This bill amends the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program by restoring funding that was previously modified in a special session. It designates $20 million annually from the general fund to support this program and requires the State Council of Education to determine how these funds are allocated among public higher education institutions. Additionally, the legislation mandates that any unspent money be carried forward to future years and requires the Council to submit an annual report by November 1 on the status of the program.
Israel; support. Expresses support for theState of Israel and condemns the actions of Hamas.
Commending the Iranian American community inVirginia.
Commending Janet Muldoon.
Celebrating the life of John Kenner Marlow.
Study; joint committee of the House Committeeon Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health tostudy fair school funding reform; report. Establishes a jointcommittee consisting of five members of the House Committee on Educationand three members of the Senate Committee on Education and Healthto study fair school funding reform by, among other things, identifyingand commissioning an independent firm with certain qualificationsto produce an adequacy cost study on Virginia's K-12 public schoolsand utilizing the findings from such study, the recommendations from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission in its July 2023report, "Virginia's K-12 Funding Formula," and any stakeholder inputand feedback received by the joint committee to produce and submitto the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriationsand the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by November1, 2025, a set of recommendations on transitioning Virginia's K-12funding system to one that is student need-based.
Celebrating the life of Diane Gay Flanagan.
Housing opportunity tax credit. Increases,for calendar years 2023 through 2025, the amount of housing opportunitytax credits that may be claimed from $60 million per calendar yearto $100 million per calendar year.
Regulation of electronic gaming devices; penalties.Authorizes and specifies the licensing requirements for the manufacture,distribution, operation, servicing, hosting, and play of electronicgaming devices, as defined in the bill. The bill provides that electronicgaming devices are regulated by the Virginia Lottery Board and requiresemployees of such licensees to be registered with the Virginia Lottery.The bill imposes criminal and civil penalties for violations of thelaw and regulations related to electronic gaming devices. The billimposes a 34 percent tax on all gross profits from the play of suchgaming devices and provides for the use of such tax proceeds, withmost being deposited into the general fund.
Campaign finance; fundraising during specialsessions prohibited. Prohibits campaign fundraising by a member of the General Assembly or statewide official on any day the General Assembly is scheduled to meet during a special session. Currently,such campaign fundraising is prohibited only during regular sessionsof the General Assembly.
Dulles Greenway; powers and responsibilities of State Corporation Commission to regulate toll road operators. Amends the powers and responsibilities of the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) to regulate toll road operators under the Virginia Highway Corporation Act of 1988. The bill (i) requires the full disclosure, in public financial reports to the Commission, of the details of any related party transactions and (ii) establishes a presumption that any related party transactions, as defined in the bill, shall be presumed to be imprudent and excluded from costs used for any purpose, including the costs of lobbyists, excessive compensation, and entertainment expenses, unless the operator provides information showing that at least three separate competitive bids demonstrate that the operator could not have achieved better contract terms from a third party. The bill clarifies that the Commission has the authority to lower toll rates for a toll road if it finds in its analysis that an operator is materially discouraging use of the road due to its current toll rates and to implement tolling based on the distance that a user has traveled if it determines it is in the best interest of toll road users.
Campaign finance; prohibited contributionsto candidates. Prohibits candidates, campaign committees, and political committees from soliciting or accepting contributions fromany public utility, as defined in the bill, and prohibits any publicutility or any political committee established by such public utilityfrom making any such contribution.
