Virginia Investment Performance Grants. Authorizes Virginia Investment Performance Grants to be awarded under more lenient requirements if the recipient is located in a locality with an unemployment rate and poverty rate that exceeds the state average. Specifically, the bill would authorize payment of such grants if the average wage paid by the eligible manufacturer or research and development service, excluding fringe benefits, is no less than 85 percent of the prevailing average wage. Grants may be paid for projects in such localities that pay less than 85 percent of the prevailing average wage, upon a written finding by the Governor that the economic circumstances in the area are sufficiently distressed such that assistance to the locality to attract the project is justified. However, the minimum private investment and number of new jobs required to be created are still a condition of eligibility. This bill is identical to SB 1231.
Dismissal of certain traffic violations for proof of compliance with law. Provides that a court may, in its discretion, dismiss a violation for driving without a license if such person can prove to the court compliance with the law on or before the court date and payment of court fees, unless such person was operating a commercial motor vehicle, defined in relevant law. The bill also provides that a court may, in its discretion and where there have been no prior violations or convictions within the past 10 years, dismiss a person's violation for driving while his driver's license, learner's permit, or privilege to drive is suspended or revoked if such person can prove to the court compliance with the law on or before the court date and payment of court fees, unless such person (i) possesses a commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit, as those terms are defined in relevant law, or (ii) was operating a commercial motor vehicle. If there has been a prior violation or violations, the court, in its discretion, may dismiss or amend the summons or warrant, where proof of substantial compliance has been provided to the court.
Department of Medical Assistance Services; state plan for medical assistance services; rapid whole genome sequencing; emergency. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to add a provision to the state plan for medical assistance services allowing payment of medical assistance for rapid whole genome sequencing, as defined in the bill, for children three years of age or younger who are receiving inpatient hospital services in an intensive care unit. The bill contains an emergency clause. This bill is identical to HB 1900.
Petitions for relief of care and custody of a child; investigation by local department of social services; Office of the Children's Ombudsman work group; report. Requires a local department of social services, as a part of its investigation after the referral of a request for a petition for relief of the care and custody of a child, to (i) refer the parent to the local family assessment and planning team and (ii) create a written report. The bill directs the Department of Social Services, in coordination with the Virginia League of Social Services Executives, to create a template for and provide guidance on what should be included in such written report.The bill also directs the Office of the Children's Ombudsman to convene a work group composed of relevant stakeholders to (a) determine the factors a court should consider when determining whether there is good cause shown for a petitioner's desire to be relieved of the care and custody of a child and (b) explore the potential benefits and considerations of raising the standard of evidence for granting temporary relief of custody from the current standard of preponderance of the evidence to clear and convincing evidence. The bill directs the work group to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice and the Virginia Commission on Youth by November 1, 2025. Certain provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Commission on Youth. This bill is identical to HB 1733.
Fingerprints, palm prints, and photographs of juveniles. Requires law-enforcement officers to obtain, electronically when possible, fingerprints, palm prints with accompanying distal prints, if available, and photographs of any juvenile taken into custody and charged with a delinquent act. The bill also requires such fingerprints, palm prints, or photographs to be both filed with the Central Criminal Records Exchange and submitted electronically, when possible, to the State Police to be maintained in a confidential and secure area within the system in which the record is maintained that is inaccessible during routine use of such system. The bill further requires any electronic record of such fingerprints, palm prints, or photographs to be destroyed as soon as possible after the State Police have been notified that a petition or warrant has not been filed against the juvenile. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 2472.
Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority; authority to dissolve. Provides that the board of directors of the Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority may by resolution divest itself of property owned by the Authority and may transfer all such property to a locality. The bill provides that whenever the board of the Authority determines by resolution that the purposes for which the Authority was formed have been substantially complied with and all property of the Authority has been transferred and all bonds therefor issued and all obligations incurred by the Authority have been fully paid or adequate provisions have been made for the payment, the board may dissolve itself upon a majority vote of the board. The bill also provides that if the Authority ceases to operate or is dissolved, the title to its real property will transfer to the locality in which the majority of such property is located. Under current law, the property would transfer to the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to HB 2321.
Local Foundation and Soil Management Fund. Authorizes a locality by ordinance to create a local Foundation and Soil Management Fund consisting of appropriated local moneys for the purpose of granting funds to an owner of private property or a common interest community for foundation management and soil settlement repairs and prevention on previously developed lands.
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 33.2-1204, 33.2-1214, and 33.2-1215 of the Code of Virginia and to repeal §§ 33.2-1205, 33.2-1206, and 33.2-1207 of the Code of Virginia, relating to outdoor advertising in sight of public highways; license fees.
Individualized education programs; individualized accommodations and supports during emergencies. Permits, if deemed appropriate by the individualized education program (IEP) team, including the parent, each IEP implemented for a public school student with a disability, with the exception of such students who have been placed in private day or residential school settings, to contain language addressing individualized accommodations and supports for the student during emergency situations and evacuations. The bill also (i) provides that in developing such language, IEP teams should be supported by the school administration and (ii) directs the Department of Education to provide guidance to school divisions on how to support IEP teams for the consideration of specific supports required for students with disabilities.
Common interest communities; termination of certain management contracts; transfer of association books and records. Provides that within a reasonable time after termination of a management contract and without additional cost to the association a common interest community manager shall transfer and release all funds and close bank accounts maintained on behalf of an association. This bill incorporates HB 2292.
Virginia coordinate systems; federal updates. Updates several references in Code to the Virginia Coordinate System of 2022 and aligns state law with federal changes with respect to measurement standards. The bill replaces the U.S. survey foot with the international foot. The provisions of the bill become effective upon the official release by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Geodetic Survey of the State Plane Coordinate System of 2022 and certification in writing to the Virginia Code Commission that such contingency has been met. This bill is identical to SB 1173.
Penalty for failure to certify record of marriage; persons other than ministers. Provides that persons other than ministers authorized to celebrate the rites of marriage are subject to a $25 penalty for failing to certify the record of marriage. Under current law, such penalty is applicable only to ministers authorized to celebrate such rites of marriage.
