Del. Charniele Herring

Damage or trespass to public services or utilities or critical infrastructure; penalties. Adds the intentional destruction of or damage to any fixture, equipment, or information technology system that is used to provide, process, transmit, or maintain public services, public utilities, or other critical infrastructure, as defined in relevant law, to the existing offense of damage or trespass to public services or utilities. The bill contains technical amendments.

Solar energy facilities; prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements; state and local tax exemption; report; civil penalties. Requires each solar developer, including its contractors and subcontractors, to ensure payment at the prevailing wage rate set by the Department of Labor and Industry for any mechanic, laborer, or worker employed, retained, or otherwise hired to perform construction, maintenance, or repair work for certain electricity generating sources. The bill requires each solar developer to (i) ensure that a percentage of the total labor hours of such work is performed by qualified apprentices and (ii) employ at least one qualified apprentice if four or more individuals are employed to perform such work. Under the bill, a solar developer that fails to meet the requirements of its provisions is required to make penalty payments to the Commissioner of Labor and Industry. Additionally, the bill provides that any certified solar generation facility, as defined in the bill, is declared a separate class of property and shall be classified for local taxation separately from other classifications of real or personal property. Such facilities shall be wholly exempt from state and local taxation under the Constitution of Virginia.

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); fundamental right to reproductive freedom. Provides for a referendum at the November 3, 2026, election to approve or reject an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia relating to the right to make one's own decisions related to reproductive health care, including access to abortion. The amendment protects patients and their doctors and nurses from being punished for making such decisions. The amendment allows the state to place restrictions on access to abortion during the third trimester of pregnancy except when the patient's life or physical or mental health is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive. This bill is identical to SB 449.

Contraception; right to contraception; applicability; enforcement. Establishes a right to obtain contraceptives and engage in contraception, as such terms are defined in the bill. The bill clarifies that none of its provisions shall be construed to permit or sanction the performance of any sterilization procedure without a patient's voluntary and informed consent. The bill creates a cause of action that may be instituted against anyone who infringes on such right. This bill is identical to SB 1105.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; state plan for medical assistance services; postpartum doula care; report. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to amend the state plan for medical assistance services to include a provision for payment for up to 10 doula visits, with up to four doula visits during pregnancy and up to six doula visits during the 12 months after the individual gives birth. The bill requires the Department to report to the Governor and General Assembly annually on the implementation and outcomes of the provision, and requires the first such report to be submitted by December 31, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 1418.

Task Force on Maternal Health Data and Quality Measures; report. Directs the State Health Commissioner to reestablish the Task Force on Maternal Health Data and Quality Measures for the purpose of evaluating maternal health data collection processes to guide policies in the Commonwealth to improve maternal care, quality, and outcomes for all birthing people in the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Task Force to report its findings and conclusions to the Governor and General Assembly by November 1 of each year regarding its activities. The bill directs the Task Force to conclude its work by November 1, 2026. This bill reestablishes the Task Force on Maternal Health Data and Quality Measures that concluded on December 1, 2023.

Virginia military forces; Sexual Offense Prevention and Response Program established. Establishes the Sexual Offense Prevention and Response Program (the Program) within the Department of Military Affairs. The bill also establishes the Sexual Offense Prevention and Response Officer (the Officer) to perform victim advocacy services, including helping victims of certain criminal sexual assault offenses make either a restricted report or an unrestricted report, as those terms are defined in the bill. Restricted and unrestricted reports may be made (i) by a person who is a member of the Virginia military forces, defined in the bill as the Virginia National Guard and the Virginia Defense Force, or (ii) against a member of the Virginia military forces. The bill directs the Adjutant General, in coordination with the Officer, to submit an annual report to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Delegates, and the chairmen of both the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice. The annual report shall include relevant information enumerated in the bill, including implementation and effectiveness of the Program's policies and procedures, as well as statistical information about restricted reports and unrestricted reports.

Virginia Consumer Protection Act; prohibited practices; mandatory fees or surcharges disclosure. Prohibits a supplier, in connection with a consumer transaction, from advertising or displaying a price for goods or services without clearly and conspicuously displaying the total price, which shall include all mandatory fees or surcharges, as defined in the bill. The bill specifies the requirements for compliance with its provisions for certain suppliers and excludes from its provisions (i) certain fees charged by motor vehicle dealers, as defined in relevant law; (ii) fees charged by electric utilities, natural gas utilities, and telecommunications service providers, as those terms are defined in relevant law; (iii) certain costs associated with real estate settlement services; and (iv) the provision of air transportation by air carriers. The bill requires a food delivery platform to (a) at the point when a consumer views and selects a vendor or items for purchase, include a clear and conspicuous disclosure of any additional fee or percentage charged, as defined in the bill, and (b) after a consumer selects items for purchase, but prior to checkout, display a subtotal page that itemizes the price of such selected items and any additional fee or percentage included in the total cost. This bill is identical to SB 1212.

Use of automatic license plate recognition systems; reports; penalty. Requires the Division of Purchases and Supply of the Department of General Services (the Division) to determine and approve the automatic license plate recognition systems, defined in the bill, for use in the Commonwealth and provides requirements for use of such systems by law-enforcement agencies. The bill limits the use of such systems by law-enforcement agencies to the following purposes: (i) as part of a criminal investigation into an alleged criminal violation of the Code of Virginia or any ordinance of any county, city, or town where there is a reasonable suspicion that a crime was committed; (ii) as part of an active investigation related to a missing or endangered person, including whether to issue an alert for such person, or a person associated with human trafficking; or (iii) to receive notifications related to a missing or endangered person, a person with an outstanding warrant, a person associated with human trafficking, a stolen vehicle, or a stolen license plate.The bill requires annual reports from law-enforcement agencies using such systems that provide de-identified information concerning the use of the systems and from the State Police that aggregate such information statewide beginning April 1, 2027. The bill also requires a law-enforcement officer or State Police officer to collect data on whether a stop of a driver of a motor vehicle or stop or temporary detention of a person was based on a notification from an automatic license plate recognition system prior to such stop and if so, the specific reason for the notification as set forth in relevant law.The provisions of the bill that require a law-enforcement agency to obtain a permit from the Department of Transportation in accordance with regulations of the Commonwealth Transportation Board before installing an automatic license plate recognition system on a state right-of-way do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2026 Session of the General Assembly. Except for provisions requiring (a) the Division to determine and approve automatic license plate recognition systems for use in the Commonwealth, which shall become effective on July 1, 2026, and (b) law-enforcement officers to collect data on whether a stop was based on a notification from an automatic license plate recognition system, which shall become effective January 1, 2026, the provisions of the bill become effective in due course. The bill requires the Division, in consultation with the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, to determine such systems for use in the Commonwealth and publicly post a list of such systems by January 1, 2026. Finally, the bill requires the Virginia State Crime Commission to collect data and conduct surveys of law-enforcement agencies to assess the use of automatic license plate recognition systems and report its findings by the first day of the 2026 Regular Session and again on November 1, 2026. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia State Crime Commission.

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally commends Greg Duncan for his contributions. It is a symbolic gesture by the House of Representatives with no policy changes or direct impact on constituents. The bill passed unanimously by voice vote on February 21, 2025, and is now forwarded to the Senate. As a procedural resolution, it does not establish new laws or affect any specific group.