Virginia local journalism sustainability taxcredits. Creates a nonrefundable income tax credit for eligiblelocal newspaper publishers, defined in the bill, for compensationpaid to local news journalists. The credit is equal to (i) for thefirst taxable year in which the credit is claimed, the lesser of10 percent of the actual amounts paid in wages to local news journalistsduring such taxable year or $5,000 and (ii) in subsequent taxableyears, the lesser of five percent of the actual amounts paid in wagesto local news journalists during such taxable year or $2,500. Thecredit includes an aggregate cap of $5 million per taxable year. The bill also creates a nonrefundable incometax credit for eligible small businesses with fewer than 50 employeesfor certain expenses incurred for local media advertising in a localnewspaper or in a broadcast of a local radio or television station.The credit is equal to (i) for the first taxable year in which thecredit is claimed, the lesser of 80 percent of the actual amountspaid or incurred for qualified local media advertising expenses or$4,000 and (ii) in subsequent taxable years, the lesser of 50 percentof the actual amounts paid or incurred for qualified local mediaadvertising expenses during such taxable year or $2,000. The creditincludes an aggregate cap of $10 million per taxable year. Each of the credits may be claimed in taxableyears beginning on and after January 1, 2024, but before January 1, 2029.
Sponsored bills
Student safety and discipline; certain reportsto school principals and division superintendents; form and scope.Requires local law-enforcement authorities to prepare in writingand provide to the principal or his designee and the division superintendent a report on (i) any suspected offense, offense for which any chargehas been filed, or offense that is subject to investigation that was committed or is suspected to have been committed by a student enrolled at the school if the offense would be (a) a felony if committedby an adult, (b) a violation of the Drug Control Act and occurredon a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity,or (c) an adult misdemeanor involving certain enumerated incidentsand (ii) whether the student is released to the custody of his parentor, if 18 years of age or older, is released on bond. The bill requires division superintendents to report all such incidents to the Departmentof Education in an annual report that is made available to the public. Current law does not require such reports to be in writing and onlyapplies to student offenses but does not specify whether such reportsare required to be made for student offenses that are suspected,charged, or subject to investigation.
Child Care Subsidy Program vendors; basis forperiodic reimbursement. Requires the Department of Educationto periodically reimburse child care providers that are vendors through the Child Care Subsidy Program on the basis of authorizedchild enrollment but provides that if any such enrolled child isabsent from the provider for 10 or more days during one month, theDepartment shall periodically reimburse such provider on the basisof such child's attendance.
Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitiveand sustained physical stressors. Provides that, for the purposesof the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act, "occupational disease"includes injuries or diseases from conditions resulting from repetitiveand sustained physical stressors, including repetitive and sustainedmotions, exertions, posture stresses, contact stresses, vibrations,or noises. The bill provides that such injuries or diseases are coveredunder the Act and that such coverage does not require that such repetitiveor sustained physical stress occurred over a particular time period,provided that the time period over which such physical stress occurredcan be reasonably identified.
Board of Medicine; continuing education; implicitbias and cultural competency in health care. Requires the Boardof Medicine to adopt and implement policies that require each practitionerlicensed by the Board who has direct contact with persons who areor may become pregnant to complete two hours of continuing educationrelated to implicit bias, defined in the bill, and cultural competencyin health care at least once every other license renewal cycle.
Commending Sandra Gioia Treadway.
Stillbirth Support Grant Program. Establishesthe Stillbirth Support Grant Program for the purpose of providinggrants to individuals who delivered a stillborn child, as definedby the bill, to assist with out-of-pocket costs associated with suchdelivery. Under the bill, an application for such a grant must besubmitted within the same calendar year as such delivery of a stillborn child occurs.
Department of Environmental Quality; enforcementof regulations; Clean Water Act; cooling water intakes at power plants.Requires the Department of Environmental Quality to promptly enforcefederal regulations implementing a provision of the federal CleanWater Act for cooling water intakes at power plants to reduce negativeimpacts on fish populations in the waters of the Commonwealth.
Stillbirth Support Grant Program. Establishesthe Stillbirth Support Grant Program for the purpose of providinggrants to individuals who delivered a stillborn child, as definedby the bill, to assist with out-of-pocket costs associated with suchdelivery. Under the bill, an application for such a grant must besubmitted within the same calendar year as such delivery of a stillborn child occurs.
Local government; installation of water-basedfire protection systems in new townhouse construction. Permitsa locality to allow the installation of automatic water-based fireprotection systems in new townhouse construction. The bill providesthat such ordinance shall require that the installation be completedin compliance with standards, requirements, and specifications forthe installation of an automatic water-based fire protection systemas prescribed by the National Fire Protection Association's NFPA13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems; NFPA13R, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in Low-RiseResidential Occupancies; or NFPA 13D, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellingsand Manufactured Homes in accordance with the Uniform StatewideBuilding Code.