Bills & Legislation

Guardianship/conservatorship of incapacitated adult; right to request counsel, right to a jury trial.

Guardianship or conservatorship of incapacitated adult; right to request counsel; right to a jury trial. Provides that, upon the filing of a petition for the appointment of a guardian or conservator for an incapacitated person and where the incapacitated person is unable to communicate verbally, in writing, or with the assistance of any device to the extent that he is unable to request that he be represented by counsel or to have a jury trial, either an immediate family member of the incapacitated person or an agent under a power of attorney authorized to act on behalf of such incapacitated person, provided that such immediate family member or agent has become a party to the proceedings, may make such request on behalf of the incapacitated person.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

SCC; cost allocation proceedings for certain electric utilities, definitions.

State Corporation Commission; cost allocation proceedings for certain electric utilities. Directs the State Corporation Commission to conduct proceedings to review cost allocation among different customer classifications for certain electric utilities. For Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power, the Commission is directed to determine if the cost allocation of transmission costs require customers that are not high-load customers, as defined in the bill, to unreasonably subsidize the transmission costs attributable to serving high-load customers by January 1, 2027. For Dominion Energy, the Commission is directed to determine if the current allocation of generation and distribution costs require customers that are not high-load customers to unreasonably subsidize the generation and distribution costs attributable to serving high-load customers by January 1, 2028.

Russet PerryDemocrat

Tier 2 emergency generators; SCC shall evaluate impact of requiring data centers to limit use, etc.

State Corporation Commission; data center generators. Directs the State Corporation Commission to evaluate the impact of requiring data centers to limit the use of Tier 2 generators and prioritize the use of Tier 4 equivalent or better generators. The bill requires the Commission to submit a report on any findings to the Chairs of the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and the House Committees on Appropriations and Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources no later than October 15, 2026.

Danica A. RoemDemocrat

Virginia Public Procurement Act; preference for local products and firms, by localities.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; preference for local products and firms; by localities. Allows the governing body of a county, city, or town to give preference to goods, services, and construction produced in such locality or provided by persons, firms, or corporations having principal places of business in the locality if the bid price is not more than five percent greater than the bid price of the lowest responsive and active bidder. In such a circumstance, the bill permits the bidder of goods, services, and construction produced in such locality or provided by persons, firms, or corporations having principal places of business in the locality to match the price of the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. Under current law, such preference may only be given in the case of a tie bid.

Adam P. EbbinDemocrat

Peanut; designating as state snack.

Official emblems and designations; state snack; peanut. Designates the peanut as the official state snack.

Emily M. JordanRepublican

County manager plan of government; affordable dwelling unit ordinance.

County manager plan of government; affordable dwelling unit ordinance. Increases local authority over affordable housing for counties that have adopted the county manager plan of government (Arlington County) by (i) potentially increasing the cash contribution to the county's affordable housing fund by developers in lieu of providing affordable dwelling units and (ii) providing that applications for a special exception approval for a change of use of an existing building from commercial to residential may be subject to an affordable housing requirement. The bill directs the governing body of such counties to appoint an advisory board to advise the governing body regarding the appropriate provisions of an ordinance to amend the cash contribution amounts to such county's affordable housing fund. Certain provisions of the bill do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2027 Session of the General Assembly.

Barbara A. FavolaDemocrat

Hampton University; recognition and restoration of status as a land-grant university.

Educational and cultural institutions; Recognition and restoration of status of Hampton University as a land-grant university; requirements; task force. Recognizes and restores the status of Hampton University as an 1862 and 1890 land-grant university of the Commonwealth, in accordance with the provisions of applicable federal law, and (i) enumerates the funding and programs Hampton University shall be eligible for as a land-grant university and (ii) provides for the establishment of an evaluation task force by the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the House Committee on appropriations upon federal recognition of Hampton University as an institution eligible to receive federal funding and participate in federal and state programs established under applicable law relating to land-grant universities for the purpose of evaluating the status of Hampton University and the feasibility of recognizing the institution as a land-grant university of the Commonwealth in accordance with the provisions of the bill.

