Directing the Virginia Department of Taxation to prepare a report on local taxation of the craft beer industry in the Commonwealth and report its findings.
Public utilities; discounted water and sewer fees; Town of Bowling Green. Adds the Town of Bowling Green to those localities that may develop criteria for providing discounted water and sewer fees and charges for low-income, elderly, or disabled customers.
Public elementary and secondary schools and public institutions of higher education; certain federal immigration investigation and enforcement activities; certain notifications and prohibitions. Requires, no later than July 1, 2027, and subject to certain enumerated conditions and requirements, (i) the written school crisis, emergency management, and medical emergency response plan for each public elementary or secondary school to include (a) a requirement that whenever the division superintendent confirms that an individual is present on the property of a public elementary or secondary school in the school division to investigate compliance with, enforce, or assist in the investigation for compliance with or enforcement of any federal civil immigration law or any federal criminal immigration law that penalizes an individual's presence in, entry or reentry into, or employment in the United States, each school board employee at such school and the parents of each student enrolled in such school shall be notified of such presence and (b) a prohibition against any individual present on the property of a public elementary or secondary school in the school division to investigate compliance with, enforce, or assist in the investigation for compliance with or enforcement of any federal civil immigration law or any federal criminal immigration law that penalizes an individual's presence in, entry or reentry into, or employment in the United States from accessing any nonpublic area of such school property without a warrant signed by a judge or magistrate and (ii) each public institution of higher education to (a) notify all students, faculty, and staff whenever the institution confirms that an individual is present on campus to investigate compliance with, enforce, or assist in the investigation for compliance with or enforcement of any federal civil immigration law or any federal criminal immigration law that penalizes an individual's presence in, entry or reentry into, or employment in the United States and (b) prohibit any individual present on campus to investigate compliance with, enforce, or assist in the investigation for compliance with or enforcement of any federal civil immigration law or any federal criminal immigration law that penalizes an individual's presence in, entry or reentry into, or employment in the United States from accessing any nonpublic area of campus without a warrant signed by a judge or magistrate.
Certain civil arrests prohibited in courthouses; penalty. Provides that a party who is required to attend any court of the Commonwealth, or such party's family or household member or person attending the court with such party to serve as a witness, shall be privileged from civil arrest, defined in the bill, while attending, going to, or coming from the court. The bill also prohibits a person with the lawful authority to perform civil arrests from entering a courthouse to conduct a civil arrest unless he complies with certain requirements, including presenting a judicial warrant or judicial order authorizing the civil arrest to the appropriate courthouse officer or employee. Additionally, the bill requires that any judicial warrant or judicial order authorizing the civil arrest be reviewed by a designated judicial officer or attorney before a civil arrest pursuant to such warrant or order can be performed. Finally, the bill provides that any person who conducts a civil arrest, or facilitates or assists with the performance of, a civil arrest in violation of the provisions of the bill shall be punished with contempt of court.
Virginia Accountability Commission established. Creates the Virginia Accountability Commission (the Commission). The Commission shall (i) create a public record of the conduct of federal agents and any federal military-style operations throughout the Commonwealth, (ii) examine the impact of that conduct on individuals and communities, and (iii) consider policy recommendations to prevent future harms to these individuals and communities. The bill requires the Commission to provide, not later than January 31, 2027, an initial status report outlining its findings and recommendations to the Governor, and not later than April 30, 2027, any supplementary reports the Commission deems appropriate. The bill provides that the Commission shall be composed of a chair, vice-chair, and up to seven additional members, for a total membership of up to nine uncompensated members, as appointed by the Governor, the House of Delegates, and the Senate. The bill also provides that the term of each Commission member shall expire one year from the date of his appointment, and Commissioners may be reappointed or replaced at the pleasure of the appointing authority. Finally, the bill requires the Office of Civil Rights with the Office of the Attorney General to provide administrative and professional staff support to the operations of the Commission. The Commission may also work with subject matter experts and non-profit organizations as it deems appropriate.
State correctional facilities; visitation privileges; Visitation Enhancement Program established. Establishes the Visitation Enhancement Program (the Program) and requires all state correctional facilities to participate in the Program and provide visitation privileges to inmates in accordance with the standards specified in the bill. The bill provides that all inmates in state correctional facilities shall be classified within one of three phases of the Program, which shall be based on the class level at which the inmate earns good time such as good conduct time, good conduct allowances, or earned sentence credits. The bill specifies certain enhanced visitation privileges permitted for each of the three phases of the Program. The bill also requires visitors be permitted to visit an inmate for at least two hours prior to a visit being terminated due to capacity issues and provides that if the visitation area is at maximum capacity, state correctional facility staff shall ask visitors, on a voluntary basis, to end their visit. The bill states that if a sufficient number of visitors fail to volunteer, staff shall terminate visits, beginning with the first visitors processed, until the required seating or space is available for incoming visitors.
Agencies of the Commonwealth; law-enforcement agencies; employees and officers; agreements with federal authority for immigration enforcement; prohibitions and limitations. Prohibits a state agency or a law-enforcement agency, defined in the bill, from entering into a written agreement authorizing any employee or law-enforcement officer to perform a function of a federal immigration officer. The bill provides that federal immigration laws shall be enforced by a state or local law-enforcement agency of the Commonwealth pursuant to a valid judicial warrant, federal or statutory regulations, or as otherwise required by state law. The bill also prohibits an employee of a state agency or a law-enforcement officer, defined in the bill, from conducting certain actions or inquiries regarding a person's citizenship or immigration status while engaged in the performance of his duties and creates a cause of action for appropriate equitable, injunctive, or declaratory relief against such employee or law-enforcement officer who willfully conducts such actions or inquiries in violation of the provisions of the bill. Finally, the bill requires any state agency or law-enforcement agency that has an existing written agreement with a federal authority to perform federal immigration functions to terminate such written agreement by September 1, 2026.
Middle Eastern and North African Advisory Board established. Establishes the Middle Eastern and North African Advisory Board in the executive branch for the purpose of advising the Governor on ways to develop economic, professional, cultural, educational, and governmental links between the Commonwealth and the Middle Eastern and North African community in Virginia. The bill provides for the expiration of the advisory board on June 30, 2029.
HB 152 designates little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) as the official state grass. This symbolic designation affects state representation in official contexts, such as state symbols and promotional materials. The bill creates no new laws, funding, or practical obligations; it solely updates the state's official emblem list. It is a procedural measure with no direct impact on residents or policy implementation.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 26 of Title 2.2 an article numbered 16.1, consisting of sections numbered 2.2-2649.1 through 2.2-2649.4, relating to Children's Cabinet established; report.
HB 415 designates the pawpaw fruit (Asimina triloba) as the official state fruit of the state. This ceremonial bill would formally recognize the pawpaw - a native fruit - through an official emblem designation, with no direct impact on laws, regulations, or specific groups. It is currently pending in the legislature, having been referred to committee and continued to the next session. The bill does not create new policies or affect daily life, as it solely updates symbolic state emblems.
Judicial Council of Virginia; work group to study the implementation of provisions to improve procedures for and responses to victims of family abuse and their children in child custody proceedings; report. Directs the Judicial Council of Virginia to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to study the implementation of provisions to improve procedures for and responses to victims of family abuse and their children in child custody proceedings. The bill requires the work group to submit its findings and recommendations by November 1, 2026, to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice.
