Virginia Bills

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Nov 18, 2024

HJ 61: Higher ed. institutions, baccalaureate public; SCHEV to study $10,000 tuition per year degree.

Study; State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; $10,000 per year baccalaureate degree; report. Requests that the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (i) study the feasibility of implementing the option for students to pay $10,000 annually for tuition and mandatory fees to earn a degree at a baccalaureate public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth by surveying each baccalaureate public institution of higher education to determine the likely impact of such an option on enrollment, revenue, costs, services, staffing, and such other factors as the institution deems relevant and (ii) report its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than November 30, 2024.

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Nov 18, 2024

HB 38: Virginia Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for 911 dispatchers.

Virginia Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for 911 dispatchers. Allows local governments to provide enhanced retirement benefits for hazardous duty service to full-time salaried 911 dispatchers. The bill provides that such enhanced retirement benefits apply only to service earned as a full-time salaried 911 dispatcher on or after July 1, 2025, but allows an employer, as that term is defined in relevant law, to provide such enhanced retirement benefits for service earned as a full-time salaried 911 dispatcher before July 1, 2025, in addition to service earned on or after that date. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Nadarius Clark (D) · 17 co-sponsors

in committee · Virginia · Senate Nov 18, 2024

SB 446: Environmental Resources, Board of; created.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-3705.7, 2.2-4006, 2.2-4007.07, 2.2-4013, 2.2-4014, 2.2-4015, 2.2-4021, 3.2-3602, 3.2-3937, 3.2-5633, 8.01-225, 10.1-404, 10.1-605, 10.1-651, 10.1-659, 10.1-1182, 10.1-1184.1, 10.1-1184.2, 10.1-1185, 10.1-1186, 10.1-1186.2, 10.1-1186.2:1, 10.1-1186.3, 10.1-1186.4, 10.1-1187.1, 10.1-1187.6, 10.1-1197.3, 10.1-1197.9, 10.1-1230, 10.1-1232, 10.1-1234, 10.1-1236, 10.1-1300, 10.1-1400, 10.1-1402.2, 10.1-1408.5, 10.1-1450, 10.1-1454.1, 10.1-1504, 10.1-2117, 10.1-2123, 10.1-2129, 10.1-2131, 10.1-2500, 15.2-924, 15.2-2111, 21-122.1, 28.2-638, 28.2-1100, 28.2-1205, 28.2-1302, 28.2-1403, 29.1-203, 29.1-213, 29.1-214, 32.1-163, 32.1-164, 32.1-176.7, 32.1-233, 36-99.6, 44-146.30, 45.2-1701.1, 45.2-1711, 46.2-1176, 46.2-1179.1, 46.2-1304.1, 54.1-505, 54.1-2300, 54.1-2301, 55.1-2417, 56-585.1, 56-586.1, 58.1-2289, 58.1-3660, 58.1-3664, 62.1-44.3, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, 62.1-44.14, 62.1-44.15, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, 62.1-44.15:6, 62.1-44.15:7, 62.1-44.15:24, as it is currently effective, 62.1-44.36, 62.1-44.115, 62.1-44.116, 62.1-67, 62.1-69, 62.1-69.25, 62.1-69.36, 62.1-69.45, 62.1-73, 62.1-85, 62.1-104, 62.1-105, 62.1-106, 62.1-107, 62.1-111, 62.1-218, 62.1-224, 62.1-234, 62.1-241.1, 62.1-241.12, 62.1-242, 62.1-243, 62.1-255, and 62.1-273 of the Code of Virginia; to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 10.1-1183.1; and to repeal §§ 10.1-1184, 10.1-1301 through 10.1-1305, 10.1-1401, and 62.1-44.7 of the Code of Virginia, relating to State Air Pollution Control Board, State Water Control Board, and Virginia Waste Management Board consolidated; Board of Environmental Resources established. 24104901D

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Nov 18, 2024

HB 1344: Employee protection; prohibited retaliation, prohibited nondisclosure & nondisparagement provisions.

Employee protection; prohibited retaliation; prohibited nondisclosure and nondisparagement provisions; civil action. Prohibits the inclusion of a provision in any employment contract that has the purpose or effect of concealing illegal activity or activity an employee believes to be unlawful, including unlawful sexual harassment, discrimination, wage theft, and protected whistleblowing, as those terms are described in existing law. Under the bill's provisions, no employer shall discharge or otherwise retaliate against an employee, prospective employee, or independent contractor for disclosing or discussing conduct that such employee reasonably believes to be discrimination, including harassment, retaliation, a wage or hour violation, sexual assault, fraud against taxpayers, shareholders, the government, consumers, or other employees, or other conduct that is against a clear mandate of public policy. An employer that violates the provisions of the bill shall be liable for the greater of actual damages or statutory damages of $10,000, as well as reasonable attorney fees and costs. The bill also requires employers to include in any settlement agreement or employment agreement with an employee a disclaimer that such agreement does not prohibit an employee from disclosing conduct as protected under the bill. The provisions of the bill apply to contracts entered into, renewed, modified, or amended on or after July 1, 2024.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Nov 18, 2024

HJ 82: State park; DCR to study feasibility of establishing in Washington County.

