). The Community Builders Pilot Program is currently set to expire on July 1, 2027. The bill also requires, with such funds as may be appropriated by the General Assembly for such purpose pursuant to the general appropriation act, Roanoke City Public Schools to serve as the statewide demonstration model site for the Program for the purpose of hosting interested representatives of other school divisions to observe the Program and receive training and materials from Roanoke City Public Schools in order to facilitate the replication of the Program in such other school divisions. This bill is identical to SB 820.

Sam RasoulDemocrat

Charitable gaming; denial, suspension, or revocation of permit.

Charitable gaming; denial, suspension, or revocation of permit. Removes duplicative provisions of charitable gaming law regarding the denial, suspension, or revocation of a charitable gaming permit or authorization to conduct electronic gaming.

Paul E. KrizekDemocrat

Electric utilities; duty to furnish adequate service, high-demand customers.

Electric utilities; delay in provision of service permitted. Provides that a distributor of electric energy may delay the provision of service if such delay is necessary to maintain electric grid reliability, to avoid exceeding available generation or transmission capacity constraints, or to ensure compliance with load interconnection policies or rules issued by the State Corporation Commission or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 423.

Rodney T. WillettDemocrat

Medicine and Nursing, Boards of; continuing education, bias reduction training.

Board of Medicine and Board of Nursing; continuing education; bias reduction training. Directs the Board of Medicine and Board of Nursing to require certain licensees to complete continuing learning activities on bias reduction in health care as part of their continuing education and continuing competency requirements for licensure and authorizes the Board of Nursing to require certain continuing learning activities or courses in a specific subject area. Under current law, the Board of Medicine has such authority. This bill is identical to SB 22.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Water distribution systems; lead status inspections for water service lines.

Inspection of water distribution systems; lead status inspections for water service lines. Permits any locality that operates a water distribution system or any water authority that operates a water distribution system, or their respective duly authorized agents, to, at reasonable times and under reasonable circumstances, enter upon the exterior areas of any property, public or private, for the purpose of accessing and inspecting a water service line necessary to make the required system-side and customer-side service line material classifications for lead status to comply with federal law. The bill requires any such inspector to maintain a record of such inspections, including the date, time, and result of the inspection, and, further, requires the inspector to inform the customer of the result of the inspection. The bill also requires the locality or water authority to deliver notice to the customer at least 14 days prior to the inspection. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2028.

M. Keith HodgesRepublican

Motor vehicle safety inspections; certified safety inspectors.

Motor vehicle safety inspections; safety inspectors. Requires motor vehicle safety inspections to be conducted by persons certified as a safety inspector by the Superintendent of State Police. Existing law requires the person conducting a vehicle safety inspection, or under whose immediate supervision such inspection is made, to have at least one year's practical experience as an automotive mechanic or have satisfactorily completed a training program in automotive mechanics approved by the Superintendent of State Police.

Terry L. AustinRepublican

Water and sewer connection fees; first-time homebuyers, affordable housing.

Water and sewer connection fees; first-time homebuyers; affordable housing. Provides that any locality may provide for the full or partial reimbursement to a first-time homebuyer of water and sewer connection fees, capital recovery charges, and availability fees paid in connection with any new residential development conveyed to such homebuyer. The bill also permits any locality that has adopted an affordable dwelling unit ordinance pursuant to general law to provide for a waiver of such fees and charges for any development subject to the requirements of such ordinance.

Marty MartinezDemocrat

Drug-related investigations; use of confidential informants.

Use of confidential informants in drug-related investigations. Directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to establish a model policy for the use of confidential informants in drug-related investigations and to include in such model policy that (i) no individual currently on probation or pretrial may serve as a confidential informant without notice to his probation, pretrial services, or parole officer; (ii) no individual who has, within the last six months, been found to have violated the terms of his probation or parole shall serve as a confidential informant whose testimony may be necessary in the prosecution of a criminal matter in the courts of the Commonwealth; (iii) law-enforcement personnel shall obtain approval from the appropriate local attorney for the Commonwealth prior to working with a confidential informant; and (iv) such confidential informant shall not unlawfully use or possess any controlled substances.

Mike A. CherryRepublican

Toll rate; increases State Corporation Commission duration and timeline for review.

State Corporation Commission; duration and timeline for review of toll rate increases. Increases from one year to two years the maximum length of time the State Corporation Commission is authorized to approve toll rate increases under the Virginia Highway Corporation Act of 1988. The bill also requires the Commission to issue a final order regarding any application for approval of one year or two years of such toll rate increases to be entered within nine months or 12 months, respectively, after the date of the filing of such application.

David A. ReidDemocrat

Workforce housing for employees; county bd. of supervisor or school bd., lease of surplus property.

