Rep. Kaye Kory

Comprehensive plan; substantial accord; parks. Clarifies provisions related to whether certain public facilities are substantially in accord with the adopted comprehensive plan by adding parks to the types of public uses that may, with certain types of land use applications, be excepted from the requirement for submittal to and approval by the planning commission or the governing body for the purpose of determining substantial accord.

Central Virginia Transportation Authority; membership.Adds the Chief Executive Officer of the Capital Region Airport Commissionas an ex officio, nonvoting member of the Central Virginia TransportationAuthority. This bill is identical to SB 476.

Private family leave insurance. Establishes family leave insurance as a class of insurance. The bill defines "family leave insurance" as an insurance policy issued to an employer related to a benefit program provided to an employee to pay for the employee's income loss due to (i) the birth of a child or adoption of a child by the employee; (ii) placement of a child with the employee for foster care; (iii) care of a family member of the employee who has a serious health condition; or (iv) circumstances arising out of the fact that the employee's family member who is a service member is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty. Under the bill, family leave insurance may be written as an amendment or rider to a group disability income policy, included in a group disability income policy, or written as a separate group insurance policy purchased by an employer. The bill prohibits delivery or issue for delivery of a family leave insurance policy unless a copy of the form and the rate manual showing rates, rules, and classification of risks have been filed with the State Corporation Commission. The bill prohibits an individual certificate and enrollment form from being used in connection with a group family leave insurance policy unless the form for the certificate and enrollment form have been filed with the Commission. The bill provides that "life and annuities insurance agent" means an agent licensed in the Commonwealth to sell, solicit, or negotiate, among other types of insurance, family leave insurance on behalf of insurers licensed in the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to HB 1156.

Economic development; Virginia Business Ready Sites Program Fund created. Establishes the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program Fund (the Fund), to be administered by the Governor and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority in order to provide grants on a competitive basis to political subdivisions to prepare sites for industrial or commercial development. The bill repeals existing law that created the Major Employment and Investment Project Site Planning Grant Fund and provides that any remaining funds would be allocated to the Fund. The bill also authorizes grants from the Virginia Brownfields Restoration and Economic Redevelopment Assistance Fund for site remediation and requires the prioritization of sites with potential for redevelopment and economic benefits to the surrounding community.

Animal cruelty; companion animals; penalty. Clarifies that dogs and cats in the possession of a person who or an entity that breeds dogs or cats for sale or transfer to an animal research facility are considered companion animals for the purposes of animal cruelty statutes. The bill also provides that breeding dogs or cats for sale or transfer to a research facility, or breeding dogs or cats within a research facility, does not constitute bona fide scientific or medical experimentation for purposes of animal cruelty statutes. The provisions of the bill are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act and do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2023 Session of the General Assembly.

Breeders of dogs and cats for animal testingfacilities; adoption of dogs and cats. Requires a breeder ofdogs and cats for sale or transfer to an animal testing facilitythat no longer has a need for a dog or cat in its possession to offerthe animal for adoption prior to euthanizing it. Currently, onlyanimal testing facilities are subject to this requirement.

Dealers; sale of dogs or cats for experimentalpurposes. Prohibits a dealer or commercial dog or cat breeder from importing for sale, selling, or offering for sale a dog or catbred by a person who has received certain citations pursuant to the federal Animal Welfare Act. Current law only prohibits such activities related to the sale of dogs. The bill also clarifies that sellingincludes selling the dog or cat for experimental purposes.

Commending David and Eunjoo Anderson.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable FloraLonette Davis Crittenden.

Commending Reynaldo Martinez.