Phase I Utilities; securitized asset costs. Authorizes Appalachian Power to petition the State Corporation Commission for a financing order for securitized asset costs, as defined in the bill. The bill creates the securitized asset cost charge and provides that the revenues generated by this charge, known as securitized asset cost property, are a property right that can be transferred and pledged as security for the securitized asset cost bonds. The bill establishes the procedures for creating, perfecting, and enforcing the security interest in securitized asset cost property. The bill also prohibits rate increases for Appalachian Power during the months of November through February and prohibits rate adjustment clauses from taking effect on customer bills between the months of November through February. The bill prohibits Appalachian Power from charing a residential customer any interest or late fees between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025, and from charging a residential customer any reconnection fees between July 1, 2025, and March 1, 2026. The bill also provides that in any rate proceeding for Appalachian Power, the State Corporation Commission shall include an invitation for public comment. This bill incorporates HB 1588.
Synthetic digital content; penalty; work group. Expands the applicability of provisions related to defamation, slander, and libel to include synthetic digital content, defined in the bill. The bill makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to use any synthetic digital content for the purpose of committing any criminal offense involving fraud, constituting a separate and distinct offense with punishment separate and apart from any punishment received for the commission of the primary criminal offense. The bill also authorizes the individual depicted in the synthetic digital content to bring a civil action against the person who violates such prohibition to recover actual damages, reasonable attorney fees, and such other relief as the court determines to be appropriate. The bill directs the Attorney General to convene a work group to study and make recommendations on the current enforcement of laws related to the use of synthetic digital content, including deepfakes, and any further action needed to address the issue of such use in fraudulent acts. The substantive provisions of the bill do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2026 Session of the General Assembly and the provisions directing the Attorney General to convene a work group become effective in due course. This bill is identical to HB 2124.
Vehicle operation; unlicensed minor; penalty. Prohibits any person from knowingly authorizing the operation of a motor vehicle by a minor who he knows has no operator's license or learner's permit or who has a learner's permit but who he knows would operate such motor vehicle in violation of certain limitations on operating a motor vehicle with a learner's permit. The bill makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who violates such provisions if such violation results in a motor vehicle accident that causes death or injury to any person if such violation does not otherwise constitute a felony. Existing law prohibits any person from knowingly authorizing the operation of a motor vehicle by any person who the authorizing person knows (i) has had his operator's license or permit suspended or revoked or (ii) has no operator's license or permit and has been previously convicted of driving without a license.
Possession, etc., of retail tobacco products and hemp products intended for smoking by a person younger than 21 years of age; liquid nicotine and nicotine vapor products license; prohibitions; enforcement. Prohibits any person younger than 21 years of age from possessing any retail tobacco or hemp product intended for smoking, as those terms are defined in relevant law, with certain exceptions enumerated in the bill. The bill provides that any such product purchased or possessed by a person younger than 21 years of age (i) shall be deemed contraband and (ii) may be seized by a law-enforcement officer. Any such product, the lawful possession of which is not established, seized by such officer shall be forfeited and disposed of according to the process described in relevant law. The bill also provides that seizure shall be the sole penalty for a violation of such prohibition and that the provisions of the bill shall not preclude prosecution under any other statute. Further, if a person does not receive a license from the Department of Taxation to sell, deal, transport, or ship liquid nicotine or nicotine vapor products to retailers in the Commonwealth, such person is subject to a penalty of $400, in addition to any other applicable taxes or fees. The bill provides that the Department of Taxation is not required pursuant to relevant law to conduct unannounced investigations of retail tobacco dealers at least once every 24 months to verify that a retail dealer is not selling retail tobacco products to persons younger than 21 years of age. Lastly, the bill requires the Department of Taxation to convene a work group consisting of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority, the Office of the Attorney General, the Virginia State Police, and the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services to develop an enforcement program related to the sale of retail tobacco products or hemp products intended for smoking to individuals younger than 21 years of age. The work group's findings and recommendations are to be reported to the Chairs of the House Committees on General Laws and Appropriations and the Senate Committees on Rehabilitation and Social Services and Finance and Appropriations no later than November 1, 2025. This bill is identical to SB 1060.
