Parental Choice Education Savings Accounts established.Permits the parents of qualified students, defined in the bill, to apply to the school division in which the qualified student residesfor a one-year, renewable Parental Choice Education Savings Accountthat consists of an amount that is equivalent to a certain percentage of all applicable annual Standards of Quality per pupil state funds appropriated for public school purposes and apportioned to the residentschool division in which the qualified student resides, includingthe per pupil share of state sales tax funding in basic aid and any state per pupil share of special education funding for which thequalified student is eligible. The bill permits the parent of thequalified student to use the moneys in such account for certain education-relatedexpenses of the qualified student, including tuition, deposits, fees,and required textbooks at a private elementary school or secondaryschool that is located in the Commonwealth. The bill also contains provisions relating to auditing, rescinding, and reviewing expensesmade from such accounts.
Sponsored bills
Coastal Virginia Resiliency Authority; established.Establishes the Coastal Virginia Resiliency Authority (the Authority)as a body politic and corporate, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth.The bill provides that the Authority shall be governed by a 17 memberBoard of Directors as follows: (i) the Secretary of Natural and HistoricResources or his designee; (ii) the Secretary of Transportation orhis designee; (iii) the Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture,Conservation and Natural Resources or his designee; (iv) the Chairof the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resourcesor his designee; (v) a member of the Senate appointed by the SenateCommittee on Rules; (vi) three members of the House of Delegatesappointed by the Speaker of the House; (vii) an Officer, defined inthe bill, from the each of the Hampton Roads, Crater, Richmond Region, Middle Peninsula, Northern Neck, and Accomack-Northampton PlanningDistrict Commissions selected by the Governor; and (viii) threenonlegislative members who reside in the Hampton Roads, Crater, Richmond Region, Middle Peninsula, Northern Neck, or Accomack-NorthamptonPlanning District Commissions appointed by the Joint Rules Committee.Certain portions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January1, 2023.
Certified pollution control equipment; certificationby subdivisions. Provides that for pollution control equipmentto be used as part of a political subdivision's water, wastewater,stormwater, or solid waste management facilities or systems, suchequipment may be certified by the political subdivision itself insteadof by the state certifying authority. This bill is identical to SB684.
World Polio Day. Designates October 24,in 2022 and in each succeeding year, as World Polio Day in Virginia.
Girl Scout Week. Designates the week ofMarch 12, in 2022 and in each succeeding year, as Girl Scout Weekin Virginia.
Rate of tax on gasoline and diesel fuel. Lowers the rate of tax on gasoline and diesel fuel on July 1, 2022, from 26.2 cents per gallon to 21.2 cents per gallon on gasoline and from 27 cents per gallon to 20.2 cents per gallon on diesel fuel, the rates that were in effect before July 1, 2021. The bill provides that the rate of tax on gasoline and diesel fuel will return to 26.2 and 27 cents per gallon, respectively, on July 1, 2023, and will be indexed based on the change in the United States Average Consumer Price Index for both 2021 and 2022; thereafter, the rate will be indexed annually.
Income tax; standard deduction. Increasesthe standard deduction, starting with taxable year 2022, from $4,500to $9,000 for single filers and from $9,000 to $18,000 for married filers (one-half of such amount in the case of a married individualfiling a separate return). The increase would remain in effect fortaxable years 2026 and after, when, under current law, the standard deduction is scheduled to be reduced to $3,000 for single filersand to $6,000 for married filers.
Attorney General; instituting or conductingcriminal prosecutions for certain acts of violence. Authorizesthe Attorney General to institute or conduct criminal prosecutionsin cases involving a violation of the criminal laws for certain actsof violence when such prosecution is requested by the sheriff orchief of police investigating the violation. The bill also providesthat prior to instituting or conducting a criminal prosecution forsuch cases, the Attorney General shall give notice to the local attorneyfor the Commonwealth where such violation occurred of his intentto institute or conduct such criminal prosecution.
Firearms; removal from persons posing substantialrisk; penalties. Repeals the procedure by which any attorney for the Commonwealth or law-enforcement officer may apply to a generaldistrict court, circuit court, or juvenile and domestic relationsdistrict court judge or magistrate for an emergency substantial riskorder to prohibit a person who poses a substantial risk of injuryto himself or others from purchasing, possessing, or transportinga firearm. The bill also removes the substantial risk order registryfor the entry of orders issued.
Admission to bail; rebuttable presumptions againstbail. Creates a rebuttable presumption against bail for certaincriminal offenses enumerated in the bill and for persons identifiedas being illegally present in the United States by U.S. Immigrationand Customs Enforcement who are charged with certain offenses. Thebill also requires the court to consider specified factors when determiningwhether the presumption against bail has been rebutted and whetherthere are appropriate conditions of release.