Library Board; conferral of the honorary degree of patron of letters. Adds arts, humanities, and information science to the fields in which the state Library Board may confer the honorary degree of patron of letters. Currently the fields consist of history and library or archival science.
Baby Food Protection Act; testing and labeling requirements for toxic heavy metals. Prohibits a person from selling, distributing, or offering for sale a baby food product that contains certain toxic heavy metals that exceed the limits established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The bill requires a manufacturer of a baby food product to meet certain testing requirements and include certain information related to toxic heavy metals on the manufacturer's website and on the baby food product. The bill requires a consumer to report a baby food product to the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services if the consumer reasonably believes that the baby food is being sold in the Commonwealth with toxic heavy metals that exceed the limits established by the FDA. The foregoing provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026. The bill also directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to convene a work group to study and make recommendations on the current enforcement of laws related to the presence of toxic heavy metals in baby food products and any further action needed to address the issue of toxic heavy metals in baby food products. The bill requires the work group to report on its findings and recommendations by the first day of the 2026 Regular Session.
Maddy summaryHR 853 is a ceremonial resolution commending Khadijeh Aslankhani for her contributions, with no substantive policy changes or direct impact on legislation. It serves solely as a formal expression of appreciation from the House of Representatives. The bill was passed by voice vote and engrossed without debate, reflecting standard procedural steps for such resolutions. As a commemorative measure, it does not allocate funds, alter laws, or affect any specific group or policy.
Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (HR 861) that formally commends Dr. McKinley L. Price, D.D.S., for his contributions. It does not create any new laws, obligations, or direct impacts on policies or constituents. The resolution serves as a non-binding expression of appreciation from the House of Representatives. It passed the House by voice vote on February 21, 2025.
Maddy summaryThis resolution (HR 884) formally expresses appreciation for the contributions of the Vietnamese American community. It is a symbolic gesture with no legal effect or policy changes, directly addressing the community itself. The bill does not create new obligations, alter laws, or impact government programs. It serves solely to recognize the community's role in the United States.
Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention; creation. Creates the Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention within the Department of Criminal Justice Services. The bill states that the Center will serve as the primary resource for research, best practices, and strategies for the implementation of firearm violence intervention, community-based intervention, and group violence intervention programs designed to reduce violence in communities. The bill also requires that the Center evaluate state and community based violence intervention programs and policies that receive funding through the Center, apply for and accept federal grants, and provide technical assistance. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.
Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements; civil action. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning January 1, 2028. Under the program, benefits are paid to covered individuals, as defined in the bill, for family and medical leave. Funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning January 1, 2027. The bill provides that the amount of a benefit is 80 percent of the employee's average weekly wage, not to exceed 120 percent of the state weekly wage, which amount is required to be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the statewide average weekly wage. The bill caps the duration of paid leave at 12 weeks in any application year and provides self-employed individuals the option of participating in the program.
Importation, sale, manufacture, etc., of assault firearms and certain ammunition feeding devices prohibited; penalties. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, or transfers an assault firearm, as that term is defined in the bill with some exceptions, and prohibits a person who has been convicted of such violation from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm for a period of three years from the date of conviction. The bill provides that an assault firearm does not include any firearm that is an antique firearm, has been rendered permanently inoperable, is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action, or was manufactured before July 1, 2025. The bill also prohibits the sale of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, as that term is defined in the bill. The bill provides that any person who willfully and intentionally (i) sells an assault firearm to another person or (ii) purchases an assault firearm from another person is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and that any person who imports, sells, barters, or transfers a large capacity ammunition feeding device is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill also makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person younger than 21 years of age to import, sell, manufacture, purchase, possess, transport, or transfer an assault firearm regardless of the date of manufacture of such assault firearm with some exceptions. This bill is identical to SB 1181.
Trigger activator definition; penalty. Defines "trigger activator" as a conversion kit, tool, accessory, or device designed to alter the rate of fire of a semi-automatic firearm to mimic automatic weapon fire or used to increase the rate of fire to a rate faster than such semi-automatic firearm not equipped with a conversion kit, tool, accessory, or device. The bill clarifies that "trigger activator" includes a bump stock, trigger crank, hellfire trigger, binary trigger system, burst trigger system, or a copy thereof, but does not include a semi-automatic replacement trigger, designed for use in competitive shooting, that improves performance and functionality over the stock trigger. This bill is identical to SB 886.
Collective bargaining by public employees; exclusive bargaining representatives. Repeals the existing prohibition on collective bargaining by public employees. The bill creates the Public Employee Relations Board, which shall determine appropriate bargaining units and provide for certification and decertification elections for exclusive bargaining representatives of state employees and local government employees. The bill requires public employers and employee organizations that are exclusive bargaining representatives to meet at reasonable times to negotiate in good faith with respect to wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment. The bill repeals a provision that declares that, in any procedure providing for the designation, selection, or authorization of a labor organization to represent employees, the right of an individual employee to vote by secret ballot is a fundamental right that shall be guaranteed from infringement. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 917.
