Virginia Bills

Provides that unless expressly authorized by the Property Owners' Association Act (§ 55-508 et seq.) or the declaration or as otherwise provided by law, no association may require the use of any for sale sign that is (i) an association sign or (ii) a real estate sign that does not comply with the requirements of the Real Estate Board. An association may, however, prohibit the placement of signs in the common area and establish reasonable rules and regulations that regulate (a) the number of real estate signs, (b) the geographical location of real estate signs, (c) the manner in which real estate signs are affixed to real property, and (d) the period of time after settlement when the real estate signs must be removed. In addition, no property owners' association may require any lot owner to execute a formal power of attorney if the lot owner designates a person licensed by the Real Estate Board to serve as his authorized representative in the sale of a lot. The bill provides that if a request has been made to an association or its common interest community manager to furnish the disclosure packet and such packet is not provided within 14 days of the request, it shall be deemed a waiver of any claim for delinquent assessments or of any violation of the declaration, bylaws, rules and regulations, or architectural guidelines existing as of the date of the request with respect to the subject lot. The bill also authorizes the Common Interest Community Board to assess a monetary penalty for failure to deliver the association disclosure packet within 14 days against the association or its common interest community manager. The bill also authorizes the Common Interest Community Board to receive a complaint directly from any person aggrieved by an association's failure to deliver a resale certificate or disclosure packet within the time period required under the Condominium Act, the Virginia Real Estate Cooperative Act, or the Property Owners' Association Act. This bill is identical to

Provides that when there is more than one independent candidate for an office, their names shall appear on the ballot in an order determined by the priority of time of filing all required paperwork for the office. In the event that two or more candidates file simultaneously, the order of filing is determined by lot by the electoral board. Currently, this order applies only to the names of candidates for school board, and the names of all other independent candidates appear alphabetically. This bill is identical to

Clarifies that all cases involving suspected financial exploitation of an adult shall be immediately referred to a local law-enforcement agency for investigation. The bill directs local law-enforcement agencies to provide a preferred point of contact for referrals. This bill is identical to

Requires the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to provide a written report setting forth the known facts of serious injuries or deaths of individuals receiving services in programs operated or licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to the Director of the Commonwealth's designated protection and advocacy system within 15 working days of the serious injury or death. Currently, reports are required only for critical incidents or deaths occurring at facilities operated by the Department. This bill is identical to

Removes a provision that allows a tenant to remain in a dwelling unit that has been foreclosed upon pursuant to the federal Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act because the Act expired on December 31, 2014, and is no longer in effect. The bill provides that the foreclosure of a residential rental property shall act as a termination of the rental agreement by the owner of such property. In such case, the tenant may remain in possession of such dwelling unit as a month-to-month tenant on the terms of the terminated rental agreement until the successor owner gives a notice of termination of such month-to-month tenancy. The bill also provides how rental payments may be made during the period of the month-to-month tenancy. In addition, the bill requires a current owner of rental property who has entered into a written property management agreement with a managing agent and who has subsequently entered into a purchase agreement with a new owner to give written notice to the managing agent requesting payment of security deposits to the current owner prior to settlement with the new owner. The bill requires the managing agent to transfer the security deposits to the current owner and provide written notice to each tenant that his security deposit has been transferred. This bill is identical to

Requires the governing board of each public institution of higher education to annually report to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (i) the value of investments as reflected on the Statement of Net Position as of June 30 of the previous fiscal year, excluding any funds derived from endowment donations, endowment income, or other private philanthropy; (ii) the cash earnings on such balances in the previous fiscal year; and (iii) the use of the cash earnings on such balances. In the event that the commitment of any such investment earnings spans more than one fiscal year, the report shall reflect the commitments made in each future fiscal year. The bill excludes from such reporting requirements the investments of the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority and the University of Virginia Medical Center.

Provides that certain Virginia students who were in foster care or in the custody of the Department of Social Services or considered a special needs adoption and are enrolled in a noncredit workforce credential training program in a comprehensive community college may qualify for a grant for the payment of tuition and fees. This bill is identical to

Provides that any officer who is convicted of a felony under the laws of any state or the United States shall be automatically suspended upon such conviction, regardless of any appeals, pleadings, delays, or motions. The bill contains an emergency clause. This bill is identical to

Requires (i) the principal of each public elementary school to cause the vision of students in kindergarten and grade two or grade three to be screened unless certain exceptions apply and (ii) the principal of each public middle school and high school to cause the vision of students in grade seven and grade 10 to be screened unless certain exceptions apply and permits any such screening to be conducted by a qualified nonprofit vision health organization that uses a digital photoscreening method pursuant to a comprehensive vision program or other methods that comply with Department of Education requirements. The bill defines "qualified nonprofit vision health organization" and "comprehensive vision program." Under current law, the frequency of such vision screenings is determined by the Board of Education pursuant to regulations. Current law is silent on the method and provider of such vision screenings.

Provides that certain Virginia students who were in foster care or in the custody of the Department of Social Services or considered a special needs adoption and are enrolled in a noncredit workforce credential training program in a comprehensive community college may qualify for a grant for the payment of tuition and fees. This bill is identical to