Mamie E. LockeDemocrat

Mental health service providers; definitions, use of artificial intelligence system, civil penalty.

Use of artificial intelligence system by mental health service providers; civil penalty. Permits the use of an artificial intelligence system by mental health service providers to assist in providing therapy or counseling services if such mental health service provider maintains full responsibility for all interactions, outputs, and data use associated with the system. The bill prohibits the use of an artificial intelligence system to provide therapy or counseling services without a mental health service provider. The bill specifies that records kept by mental health service providers must comply with health records privacy requirements; creates an exception for religious counseling, peer support, or self-help materials and educational resources; and establishes a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 for violations of the statute.

Barbara A. FavolaDemocrat

Consumer Data Protection Act; prohibitions and duties relating to minors.

Consumer Data Protection Act; prohibitions and duties relating to minors. Prohibits a controller of an online service, product, or feature from entering into certain agreements with a known minor, unless such controller obtains verified consent from the minor's parent as specified in the bill. The bill imposes certain duties on a controller of an online service, product, or feature related to advertising, algorithm use, and reasonable care toward known minors. The bill expands the consumer rights of a parent to minors and adds a provision allowing a parent to obtain a copy of the minor's data. Current law offers certain consumer rights to the parents of children younger than age 13. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Christopher T. HeadRepublican

DJJ; transfer of responsibility to Secretary of Health and Human Resources.

Department of Juvenile Justice; transfer of responsibility from Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to Secretary of Health and Human Resources; stakeholder work group. Directs the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a stakeholder work group to create a plan and recommended timeline for transferring responsibility for the Department of Juvenile Justice from the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources. The bill requires the work group to be composed of interested parties, including representatives from civil liberty organizations, organizations engaged in the daily work of youth justice and violence prevention, formerly incarcerated persons and their families, and mental health experts. The bill directs the work group to submit its plan and recommended timeline for executing the transfer to the Chairs of the House Committee for Courts of Justice, House Committee on Public Safety, Senate Committee for Courts of Justice, and Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by November 1, 2026.

Mamie E. LockeDemocrat

Brown-belted bumblebee (Bombus griseocollis); designating as the official state native pollinator.

Official emblems and designations; state native pollinator; brown-belted bumblebee. Designates the brown-belted bumblebee (Bombus griseocollis) as the official state native pollinator.

Mark J. PeakeRepublican

Motorcycle Driver Improvement Clinic Fund; created.

Driver improvement clinics; motorcycle driver improvement clinics; Motorcycle Driver Improvement Clinic Fund; created. Creates motorcycle driver improvement clinics, defined in the bill, as a subset of existing driver improvement clinics and provides requirements and parameters for the instruction and administration of the motorcycle driver improvement clinics. The bill authorizes courts to direct defendants who have committed violations while operating a motorcycle to attend a motorcycle driver improvement clinic and satisfy the requirements thereof. The bill also creates the Motorcycle Driver Improvement Clinic Fund for the operation and administration of motorcycle driver improvement clinics. The bill specifies that priority be given to the creation of motorcycle driver improvement clinics that operate as computer-based clinics.

David R. SuetterleinRepublican

Zoning; special exceptions for City of Portsmouth.

Zoning; special exceptions; City of Portsmouth. Adds the City of Portsmouth to those localities that have been granted authority to impose a condition upon any special exception relating to retail alcoholic beverage control licensees that provides that such special exception will automatically expire upon a change of ownership of the property, a change in possession, a change in the operation or management of a facility, or the passage of a specific period of time.

L. Louise LucasDemocrat

Celebrating the life of Terrence Lee Schrum.

Celebrating the life of Terrence Lee Schrum.

Michael J. WebertRepublican

Commending Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion.

Commending Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion.

Israel D. O'QuinnRepublican

Commending the Virginia Housing Alliance.

Commending the Virginia Housing Alliance.

Rae CousinsDemocrat

Celebrating the life of William Edward Ross II.

Celebrating the life of William Edward Ross II.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Commending Cameran Drew.

Commending Cameran Drew.

