Del. Paul Krizek

Solar-ready roof requirements for state agencies and localities; energy-positive building design for schools. Requires any executive branch agency or institution and any locality entering the design phase for the construction of a new building greater than 5,000 gross square feet in size, or the renovation of a building where the cost of the renovation exceeds 50 percent of the value of the building, to ensure that such building includes a solar-ready roof, defined in the bill as having the structural capability to accept the increased load from solar panels, proper sizing of the electrical panel, installation of conduit and wire from the roof to the electrical panel, use of solar-appropriate roof membranes and other roofing materials, and clustering of vents and non-solar equipment to maximize available space for solar panels. However, the provisions of the bill do not apply to localities with a population of less than 100,000 until July 1, 2023. The bill also requires new public school buildings and facilities, and improvements and renovations to existing public school buildings and facilities where the cost of the renovation exceeds 50 percent of the value of the building to be designed, constructed, maintained, and operated to generate more electricity than consumed.

Study; JLARC; whether a stand-alone gaming oversightagency would allow for more focused oversight of all types of legalgaming in the Commonwealth and alleviate potential conflicts of interest;report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commissionto study whether a stand-alone gaming oversight agency would allowfor more focused oversight of all types of legal gaming in the Commonwealthand alleviate potential conflicts of interest by (i) evaluating whetherthe current oversight and regulatory structure of the different typesof legal gaming result in varying compliance standards with regardto similar gaming devices which could unintentionally cause a competitiveadvantage to one industry over another; (ii) reporting on the currentcosts for each existing gaming oversight agency to regulate the gamingfor which it is responsible; (iii) determining whether the overallcosts to oversee, regulate, and enforce violations of legal gamingin the Commonwealth would be lower if all such types of gaming were housed under a stand-alone gaming oversight agency; (iv) conductingresearch to determine potential methods of housing, and the stepsnecessary to house, all legalized gaming under a stand-alone gamingoversight agency; and (v) determining the potential necessity forand specific composition of a centralized gaming oversight boardthat would best ensure compliance with ethical requirements and asubstantial decrease in the number of potential conflicts of interest.

Study; Apprenticeship Council; electric vehicle charging infrastructure apprenticeship programs; report. Requests the Virginia Apprenticeship Council to study the need for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and maintenance and repair of EV infrastructure apprenticeship programs in the Commonwealth, noting the stated goal of the Commonwealth to reduce carbon emissions intensity across all sectors, including the transportation industry. In conducting its study, the Apprenticeship Council should consider a number of factors in studying the need for such apprenticeship programs. The Apprenticeship Council is further requested to report the results of an in-depth study of similar apprenticeship programs in other states to the General Assembly and to convene a stakeholder advisory group to discuss the need for electric vehicle charging infrastructure apprenticeship programs in the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Apprenticeship Council to complete its meetings by November 30, 2022, and report its findings to the Governor and the Chairmen of the Senate Committees on Education and Health and Commerce and Labor and the House Committees on Education and Labor and Commerce.

Anti-Human Trafficking and Survivor Trust Fund.Creates the Anti-Human Trafficking and Survivor Trust Fund, whichshall be administered by a Board of Trustees and used for the supportand development of services for the prevention of human traffickingand the treatment and support of human trafficking victims.

Native plant species; state agencies. Directsthe Secretaries of Natural and Historic Resources, Agriculture andForestry, and Administration to coordinate the development of strategicactions for state agencies to take to prioritize the use of nativeplant species on state properties.

Exhaust systems; excessive noise. Prohibitsany individual from operating a motor vehicle with a gross weightof 10,000 pounds or less with an exhaust system that emits noise equivalentto noise in excess of 85 decibels measured from a distance of 50 feet.The bill also allows the governing body of any county, city, or town located within the Northern Virginia Planning District to provideby ordinance that no person shall operate any motor vehicle on a highway or on public or private property within 500 feet of any residential district unless such motor vehicle is equipped with an exhaust systemof a type installed as standard equipment, or comparable to thatdesigned for use on that particular vehicle or device as standardfactory equipment, in good working order and in constant operationto prevent excessive noise. The bill also requires the Superintendentof State Police to promulgate regulations for the inspection of motorvehicles to ensure that no motor vehicle is equipped with a guttedmuffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust or any mechanical orelectronic device that creates or amplifies noise emitted by themotor vehicle that is louder than the noise emitted by such motor vehicle as originally manufactured.

Constitutional amendment (second reference);marriage; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; affirmative rightto marry. Repeals the constitutional provision defining marriageas only a union between one man and one woman as well as the relatedprovisions that are no longer valid as a result of the United StatesSupreme 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 requires the Commonwealthand its political subdivisions and agents to issue marriage licenses,recognize marriages, and treat all marriages equally under the law,regardless of the sex or gender of the parties to the marriage. Religiousorganizations and clergy acting in their religious capacity havethe right to refuse to perform any marriage.

Public institutions of higher education; admission, in-state tuition, and tuition waivers; members of certain AmericanIndian tribes. Requires each public institution of higher educationto establish and implement an admissions policy whereby a certainnumber of annual offers of student admission is reserved for individualswho are members of a state-recognized or federally recognized American Indian tribe that is headquartered in the Commonwealth. The billdeclares eligible for in-state tuition charges regardless of domicileany non-Virginia student who is a member of a state-recognized or federally recognized American Indian tribe that is headquarteredin the Commonwealth. The bill also provides that any student whois a member of a state-recognized or federally recognized AmericanIndian tribe headquartered in the Commonwealth and who has been admittedto a public institution of higher education is eligible for a tuitionwaiver up to the amount necessary to cover the last-dollar cost ofthe institution's in-state tuition and mandatory fees after all other federal and state financial aid to which the student is entitledis taken into account.

Repair and maintenance of existing shorelineimprovements. Provides that no regulation shall require the replacementof an existing shoreline improvement with a living shoreline if theapplication is to restore or maintain the existing improvement andthat no permitting decision shall require the replacement of an existingshoreline improvement if the living shoreline would substantiallydetract from established use and enjoyment of the property. The billalso provides that, for purposes of a wetlands permit, a projectshall be deemed not suitable for a living shoreline if the proposedwork is to maintain or repair an existing shoreline improvement.

Department of Historic Resources; Tribal OutreachLiaison. Adds to the powers and duties of the Director of theDepartment of Historic Resources the appointment of a full-time TribalOutreach Liaison.