Del. Holly Seibold

Maddy summaryHJ 659 is a ceremonial resolution commending Mekhi Becton, Sr., for his contributions to the community. It does not create new laws, alter policies, or directly affect any individuals or groups beyond expressing legislative recognition. The resolution passed unanimously in the Senate via voice vote after being introduced and quickly advanced through procedural steps. As a non-binding resolution, it serves only to honor an individual and has no legal or practical impact on governance or public policy.

Campaign finance; prohibited personal use of campaign funds; complaints, hearings, civil penalty, and advisory opinions. Prohibits any person from converting contributions to a candidate or his campaign committee for personal use. Current law only prohibits such conversion of contributions with regard to disbursement of surplus funds at the dissolution of a campaign or political committee. The bill provides that a contribution is considered to have been converted to personal use if the contribution, in whole or in part, is used to fulfill any commitment, obligation, or expense that would exist irrespective of the person's seeking, holding, or maintaining public office but allows a contribution to be used for the ordinary and accepted expenses related to campaigning for or holding elective office, including the use of campaign funds to pay for the candidate's dependent care expenses that are incurred as a direct result of campaign activity. The bill provides that any person subject to the personal use ban may request an advisory opinion from the State Board of Elections on such matters. The foregoing provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. The bill directs the State Board of Elections to adopt emergency regulations similar to those promulgated by the Federal Election Commission to implement the provisions of the bill and to publish an updated summary of Virginia campaign finance law that reflects the State Board of Elections' and Attorney General's guidance on the provisions of such law that prohibit the personal use of campaign funds and any new regulations promulgated by the State Board of Elections. This bill incorporates HB 1686 and is identical to SB 1002.

Health insurance; cost sharing for breast examinations. Prohibits health insurance carriers from imposing cost sharing for diagnostic breast examinations and supplemental breast examinations, as those terms are defined in the bill, under certain insurance policies, subscription contracts, and health care plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in the Commonwealth on and after January 1, 2026. The bill provides that such examinations include examinations using diagnostic mammography, breast magnetic resonance imaging, or breast ultrasound. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Health Insurance Reform Commission. This bill incorporates HB 2133 and is identical to SB 1436.

Driver's licenses and identification cards; indication of non-apparent disability. Adds non-apparent disabilities, defined in the bill, to the list of conditions that the Department of Motor Vehicles, when requested by an applicant and upon presentation of a signed statement by a licensed physician confirming the applicant's condition, is required to indicate on such applicant's driver's license. Such requirement is also extended to identification cards. Such an indication on a person's driver's license allows for the voluntary indication of a disability that can impair communication on a motor vehicle registration.

Institutions of higher education; Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program established; report. Establishes the Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program to address student food insecurity at public institutions of higher education and eligible private institutions of higher education, as defined by the bill. The bill provides that the Program shall be managed by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and available for participation by public institutions of higher education and eligible private institutions of higher education; however, participation in the Program is optional for such institutions. Under the bill, if a public institution of higher education or eligible private institution of higher education satisfies certain criteria set out in the bill, including creating initiatives on campus to address student food insecurity, it will receive a "Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry" designation and the Council will award a grant to such institution. Any such institution that receives a grant under the bill is required to utilize the funds to support on-campus efforts and initiatives to eliminate student food insecurity at such institution through the maintenance and operation of the on-campus food pantry established pursuant to the Program. The bill requires the Council to submit a report to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education no later than two years after the establishment of the Program. This bill is identical to SB 1016.

Commission on Women's Health established; report. Establishes the Commission on Women's Health as a permanent commission in the legislative branch of state government for the purpose of studying and making recommendations on issues related to women's and maternal health. The Commission consists of 15 members, 10 of whom are legislative members and five of whom are nonlegislative citizen members with significant experience or expertise in women's or maternal health policy.

Constitutional amendment (first reference); marriage between two individuals; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; affirmative right to marry. Repeals the constitutional provision defining marriage as only a union between one man and one woman as well as the related provisions that are no longer valid as a result of the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015). The amendment provides that the right to marry is a fundamental right inherent in the liberty of persons and prohibits the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions from denying the issuance of a marriage license to two parties contemplating a lawful marriage on the basis of the sex, gender, or race of such parties. The Commonwealth and its political subdivisions are required to recognize any lawful marriage between two parties and to treat such marriages equally under the law, regardless of the sex, gender, or race of such parties. The amendment provides that religious organizations and clergy acting in their religious capacity have the right to refuse to perform any marriage.

Invasive plant species; retail sales. Requires, for the retail sale of certain invasive plant species for outdoor use, a retail establishment to post in a conspicuous manner on the property located in proximity to each invasive plant signage identifying such plant as invasive, educating consumers regarding invasive plant species, and encouraging consumers to ask about alternatives. The bill requires the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to designate the format, size, and content of such signage no later than October 1, 2025, and requires the Commissioner to issue a stop sale order and mark or tag a plant in a conspicuous manner when an invasive plant is for sale at a retail establishment without appropriate signage. In such case, the bill requires the Commissioner to give written notice of a finding made to the owner, tenant, or person in charge of such retail establishment and requires the stop sale order issued to remain in effect until the required signage is posted. Certain provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 1166.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; terms and conditions of rental agreement; renewal notice. Provides that a landlord who owns more than four rental dwelling units or more than a 10 percent interest in more than four rental dwelling units, whether individually or through a business entity, in the Commonwealth shall be required to provide written notice of nonrenewal to any tenant. This bill is identical to SB 1043.

Certified public accountant; educational requirements. Clarifies education and experience requirements for candidates to qualify for CPA licensure. The bill also provides that, to qualify for practice privileges within the Commonwealth, an individual must have a license in good standing in another jurisdiction and have passed the CPA examination. The bill directs the Board of Accountancy to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. The bill contains technical amendments. This bill is identical to SB 1042.