This bill (SJ 360) is a ceremonial resolution commending the Loudoun Therapeutic Riding Center for its work supporting individuals with disabilities through therapeutic horseback riding programs. It has no policy provisions or direct impact on laws, funding, or regulations; it simply expresses legislative recognition of the center's community service. The resolution passed unanimously in both the Senate and House via voice vote in February 2025 and will be recorded in the official legislative journals. As a commemorative measure, it does not affect any laws or require implementation.
Regulated hemp product retail facility registration; fee. Changes the requirement that a regulated hemp product retail facility registration be required for each location that offers for sale or sells at retail regulated hemp products to instead require such registration for the primary location that offers for sale or sells such products. The bill also requires an applicant for a regulated hemp product retail facility registration to notify the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services no less than 14 days in advance of any additional temporary event locations, including fairs, festivals, or farmers markets, at which such facility intends to offer for sale or sell at retail (i) a regulated hemp product or (ii) a substance intended for human consumption, orally or by inhalation, that is advertised or labeled as containing an industrial hemp-derived cannabinoid. However, the bill provides that no such product or substance that contains tetrahydrocannabinol may be sold at any such temporary event location.
Limited-duration licenses, driver privilege cards and permits, and identification privilege cards; expiration. Extends the validity of limited-duration licenses, driver privilege cards and permits, and identification privilege cards, other than REAL ID credentials, as defined in the bill, and commercial driver's licenses and permits, to a period of time consistent with the validity of (i) driver's licenses, which under current law is a period not to exceed eight years or for a person age 75 or older, a period not to exceed five years; (ii) permits, which under current law is the period of time until a driver's license is issued or the person is no longer eligible for such permit, a period of 12 months for motorcycle permits, or a period of the 60 days prior to the person's first behind-the-wheel exam for persons 25 years of age or older; and (iii) special identification cards, which under current law is a period between three and eight years, with exceptions, or for a person younger than the age of 15, until such person's sixteenth birthday, unless extended under certain circumstances for a period no longer than 90 days. The bill directs the Department of Motor Vehicles to implement the extended validity periods for such documents upon reissuance.
Line of Duty Act; payments to beneficiaries. Provides that if a deceased person, as that term is defined in the Line of Duty Act, died as a result of certain cancers within 10 years from his date of retirement, his beneficiary shall be entitled to the payment of certain benefits. Under current law, such beneficiary shall be entitled to such payment if the deceased person's death (i) arose out of and in the course of his employment or (ii) was within five years from his date of retirement.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 10 of Title 32.1 a section numbered 32.1-331.07 and by adding in Title 32.1 a chapter numbered 10.1, consisting of sections numbered 32.1-331.18 through 32.1-331.21, relating to Office of Medicaid Financial Oversight established; report.
School boards; policies relating to volunteer student life counseling and support services; guidelines and requirements. Permits any school board to adopt a policy permitting certain individuals or groups to provide, on a volunteer basis, student life counseling or support services, as defined by the bill, on school property after regular school hours, in accordance with the requirements in the bill. The bill (i) requires a school board to hold a public hearing to provide an opportunity for public comment on the proposed policy prior to adopting such policy, to ensure that each student is free from pressure from the Commonwealth to engage in or refrain from religious observation on school property, and to ensure that the constitutional principles of freedom of religion and separation of church and state are observed at all times and (ii) requires such policy (a) to include background and criminal records check requirements for individuals volunteering to provide such support services; (b) to require written parental consent before any minor student participates in or receives such support services; (c) to require any approved individual or group to include on materials provided to students and parents information a parent or student may need in order to provide full and informed consent; (d) to be neutral with regard to religious preference, affiliation, or belief, or lack thereof, in the approval of an individual or group to provide such services and in the administration, oversight, or supervision of such services; and (e) to ensure that no such services are provided during regular school hours or in any manner that could cause conflict with instructional time.
Department of Medical Assistance Services; remote monitoring services for pregnant and postpartum patients; reimbursement. Expands provision for payment of medical assistance for remote patient monitoring services provided via telemedicine to include all pregnant and postpartum persons. Under current law, only high-risk pregnancies are covered.
Prohibiting sale or distribution, etc., of retail tobacco products and hemp products intended for smoking by persons younger than 21 years of age; penalties. Increases the penalties for an individual or separate retail establishment that sells or distributes, etc., retail tobacco products and hemp products intended for smoking to persons younger than 21 years of age. The bill increases from $500 to $1,000 the civil penalty for a first violation. For a second violation within a three-year period, the bill requires the Department of Taxation to suspend any approved license, permit, or registration issued to the retail establishment. For a third violation within a three-year period, the bill requires a one-year suspension of such approved license, permit, or registration, and for a fourth violation within a three-year period, a permanent revocation of such approved license, permit, or registration.
Virginia Retirement System; return to work. Allows a retired sworn law-enforcement officer who returns to employment as an instructor at a regional criminal justice academy to continue receiving his service retirement allowance. Such employment shall not increase, decrease, or affect in any way his retirement benefits before, during, or after such employment. Under current law, a retired law-enforcement officer may return to full-time employment without impact on his retirement benefits only if he is employed as a school security officer. The bill has a sunset date of July 1, 2028.
Foster care; housing services; housing plan; report. Requires local departments of social services to develop housing plans for individuals leaving foster care due to age that includes a description of housing options being pursued. The bill requires the Commissioner of Social Services to provide reports to the Governor and General Assembly on housing services for individuals aging out of foster care on or before October 1 of each year. The bill grants the Department of Social Services the authority to enter into a memorandum of understanding with local public housing authorities or housing programs to facilitate access to grant dollars for the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative under the Family Unification Program Housing Choice Vouchers. The bill directs local departments of social services to collaborate with local housing authorities to secure Family Unification Program Housing Choice Vouchers for certain youth enumerated in the bill. Finally, the bill directs local public housing authorities and local departments of social services to collaborate to administer the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative.
Custodial interrogation of a person with autism spectrum disorder or a developmental disability; best practices for conducting interviews or interrogations. Adds best practices for conducting interviews or interrogations, including reading constitutional rights to the list of compulsory minimum and in-service training standards for law-enforcement officers on communicating with individuals with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability.
State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act and General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act; definition of "personal interest in a transaction." Provides that a personal interest in a transaction exists, for purposes of the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act and the General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act, when a subject of a transaction is the spouse of the officer, employee, or legislator, regardless of whether a financial benefit or liability is accrued by the spouse as the result of such transaction. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council.