Kimberly Pope AdamsDemocrat

Commending Billiken's Smokehouse.

Commending Billiken's Smokehouse.

Joshua G. ColeDemocrat

Celebrating the life of McArthur Myers.

Celebrating the life of McArthur Myers.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Commending the Reverend Dr. Charles W. Wormley, Sr.

Commending the Reverend Dr. Charles W. Wormley, Sr.

Joshua G. ColeDemocrat

Commending Halifax Pharmacy.

Commending Halifax Pharmacy.

Timothy P. GriffinRepublican

Commending Sweet Briar College.

Commending Sweet Briar College.

Timothy P. GriffinRepublican

Celebrating the life of Patrick Sherman.

Celebrating the life of Patrick Sherman.

Timothy P. GriffinRepublican

Celebrating the life of Linwood Roy Griffin.

Celebrating the life of Linwood Roy Griffin.

Timothy P. GriffinRepublican

Commending Kristy N. Somerville-Midgette, Ed.D.

Commending Kristy N. Somerville-Midgette, Ed.D.

Timothy P. GriffinRepublican

Commending the Front Royal Little League 12U All-Stars.

Commending the Front Royal Little League 12U All-Stars.

Delores OatesRepublican

Commending Emily Barrows, M.D.

Commending Emily Barrows, M.D.

Timothy P. GriffinRepublican

Commending Blake Bryant.

Commending Blake Bryant.

Wendell S. WalkerRepublican

Commending Edward Joseph Face.

Commending Edward Joseph Face.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Commending the United States Army dustoff crews of the Vietnam War.

Commending the United States Army dustoff crews of the Vietnam War.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

Commending the Hanover High School boys' volleyball team.

Commending the Hanover High School boys' volleyball team.

Scott A. WyattRepublican

Celebrating the life of Kenneth Mason Easley, Jr.

Celebrating the life of Kenneth Mason Easley, Jr.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Commending the Reverend Steve Rebert, Sr.

Commending the Reverend Steve Rebert, Sr.

Bill WileyRepublican

Commending the Brentsville High School girls' flag football team.

Commending the Brentsville High School girls' flag football team.

Elizabeth R. GuzmanDemocrat

Commending Bell's Fine Clothing.

Commending Bell's Fine Clothing.

Bill WileyRepublican

Commending Carolyn Griffin.

Commending Carolyn Griffin.

Bill WileyRepublican

Commending the Portsmouth Adult Recovery Court.

Commending the Portsmouth Adult Recovery Court.

Nadarius E. ClarkDemocrat

Celebrating the life of William Lorenzo Jackson, Sr.

Celebrating the life of William Lorenzo Jackson, Sr.

Karen Keys-GamarraDemocrat

Commending Heather Shea Pugh.

Commending Heather Shea Pugh.

Nadarius E. ClarkDemocrat

Commending the James Wood High School girls' volleyball team.

Commending the James Wood High School girls' volleyball team.

Bill WileyRepublican

Celebrating the life of Leo Michael Schweiger.

Celebrating the life of Leo Michael Schweiger.

Bill WileyRepublican

Commending Didlake, Inc.

Commending Didlake, Inc.

Michelle Lopes MaldonadoDemocrat

Celebrating the life of Virginia Mozell Jefferson Tyler.

Celebrating the life of Virginia Mozell Jefferson Tyler.

Delores L. McQuinnDemocrat

Celebrating the life of James Paul Councill III.

Celebrating the life of James Paul Councill III.

Nadarius E. ClarkDemocrat

House of Delegates; salaries, contingent and incidental expenses.

Salaries, contingent and incidental expenses.

Luke E. TorianDemocrat

Commending John I. Ferguson.

Commending John I. Ferguson.

Terry G. KilgoreRepublican

Commending Tim Rizer.

Commending Tim Rizer.

Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31Republican

Commending Dave and Linda Cryer.

Commending Dave and Linda Cryer.

M. Keith HodgesRepublican

Commending Chase Hedrick.

Commending Chase Hedrick.

M. Keith HodgesRepublican