Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage; termination by landlord. Requires a landlord, prior to giving a tenant 21 days' notice of his intention to terminate the rental agreement for a dwelling unit that has been damaged or destroyed by fire or casualty, to (i) make a reasonable effort to meet with the tenant to discuss reasonable alternatives and to offer the tenant a substantially similar unit, if one is available, or (ii) determine that the damage was caused by the tenant's failure to maintain the dwelling unit in accordance with certain provisions. Current law allows the landlord to terminate such agreement by giving the tenant 14 days' notice of his intention to terminate on the basis of the landlord's determination that such damage requires the removal of the tenant and that the use of the premises is substantially impaired. The bill requires the landlord, upon receiving a request from the tenant after the tenant has received such notice, to reevaluate the extent of damage and habitability of such unit unless the landlord has determined that the damage was caused by the tenant's failure to maintain the dwelling unit.
School board policies; parental notification; safe storage of firearms in the household. Requires each local school board to develop and implement a policy to require the annual notification of the parent of each student enrolled in the local school division, to be sent by email and, if applicable, SMS text message within 30 calendar days succeeding the first day of each school year, of the parent's legal responsibility to safely store any firearm present in the household, risks associated with improperly stored firearms, statistics relating to firearm-related accidents, injuries, and death among youth, and other tips and strategies. The bill requires each school board to make such parental notification available in multiple languages on its website. This bill is identical to SB 225.
Common interest communities; residents providingcertain services exemption. Provides that a resident of a commoninterest community association who provides bookkeeping, billing,or recordkeeping services for such community for compensation shallbe presumed to be an independent contractor. The bill also exemptscommon interest community associations from the definition of "employer"where a resident provides such services.
Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; enforcement by localities. Provides that if a condition exists in a rental dwelling unit that constitutes a material noncompliance by the landlord with the rental agreement or with any provision of law that, if not promptly corrected, constitutes a fire hazard or serious threat to the life, health, or safety of tenants or occupants of the premises, a locality may institute an action for injunction and damages to enforce the landlord's duty to maintain the rental dwelling unit in a fit and habitable condition, provided that (i) the property where the violation occurred is within the jurisdictional boundaries of the locality and (ii) the locality has notified the landlord who owns the property, either directly or through the managing agent, of the nature of the violation and the landlord has failed to remedy the violation to the satisfaction of the locality within a reasonable time after receiving such notice. This bill is identical to HB 597.
School-connected overdoses; policies relatingto parental notification and response; requirements. Requires each division superintendent or his designee to notify the parent of each student in the local school division of any school-connected overdose, defined as any verified overdose that occurs on school premises during or after regular school hours or during school-sanctioned activities whether on or off school premises, within 24 hours of learning of the overdose. The bill requires such notification to include as much information as is known about the circumstances surrounding the overdose, to the extent that the disclosure of any such information is not prohibited by any applicable law, rule, or regulation relating to the disclosure and protection of a minor's personal, confidential, or otherwise sensitive information. The bill requires the Board of Education to establish guidelinesfor school-connected overdose response and parental notificationpolicies, including (a) a model action plan for each school boardto follow in responding to the overdose, including communicatingand coordinating with the Department of Education and the local law-enforcementliaison or local law-enforcement agency that employs the school resourceofficers for such school division, and (b) criteria for issuing theparental notification to ensure sensitivity to the privacy interestsof any affected individuals.
Budget Bill. Provides for all appropriationsof the Budget submitted by the Governor of Virginia in accordancewith the provisions of § 2.2-1509 of the Code of Virginia, and providesa portion of revenues for the two years ending respectively on the thirtieth day of June 2025 and the thirtieth day of June 2026.
Budget Bill. Amends Chapter 2 of the Actsof Assembly of 2022, Special Session I, as amended by Chapter 769of the Acts of Assembly of 2023, as further amended by Chapter 1of the Acts of Assembly of 2023, Special Session I,
Petitions in juvenile and domestic relations district court; parents; minors. Prohibits the parent of a minor residing in the same home as such parent from filing a petition for a family abuse protective order against such minor, provided that the minor has not otherwise been emancipated pursuant to law. The bill also authorizes the parent, guardian, or other person standing in loco parentis of a minor to file a petition for a child in need of services or in need of supervision with the clerk of the juvenile and domestic relations district court if an intake officer refuses to file such petition. Under current law, the decision by an intake officer to file such petition is final.
Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Programand Fund created. Creates the Electric Vehicle Rural InfrastructureProgram and Fund to assist private developers with non-utility costsassociated with the installation of electric vehicle charging stationsin certain localities. The bill provides that a private developeris eligible to receive grants of 70 percent of such non-utility costsfor electric vehicle charging stations installed in a city or countythat meets the criteria of a distressed locality, as defined in thebill, and caps the total amount of grants awarded in any fiscal yearat $25 million.
Commending the Fredericksburg Civil Rights Trail.
Commending Buta Biberaj.
Campaign finance, required reports; extensionof deadlines and appeal of fines. Allows the State Board of Electionsor local electoral board to extend a deadline for filing campaignfinance reports for any candidate or treasurer who, prior to thedeadline, provides notice of extenuating circumstances that willprevent timely filing. Extenuating circumstances may include hospitalization,the death of a family member, being called to active duty, or otherreasonable cricumstances. The bill also provides for an appeal processfor any person or committee assessed a civil penalty under the CampaignFinance Disclosure Act of 2006. Upon petition, the State Board ofElections or the electoral board, as appropriate, may provide reliefto the petitioner for good cause shown. Such relief may include forgivenessof all or a portion of an assessed civil penalty, the retroactiveextension of a deadline, or other appropriate remedy.
