Del. Paul Krizek

Commission on Updating Virginia Law to Reflect Federal Recognition of Virginia Tribes; established; report. Establishes the Commission on Updating Virginia Law to Reflect Federal Recognition of Virginia Tribes in the legislative branch of state government for the purpose of performing a comprehensive review of Virginia law to assess ways in which it must be revised to include federally recognized Tribal Nations located in the Commonwealth as distinct governments with the right to exercise general sovereignty and powers of government. The Commission is required to submit an annual report on its interim activities and work by the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2024.

Enforcement of illegal gaming laws; CharitableGaming Fund established. Establishes the Charitable Gaming Fund(the Fund) as the receiver of all fees and penalties collected bythe Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (the Department)in its administration of charitable gaming laws. The bill allocates 50 percent of the collected funds to the Department to fund itscosts of administering charitable gaming laws; five percent to the Virginia Lottery to fund the costs of the Illegal Gaming Enforcement Coordinator, a position created at the Virginia Lottery by the bill;one percent to the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund; and44 percent to the general fund. Thebill charges the Illegal Gaming Enforcement Coordinator with coordinatinglocal, state, and federal enforcement of illegal gaming laws andwith establishing a tip line for members of the public to reportconcerns about illegal gaming.

Virginia Land Conservation Foundation and Fund.Directs the Governor to include a $40 million recommended appropriationto the Virginia Land Conservation Fund in the budget bill or amendmentsthereto each year. Currently, the Governor is directed to includean amount based on a formula set forth in the Code. The bill makesvarious changes to the allocation and use of funds for grants fromthe Virginia Land Conservation Fund, including allowing grants tobe made to state-recognized and federally recognized Virginia IndianTribes, and requires that at least one nonlegislative citizen memberof the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation Board of Trustees bea member of a state-recognized or federally recognized Virginia Indian Tribe.

Enforcement of illegal gaming laws; Charitable Gaming Fund established. Establishes the Charitable Gaming Fund (the Fund) as the depository of all fees and penalties collected by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (the Department) in its administration of charitable gaming laws. The bill allocates 50 percent of the collected funds to the Department to fund its costs of administering charitable gaming laws; five percent to the Virginia Lottery to fund the costs of the Illegal Gaming Enforcement Coordinator, a position created at the Virginia Lottery by the bill; one percent to the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund; and 44 percent to the general fund.The bill charges the Illegal Gaming Enforcement Coordinator with coordinating local, state, and federal enforcement of illegal gaming laws, defined as laws regulating gambling, charitable gaming, lottery games, sports betting, casino gaming, fantasy contests, and horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering, and with establishing a tip line for members of the public to report concerns about illegal gaming. The bill (i) directs the Department, under certain circumstances, to revise the fees levied by it for placement into the Fund so that the fees are sufficient but not excessive to cover the costs of administration and enforcement of charitable gaming laws and (ii) provides that beginning on July 1, 2024, 95 percent of moneys in the Fund shall be allocated to the Department to fund its costs of administering charitable gaming laws and five percent to the Virginia Lottery to fund the costs of the office of the Illegal Gaming Enforcement Coordinator.