Issuance of restricted driver's license for multiple convictions of driving while intoxicated; completion of specialty dockets. Provides that a person whose driver's license has been revoked for multiple convictions of driving while intoxicated may file a petition for the issuance of a restricted driver's license without having to wait for the expiration of three years from the date of his last conviction, regardless of the date of such conviction, when such person's last conviction resulted from a final order being entered by a court after the successful completion of a Veterans Treatment Court Program, behavioral health docket, or other specialty docket. This bill is identical to HB 1324.
Powers of investigators; enforcement of certaintobacco laws. Authorizes investigators with the Office of theAttorney General to seize cigarettes that are unlawfully sold, possessed,distributed, transported, imported, or otherwise held and to accompany and participate with special agents of the Alcoholic Beverage ControlBoard or other law-enforcement officials engaging in an enforcementaction involving counterfeit and unstamped cigarettes.
Health insurance provider panels; incentivesfor mental health services. Allows a provider panel contract between a carrier and a primary care provider to include provisions that promote comprehensive screening using evidence-based tools for mental health needs and appropriate referrals by primary care providers to mental health services that may be provided on-site, via telehealth on site, or through an off-site referral.
Financial institutions; reporting financial exploitation of elderly or vulnerable adults. Permits a financial institution to allow an elderly or vulnerable adult, as defined in the bill, to submit and periodically update a list of trusted persons whom such financial institution or financial institution staff, as defined in the bill, may contact in the case of the suspected financial exploitation of such adult. The bill also permits a financial institution to conduct a training to instruct its staff on how to identify and report the suspected financial exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable adult internally at such financial institution, to a designated trusted contact, and to various other authorities. The bill directs the Bureau of Financial Institutions of the State Corporation Commission to develop and publish guidelines for such training by January 1, 2026. The bill provides that no financial institution staff that have received such training shall be liable in any civil or administrative proceeding for disclosing the suspected financial exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable adult pursuant to the bill's provisions if such disclosure was made in good faith and with reasonable care. The bill provides that no financial institution that has provided such training shall be liable for any such disclosure by financial institution staff. This bill is identical to HB 692.
Maximum number of judges in each judicial district and circuit. Increases by one the maximum number of authorized juvenile and domestic relations district court judges in the Twentieth and Thirty-first Judicial Districts. The bill also increases by one the maximum number of authorized circuit court judges in the First, Ninth, Fifteenth, and Twenty-fifth Judicial Circuits. This bill is a recommendation of the Committee on District Courts and the Judicial Council of Virginia. This bill incorporates HB 154 and HB 717 and is identical to SB 710.
Electric utilities; integrated resource plans; grid-enhancing technologies and advanced conductors. Requires an electric utility to include in an integrated resource plan (i) a comprehensive assessment of the potential application of grid-enhancing technologies and advanced conductors, as those terms are defined in the bill, in a manner that ensures grid reliability and safeguards the cybersecurity and physical security of the electric distribution grid and (ii) if applicable, a detailed explanation of why such technologies or conductors are not included in such plan.
Notary public or electronic notary public; applicationfor recommission. Removes the requirement that a person applyingfor recommission as a notary public or electronic notary public includein his application an applicant oath, provided that such person isin good standing as a notary public or electronic notary public,and is not subject to any investigation or proceeding, or has neverbeen removed from office. Under current law, persons applying for recommission are required to include such oath.
Virginia Freedom of Information Act; removalof Virginia residency requirement for access to certain criminal investigation files. Removes the requirement that persons to whom non-ongoing criminal investigation files shall otherwise be disclosedbe citizens of the Commonwealth. Current law limits disclosure ofpublic records to individuals who are citizens of the Commonwealthunless a clear exception applies.
Administrative Process Act; rules of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission. Exempts certain rules of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission from the requirements of the Administrative Process Act, provided that the Commission provides an opportunity for public comment on the rules prior to adoption.
Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services;training; powers and duties of guardian; annual reports by guardians;information required. Directs the Department for Aging and RehabilitativeServices to develop and provide training for court-appointed guardiansby July 1, 2025. The bill requires a court-appointed guardian andany skilled professional retained by such guardian to perform guardianshipduties to complete the initial training developed by the Departmentwithin four months after the date of qualification of such guardian.Under the bill, guardians appointed prior to July 1, 2025, must completesuch training by January 1, 2027. The bill further requires a guardianto include in his annual report to the local department of social services a statement as to whether such training has been completed.
School boards; model memorandum of understanding; partnerships with certain mental health services providers; provision and expansion of virtual mental health services. Directs the Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Department of Medical Assistance Services, to develop, adopt, and distribute to each school board a model memorandum of understanding between a school board and a nationally recognized school-based telehealth provider that sets forth the parameters for the provision of mental health teletherapy by such provider to public school students enrolled in the local school division. Current law only requires the development, adoption, and distribution of a model memorandum of understanding between a school board and a public or private community mental health services provider. The bill also requires each school board to adopt policies and procedures to increase the accessibility of school-based mental health services for students enrolled in each school division who may not have access to mental health services otherwise by providing or expanding virtual mental health resources and establishing or expanding a partnership with (i) a public or private community mental health services provider that offers school-based teletherapy to students or (ii) a nationally recognized school-based telehealth provider that provides mental health teletherapy to students.
Department of Professional and OccupationalRegulation; Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals,and Geologists; professional wetland delineator certification requirements.Removes the requirement that an applicant for certification asa professional wetland delineator provide the Board for ProfessionalSoil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists three writtenreferences from wetland professionals. The bill also replaces therequirement that an applicant with a bachelor's degree in a relevantfield have successfully completed a course of instruction, in stateand federal wetland delineation methods and four years of relevantexperience to be certified with two years of such experience. Finally,for applicants seeking certification through experience, the billreduces to three years the required experience that the applicantmust have in wetland delineation, in wetland science research, oras a teacher of wetlands curriculum in an accredited institutionof higher education in order to be certified.