Zoning; enhanced civil penalties; certain residential violations. Allows enhanced civil penalties for zoning violations involving property that is zoned or used for multifamily residential purposes. The bill also requires that for any violation involving property that is zoned or used for multifamily residential purposes, a person who admits liability shall be required to abate or remedy the violation within a period of time specified by the locality that is no less than 30 days but no more than 24 months from the date of admission of liability.
Sale of certain vacant and blighted or derelict property. Allows a locality where certain vacant and blighted or derelict property is located to petition the circuit court to appoint a special commissioner to execute the necessary deed or deeds to convey the real estate, in lieu of a sale at public auction, to the locality, to the locality's land bank entity, or to an existing nonprofit entity designated by the locality to carry out the functions of a land bank. The bill provides that the locality shall require any purchaser by covenants in the deed or other security instrument to (i) begin repair or renovation of the property within six months of purchase and (ii) complete all repairs or renovations necessary to bring the property into compliance with the local building code within a period not to exceed two years of the purchase.
Synthetic digital content; penalty; work group. Expands the applicability of provisions related to defamation, slander, and libel to include synthetic digital content, defined in the bill. The bill makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to use any synthetic digital content for the purpose of committing any criminal offense involving fraud, constituting a separate and distinct offense with punishment separate and apart from any punishment received for the commission of the primary criminal offense. The bill also authorizes the individual depicted in the synthetic digital content to bring a civil action against the person who violates such prohibition to recover actual damages, reasonable attorney fees, and such other relief as the court determines to be appropriate. The bill directs the Attorney General to convene a work group to study and make recommendations on the current enforcement of laws related to the use of synthetic digital content, including deepfakes, and any further action needed to address the issue of such use in fraudulent acts. The substantive provisions of the bill do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2026 Session of the General Assembly and the provisions directing the Attorney General to convene a work group become effective in due course. This bill is identical to SB 1053.
Public institutions of higher education; intercollegiate athletics program coaches; Mental Health First Aid or similar training required. Requires each coach of an intercollegiate athletics program at a public institution of higher education to participate in Mental Health First Aid training or a similar program within one year of the commencement of his duties.
Involuntary temporary detention orders; definition of "psychiatric emergency department." Amends the definition of "psychiatric emergency department" as it relates to involuntary temporary detention orders to remove the requirement that a psychiatric emergency department be located adjacent to a facility licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and to add requirements that a psychiatric emergency department (i) be licensed by either the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services or the Department of Health and (ii) provide that at least one physician who is primarily responsible for the emergency department be on duty and physically present at all times that the hospital is operating as an emergency service. This bill applies to hospitals with a psychiatric emergency department located in the City of Hampton for the purpose of employing certain trained individuals to perform evaluations to determine whether a person meets the criteria for temporary detention for behavioral health treatment and has an expiration date of July 1, 2026, and is identical to SB 1094.
Public elementary and secondary schools; nutritional standards for school meals and other foods; nutrition requirements; certain color additives prohibited. Prohibits any public elementary or secondary school from offering or making available to any student any food served as a part of a school meal or any competitive food, as defined in applicable law, that contains any of the seven color additives listed in the bill. The bill directs the Board of Education to amend its nutritional guidelines for competitive foods promulgated pursuant to relevant law in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027, and is identical to HB 1910.
Local ordinances for the use of certain rainwater harvesting systems. Provides that existing local ordinances adopted prior to July 1, 2025, governing rainwater harvesting systems shall continue in force; however, in the event of a conflict between a Board of Health regulation and a local ordinance adopted prior to July 1, 2025, the Board regulation shall govern, except when the conflicting local ordinance is more stringent. The bill prohibits a locality from adopting any local ordinance requiring owners of Tier 4 rainwater harvesting systems to connect to any municipal water supply or impose any penalty, including condemnation proceedings, on such owner for failing to connect to a municipal water supply.
Bureau of Insurance; step therapy protocols; study; report. Directs the Bureau of Insurance of the State Corporation Commission to study step therapy protocols for health benefit plans developed by insurance companies pursuant to existing law by conducting a data call of health carriers. The bill directs the Bureau to submit a summary and report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by November 1, 2026.
