Abuse and neglect of children; causing or enabling child to gain possession of a firearm; penalty. Creates a Class 5 felony for any parent, guardian, or other person who is 18 years of age or older and is responsible for the care of a child under the age of 18 whose willful act or omission causes or enables that child to gain possession of a firearm (i) after having received notice of a preliminary determination, pursuant to relevant law, that such child poses a threat of violence or physical harm to self or others or (ii) when such parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the care of the child knows or reasonably should know that such child has been charged with, either by warrant or petition, convicted of, or adjudicated delinquent of a violent juvenile felony. The bill provides that no person shall be subject to arrest or prosecution regarding knowledge of a preliminary threat determination if such person received notice that the threat assessment team concluded that the child does not indicate a threat of violence or physical harm to self or others or that any case or review opened or conducted by that threat assessment team as a result of such preliminary determination has been closed. The bill also provides that no person shall be subject to arrest or prosecution if such person has received notice that any pending charge for a violent juvenile felony has been dismissed or a nolle prosequi has been entered. The bill provides an affirmative defense to prosecution if the parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the care of a child caused or enabled such child to gain possession of a firearm while in a dwelling because of a reasonable belief that he or such child was in imminent danger of bodily injury. Lastly, the bill provides that the new offense is eligible for the enhanced earned sentence credits. This bill is identical to SB 44.
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Department of Forestry; Office of Farmland Preservation transferred. Transfers from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to the Department of Forestry the Office of Farmland Preservation and its powers and duties and reporting requirements, the Virginia Farm Link Program, the Century Farm Program, and the Virginia Farmland and Forestland Preservation Fund. The bill renames the Office as the Office of Working Lands Preservation. The bill makes technical amendments to effectuate the transfer and requires the Department of Environmental Quality to report to the Department of Forestry by July 1 of each year certain enumerated information about nonpoint source nutrient credits certified in the previous year that involve land use conversion. This bill is identical to SB 616.
Food inspections; private homes; pickles and acidified vegetables; gross sales. Increases from $3,000 to $9,000 the gross sales annual revenue cap for sales of pickles and other acidified vegetables that have an equilibrium pH value of 4.6 or lower and are processed and prepared in a private home without an inspection as otherwise required to operate a food establishment. The bill expands the exemption for private homes where the resident processes and prepares certain food products to allow for such person to sell the food at a temporary event that operates for a period of no more than 14 consecutive days. The bill also clarifies that such person may advertise such food products over the Internet provided that the sale takes place in person and complies with certain restrictions.
Amber warning lights; certain hunting vehicles. Authorizes road whips, defined in the bill, who are operating vehiclesduring certain fox hunts to display flashing amber warning lightswhen such vehicles are not in motion for the purpose of warning othervehicles of such hunt happening in the area. The bill requires suchvehicles to also display a sign reading "Horse Crossing With Rider."
Special license plates; 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Authorizes the issuance of revenue-sharing special license plates marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. The bill provides that the prepaid application requirements for special license plates shall not apply to such plates, that the provisions of the bill expire on July 1, 2032, that such plates shall not be newly issued on or after such date, and that such plates may continue in use for a period of time determined by the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles. This bill is identical to SB 216.
Department of Medical Assistance Services; Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; slot-retention requests; Developmental Disability waivers; sunset. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to amend their regulations to allow for support coordinators to request and subsequently obtain approval of consecutive waiver slot-retention requests for a period of up to 365 calendar days for individuals who have been assigned a Developmental Disability waiver slot. Current regulations allow for four consecutive 30-day slot-retention extensions. The bill sunsets on June 30, 2026, and is identical to SB 610.
Conveyance of certain property from the Departmentof Corrections to the Town of Craigsville; Augusta Correctional Center. Provides for the transfer of certain property in Augusta County fromthe Department of Corrections to the Town of Craigsville.
Department of Medical Assistance Services; Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; slot-retention requests; Developmental Disability waivers; sunset. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to amend their regulations to allow for support coordinators to request and subsequently obtain approval of consecutive waiver slot-retention requests for a period of up to 365 calendar days for individuals who have been assigned a Developmental Disability waiver slot. Current regulations allow for four consecutive 30-day slot-retention extensions. The bill sunsets on June 30, 2026, and is identical to HB 577.
Uniform Statutory Rule Against Perpetuities; trusts; certain nonvested property interests or powers of appointment over property or property interests. Extends from 90 years to 1,000 years the period for which a nonvested property interest held in trust may vest or terminate, or for which a power of appointment over property or property interests may be exercised. The bill clarifies that such extension applies only to such interests or powers that were created on or after July 1, 2024, and that such extension does not apply to real property held in trust or a power of appointment over real property granted under a trust. The bill also provides that the current law that allows the terms of a trust instrument to provide an exception to the Uniform Statutory Rule Against Perpetuities shall apply only to a nonvested interest in or power of appointment over personal property held in trust, or a power of appointment over personal property granted under a trust, if such interest or power was created between July 1, 2000, and June 30, 2024, but shall not apply to such interests or powers created on or after July 1, 2024. This bill is identical to HB 836.
Health Insurance Reform Commission; membership.Adds two legislative members to the Health Insurance Reform Commission.The bill requires one such member to be a member of the House Committeeon Appropriations who is appointed by the Speaker of the House ofDelegates and one to be a member of the Senate Committee on Financeand Appropriations who is appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.This bill is a recommendation of the Health Insurance Reform Commission.
Regulated land-disturbing activities; submission and approval of erosion and sediment control plan. Prohibits a person from engaging in any land-disturbing activity until, where Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit coverage is required, the Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program (VESCP) authority has obtained evidence of such permit coverage from the Department of Environmental Quality's online reporting system prior to issuing its land-disturbance approval. Current law requires the VESCP authority to obtain such evidence of VPDES permit coverage prior to approving an erosion and sediment control plan. This bill is identical to SB 365.
Civil immunity; dentists and dental hygienists; mental health treatment for health care professionals; reporting requirements. Adds dentists and dental hygienists to the list of providers who are immune from civil liability for any act done or made in performance of his duties while serving as a member of or consultant to an entity that functions primarily to review, evaluate, or make recommendations on a professional program to address issues related to career fatigue and wellness in health care professionals. The bill also extends civil immunity to certain providers for any act done or made in performance of his duties while serving as a member of or consultant to an entity that functions primarily to arrange for or provide outpatient health care for health care professionals. The bill also revises the Board of Medicine reporting requirements when a health care professional is admitted for mental health treatment. Under the bill, if a health care professional is voluntarily admitted to a health care institution for treatment of a substance abuse or psychiatric illness and is no longer believed to be a danger within 30 days then no report will be made to the Board of Medicine. This bill is identical to HB 42.
