Rep. J.J. Singh

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJ 360) is a ceremonial resolution commending the Loudoun Therapeutic Riding Center for its work supporting individuals with disabilities through therapeutic horseback riding programs. It has no policy provisions or direct impact on laws, funding, or regulations; it simply expresses legislative recognition of the center's community service. The resolution passed unanimously in both the Senate and House via voice vote in February 2025 and will be recorded in the official legislative journals. As a commemorative measure, it does not affect any laws or require implementation.

Pilot program for underground  transmission lines; qualifying projects. Authorizes the State Corporation Commission to, in reviewing any application submitted by a public utility for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction of an electrical transmission line of 500 kilovolts filed between January 2025 and July 2032, approve up to two applications for qualifying projects to be constructed in whole or in part underground as part of the pilot program for underground transmission lines and to provide an expedited review of any such application. The bill removes certain provisions related to the existing pilot program. Under the bill, a project shall be qualified if an engineering analysis demonstrates that it is technically feasible, if the applicant provides an overall cost of the project and its impact on electric service rates, and if the governing body of each locality in which a portion of the proposed line will be placed underground indicates support for the transmission line to be placed underground. The bill permits the Commission to deny an application for a project that otherwise meets the criteria to qualify, provided that the Commission shares its rationale for doing so. Additionally, rather than assigning certain costs to be recovered by Virginia jurisdictional customers, the bill requires that such costs be allocated by the Commission in a manner that is just and reasonable for customers.

Employment health and safety standards; heat illness prevention. Requires the Safety and Health Codes Board to adopt regulations establishing reasonable standards designed to protect employees from heat illness and establish a list of high-hazard industries, as defined in the bill. The bill authorizes a person aggrieved by a violation of its provisions or the regulations promulgated thereunder to seek to obtain injunctive relief, to recover statutory damages of $1000, or both, in an action commenced within one year of the cause of action. The bill requires the Safety and Health Codes Board, in consultation with the Department of Labor and Industry, to develop a list of high-hazard industries by January 1, 2026, and to develop and adopt regulations requiring employers in high-hazard industries to implement standards for heat illness prevention by May 1, 2026.

First-time Homebuyer Grant Program. Establishes a First-time Homebuyer Grant Program for the purpose of assisting first-time homebuyers with first-time homebuyer expenses, as those terms are defined in the bill. The bill provides that the Department of Housing and Community Development shall award eligible first-time homebuyers a grant in an amount equal to five percent of such expenses incurred during a calendar year, not to exceed $10,000. Any grant awarded pursuant to the Program shall be repaid to the Commonwealth if the property for which expenses were incurred is sold within three years from the purchase date, unless the sale is made following a natural disaster or other act of God.

Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; civil penalty. Provides that no person shall leave, place, or store a handgun in an unattended motor vehicle, as defined in the bill, when such handgun is visible to any person who is outside such unattended motor vehicle. The bill provides that any person violating such prohibition is subject to a civil penalty of no more than $500 and that such unattended motor vehicle may be subject to removal for safekeeping.

Library boards; removal of members; appeal. Provides that the procedure for removal of a library board member shall include a right of appeal by the member to the circuit court within 30 days of a decision to remove such member.

History Education Advisory Board established. Establishes the 32-member History Education Advisory Board to advise the Governor, his cabinet members, the Board of Education, and the General Assembly on the current ways in which African American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latino, Indigenous, Women's, and LGBTQ+ history are described in the relevant Standards of Learning and associated curriculum frameworks; how that content is taught in classrooms; and strategies to develop African American history and social studies elective courses, Asian American and Pacific Islander history and social studies elective courses, Latino history and social studies elective courses, Indigenous history and social studies elective courses, Women's history and social studies elective courses, and LGBTQ+ history and social studies elective courses.

Virginia Commission on Lynching Sites Memorialization established; report. Establishes the Virginia Commission on Lynching Sites Memorialization as an advisory commission in the executive branch of state government. The purpose of the 15-member Commission is to acknowledge the history of racial violence in Virginia through the placement of historical markers at the sites of lynchings. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2028.

Study; JLARC; cost efficiency of public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to study the cost efficiency of public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth and to identify opportunities to reduce the cost of public higher education in the Commonwealth. In conducting this study, JLARC is directed to examine the full range of costs for in-state tuition and room and board at each public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth, to compare and consider the amount of funding appropriated by the state to each public institution of higher education since 2012, and to provide a comprehensive update on the status of the implementation of its recommendations pursuant to House Joint Resolution 108 (2012). The resolution requires JLARC to complete its meetings for the first year by November 30, 2025, and for the second year by November 30, 2026, and requires the chairman to submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly for each year.

Designating or nominating historic landmarks; notice requirements. Removes the requirements for the Department of Historic Resources to provide written notice to an owner or his agent of property abutting or immediately across the street or road of property proposed to be designated or nominated as a historic landmark. The bill directs the Department to schedule a public hearing at the seat of government of the locality in which the property proposed to be designated or nominated as a historic landmark is located at a time and place that will allow for the attendance of the affected general public. Current law applies such time and place requirements only for affected property owners. Finally, the bill changes the time in which the Department must specify the time and place of the public notice published in the newspaper having general circulation in the locality from not less than six days nor more than 21 days after the second publication of the notice to not more than 30 days and not less than seven days before the public hearing.