Consumer Data Protection Act; social media platforms; responsibilities and prohibitions related to minors. Requires that any controller or processor that operates a social media platform shall (i) use commercially reasonable methods, such as a neutral age screen mechanism, to determine whether a user is a minor younger than 16 years of age and (ii) limit any such minor's use of such social media platform to one hour per day, per service or application, and allow a parent to give verifiable parental consent to increase or decrease the daily time limit. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.
Admission to bail; pregnant persons or persons who have recently given birth. Requires the judicial officer to consider any evidence a person provides indicating that such person (i) is currently pregnant, (ii) has recently given birth, or (iii) is currently nursing a child when determining whether such person shall be admitted to bail.
Board of Education; public school accountability system; Three "E" Readiness Framework; include and incentivize work-based learning experiences. Directs the Board of Education to revise its Three "E" Readiness Framework: Employment, Enlistment, and Enrollment, adopted pursuant to the public school accountability system to measure high school student postsecondary readiness, to include as an indicator of postsecondary readiness and incentivize participation in and completion of work-based learning experiences, with the maximum number of points for such indicator awarded to students who participate in a minimum of 90 hours of work-based learning experiences. This bill is identical to HB 2454.
Library Board; conferral of the honorary degree of patron of letters. Adds arts, humanities, and information science to the fields in which the state Library Board may confer the honorary degree of patron of letters. Currently the fields consist of history and library or archival science.
Public housing authorities; indigent parties; unlawful detainer. Exempts indigent defendants from having to post an appeal bond in unlawful detainer actions brought by a public housing authority. The bill also amends certain provisions of the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to (i) prohibit any landlord that is a public housing authority from requiring a tenant to pay any fees for the maintenance or repair of a dwelling unit unless such repair is necessitated by the tenant's action or omission and (ii) require, if a public housing authority issues a notice of nonpayment of rent to a tenant, such public housing authority to provide the tenant certain information printed on pink or orange paper explaining how the tenant may recertify the tenant's income in accordance with federal law and policy. This bill is identical to HB 2415.
Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program authority; right of entry. Removes the restriction on localities that operate regulated municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4) to only enter on those properties from which a discharge enters their MS4 and allows such localities to, at reasonable times and under reasonable circumstances, enter any establishment or upon any property, public or private, for the purpose of obtaining information or conducting surveys or investigations necessary in the enforcement of the Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program. However, the bill restricts operators of an MS4 that are not a locality, or any duly authorized agent thereof, to only enter on those properties from which a discharge enters their MS4. This bill is identical to HB 2008.
Department of Medical Assistance Services; state pharmacy benefits manager; independent evaluation. Requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services, by July 1, 2026, to select and contract with a third-party administrator to serve as the state pharmacy benefits manager to administer all pharmacy benefits for Medicaid recipients, including recipients enrolled in a managed care organization. The bill enumerates requirements for the Department's contract with the state pharmacy benefits manager. In addition, the bill directs the Department to engage an independent consultant to evaluate the implementation of a contract with a third-party pharmacy benefits manager pursuant to the bill. This bill is identical to HB 2610.
Department of Medical Assistance Services; pregnancy mobile application. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to partner with a mobile pregnancy application to promote awareness of state government maternal and infant health programs and information available to prenatal, pregnant, and postpartum individuals who are eligible for Medicaid. The bill requires the Department to submit a request for proposal within 180 days of the bill's effective date.
Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program authority; right of entry. Removes the restriction on localities that operate regulated municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4) to only enter on those properties from which a discharge enters their MS4 and allows such localities to, at reasonable times and under reasonable circumstances, enter any establishment or upon any property, public or private, for the purpose of obtaining information or conducting surveys or investigations necessary in the enforcement of the Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program. However, the bill restricts operators of an MS4 that are not a locality, or any duly authorized agent thereof, to only enter on those properties from which a discharge enters their MS4. This bill is identical to SB 1093.
Department of Social Services; improving access to and maximizing participation in federal food assistance programs; work group; report. Requires the Department of Social Services to convene a work group to evaluate methods to improve access to and maximize participation in federal public assistance programs relating to assistance with food access and improving food security. The Department shall report the work group's findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committees on Health and Human Services and Appropriations and the Senate Committees on Education and Health and Finance and Appropriations by December 1, 2025.
Civil actions; liability of employer for personal injury or death by wrongful act. Provides that in an action for personal injury or death by wrongful act brought by a vulnerable victim, defined in the bill, against an employee, a finding that the employee's employer is vicariously liable for such employee's conduct shall be based on several factors, including the likelihood of the employee coming into contact with such vulnerable victim and the employer's failure to exercise reasonable care over the employee.
Board of Education; Regulations Governing Allowable Credit for Teaching Experience; certain credit substitution allowance required. Requires the Board of Education to amend its Regulations Governing Allowable Credit for Teaching Experience for the purpose of salary placement credit to provide that teachers in the field of career and technical education, where the licensure requirement calls for occupational work experience beyond the apprenticeship level, may be allowed credit for one year of teaching experience for each one or two years of work experience. The bill contains a reenactment clause.