Workforce housing for employees of a county or county school board; lease of surplus property. Allows any county board of supervisors or county school board to lease as lessor surplus or underutilized property. The bill provides that such leases shall be conditioned on the development of workforce housing serving employees of the county or school division with up to 80 percent of area median household income. The bill also prohibits establishment of a minimum lot size exceeding 5,000 square feet for such workforce housing and provides that the placement of manufactured houses that are on a permanent foundation and on individual lots shall be permitted subject to development standards that are equivalent to those applicable to site-built single-family dwellings.

David A. ReidDemocrat

Professional and Occupational Regulation, Department of; universal license recognition.

Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; universal license recognition. Reduces from three years to one year the number of years an individual is required to have held a professional or occupational license or government certification in another state in order to apply to the regulatory board within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation and be issued an occupational license or government certification under the universal license recognition program.

May NivarDemocrat

Guardianship; copy of appointment, termination, or modification order.

Guardianship; copy of appointment, termination, or modification order; Department of Medical Assistance Services. Removes the requirement of a clerk of court in a guardianship proceeding to forward a copy of an order appointing a guardian and a copy of the certificate of qualification to the Department of Medical Assistance Services. The bill further removes such a forwarding requirement when a guardianship is terminated or otherwise modified. This bill is identical to SB 216.

May NivarDemocrat

Nonemergency medical transportation providers; fee disclosure.

Nonemergency medical transportation providers; fee disclosure. Requires a nonemergency medical transportation provider or the medical care facility prearranging transport through such a provider, prior to providing such transportation services to a patient, to provide the patient or the patient's representative with a standardized disclosure form of all associated fees or other charges for which the patient will be responsible for such transportation services. The bill also requires that nonemergency medical transportation providers provide the medical care facility with the required form. Such provisions have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. Finally, effective July 1, 2026, the bill directs the Department of Health to develop and publish a standardized disclosure form on its website by October 1, 2026.

May NivarDemocrat

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

Department of Education; culturally responsive and language-appropriate mental health support and services; guidance and policies. Requires, no later than October 1, 2027, the Department of Education to develop, adopt, and provide to each local school board guidance on the adoption of policies governing the provision of culturally responsive and language-appropriate mental health support and services for students in the local school division and permits any school board to develop and adopt policies in the local school division that are consistent with the guidelines adopted and provided by the Department of Education.

May NivarDemocrat

Renewable energy portfolio standard program; energy from geothermal heating/cooling systems, report.

Renewable energy portfolio standard program; geothermal heating and cooling systems; report. Requires, for purposes of the renewable energy portfolio standard program, Dominion Energy Virginia and American Electric Power to annually procure and retire certain percentages of renewable energy certificates from geothermal heating and cooling systems, as defined in the bill. The bill directs the State Corporation Commission to prepare and deliver a report evaluating the procurement and retirement of renewable energy certificates from geothermal heating and cooling systems in the Commonwealth on or before November 1, 2028. The bill also directs the Real Estate Appraiser Board to promulgate regulations requiring the development of a continuing education curriculum and required training for all licensees that includes how to properly determine the increase in value of real estate created by reductions in building energy costs associated with solar, geothermal, and solar water heating investments. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation and is identical to SB 252.

JJ SinghDemocrat

Arts, Virginia Commission for the; revisions to duties of Commission.

Public institutions of higher education; museums and other cultural institutions; Virginia Commission for the Arts; revisions. Revises the requirements relating to the composition, administration, and duties of the Virginia Commission for the Arts, including by (i) modifying and consolidating the duties of the Commission; (ii) requiring the Governor to appoint an executive director of the Commission, as opposed to permitting the Governor to appoint a director as provided under current law; and (iii) providing that moneys in the Virginia Commission for the Arts Fund shall be used solely for the purposes of supporting initiatives relating to the duties of the Commission, as set forth in applicable law, and that expenditures and disbursements from the Fund are to be made upon written request signed by persons authorized by the executive director of the Commission. Current law requires expenditures and disbursements from the Fund to be made upon request signed by persons authorized by the Commission.

Terry G. KilgoreRepublican

Medetomidine; manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing, penalties.

Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing medetomidine; penalties. Provides that any person who knowingly manufactures, sells, gives, distributes, or possesses with the intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute the substance medetomidine, when intended for human consumption, is guilty of a Class 5 felony. Under the bill, any person who knowingly possesses medetomidine, when intended for human consumption, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Under the bill, it is not an offense to (i) manufacture medetomidine for legitimate veterinary use; (ii) distribute or sell medetomidine for authorized veterinary use; (iii) possess, administer, prescribe, or dispense medetomidine in good faith for use by animals within the course of legitimate veterinary practice; or (iv) possess or administer medetomidine pursuant to a valid prescription from a licensed veterinarian.

M. Keith HodgesRepublican

High school students; completion of certain applications for student financial aid required.

