Del. Paul Krizek

Casino gaming; limits on required local referendums. Provides that the governing body of any eligible host city that holdsa local referendum on the question of whether casino gaming shouldbe permitted in such city that subsequently fails shall be prohibitedfrom holding another referendum on the same question for a periodof three years from the date of the last referendum.

Department of Environmental Quality; Department of Health; PFAS; identification; monitoring; PFAS Expert Advisory Council established; report. Requires, for every public water system, as defined in the bill, the Department of Health (VDH) to assist the Department of Environmental Quality (the Department) by transferring to the Department quarterly all validated monitoring results available to VDH that indicate PFAS maximum containment level, as defined in the bill, exceedances. In such circumstances, the bill provides that the Department is required to develop and implement a plan to prioritize and conduct PFAS assessments for identifying significant sources of PFAS in such public water system's raw water source or sources. The bill requires any facility, if deemed by the Department to be a potentially significant source of PFAS in the public water system's raw water source, (i) to perform and promptly report the results of quarterly discharge monitoring for one year and (ii) to report to the Department, within 90 days after being directed by the Department, its manufacture or use of PFAS. The bill establishes a PFAS Expert Advisory Committee to assist the Department and VDH in its PFAS-related efforts and requires the Committee to meet at least two times per year through June 30, 2027. The bill requires the Department to annually report certain information to the Governor and the General Assembly by October 1. This bill incorporates HB 245 and is identical to SB 243.

Alcoholic beverage control; advertisements. Directs the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to promulgate regulations that prescribe the terms and conditions under which manufacturers, brokers, importers, and wholesalers may advertise and promote alcoholic beverages via the Internet, social media, direct-to-consumer electronic communication, or other electronic means. This bill is identical to SB 182.

Center for Rural Virginia; name change. Renames the Center for Rural Virginia as the Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr. Center for Rural Virginia. This bill is identical to SB 704.

Alcoholic beverage control; annual mixed beverage performing arts facility licenses; on-and-off premises wine and beer licenses. Defines performing arts facility and sports facility and standardizes the eligibility criteria for annual mixed beverage performing arts facility licenses and on-and-off-premises wine and beer licenses for performing arts food concessionaires. Under current law, the eligibility criteria for such licenses varies by location and includes inconsistent ownership, lease, capacity, and seating requirements. The bill also removes provisions that allow the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to grant annual mixed beverage motor sports facility licenses and motor car sporting event facility licenses and creates an annual mixed beverage sports facility license, which may be granted to persons operating a sports facility or food concessions at a sports facility and would authorize the licensee to sell mixed beverages during any event and immediately subsequent thereto to patrons within all seating areas, concourses, walkways, concession areas, and additional locations designated by the Board (i) in closed containers for off-premises consumption or (ii) in paper, plastic, or similar disposable containers or in single original metal cans for on-premises consumption. This bill is identical to SB 180, SB 400, SB 657, and SB 724.

Alcoholic beverage control; sale and delivery of mixed beverages and pre-mixed wine for off-premises consumption; third-party delivery license; sunset; repeal. Repeals the July 1, 2024, sunset on provisions that allow (i) distillers that have been appointed as agents of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority, mixed beverage restaurant licensees, and limited mixed beverage restaurant licensees to sell mixed beverages for off-premises consumption and (ii) farm winery licensees to sell pre-mixed wine for off-premises consumption. The bill also repeals, effective July 1, 2026, third-party delivery licenses. The bill requires the Authority to convene a work group to review third-party delivery licenses and report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on General Laws and the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by November 15, 2024. This bill is identical to SB 635.

Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program; allocation of funds. Removes the prohibition on the allocation of funds to the Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program unless federal funds are available in an amount that would cover the entire cost of such an allocation. This bill is identical to SB 25.

Consumer protection; transparency in ticketfees; civil penalties. Provides that every ticket of admissionor other evidence of right of entry for admission to a professionalconcert, professional sporting event, or professional theatricalproduction, to which a price is charged, shall bear on its face theprice charged for such ticket or other evidence of right of entryby the person issuing the same or causing the same to be issued.The bill allows for a civil penalty of not less than $1,000 nor morethan $5,000 for each violation.

Commending the Honorable L. Kaye Kory.

Marriage lawful regardless of sex, gender, or race of parties; issuance of marriage license. Provides that no person authorized to issue a marriage license shall deny the issuance of such license to two parties contemplating a lawful marriage on the basis of the sex, gender, or race of the parties. The bill also requires that such lawful marriages be recognized in the Commonwealth regardless of the sex, gender, or race of the parties. The bill provides that religious organizations or members of the clergy acting in their religious capacity shall have the right to refuse to perform any marriage. This bill is identical to SB 101.