Rep. Josh Thomas

Commending Master Sergeant Stephen Drakes, VAANG.

Commending Peter A. Blake.

Commending Technical Sergeant Jacquelyn N. Montoya,VA ANG.

Commending Staff Sergeant Britney Phillips,VA ANG.

Celebrating the life of Michelle Antonette Leete.

Commending Senior Airman Kostiantyn Khymchenko,USAF.

Siting of data centers; site assessment. Requires a locality, prior to any approval for the siting of a datacenter, to perform a site assessment to examine the effect of thedata center on water usage and carbon emissions as well as any impactson agricultural resources within the locality.

Institutions of higher education; tuition grants; Virginia National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program. Makes several changes to the Virginia National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program, including (i) making the provisions relating to the requirements and conditions for eligibility for and award of grants under the Program subject to regulations as prescribed by the Adjutant General, (ii) eliminating the requirement to satisfy financial obligations with the institution of higher education at the beginning of each semester, (iii) simplifying the requirements relating to academic performance and good standing, and (iv) providing that any grant awarded shall be in an amount equivalent to the difference between the full cost of tuition and fees at the institution of higher education less any other educational benefits for which an individual is eligible as a member of the National Guard.

Motor vehicle sales and use tax; exemptions;transfers; limited liability companies. Provides that no motor vehicle sales and use tax shall be imposed on vehicle transfers from(i) an individual, partnership, or limited liability company to acorporation or limited liability company or (ii) from a corporationor limited liability company to an individual, partnership, or limitedliability company if (a) the transfer is incidental to the formation,organization, or dissolution of a corporation or limited liabilitycompany in which the individual, partnership, or limited liabilitycompany holds the majority interest in both entities and (b) thetransfer to a limited liability company is not a precursor to a transferof control of the assets of the company to avoid motor vehicle salesand use taxes. Under current law,transfers from (1) an individual or partnership to a corporationor limited liability company or (2) from a corporation or limitedliability company to an individual or partnership are exempt fromthe motor vehicle sales and use tax if the transfer is incidentalto the formation, organization, or dissolution of a corporation orlimited liability company in which the individual or partnershipholds the majority interest.

Early childhood care and education; publicly funded providers. Provides that any locality wishing to participate in the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) must submit a proposal by May 15 of each year identifying a lead VPI agency responsible for developing a local plan for the delivery of preschool services to at-risk children. A local match based on the composite index of local ability to pay is required to fund such a proposal. The proposal must include the number of at-risk four-year-olds and three-year-olds to be served and eligibility criteria for participation. Upon acceptance, the Department will disburse state VPI funds to the lead VPI agency in such localities, which may be used with local matching funds to provide preschool education, health services, social services, parental involvement services, and transportation. The Department must establish academic standards for VPI programs that prepare students to successfully enter kindergarten. Full day VPI programs must operate for a minimum of five and a half instructional hours per day, while half day VPI programs operate for a minimum of three instructional hours per day. The bill requires the Department of Education to collect information from VPI and the Mixed Delivery Grant Program to compile a comprehensive report on the use of state funds, including the number of slots and funding allocated to each local program or provider and the number of slots that have been filled. The bill codifies the Child Care Subsidy Program, which is currently established pursuant to regulations of the Board of Education, for the purpose of assisting families who meet certain eligibility criteria with the cost of child care provided by approved vendors. The bill requires the Child Care Subsidy Program to be overseen by the Department of Education and permits the Department to contract with state and local agencies to administer the Program. The bill requires the Department and Board of Education, as applicable, to establish rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and standards for the Program. The bill also codifies the Mixed Delivery Grant Program, which is currently established pursuant to the general appropriation act, for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to local public entities that enter into partnerships with local private early childhood care and education entities and other community organizations, as applicable, to provide, under the direction and leadership of a lead agency identified in the grant proposal, high-quality care and education, either part time or full time, for at-risk infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children who reside in the locality. The bill requires the Mixed Delivery Grant Program to be administered by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation in partnership with the Department of Education and, consistent with any provisions relating to the Program in the general appropriation act, requires the Foundation and the Department to establish policies, procedures, and standards for the Program.