Fertilizer and lime permit requirements. Amends the provisions governing the permit requirements for bulk lime materials to add a distributor who holds a valid license to distribute a regulated product, as defined in the bill, to the list of people who can sell bulk liming material. The bill also removes duplicative language relating to (i) when a permit expires, (ii) the cost of obtaining a permit, and (iii) the authority of the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to issue written notices and collect fees for failing to obtain a permit.
Health insurance; requirements for certain opioid antagonists. Requires each health insurer, corporation providing health care subscription plans, and health maintenance organization whose policy, contract, or plan includes coverage for prescription drugs to include coverage for at least one other opioid antagonist used for overdose reversal dispensed pursuant to an oral, written, or standing order of a prescriber and ensure that cost-sharing for at least one opioid antagonist used for overdose reversal is included on the lowest cost tier of the insurer's, corporation's, or health maintenance organization's prescription drug formulary. The bill provides that such coverage shall be exempt from any prior authorization or step therapy requirement on coverage of benefits. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care. This bill is identical to SB 257.
Pedestrians; walking on roadways that are part of divided highways. Permits pedestrians, when walking on a roadway that is part of a highway divided by a physical barrier or barriers or an unpaved area, and when there are no shoulders of the highway present, to keep to the extreme right side or edge of the roadway, regardless of the direction of traffic they face. Under current law, pedestrians, when permitted to walk on a roadway, are required to keep to the extreme left side or edge thereof. The bill also clarifies current law, which requires pedestrians walking on a roadway to face oncoming traffic.
Proceedings to establish paternity. Adds the methods by which the Department of Social Services administratively establishes paternity for the purposes of child support enforcement to the lists of ways that a parent and child relationship may be established in domestic relations proceedings under Title 20 and that a parent and child relationship may be established for determining rights related to a deed, will, trust, or other instrument. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Boyd-Graves Conference.
Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services; invasive plant species installation; written notification to property owners; civil penalty. Provides that the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services may assess a civil penalty in an amount of not more than $250 for a first violation, $500 for a second violation, and $1,000 for each subsequent violation to any tradesperson involved with proposing or installing plants who fails to provide written notification to property owners when such plants are on the Department of Conservation and Recreation's list of invasive plant species. Current law provides that any such tradesperson who fails to provide such written notice is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. This bill is identical to HB 710.
Competency treatment in misdemeanor proceedings. Provides that in cases where the defendant has been charged with a misdemeanor offense, the court may (i) order inpatient or outpatient treatment or (ii) dismiss the charges. Where a defendant is found to be incompetent, the bill permits a court to (a) order that such defendant receive treatment to restore his competency on an outpatient basis in a local correctional facility or at a location determined by the appropriate community services board or behavioral health authority, (b) order that such defendant receive treatment to restore his competency on an inpatient basis at a hospital designated by the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services as appropriate for treatment of persons under criminal charge, (c) order that such defendant be evaluated to determine whether he meets the criteria for temporary detention, or (d) dismiss the misdemeanor charge and release such defendant. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.
Virginia Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund; claim limits; license threshold amounts. Expands the scope of Chapters 127 and 133 of the Acts of Assembly of 2025, which increased certain claim limits and license threshold amounts, to apply to any claimant who filed a verified claim with the Director of the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation on or after June 6, 2024, for recovery from the Virginia Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund and whose claim was thereafter approved by the Board for Contractors.
Parole; exception to limitation on the application of parole statutes. Provides that a person is eligible to be considered for parole if such person (i) was sentenced by a jury after the date of the Supreme Court of Virginia decision in Fishback v. Commonwealth, 260 Va. 104 (2000), in which the Supreme Court held that a jury should be instructed on the fact that parole has been abolished, for a felony committed on or after the abolition of parole going into effect on January 1, 1995; (ii) can prove by the preponderance of the evidence that the jury in his case was not instructed on the fact that parole has been abolished; and (iii) remained incarcerated for the offense on July 1, 2026, and the offense was not one of the following: (a) a Class 1 felony; (b) if the victim was a minor, rape, forcible sodomy, object sexual penetration, or aggravated sexual battery or an attempt to commit any such act; or (c) carnal knowledge. The bill also requires the Parole Board to establish procedures for consideration of parole of persons entitled to it and also provides that any person who is eligible for parole as of July 1, 2026, shall be scheduled for a parole interview no later than July 1, 2027, allowing for extension of time for reasonable cause.
Marcus Alert Evaluation Task Force creation. Requires the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to convene and adjust and update the membership of a Marcus Alert Evaluation Task Force to assist in determining the effectiveness of the Marcus Alert system. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Behavioral Health Commission. This bill is identical to SB 514.
Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator; deaths by suicide of veterans or military service members; State Registrar of Vital Records; Department of Veterans Services annual report. Adds to the duties of the Suicide Prevention Coordinator within the Department of Veterans Services the duty to (i) compile and analyze data relating to the suicides of veterans and military service members pursuant to death certificates filed with the State Registrar of Vital Records, with such data to be included in the Department's annual report, and (ii) collaborate with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to develop programs and resources related to suicide prevention for veterans and military service members. The bill provides that in any case where the death certificate of a veteran or military service member lists suicide as the manner of death, the State Registrar of Vital Records shall provide such information concerning the suicide to the Department.
Medical care facility data reporting; value of charity care. Removes certain limitations on the meaning of "reviewable service" as it relates to data reporting requirements for medical care facilities and specifies that the value of charity care for such reporting shall be based on gross patient charges.
Removal of certain signs and advertisements within the limits of highways; agreements with local governing bodies in Planning District 23; requirements. Requires any agreement entered into by the Commissioner of Highways with a local governing body of a locality within Planning District 23 with a population between 245,000 and 350,000 and that has a tax increment financing district authorizing the removal of signs and advertisements within the limits of a highway to provide that the locality shall only authorize designated employees of the locality acting in their official capacity and contractors employed by the locality to remove such signs or advertisements and shall not authorize volunteers to act on behalf of such locality for the removal of signs or advertisements.
