Virginia Bills

Directs the Marine Resources Commission to grant a preference for an exception to the two-year delay in the effective date of a registration as a commercial fisherman. The bill requires the preference to benefit a license applicant who is a member of the immediate family or is a documented employee of the commercial fisherman who is retiring.

Provides that certain small renewable energy projects proposed, developed, constructed, or purchased by (i) a public utility if the project's costs are not recovered from Virginia jurisdictional customers under base rates, a fuel factor charge, or a rate adjustment clause or (ii) a utility aggregation cooperative, are eligible for a permit by rule and are exempt from environmental review and permitting by the State Corporation Commission. The measure specifies that a small renewable energy project shall be eligible for permit by rule if it is proposed, developed, constructed, or purchased by a person that is not a regulated utility. The measure exempts a small renewable energy project for which the Department of Environmental Quality has issued a permit by rule from the requirement that it obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction or operation of the project. Finally, the measure increases the maximum rated capacity of solar and wind facilities that qualify as small renewable energy projects from 100 megawatts to 150 megawatts.

Requires that, as requested by the Secretary of Health and Human Resources and to the extent authorized by federal law, the agencies of the Secretariat of Health and Human Resources shall share data, records, and information about applicants for and recipients of services from the agencies of the Secretariat, including individually identifiable health information for the purposes of (i) streamlining administrative processes and reducing administrative burdens on the agencies, (ii) reducing paperwork and administrative burdens on the applicants and recipients, and (iii) improving access to and quality of services provided by the agencies. The bill requires the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to report on the implementation of the provisions of the bill by October 1, 2017.

Establishes the Rural Coastal Virginia Community Enhancement Authority, consisting of the 12 counties within the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula, and Accomack-Northampton planning districts, if approved by the respective governing bodies. The Authority is created for the purpose of serving as a regional economic development body and represents a partnership of the Commonwealth, the planning districts, and the 12 counties of the coastal region. The Authority shall be governed by a board of up to 15 members. The Authority may seek and approve loans and solicit donations, grants, and any other funding from the Commonwealth, the federal government, and regional, local government, and private entities to carry out its purposes, powers, and duties. Also, the Authority will (i) assist the region in obtaining necessary job training or employment-related education, leadership and civic development, and business development, especially entrepreneurship for the coastal region; (ii) provide special assistance to distressed and underdeveloped counties within the coastal region; and (iii) fund demonstration projects, and conduct research, evaluations, and assessments of the coastal region's assets and needs.

Directs the Department of Environmental Quality and the Region 2000 Services Authority (the Authority) to continue to reduce the odor issues at the landfill operated by the Authority in Campbell County and to report on their efforts to the Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources by November 1, 2017. The bill also requires the Authority to connect certain parts of its landfill gas collection system to the existing collection system when its engineers advise it that the connections will operate efficiently.

Provides that a violation of a highway sign where a driver has parked or stopped his vehicle on the shoulder of the highway in order to sleep or rest is a prepayable offense unless such vehicle is parked or stopped in such manner as to impede or render dangerous the shoulder or other portion of the highway.

Extends the sunset date of the motion picture production tax credit from January 1, 2019, to January 1, 2022. This bill is identical to

Provides that, at the initial hearing on a summons for unlawful detainer, upon request of the plaintiff, the court shall bifurcate the unlawful detainer case and set a continuance date no later than 120 days from the date of the initial hearing to determine final rent and damages. The bill requires the court, on such continuance date, to permit amendment of the amount requested on a summons for unlawful detainer in accordance with the notice of hearing, evidence presented to the court, and the amounts contracted for in the rental agreement. The bill further clarifies types of judgments for which a writ of possession may be immediately executed but specifies that an eviction pursuant to such a writ shall not be executed (i) until the expiration of a tenant's 10-day appeal period or (ii) if a tenant perfects an appeal. The bill removes certain requirements for a written notice of satisfaction of judgment rendered in a court not of record.