Virginia Bills

Requires the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority (the Authority) to develop a comprehensive operational plan for the Authority, including, at a minimum, the following components: (i) a plan for coordination with all state agencies administering economic development incentive programs to ensure that such programs consistently achieve maximum effectiveness, (ii) the results of the most recent survey of all economic development partners assessing the effectiveness of the Authority's coordination with nonstate economic development organizations and the alignment of the Authority's strategic plan with economic development partners, and (iii) an evaluation of grant incentive awards programs administered by the Authority. The initial plan must be submitted by December 1, 2017, to the Authority's Board for review and approval. After approval, the CEO must report quarterly to the Board regarding the status of the implementation of the plan. In addition, the bill changes the membership requirements of the Board by removing the conditions that the Governor's appointees represent the state's congressional districts and changing the appointments of legislative appointees from membership at large to requirements for general areas of expertise. The bill changes all terms from six to four years and provides for the 12 citizen members appointed by the Governor to be re-staggered beginning in 2017. The bill also (a) provides for the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to serve as the chairman of the Authority's Board, (b) establishes the Division of Grant Administration within the Authority, (c) creates an Office of Internal Audit, and (d) provides for the Authority to staff the Governor's cabinet-level committee assisting the Secretary of Commerce and Trade in developing the state's comprehensive economic development strategy.

Authorizes the issuance of new driver privilege cards by the Department of Motor Vehicles to an individual who has (i) reported income from Virginia sources on an individual tax return filed with the Commonwealth in the preceding 12 months and (ii) is not in violation of the insurance requirements of Article 8 (§ 46.2-705 et seq.) (Registration of Uninsured Motor Vehicles) of Chapter 6 of Title 46.2. The bill provides that driver privilege cards shall confer the same privileges and shall be subject to the same provisions as driver's licenses and permits; however, driver privilege cards shall not (a) confer voting privileges, (b) permit an individual to waive any part of the driver examination, or (c) be required to present proof of legal presence in the United States. The bill provides for the term "driver's license" to consistently refer to all driver's licenses, permits, driver privilege cards, and special identification cards issued by the Commonwealth or the comparable law of another jurisdiction. The bill allows the issuance of a limited-duration driver's license and special identification card to an applicant presenting valid documentary evidence that a federal court or federal agency having jurisdiction over immigration has authorized the applicant to be in the United States for a period of at least 30 days from the date of application. The bill authorizes the Tax Commissioner to provide to the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles information sufficient to verify that an applicant for a driver privilege card or permit reported income from Virginia sources on an individual tax return filed with the Commonwealth in the preceding 12 months. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2018.