Del. Patrick Hope

Towing companies; local authority. Clarifies that the provisions of existing law authorizing localities in Planning District 8 to require towing companies that tow from the county, city, or town to a storage or release location outside of the locality to obtain a permit to do so do not restrict or modify the authority of the locality to require that towing companies that tow and store or release vehicles within the county, city, or town to obtain from the locality a permit to do so.

Courthouse and website posting of notices.Provides that, effective July 1, 2025, if any notice, summons,order, or other official document of any type is required to be postedpursuant to a provision of the Code on or at the front door of acourthouse or on a public bulletin board at a courthouse, it shall constitute compliance with this requirement if such document is(i) posted on the public government website of the locality served by the court or the website of any court, court clerk, sheriff, orcommissioner of accounts of the locality or (ii) posted with suchother documents at or near the principal public entrance to the courthousein a location that is conspicuous to the public and approved by thechief judge of the circuit in which the courthouse is situated. Underthe law as it currently will become effective July 1, 2025, for thewebsite posting the document must be posted on either the publicgovernment website of the locality served by the court or the websiteof the circuit court clerk.

Compensation of court-appointed counsel. Raises the limitation of fees that court-appointed counsel can receive for representation on various offenses in district and circuit courts. The bill also limits the fees charged for the cost of court-appointed counsel or public defender representation to persons determined to be indigent to an amount no greater than the amount such person would have owed if such fees had been assessed on or before June 30, 2024. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025. This bill is identical to SB 356.

Prescription drugs; labels; blind and disabledusers. Requires pharmacies to notify any person receiving a prescription drug that an accessible prescription label is availableupon request at no cost and to provide to individuals who are blind,visually impaired, or otherwise print disabled accessible prescriptionlabels that meet specified accessibility requirements. The bill requiresthe Board of Pharmacy to promulgate regulations implementing theprovisions of the bill no later than April 1, 2025.

Historic preservation. Provides that thefiling of a historic designation application shall stay a localityfrom issuing any permit to raze or demolish a proposed historic landmark,building, or structure until 30 days after the rendering of the finaldecision of the governing body of the locality. The bill also specifies that the affected property owner, the applicant, or any residentof the locality who provided public input on the locality's historicdistrict plan may appeal to the circuit court for review of any finaldecision of the governing body pursuant to such application.

Social Work Licensure Compact. Authorizes Virginia to become a signatory to the Social Work Licensure Compact. The Compact allows social workers who have or are eligible for an active, unencumbered license in the compact member state where they reside to apply for a multistate license. After verifying eligibility, the social worker is granted a multistate license that authorizes practice in all other compact member states. The Compact takes effect when it is enacted by a seventh member state. This bill is identical to HB 326.

Maximum number of judges in each judicial district and circuit. Increases by one the maximum number of authorized juvenile and domestic relations district court judges in the Twentieth and Thirty-first Judicial Districts. The bill also increases by one the maximum number of authorized circuit court judges in the First, Ninth, Fifteenth, and Twenty-fifth Judicial Circuits. This bill is a recommendation of the Committee on District Courts and the Judicial Council of Virginia. This bill incorporates HB 154 and HB 717 and is identical to SB 710.

Local government powers; regulation of tobacco, nicotine, and hemp product retail sale locations. Allows a locality to regulate the retail sale locations of tobacco products, nicotine vapor products, alternative nicotine products, or hemp products intended for smoking for any such retail sale location and may prohibit a retail sale location on property within 1,000 linear feet of a child day center or a public, private, or parochial school.

Firearm safety device tax credit; definition of firearm safety device. Expands the definition of "firearm safety device" as it relates to the firearm safety device tax credit to include any device that, when installed on a firearm, is designed to prevent the firearm from being operated without first deactivating the device. The provisions of the bill are effective for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2024. This bill incorporates HB 945.

Days of operation of clerks' offices; clerks'authority to close office. Allows the clerk of the circuit courtof any county or city to close the clerk's office on (i) ChristmasEve; (ii) any day when such clerk determines that operation of theclerk's office, under prevailing conditions, would constitute a threatto the health and safety of the clerk's office personnel or the generalpublic; (iii) any day or portion of a day that the Governor declaresas a holiday for state employees; and (iv) any day or portion ofa day on which the Governor, Supreme Court, or Judicial Council authorizesstate offices to be closed. Under current law, the clerk may onlyclose the clerk's office once a judge authorizes such clerk to doso.