School boards; high school students; establishment of certain goals for completion of certain applications for student financial aid required; provision of data and guidance relating to student financial aid applications. Requires each school board to (i) annually provide to each high school student and the parent of each high school student guidance and other informational materials on student financial aid applications, as defined by the bill, for the purpose of promoting awareness of federal and state financial aid programs, resources, eligibility criteria, application deadlines, and other processes and requirements; (ii) utilize federally available data to establish a five-year goal for encouraging and increasing the completion of student financial aid applications by high school students during the students' final school year before graduation; and (iii) annually post in a publicly accessible location on its website federally available data relating to student financial aid applications and submit to the Department of Education a report on the progress toward achieving the five-year goal established pursuant to clause (ii). The bill clarifies that nothing in the bill shall be construed to require any school board to establish a goal of universal completion of a student financial aid application prior to graduation by each high school student in the school division. The bill also prohibits any school board or employee thereof from disclosing any personally identifiable information relating to the requirements set forth in the bill to any individual or entity outside of the school division. Finally, the bill directs the Department of Education, in collaboration with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, to provide to each school board (a) by the beginning of each school year, the website containing federally available data on the rates of completion of student financial aid applications; (b) guidance or other informational materials on student financial aid applications; and (c) guidance and other informational resources designed to support school boards in making progress toward the five-year goals established pursuant to the bill. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2031.

JJ SinghDemocrat

Protection of employees; standards for heat illness prevention, report.

Protection of employees; standards for heat illness prevention; Safety and Health Codes Board. Requires the Safety and Health Codes Board (the Board) to adopt regulations designed to protect workers from heat illness, as defined in the bill, during indoor and outdoor work. The bill provides that such regulations shall be enforced by the Board's existing authority. The bill directs the Board, in consultation with the Department of Labor and Industry, to develop and adopt regulations that require employers to implement heat illness prevention plans and to convene an advisory panel to assist in developing such regulations. This bill is identical to SB 288.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Noxious weeds; amends definition, commercial viability, phase-out period, report.

Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services; noxious weeds; commercial viability; report. Amends the definition of noxious weed to remove the exclusion for living plants or parts thereof that are commercially viable or commercially propagated in Virginia and removes the requirement that the Noxious Weeds Advisory Committee include in its recommendations to the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services an analysis of the current and potential in-state commercial viability of a plant species. The bill requires a plant that is designated by the Board as a noxious weed and commercially propagated in Virginia to be subject to a phase-out period of two years for grasses, forbs, and vines; four years for shrubs; and seven years for trees. The bill directs the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to conduct a review of the legislative and regulatory authority of the Board pertaining to the control of noxious weeds and report his findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources by November 1, 2026.

Holly M. SeiboldDemocrat

Virginia Public Procurement Act; preference for Virginia goods, school nutrition programs, sunset.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; preference for Virginia goods; school nutrition programs; sunset extension. Provides that, in the case of procurement of goods by manufacturers, if the lowest responsive and responsible bidder is not a resident of Virginia and the bid is for agricultural products that are produced or processed in Virginia and intended for school nutrition programs, including fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, and is within 20 percent of such bid, such bidder for agricultural products that are produced or processed in Virginia shall be granted the option to match the price of the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. The bill amends provisions of law providing preference for Virginia goods in procurement that are set to expire on July 1, 2027. The bill extends the sunset date of these provisions to July 1, 2028.

Amy J. LauferDemocrat

Working Lands Preservation, Office of; powers and duties, small renewable energy projects fees.

Office of Working Lands Preservation; powers and duties; small renewable energy projects fees. Requires the Office of Working Lands Preservation to serve as a trustee to administer the in-lieu fees in trust for small renewable energy projects. The bill requires such fees to be used to acquire conservation easements and cover any expenses associated with acquiring such easements.

Michael J. WebertRepublican

Honor Guard Grant Program; Department of Veterans Services to establish.

Department of Veterans Services; Honor Guard Grant Program established. Requires the Department of Veterans Services to establish the Honor Guard Grant Program for the purpose of providing grants to veteran service organizations, defined in the bill, to offset expenses incurred by the organizations and members of the organizations' honor guards in providing honor guard burial details at the funerals of veterans in the Commonwealth, including expenses for training, transportation, food, equipment, and supplies.

Jason S. BallardRepublican

Pharmaceutical Substance Manufacturing Grant Fund; created.

Pharmaceutical Substance Manufacturing Grant Fund. Establishes the Pharmaceutical Substance Manufacturing Grant Fund to provide grant installment awards between July 1, 2026, and July 1, 2045, in an amount not to exceed $34 million per fiscal year and in an aggregate amount not to exceed $191,255,000, to a qualified company that (i) engages in the manufacture of pharmaceutical substances, (ii) executes a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth, and (iii) is expected to make a capital investment of at least $4 billion and create and maintain at least 500 new full-time jobs. This bill is identical to SB 527.

Amy J. LauferDemocrat