Virginia Bills

Changes from two to three for an enterprise zone designated on or after July 1, 2005, and from two to one for an enterprise zone designated prior to July 1, 2005, the number of times the Governor may renew a five-year designation of an enterprise zone upon recommendation of the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development. This bill is identical to

Requires the governing board of each public institution of higher education, prior to a vote on an increase in undergraduate tuition or mandatory fees, to permit public comment on the proposed increase at a meeting of the governing board. The bill requires each such governing board to establish policies for such public comment, which may include reasonable time limitations. This bill is identical to

Creates the Southwest Virginia Energy Research and Development Authority (the Authority) to promote opportunities for energy development in Southwest Virginia, to create jobs and economic activity in Southwest Virginia consistent with the Virginia Energy Plan, and to position Southwest Virginia and the Commonwealth as a leader in energy workforce and energy technology research and development. The Authority will be composed of 11 nonlegislative members, of whom four will be appointed by the Governor, four will be appointed by the Speaker of the House, and three will be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. The Authority is charged with, among other tasks, (i) leveraging the strength in energy research and workforce development of Virginia's public and private institutions of higher education; (ii) supporting the development of pump storage hydropower in Southwest Virginia and energy storage generally; (iii) promoting the development of renewable energy generation facilities on brownfield sites, including abandoned mine sites; (iv) promoting energy workforce development; and (v) assisting energy technology research and development by promoting the development of a Southwest Virginia Energy Park. The bill has a sunset date of July 1, 2029. This bill is identical to

Removes the current $600 limit placed on the amount that may be awarded to a crime victim for total loss of earnings resulting from incapacity. The bill also increases from $5,000 to $10,000 the maximum amount a claimant may be awarded from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund for expenses directly related to funeral or burial costs and increases from $25,000 to $35,000 the maximum aggregate award received by a claimant as a result of an injury or death.

Makes it a Class 3 misdemeanor for any person who, with the intent to defraud, intimidate, or harass, causes a telephone to ring and engages in conduct that results in the display of false caller identification information on the called party's telephone. The bill raises the penalty to a Class 2 misdemeanor for a second or subsequent conviction. The bill does not apply to the blocking of caller identification information, to law-enforcement agencies and officers, to intelligence or security agencies of the federal government and their employees, or to telecommunications, broadband, or Voice-over-Internet protocol service providers in certain circumstances.

Requires any individual who is the subject of a child abuse or neglect investigation or family assessment to notify the local department of social services prior to changing his place of residence and provide the local department with the address of his new residence. The bill also requires the Department of Social Services to document and report to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2020, the number of individuals who notified a local department of social services of a change in address and provided updated contact information between July 1, 2019, and July 1, 2020.

Conforms January 1, 2020, as the date when certificates of assumed or fictitious name are to be filed centrally with the clerk of the State Corporation Commission rather than with the clerk of court. A provision of existing law provides that central filing of such certificates is scheduled to commence May 1, 2019. Changing that date from May 1, 2019, to January 1, 2020, will conform the commencement of central filing to the date set by legislation enacted in the 2018 Session of the General Assembly. The measure has an emergency clause.

Establishes the Clean Energy Advisory Board (the Board) as an advisory board in the executive branch of government for the purpose of establishing a pilot program for disbursing loans or rebates for the installation of solar energy infrastructure in low-income and moderate-income households. The bill provides that the Board shall have a total membership of 15 members, consisting of 14 nonlegislative citizen members and the Director of the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, who shall serve ex officio. The bill establishes the Low-to-Moderate Income Solar Loan and Rebate Fund to be used to fund loans or rebate payments to electric customers who complete solar installations or energy efficiency improvements. The bill provides that the pilot program is open to any Virginia resident whose household income is at or below 80 percent of the state median income or regional median income, whichever is greater. The bill establishes application requirements and procedures for the review and approval or denial of applications. The bill requires that each applicant document the installation of energy efficiency services to demonstrate that such services lower home energy consumption by at least 12 percent prior to the submission of an application. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2022.

Increases from a Class 6 felony to a Class 4 felony the punishment for a person who, as a result of driving while intoxicated or operating a watercraft or motorboat while intoxicated in a manner so gross, wanton, and culpable as to show reckless disregard for human life, unintentionally causes the serious bodily injury, as defined in the bill, of another person resulting in permanent and significant physical impairment. The bill creates a Class 6 felony for such driving or operation that unintentionally causes the serious bodily injury, as defined in the bill, of another person.