School board policies; school meal debt; enforcement. Requires each school board to adopt a policy that prohibits the board from filing a lawsuit against a student or the student's parent because the student cannot pay for a meal at school or owes a school meal debt.
Humane Cosmetics Act; civil penalties. Prohibits a cosmetics manufacturer from: (i) conducting or contracting for cosmetic animal testing that occurs in the Commonwealth on or after January 1, 2022, (ii)manufacturing or importing for profit into the Commonwealth any cosmetic or ingredient thereof, if the cosmetics manufacturer knew or reasonably should have known that the cosmetic or any component thereof was developed or manufactured using cosmetic animal testing that was conducted on or after January 1, 2022; or (iii) beginning July 1, 2022, selling or offering for sale within the Commonwealth any cosmetic, if the cosmetics manufacturer knows or reasonably should know that the cosmetic or any component thereof was developed or manufactured using cosmetic animal testing that was conducted on or after January 1, 2022. Violations are subject to a civil penalty of up to $5,000 and an additional $1,000 for each day the violation continues. The bill preempts any local regulation on cosmetic animal testing.
Sale of land for delinquent taxes. Extendsfrom 36 to 60 months the time period for which a local tax officialmay suspend an action for the sale of tax delinquent property, which under current law is authorized if the owner enters into an agreementwith the official to pay delinquent taxes in installments. The billalso authorizes an official to suspend an action if a person whois not a party to the action gives notice asserting ownership rights,by virtue of testate or intestate succession, in the property subjectto the action. If a court determines such person has ownership rightsin the property, such person may enter into an installment plan similarto what is authorized under current law. Thebill provides that a final court order confirming sale of tax delinquentproperty shall not be entered sooner than the later of (i) 90 daysafter the official gives notice of the action or (ii) 90 days afterthe official receives notice from a person who is not a party tothe action asserting ownership rights.
Greenhouse gas emissions inventory; regulations. Directs the Department of Environmental Quality to conduct a statewide baseline and projection inventory of all greenhouse gas emissions and to update such inventory every four years. The bill requires that the inventory be published and included in the annual report of the State Air Pollution Control Board. The bill also authorizes the Board to adopt regulations necessary to collect data needed to conduct, update, and maintain the inventory. The bill exempts proprietary information collected by the Department from the mandatory disclosure requirements of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
Pretrial data collection. Requires the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission to collect and disseminate, on an annual basis, statewide and locality-level data related to adults charged with criminal offenses punishable by confinement in jail or a term of imprisonment. The bill provides that any personal or case identifying information within the data shall not be subject to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and shall not be made publicly available. The bill provides that the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission shall not be required to submit such annual report prior to December 1, 2022. Additionally, the bill requires the Virginia State Crime Commission to provide the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission with the final dataset of all adults charged with a criminal offense punishable by confinement in jail or a term of imprisonment in October 2017 and that the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission make such statewide and locality-level data publicly available on a website established and maintained by the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission as (i) an electronic dataset, excluding any personal and case identifying information, that may be downloaded by members of the public by October 1, 2021, and (ii) an electronic interactive data dashboard tool that displays aggregated data based on characteristics or indicators selected by the user, by December 1, 2022. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia State Crime Commission. The bill incorporates HB 1945.
Housing Bill of Rights; housing protections; foreclosures; manufactured housing. Provides for various protections for homeowners and tenants of manufactured home parks, including (i) restricting the circumstances under which a court may order a person's primary residence to be sold to enforce a judgment lien; (ii) requiring localities to incorporate into their comprehensive plans strategies to promote manufactured housing as a source of affordable housing; (iii) requiring the Director of Housing and Community Development to develop a statement of tenant rights and responsibilities explaining in plain language the rights and responsibilities of tenants under the Virginia Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act; (iv) prohibiting a trustee from selling a property in a foreclosure sale without receiving an affidavit signed by the party that provided the notice confirming the notice was sent to the owner, with a copy of such notice attached to the affidavit; (v) increasing the notice period for a foreclosure sale from 14 to 60 days and requiring such notice to provide the grantor with information regarding housing counseling; and (vi) requiring the landlord of a manufactured home park to provide tenants who own their manufactured home information about housing assistance and legal aid organizations. The bill also requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to convene a stakeholder group to assist in the development of the statement of tenant rights and responsibilities. The provisions of the bill related to the specifics of the notice that is required before a trustee can sell a property in a foreclosure sale has a delayed effective date of October 1, 2021.
Department of Education; guidelines on excused student absences; civic or political engagement. Provides that, subject to guidelines established by the Department of Education, each school board (i) shall permit one school day-long excused absence per school year for any middle school or high school student in the local school division who is absent from school to engage in a civic or political event and (ii) may permit additional excused absences for such students who are absent for such purposes.
Replacement and conservation of trees during development. Gives a locality the ability to exceed general requirements in its tree replacement and conservation ordinances in specific circumstances, including development that impacts stormwater permit requirements, recurrent flooding, formerly redlined areas, and comprehensive plan compliance. The provisions of the bill shall become effective July 1, 2022.
Aircraft registration; unmanned aircraft.Exempts an owner of an unmanned aircraft from the requirement toregister aircrafts.
Children's Services Act; special education programs. Requires that funds expended for private special education services under the Children's Services Act only be expended on educational programs that are licensed by the Board of Education or an equivalent out-of-state licensing agency. The bill also provides that as of July 1, 2022, such funds may only be expended for programs that the Office of Children's Services certify as having reported their tuition rates.The bill adds children and youth previously placed in approved private school educational programs for at least six months who will receive transitional services in a public school setting to the target population for eligibility for the state pool of funds. The bill provides that state funds shall be allocated for no longer than 12 months for transitional services.The bill requires the Secretaries of Education and Health and Human Resources, in conjunction with the Office of Children's Services and the Department of Education, to establish a work group (the Work Group) with appropriate stakeholders to develop a detailed plan to direct the transfer of Children's Services Act funds currently reserved for children requiring an educational placement in a private special education day school or residential facility to the Department of Education, as well as several other topics. The bill requires that the Work Group submit its plan and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by November 1, 2021, as well as a final plan and recommendations by November 1, 2022.
