Virginia Bills

Authorizes an investor-owned electric utility to petition the State Corporation Commission for approval of a rate adjustment clause for recovery of the costs of a system or equipment upgrade, system or equipment replacement, or other cost reasonably appropriate to extend the combined operating license for, or the operating life of, nuclear generation facilities. The measure limits the scope of the requirement that a utility demonstrate that it has considered and weighed alternative options, including third-party market alternatives, in its selection process to certain new generation facilities. The measure provides that a utility's costs incurred in extending the combined operating license for, or the operating life of, a nuclear generation facility, which costs are prudently incurred prior to the Commission's entry of a final order on the petition, shall be deferred on the books and records of the utility until the later of the entry of a final order in the proceeding or until the implementation of any applicable approved rate adjustment clauses. The measure prohibits a utility, prior to January 1, 2020, from recovering through a rate adjustment clause certain costs related to extensions of the combined operating license for or the operating life of a nuclear generation facility. An enactment clause provides that costs recovered through the utility's rates for generation and distribution services as of January 1, 2017, that are associated with a utility's existing nuclear generation facilities are not recoverable through a specified rate adjustment clause.

Provides that certain oyster ground leaseholders in the Lynnhaven River are subject to the conduct of approved municipal dredging projects to restore existing navigation channels. The bill limits such projects to oyster grounds that are condemned, restricted, or otherwise nonproductive, and it requires the locality to compensate the lessee for the use of the ground. The bill directs that if the parties cannot agree on a compensation amount, a court of competent jurisdiction shall determine the value of the ground. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2019. This bill is identical to

Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (the Council) and each public institution of higher education to develop a passport credit program that will be offered at each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education. Under the program, each passport credit course shall satisfy a lower division general education requirement at any public institution of higher education. The bill requires the Council to develop such program by July 1, 2020, and each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education to offer such program by the 2020-2021 academic year.

Requires school service providers to provide, either directly to the student or his parent or through the school, access to an electronic copy of such student's personal information in a manner consistent with the functionality of the school service. The bill permits contracts between local school boards and school service providers to require that such electronic copy be in a machine-readable format.

Defines "municipal golf course" and provides that for mixed beverage restaurant licensees located on the premises of and operated by municipal golf courses, the ABC Board shall recognize the seasonal nature of the business and waive any applicable monthly food sales requirements for those months when weather conditions may reduce patronage of the golf course, provided that prepared food, including meals, is available to patrons during the same months. The bill provides that the gross receipts from the sale of food cooked, or prepared, and consumed on the premises and nonalcoholic beverages served on the premises, after the issuance of such license, shall amount to at least 45 percent of the gross receipts from the sale of mixed beverages and food on an annualized basis.

Extends the scenic river designation of a portion of the James River located in Botetourt and Rockbridge Counties from 14 miles to 59 miles. This bill is identical to

Requires the Board of Education to include evaluating the economic value of postsecondary studies, including the net cost of attendance, potential student loan debt, and potential earnings, in the Board's objectives for economics education and financial literacy. The bill requires the Board to amend such objectives by July 1, 2018.

Establishes the Interstate 73 Corridor Development Fund and Program and reallocates to the I-73 Fund the $40 million from state recordation taxes that is currently allocated annually to the U.S. Route 58 Corridor Development Fund and Program. All provisions of the bill are contingent upon construction of and payments for Route 58 being completed. The bill contains a reenactment clause.

Provides that, in any custody or visitation case in which an order prohibiting a party from picking a child up from school is entered, the court shall order a party to provide a copy of such order to the child's school within three business days of the receipt of the order. The bill requires that, where a custody determination affects a child's school enrollment, the court order a party to provide a copy of the custody order to the child's new school within three business days of the child's enrollment. The bill further provides that if the court determines that a party is unable to deliver the order to the school, such party shall provide the court with the name of the principal and address of the school, and the court shall cause the order to be mailed to such principal.