Installation of crosswalks; waiving certain requirement. Authorizes the Department of Transportation, when determining the need for a crosswalk within a community subject to the Property Owners' Association Act, to waive any requirement that a certain number of individuals cross such highway within a particular period of time if the location of the proposed crosswalk is adjacent to and providing access to a facility that attracts pedestrians or generates an increased pedestrian presence.
Pilot program for captured coal mine methane; renewable energy portfolio standard. Directs the State Corporation Commission to establish a pilot program for American Electric Power (Phase I Utility) and Dominion Energy (Phase II Utility) to submit proposals to deploy electricity generation from captured coal mine methane. Under the bill, reasonable and prudent costs incurred under the captured coal mine methane project shall be recovered through utility base rates. Additionally, the bill provides that electricity generated using captured coal mine methane with a non-combustion electric generator under the captured coal mine methane project shall be considered an eligible resource for purposes of the renewable energy portfolio standard program.
Department of Environmental Quality; enforcement of regulations; Clean Water Act; cooling water intakes at power plants. Requires the Department of Environmental Quality to promptly enforce federal regulations implementing a provision of the federal Clean Water Act for cooling water intakes at power plants to reduce negative impacts on fish populations in the waters of the Commonwealth.
Employee protections; employer-sponsored meetings on political matters; civil action. Prohibits an employer from retaliating against an employee (i) because such employee declines to attend or participate in an employer-sponsored meeting or receive an employer's communications conveying an opinion about political matters, as defined in the bill; (ii) as a means of inducing an employee's attendance at such meeting or receipt of such communications; or (iii) because the employee reports a suspected violation of the bill's provisions. The bill permits an employee alleging a violation of the bill's provisions to bring an action in civil court within 90 days after such violation occurs for appropriate relief, including injunctive relief, reinstatement, compensation for lost wages, benefits, and other remuneration, interest, and reasonable attorney fees and costs.
Public high schools; personnel; career coach required. Requires each school board to employ at least one career coach in each public high school in the local school division whose duties are required to include assisting students with securing internships, externships, and credentialing opportunities as required by the Profile of a Virginia Graduate, providing students with information on apprenticeship programs, and connecting students to career opportunities. The bill provides that each such individual shall be employed in addition to and not as a replacement for the required school counselor positions, specialized student support positions, or support services positions.
Termination of parental rights; sexual abuse; clear and convincing standard; petition filed by other parent. Allows a parent to file a petition to terminate the parental rights of the other parent if the circumstances giving rise to such a petition allege that such parent engaged in conduct prohibited by relevant law relating to sexual abuse, whether or not the parent has been charged with or convicted of the alleged violation, and the child was conceived of such conduct. The bill further requires the court to issue an order terminating the parental rights of a parent upon a finding, based on clear and convincing evidence, that (i) such parent engaged in the conduct prohibited by relevant law relating to sexual abuse, whether or not the parent has been charged with or convicted of the alleged violation, and the child was conceived of such conduct and (ii) termination of the parental rights of such parent is in the best interests of the child. The bill specifies that, if such parent is found by clear and convincing evidence to have engaged in the prohibited conduct resulting in the conception of such child, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that termination is in the best interest of the child, but no presumption shall be made by the court that one parent alone is contrary to the best interests of the child.
Pet shops; notice of deceased animals; report. Requires pet shops to annually submit a summary of records indicating any time a dog or cat in their possession dies or is euthanized to the State Veterinarian in a format prescribed by him.
Best interests of the child; assuring frequent and continuing contact with both parents. Provides that, in determining the best interests of a child for purposes of custody and parenting time arrangements, upon request of either party, the court shall assure a minor child of frequent and continuing contact with both parents so as to maximize the amount of time the minor child spends with each parent.
Income tax deduction; union dues. Provides an income tax deduction beginning in taxable year 2024 for the amount paid by an individual for union dues for participation in a labor organization.
Social Work Advisory Board; established; report. Establishes the Social Work Advisory Board to advise the Governor on efforts to improve the social work profession in the Commonwealth. The bill requires the Social Work Advisory Board to report annually by December 1 to the Governor and the General Assembly regarding its activities and recommendations. The bill contains an expiration date of June 30, 2027.
Minimum wage and overtime pay; warehouse distribution center employees and employers; civil action; civil penalty. Provides that (i) an employer that violates requirements in existing law relating to the minimum wage, payment of wages and salaries, or overtime pay or (ii) a warehouse employer, as defined in the bill, that violates the bill's provisions shall be liable to an impacted employee for certain remedies, damages, and other relief as specified in the bill. The bill requires a warehouse employer to provide each warehouse employee, as defined in the bill, a written description of each performance standard to which such employee is subject and of any potential adverse employment action that may result from such employee's failure to meet such performance standard. The bill prohibits a warehouse employer from taking adverse action against a warehouse employee for such employee's use of a bathroom facility. The bill provides that a warehouse employer that violates the bill's provisions relating to warehouse employers is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for each violation.
Organ donation leave tax credit. Establishes a nonrefundable income tax credit for taxable years 2024 through 2028 for a taxpayer that is a private employer, as defined by the bill, for certain costs incurred during a period of organ donation leave received by an employee organ donor.
