Department of Corrections; Department of Workforce Development and Advancement; post-release job search assistance services. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall work with the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement to provide post-release job search assistance services to assist individuals in finding employment upon release from incarceration and refer such individuals to case management services where eligible from such funds as are available. The bill also requires the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement to coordinate implementation and delivery of such post-release job search assistance services with Virginia Workforce System partners, including local workforce development boards. This bill is identical to SB 877.
Virginia Consumer Protection Act; Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; mold remediation; emergency. Prohibits the selling or offering for sale of services as a professional mold remediator to be performed upon any residential dwelling without holding a mold remediation certification from a nationally or internationally recognized certifying body for mold remediation. The bill also requires such professionals to comply with pertinent standards in conducting remediation. Finally, the bill directs the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to study the state of the mold inspection and mold remediation workforce in the Commonwealth to determine whether the licensure or certification of mold inspectors and remediators would benefit the public health, safety, and welfare and submit a report by January 1, 2026. This bill incorporates HB 2355 and contains an emergency clause.
Compensating victims of crime. Extends, for the purpose of compensating victims of crime, the time for filing a claim by the claimant to not later than three years after the occurrence of the crime upon which such claim is based or not later than three years after the death of the victim. Under current law, such time frame is not later than one year after either instance.The bill removes the prohibition on the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission (the Commission) making an award where the police records show that a crime was reported more than 120 hours after the occurrence of the crime unless the Commission, for good cause shown, finds the delay to have been justified. Also, the bill requires the Commission, in determining if a report was promptly reported to the proper authorities, to consider (i) any police records; (ii) the victim's physical, emotional, mental, and family situation; and (iii) the existence of a permanent protective order, issued pursuant to relevant law, for the victim or other persons eligible for awards from the person responsible for the qualifying crime.The bill also removes the ability of the Commission to deny, reduce, or withdraw any award upon finding that any claimant or award recipient has not fully cooperated with all law-enforcement agencies unless the law-enforcement agency certifies that the claimant or award recipient was willing but unable to cooperate due to a good faith belief that such cooperation would have endangered such claimant or award recipient and such claimant or award recipient was not provided with any victim or witness protection services when such protection services were requested by a law-enforcement agency. This bill is identical to HB 1968.
License taxes; deduction for out-of-state receipts; work group; report. Directs the Department of Taxation to convene a work group to review the policies, methods, existing laws, and potential impacts of the local license tax deduction in Virginia for receipts attributable to out-of-state business and to submit a report of the findings and recommendations, if any, of the work group to the Joint Subcommittee on Tax Policy and to the Chairs of the House Committee on Finance, the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by October 1, 2025.
Alcoholic beverage control; delivery of mixed beverages; repeal. Clarifies that under current law, mixed beverage restaurant and limited mixed beverage restaurant licensees may sell for off-premises consumption or deliver up to two mixed beverages per meal served, but shall in no event sell for off-premises consumption or deliver more than four mixed beverages at any one time. The bill also provides clarification as to where delivery of such mixed beverages may be made. The bill maintains alcoholic beverage control third-party delivery licenses by eliminating the repeal of such licenses that is set to go into effect July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 2058.
School boards; transportation alternatives; two-year pilot in small school divisions. Permits certain school boards to pursue certain student transportation alternatives for the next two school years and requires such school boards to report certain data on the implementation of such initiatives. The bill sets forth certain parameters and requirements for any student transportation alternatives pursued by a school board pursuant to the bill, including a requirement that any entity with which a school board contracts or that any school board utilizes for the purpose of providing any transportation alternative or supplementing any traditional transportation services meet and comply with any state and federal laws and regulations applicable to traditional transportation services, including (i) school bus operator training, hiring, and employment requirements; (ii) minimum insurance coverage requirements for any vehicles provided or utilized for such purposes; and (iii) requirements relating to liability of the school board in the event of any accident, injury, or property damage resulting from the operation of any vehicles provided or utilized for such purposes. Finally, the bill requires the Department of Education to exclude from the re-benchmarking process any additional expenditures relating to school divisions that implement the pilot program pursuant to the bill. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2027.
Department of Veterans Services; powers and duties of Commissioner; identification of incarcerated veterans. Provides that the Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Services shall assist the Department of Corrections, sheriffs, and local and regional jails in utilizing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Veterans Re-Entry Search Services system to identify veterans incarcerated in state prisons and local and regional jails to help such veterans prepare for release or reentry, reduce recidivism and homelessness, connect such veterans to resources to address the challenges of post-traumatic stress disorder, and divert eligible veterans to treatment dockets. This bill incorporates HB 2522 and is identical to SB 1251.
Department of Criminal Justice Services; alcoholic beverage control retail licensees and employees; training on human trafficking. Directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to develop an online course for the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to offer to retail licensees and their employees to train such licensees and employees to recognize and report instances of suspected human trafficking. The bill also requires the certified alcohol server or seller training that a retail licensee may offer its employees that allows a reduction in the length of any suspension or the amount of any civil penalty imposed for a license violation to include a course developed or approved by the Department of Criminal Justice Services on recognizing and reporting instances of suspected human trafficking.
Unlawful designation as Doctor of Physical Therapy. Adds to the list of titles that are unlawful to use without a license "D.P.T." and "Doctor of Physical Therapy." The bill also removes "P.T.T." and "Physical Therapy Technician" from such list.
Board of Education; out-of-school time programs; exemptions from licensure. Exempts from licensure any out-of-school time program, defined as any program that (i) serves only school-age children; (ii) operates primarily before or after regular school hours, during the summer, or at times when school is not normally in session; and (iii) is offered for the purpose of promoting expanded childhood learning and enrichment, child and youth development, or educational, recreational, or character-building activities, that (a) is affiliated with a national organization with established health and safety requirements and is in compliance with such health and safety requirements; (b) has adopted standards and requirements relating to staff training and qualifications that are consistent with those of the Board of Education; (c) requires all applicants for employment or volunteers to undergo background checks in accordance with applicable law; and (d) has policies and procedures relating to emergency preparedness and response, child abuse prevention and response, and internal incident reporting and investigation.
Qualified equity and subordinated debt investments tax credit; sunset. Provides that the qualified equity and subordinated debt investments tax credit expires after taxable year 2025.
Board of Education; accreditation requirements for professional education programs; exemption for professional education programs leading to certain endorsements. Directs the Board of Education to amend its regulations relating to accreditation requirements for professional education programs in the Commonwealth to require the Department of Education to provide an alternative to the requirement to obtain and maintain national accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation for any professional education program that leads to an endorsement as a school counselor or a school psychologist and has a secured specialty area accreditation from a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
