Electric vehicle battery suppliers; certification, penalty.

Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services;electric vehicle battery suppliers; certification; penalty. Requireseach supplier of electric vehicle batteries operating in the Commonwealthto certify under penalty of perjury to the Commissioner of the Departmentof Agriculture and Consumer Services that no electric vehicle batteries sold in consumer transactions, as defined in the bill, are manufacturedin or sourced from African cobalt mines and that the manufactureor sourcing of such electric vehicle batteries involves no childor slave labor. Certification is required by suppliers by July 1,2025, and annually thereafter. Under the bill, it is unlawful foran electric vehicle battery supplier to sell, lease, or license anyelectric vehicle battery without first obtaining a certificate ofcompliance from the Commissioner, and a violation of this requirement constitutes a violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.