Bicycles, certain other vehicles, and pedestrians. Makes various changes to provisions relating to the operation of bicycles and certain other vehicles and relating to pedestrians. The bill authorizes the operator of a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, or motorized skateboard or scooter to yield instead of stop at an intersection of two highways controlled by a stop sign if certain conditions are met. For purposes of describing when such vehicles are not required to ride as close to the right curb or edge as possible, the bill replaces the term "substandard width lane" with the description that such travel lane is less than 15 feet wide or not wide enough to allow an overtaking motor vehicle to pass safely in the same lane. The bill specifies that if the lane of travel is less than 15 feet wide, a motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, animal, or animal-drawn vehicle shall change lanes and may drive to the left of a highway centerline when it is safe to do so. The bill removes the requirement for persons riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, or motorized skateboards or scooters on a highway two abreast to move into a single-file formation and limits the requirement that such persons not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic to apply only on roadways with only one travel lane per direction and a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour or more.
Del. Sam Rasoul
Sponsored bills
Commending Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport.
Commending Peter A. Blake.
Commending William G. Coada.
Celebrating the life of John F. Benton.
Celebrating the life of Michelle Antonette Leete.
Acknowledging with profound regret the unethicaluse of Black bodies by medical institutions. Expresses the sentimentof the General Assembly in acknowledging with profound regret theunethical use of Black bodies by medical institutions in the Commonwealth.
Epilepsy Heroes Day. Designates March 26,in 2024 and in each succeeding year, as Epilepsy Heroes Day in Virginia.
Virginia Public Procurement Act; additional public works contract requirements. Provides that public bodies shall require the contractor and its subcontractors for any capital outlay project, as defined in the bill, to complete certain safety training programs, maintain records of compliance with applicable laws, and participate in approved apprenticeship training programs. The bill provides exemptions from such requirements for reasons related to lack of availability of apprentices and high costs. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025.
Early childhood care and education; publicly funded providers. Provides that any locality wishing to participate in the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) must submit a proposal by May 15 of each year identifying a lead VPI agency responsible for developing a local plan for the delivery of preschool services to at-risk children. A local match based on the composite index of local ability to pay is required to fund such a proposal. The proposal must include the number of at-risk four-year-olds and three-year-olds to be served and eligibility criteria for participation. Upon acceptance, the Department will disburse state VPI funds to the lead VPI agency in such localities, which may be used with local matching funds to provide preschool education, health services, social services, parental involvement services, and transportation. The Department must establish academic standards for VPI programs that prepare students to successfully enter kindergarten. Full day VPI programs must operate for a minimum of five and a half instructional hours per day, while half day VPI programs operate for a minimum of three instructional hours per day. The bill requires the Department of Education to collect information from VPI and the Mixed Delivery Grant Program to compile a comprehensive report on the use of state funds, including the number of slots and funding allocated to each local program or provider and the number of slots that have been filled. The bill codifies the Child Care Subsidy Program, which is currently established pursuant to regulations of the Board of Education, for the purpose of assisting families who meet certain eligibility criteria with the cost of child care provided by approved vendors. The bill requires the Child Care Subsidy Program to be overseen by the Department of Education and permits the Department to contract with state and local agencies to administer the Program. The bill requires the Department and Board of Education, as applicable, to establish rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and standards for the Program. The bill also codifies the Mixed Delivery Grant Program, which is currently established pursuant to the general appropriation act, for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to local public entities that enter into partnerships with local private early childhood care and education entities and other community organizations, as applicable, to provide, under the direction and leadership of a lead agency identified in the grant proposal, high-quality care and education, either part time or full time, for at-risk infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children who reside in the locality. The bill requires the Mixed Delivery Grant Program to be administered by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation in partnership with the Department of Education and, consistent with any provisions relating to the Program in the general appropriation act, requires the Foundation and the Department to establish policies, procedures, and standards for the Program.