Del. Tony Wilt

Celebrating the life of the Honorable RobertTata.

Commending the Riverheads High School footballteam.

Electric utilities; recovery of costs; rateadjustment clause proceedings; construction or acquisition of certainfacilities. Provides that in any proceeding regarding petitionsfor a rate adjustment clause, the State Corporation Commission may, as an alternative to a rate adjustment clause, authorize recoveryof any proposed cost through the utility's rates for generation anddistribution services, if the Commission, in its discretion, determinesthat such cost recovery better serves ratepayers while still providingthe utility the opportunity to recover its costs and earn a fairrate of return. Additionally, the bill prohibits the Commission fromapproving the recovery of costs related to the construction or acquisitionof generation facilities powered by sunlight or onshore or offshorewind, or energy storage facilities, that are constructed or acquiredby a Phase I or Phase II Utility after July 1, 2022, unless the Commissiondetermines that the construction or acquisition of such facilitiesis (i) necessary to maintain the reliability or security of electricservice to customers or meet the renewable energy portfolio standard(RPS) program requirements established in this section and (ii) isthe lowest-cost option to maintain the reliability or security ofelectric service to customers or meet the RPS program requirements.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable ArthurR. Giesen, Jr.

Commending the Honorable M. Kirkland Cox.

Dairy Producer Margin Coverage Premium Assistance Program. Directs the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to establish and administer the Dairy Producer Margin Coverage Premium Assistance Program (the Program). The bill provides that any dairy farmer that has a resource management plan or nutrient management plan and participates in the federal margin coverage program for dairy producers at the tier I level as contained in the federal Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 is eligible to participate in the Program. Under the bill, each year a Program participant will receive a refund of its annual premium payment paid into the federal program. Such reimbursement shall be provided on a first-come, first-served basis and shall be subject to availability of funds expressly appropriated for the purposes set forth in the chapter. The Commissioner shall submit an annual report no later than December 1 of each year to the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources assessing the effectiveness of the Program.

Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program; handbook. Establishes the Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program (the Fund and Program). The bill provides that no allocation of funds shall be made to the Fund or Program unless federal funds are available to cover the cost of such allocation. The Fund and Program shall be administered by the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy for the purpose of awarding grants to renewable energy projects that are located on brownfields or previously coal mined lands, both defined in the bill. Grants are to be awarded on a basis of $500 per kilowatt of nameplate capacity from renewable energy sources that are located on previously coal mined lands and $100 per kilowatt of nameplate capacity from renewable energy sources that are located on brownfields. No more than $10 million shall be awarded to any previously coal mined lands project and no more than $5 million to any single brownfield project. No more than $35 million shall be allocated per year by the grant program. Of the $35 million, $20 million shall be reserved for previously coal mined lands projects. If less than $20 million is distributed to such projects, the remaining funds may be reallocated to brownfield projects. The bill also provides that the Department shall, in consultation with stakeholders, develop a handbook for renewable energy and energy storage development on brownfields and previously coal mined lands. Finally, the bill requires the Department to submit an annual report regarding administration of the Fund and Program to the General Assembly. However, the annual report shall not be required if the Fund and Program are not funded.

Board of Education; definition of "traumaticbrain injury." Requires the Board of Education to amend its regulatory definition of "traumatic brain injury," for the purpose of the provision of special education for children with disabilities, to include anacquired injury to the brain caused by a medical condition, includingstroke, anoxia, infectious disease, aneurysm, brain tumors, and neurological insults resulting from medical or surgical treatments. The current regulatory definition of "traumatic brain injury" includes only an acquired brain injury caused by an external physical force.

Concealed handgun permits; demonstration of competence; emergency. Provides that any applicant for a concealed handgun permit who completed an online course to demonstrate competence with a handgun and contacted the circuit court clerk's office prior to January 1, 2021, but was prohibited from appearing in person at a circuit court clerk's office because of COVID-19 restrictions is eligible to apply for such permit through April 30, 2021. The bill contains an emergency clause.

Tax credit; agricultural best management practices. Creates an enhanced individual and corporate income tax credit beginning in taxable year 2021 for the implementation of certain agricultural best management practices by the taxpayer that are required as part of a certified resource management plan. The enhanced tax credit is equal to 50 percent of the first $100,000 expended in implementing certain agricultural best management practices, and each amount shall be consistent with the rate offered for each eligible practice under the Virginia Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program. The bill retains a tax credit for 25 percent of expenses made for all other agricultural best management practices that are not eligible for the enhanced credit rate, but increases the maximum amount of expenses to which one can apply the 25 percent credit from $70,000 to $100,000. A taxpayer may not claim credit for the same practice in the same management area under both the 25 percent and enhanced 50 percent credits. The aggregate per taxpayer amount of credit claimed shall not exceed $75,000. The total combined amount of credits shall not exceed $2 million annually.