High-risk artificial intelligence; development, deployment, and use by public bodies; work group; report. Creates requirements for the development, deployment, and use of high-risk artificial intelligence systems, as defined in the bill, by state public bodies. The bill also directs the Chief Information Officer of the Commonwealth (CIO) to develop, publish, and maintain policies and procedures concerning the development, procurement, implementation, utilization, and ongoing assessment of systems that employ high-risk artificial intelligence systems that are consistent with such requirements created by the bill. The bill directs the CIO to convene a work group to examine the impact on and the ability of local governments to comply with the requirements of the bill. The substantive requirements of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.
Incapacitated persons; finding of lack of capacity to understand the act of voting. Provides that no person shall be deemed disqualified to vote due to lack of capacity for the purposes of Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of Virginia unless the court makes a specific finding by clear and convincing evidence that such person lacks the capacity to understand the act of voting. The bill allows any person deemed disqualified to vote due to lack of capacity prior to July 1, 2025, to file a petition for a court to review such determination in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill also requires the report of a guardian ad litem in a guardianship or conservatorship to include whether the respondent lacks the capacity to understand the act of voting. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Disability Commission.
Department of Law; Address Confidentiality Program; removal of Program participant; penalty. Permits the Office of the Attorney General to cancel a participant's certification in the Address Confidentiality Program if such Program participant has reached the age of 18, is not incapacitated, and did not submit recertification for participation in the Program within 60 days of his eighteenth birthday. The bill penalizes any individual who knowingly discloses or publishes a Program participant's confidential address or any other confidential information with intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass such Program participant or any other person.
School crossing zones; institutions of higher education. Expands the definition of "school crossing zone" to include areas surrounding schools where the presence of students reasonably requires a special warning to motorists and provides that the term "school" includes public institutions of higher education and nonprofit private institutions of higher education. Currently, the definition of "school crossing zone" includes only areas surrounding schools where the presence of children requires such warning. Existing provisions of law allowing photo speed monitoring devices to be installed in school crossing zones will apply to any location that meets the expanded definition.
Discharge plans; copies to public elementary and secondary schools. Provides that, prior to the discharge of any minor admitted to inpatient treatment (i) who is a student at a public elementary or secondary school and (ii) for whom the facility deems (a) such discharge poses a threat of violence or physical harm to himself and others or (b) additional educational services are needed, such facility is required to provide to the school's mental health professional or school counselor the portions of such discharge plan relevant to the threat of violence or harm or the necessary additional educational services. The bill requires such facility to, prior to providing any such portions of any minor's discharge plan, provide to the parent of such minor student reasonable notice of the types of information that would be included in any portions of the discharge plan being provided and of the parent's right to, upon written request, refuse the provision of any such information.
Juvenile and domestic relations district courts; mental health and social assessments. Provides that if a juvenile is found to be delinquent, that a juvenile and domestic relations district court may, before final disposition of the case, direct the appropriate public agency to evaluate such juvenile's service needs using an interdisciplinary approach. The bill permits the juvenile and domestic relations district court, in the alternative, to consider an existing report from an interdisciplinary team if such interdisciplinary team met not more than 90 days prior to the finding that the juvenile is delinquent.
Board of Pharmacy; Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; opioid treatment programs; mobile units; report. Directs the Board of Pharmacy, in collaboration with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, to develop and implement a process by which opioid treatment programs can apply for and receive the necessary permissions and waivers to dispense opioid use disorder treatment medications from mobile units. The bill directs the Board to report to the Joint Commission on Health Care by November 1, 2025, on the status of and any barriers to the development and implementation of such process. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care.
Local comprehensive plan; tiny homes; accessory dwelling units. Clarifies that the comprehensive plan prepared by a local planning commission and adopted by a local governing body may include the use of tiny homes and accessory dwelling units, defined in the bill, as part of any residential development and use designated within such plan. The bill contains technical amendments.
Seizure of moneys or other assets of value used in connection with or derived from financial exploitation of vulnerable adults. Permits a law-enforcement officer, an attorney for the Commonwealth, the Office of the Attorney General, or other interested party to seek a seizure warrant from a judge or petition a court for the seizure of moneys or other assets of value where there is suspected probable cause to conclude that a vulnerable adult is being financially exploited. The bill allows a court, upon motion of the complainant and for good cause shown, to order the release of all moneys or other assets of value. Any remaining moneys or other assets of value may also be released to the owner by the court with the consent of the attorney for the Commonwealth.
Local taxes; zoning; assessments; ordinances. Provides that for purposes of real estate subject to a special tax assessment for land preservation by local ordinance, a change to the zoning ordinance shall only be effective following the later of (i) the approval of the relevant modification in the zoning classification of real estate; (ii) the exhaustion of the challenge or appeal period; (iii) if pending, the final determination of any challenge or appeal made within such period; or (iv) the sale of the subject property.The bill also provides that for purposes of subdivided or rezoned lots, the assessment or reassessment required by law shall only be effective following the later of (a) the approval of a modification in the zoning classification of the subject real estate, an exception to zoning or classification of the subject real estate, or a reclassification of the subject real estate; (b) the exhaustion of the challenge or appeal period for such approvals; (c) if pending, the final determination of any such challenge or appeal made within such period; or (d) the sale of the subject property.Finally, the bill provides that changes to the zoning ordinance refers to such ordinances enacted after December 1, 2023.
Department of Emergency Management and the Department of Health to study the makeup and composition of the emergency management regions, state health regions, and local health districts; report. Directs the Department of Emergency Management and the Department of Health to study the makeup and composition of the seven emergency management regions, the five Virginia health regions, and the 35 local health districts to determine the feasibility of mutually beneficial alignment of such regions and districts. The bill directs the Departments to complete their work and report findings and recommendations to the General Assembly no later than November 30, 2025. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee to Study Pandemic Response and Preparedness in the Commonwealth.
Department of Motor Vehicles; work group; design and implementation of new tow truck license plate; report. Directs the Department of Motor Vehicles to convene a work group to identify certain information needed to design and implement a new tow truck license plate to aid in the enforcement of registration of tow truck drivers and towing violations.
