Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority; Creative Economy Task Force established; strategic plan; report; sunset. Establishes within the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority the Creative Economy Task Force for the purpose of developing a strategic plan to improve the creative economy, defined in the bill, in the Commonwealth. The Task Force shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by November 1, 2027. The bill contains an expiration date of January 1, 2028.
SB 300 designates the peanut as the official state snack. This symbolic bill establishes a non-binding designation with no practical policy impact or direct effect on residents or regulations. It follows common practice for states to adopt ceremonial symbols like official snacks, flowers, or foods. The bill passed the Senate unanimously and is now moving through the House.
Department of Conservation and Recreation; permanent land conservation feasibility; report. Directs the Department of Conservation and Recreation to assess how best to achieve permanent conservation by 2036 of (i) 20 percent of the land area of the Commonwealth and (ii) 10 percent of urban areas of the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Department to submit a report on its findings and any recommendations to achieve such permanent conservation goals to the Chairs of the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and the House Committees on Appropriations and Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources no later than November 1, 2026.
State Corporation Commission; electric utility infrastructure; report. Directs the Department of Energy (the Department) and the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) to conduct a comprehensive analysis of existing electric utility infrastructure to identify cost-saving opportunities that improve or preserve electric system reliability as an alternative or supplement to greenfield infrastructure projects. The bill requires the Department and the Commission to complete their analysis and submit a report to the General Assembly no later than July 1, 2027.
Department of Education; impact of requiring each school board to pay unpaid meal balance from uncollectible school meal debts; report. Directs the Department of Education to evaluate and submit to the chairs of the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Education and Health and the House Committees on Appropriations and Education by November 1, 2026, a report on the impact of requiring each school board, at the end of each school year, to pay for the total unpaid school meal balance on the nonprofit food service account of each public elementary or secondary school in the school division resulting from uncollectible school meal debts on any student account.
Restorative housing and isolated confinement; restrictions on use. Prohibits the use of isolated confinement, defined in the bill, in state correctional facilities, subject to certain exceptions. The bill requires that before placing an incarcerated person in restorative housing or isolated confinement for his own protection, the facility administrator shall place an incarcerated person in a less-restrictive setting, including by transferring such person to another institution or to a special-purpose housing unit for incarcerated persons who face similar threats. The bill requires that if an incarcerated person is placed in restorative housing or isolated confinement, such placement shall be reviewed every two business days and the facility administrator shall ensure that the incarcerated person receives a medical and mental health evaluation from certified medical and mental health professionals within one working day of placement in restorative housing or any form of isolated confinement. The bill also requires the facility administrator to notify the regional administrator in writing that an incarcerated person was placed in restorative housing or isolated confinement within 24 hours of such placement. Finally, the bill requires that formal reviews of an incarcerated person's placement in any form of isolated confinement shall be held in such person's presence, inform him of any reasons administrative officials believe isolated confinement remains necessary, and give the incarcerated person an opportunity to respond to those reasons, and a formal ruling shall be provided to the incarcerated individual within 24 hours.
Department of Medical Assistance Services; Department of Social Services; administration of medical assistance and social services programs; technology modernization; report. Directs the Department of Social Services (DSS) and the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) to contract with a third-party vendor to study and create a plan for the modernization of the technological systems used to administer federal benefit programs in the Commonwealth. The bill requires DSS and DMAS to develop and submit a legislative report that includes a plan to modernize the current technological systems to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by December 1, 2026, and to use the recommendations and plan outlined in such legislative report to move forward with the procurement process.
Department of Juvenile Justice; transfer of responsibility from Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to Secretary of Health and Human Resources; stakeholder work group. Directs the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a stakeholder work group to create a plan and recommended timeline for transferring responsibility for the Department of Juvenile Justice from the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources. The bill requires the work group to be composed of interested parties, including representatives from civil liberty organizations, organizations engaged in the daily work of youth justice and violence prevention, formerly incarcerated persons and their families, and mental health experts. The bill directs the work group to submit its plan and recommended timeline for executing the transfer to the Chairs of the House Committee for Courts of Justice, House Committee on Public Safety, Senate Committee for Courts of Justice, and Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by November 1, 2026.
This is a ceremonial resolution (SJ 122) that formally commends the Honorable Kenneth Ronald Melvin for his service. It does not create any new laws, alter policies, or affect any specific group of people. The resolution passed both the Senate (via voice vote on 2026-02-26) and the House (via voice vote on 2026-03-02) as a symbolic gesture of recognition. It has no policy impact beyond honoring an individual.
SJ 126 is a ceremonial resolution commending Jason Hasty for his contributions, with no binding policy effects. It directly honors an individual (Jason Hasty) through formal recognition by the legislature. The resolution passed unanimously in both the Senate (February 26, 2026) and House (March 2, 2026) via voice vote. As a symbolic gesture, it has no substantive provisions or impact on laws or regulations.
This bill (SJ 129) is a symbolic resolution commending the Virginia Black Restaurant Experience, a cultural initiative celebrating Black-owned restaurants in Virginia. It does not create new laws or affect any legal rights, as it is purely a ceremonial gesture of recognition. The resolution formally honors the contributions of Black restaurateurs and the cultural impact of this experience within the state. It passed both chambers via voice vote but has no binding effect on policy or funding.
SJ 128 is a ceremonial resolution honoring James Woodrow McGlothlin, with no substantive policy provisions. It formally celebrates his life and contributions through a symbolic legislative gesture. The bill passed both the Senate (February 26, 2026) and House (March 2, 2026) with no recorded opposition. This type of resolution does not affect any laws, policies, or specific groups.