Study; Department of Conservation and Recreation; state park in Washington County; report. Requests the Department of Conservation and Recreation to study the feasibility of establishing a state park in Washington County at the Mendota Trail and Abrams Falls located within the Holston River Watersheds.

Topics ✓ Environment

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Nov 18, 2024

HB 900: Zoning; developmental and use of accessory dwelling units.

Zoning; development and use of accessory dwelling units. Requires a locality to include in its zoning ordinances for single-family residential zoning districts accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, as defined in the bill, as a permitted accessory use. The bill requires a person to seek a permit for an ADU from the locality, requires the locality to issue such permit if the person meets certain requirements enumerated in the bill, and restricts the fee for such permit to $100 or less. The bill prohibits the locality from requiring (i) dedicated parking for the ADU; (ii) lot sizes or setbacks for the ADU greater than that of the primary dwelling; (iii) consanguinity or affinity between the occupants of the ADU and the primary dwelling; and (iv) redundant water, sewer, or septic capacity for the ADU. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Nov 18, 2024

HB 273: Divorce; cruelty, reasonable apprehension of bodily hurt, or willful desertion or abandonment.

Divorce; cruelty, reasonable apprehension of bodily hurt, or willful desertion or abandonment; divorce from bed and board. Eliminates the one-year waiting period for being decreed a divorce on the grounds of cruelty, reasonable apprehension of bodily hurt, or willful desertion or abandonment by either party. The bill also repeals the provision allowing for a divorce from bed and board on the grounds of cruelty, reasonable apprehension of bodily hurt, or willful desertion or abandonment. The provisions of the bill apply to suits for divorce filed on or after July 1, 2024.

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Nov 18, 2024

HB 628: Certificate of public need; hospitals licensed by DBHDS psychiatric beds.

Certificate of public need; hospitals licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; psychiatric beds. Excludes from the list of medical care facilities for which a certificate of public need is required hospitals licensed as a provider by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. The bill excludes the following from the list of projects for which a certificate of public need is required for certain medical care facilities: (i) an increase or relocation of psychiatric beds licensed by the Department, (ii) the introduction of any psychiatric service when such medical care facility has not provided such service in the previous 12 months, and (iii) the conversion of beds to psychiatric beds. The bill also modifies the list of projects for which a certificate of public need is required for certain medical care facilities by requiring a certificate for the conversion of any psychiatric inpatient beds to nonpsychiatric inpatient beds. Under current law, a certificate is required for the conversion of a psychiatric bed to a nonpsychiatric bed only when the psychiatric bed was approved pursuant to a Request for Applications (RFA).

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Nov 18, 2024

HB 162: Retirement systems; financial reports, annual disclosures.

Financial reports by retirement systems; annual disclosures. Requires retirement systems to provide disclosures describing the process and criteria used for selecting third-party fund managers, advisers, or consultants and other persons providing services to the retirement system. Such information shall be included in a retirement system's annual report.

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Nov 18, 2024

HB 1192: State debt collection; establishes statute of limitations.

State debt collection; statute of limitations. Establishes a seven-year statute of limitations on the commencement of any action by a state agency or institution to collect past due accounts receivable due to the Commonwealth.

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Nov 18, 2024

HJ 39: Comprehensive community colleges, certain; JLARC to study waiver of tuition and mandatory fees.

Study; JLARC; waiver of tuition and mandatory fees at certain comprehensive community colleges; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the feasibility of waiving tuition and mandatory fees for Virginia students who attend Mountain Empire Community College, Southwest Virginia Community College, and Virginia Highlands Community College and report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly no later than November 30, 2024.

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Nov 18, 2024

HB 1492: Trauma-informed training and education; work group to study.

Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia; work group to study trauma-informed training and education; report. Directs the Office of the Executive Secretary to convene a work group to make recommendations on the development, adoption, and implementation of trauma-informed training and education for judges, magistrates, and court personnel. The bill requires the work group to submit its recommendations by December 1, 2024, to the Chairmen of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill results