An Act to amend and reenact § 1, as amended, of Article IV of Chapter 634 of the Acts of Assembly of 1976, which provided a charter for the City of Poquoson, relating to powers of city council; removing certain appointed members of board or commission.
Hazardous substances; hazardous substance facility response plans; civil penalties. Requires any person that is required to submit a facility response plan under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Water Act Hazardous Substance Facility Response Plans to submit evidence of an EPA-approved facility response plan to the Department of Environmental Quality within a certain time period and to comply with such plan. The bill provides certain requirements for reporting, recordkeeping, and inspection and authorizes the Department to initiate a civil action to obtain certain equitable relief for violations of the bill's provisions. The bill imposes civil penalties for any person that negligently, willfully, or knowingly (i) discharges or causes to discharge a hazardous substance from a facility or (ii) fails to implement or comply with an EPA-approved facility response plan. Finally, the bill requires the Department to develop guidance to implement the provisions of the bill.
Civil actions brought by warrant or motion for judgment. Extends the date range during which a person against whom a civil claim is asserted is required to appear in court to answer the complaint from not more than 60 to not more than 90 days from the date the warrant is served on such person. The bill also extends the date range on which a plaintiff bringing an action by motion for judgment is required to make such motion from not more than 60 to not more than 90 days from the date the motion is served.
Firearm safety device tax credit; definitions. Redefines an "eligible transaction" for purposes of the firearm safety device tax credit as one in which a taxpayer purchases one or more firearm safety devices from a commercial retailer, as defined in the bill. Current law defines "eligible transaction" as one in which a taxpayer purchases one or more firearm safety devices from a federally licensed dealer. The provisions of the bill apply to taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2025. This bill is identical to HB 2595.
Application for change of name; person required to register on the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry; victim notification. Requires the attorney for the Commonwealth to make a reasonable effort to notify the victim of an offense for which a person is required to register with the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry or such victim's immediate family member if such victim has died when such registrant applies for a change of name with the court. This bill is identical to HB 1846.
Retail sales and use tax; media-related exemptions; sunset. Extends from 2025 to 2028 the expiration of the retail sales and use tax exemption for certain printed materials purchased by an advertising business from a printer in the Commonwealth, so long as such materials are distributed outside of the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to SB 871.
Virginia Sports Tourism Grant Program; work group; report. Creates the Virginia Sports Tourism Grant Program, to be administered by the Virginia Tourism Authority, to provide grants to sports tourism activity sponsors, defined in the bill, in order to develop and attract sports tourism activities, also defined in the bill, to the Commonwealth. The bill requires the Virginia Tourism Authority to establish guidelines and criteria for grant awards and to report annually on the Program. The bill also requires a work group of stakeholders to be convened to recommend guidelines for grant awards by the Program and report such recommendations to the General Assembly by October 31, 2025.
Chief judges; designation of cases to be heard in the Twelfth Judicial District. Allows the chief judges of the Twelfth Judicial District General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court to designate by order cases to be heard in courtrooms in the Colonial Heights General District Court or Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court whose proper, preferred, or permissible venue is laid in Chesterfield County. The bill provides that such designations made by order shall not be subject to objection. Additionally, the bill provides that its provisions shall supersede all other provisions outside the bill related to the venue of cases to be heard in general district court or juvenile and domestic relations district court. The bill also prohibits such use of the City of Colonial Heights courtrooms until the city manager of Colonial Heights and the county supervisor of Chesterfield County have executed a memorandum of understanding detailing the terms and conditions of the use of such courtrooms. The provisions of this bill shall expire at such time that the Twelfth Judicial District General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court courthouse buildings located in Chesterfield County are expanded or otherwise redesigned to suitably accommodate the office and courtroom space for an additional judge and additional administrative staff.
Department of Education; Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; mental health first aid training program; development of plan to incentivize and facilitate participation. Directs the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, to develop and implement a plan to incentivize and facilitate participation in the Commonwealth Mental Health First Aid Program, established pursuant to applicable law, by public school staff and students. As introduced, the bill is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee to Study Pandemic Response and Preparedness in the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to SB 1377.
Public institutions of higher education; policies; individuals with disabilities; postsecondary transition planning and services; documentation or evidence; report. Requires any individualized education program (IEP) meeting for any student with a disability held for the purpose of postsecondary transition planning and consideration of postsecondary transition services to include, consistent with the guidance developed by the Department of Education pursuant to applicable law, consideration and documentation of any information relating to such student's postsecondary transition planning and service needs that may be necessary or relevant to coordinating and facilitating the successful and efficient transition of such student from secondary school to an institution of higher education. The bill directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to study and make recommendations in a report by November 1, 2025, on improving and standardizing the quality and consistency of IEPs or sections of IEPs developed and implemented for students with disabilities dedicated to postsecondary transition planning and services for students with disabilities by public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth.
Task Force on Fentanyl and Heroin Enforcement; quarterly meetings. Requires the Task Force on Fentanyl and Heroin Enforcement to meet quarterly beginning in July 2025 until the 2025 annual report is provided to the Governor and the General Assembly.
Sexual extortion; penalty. Makes it a Class 5 felony for any person to maliciously threaten eviction, loss of housing, property damage, or any financial loss with the intent to cause the complaining witness to engage in sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anilingus, anal intercourse, inanimate or animate object sexual penetration, or an act of sexual abuse and thereby engage in sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anilingus, anal intercourse, inanimate or animate object sexual penetration, or an act of sexual abuse. The bill also creates an unclassified felony punishable by not less than one nor more than 20 years and a fine of not more than $100,000 for any adult who violates the provisions of the bill with a person younger than 15 years of age.
