Special license plates; NOT FORGOTTEN. Authorizesthe issuance of revenue-sharing special license plates for supportersof Americans listed as prisoners of war or missing in action bearingthe legend NOT FORGOTTEN. The bill requires that the design of suchplate incorporate the POW/MIA Flag as designated by the federal NationalPOW/MIA Flag Act. The bill exempts these special license plates fromthe requirement to obtain 450 prepaid applications for such plate.The bill provides that some of the license plate fees will be depositedin the POW/MIA Fund, established within the Department of Accounts,and paid annually to the National League of Families of American Prisonersand Missing in Southeast Asia and used to support its operation andprograms in Virginia.
Sponsored bills
Special license plates; SPEARHEAD TRAILS.Authorizes the issuance of revenue-sharing special license platesfor supporters of the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority bearingthe legend SPEARHEAD TRAILS. The bill exempts these special licenseplates from the requirement to obtain 450 prepaid applications forsuch plate.
Economic Development Access Program, bonded projects. Imposes a 48-month moratorium on the repayment of funds allocated to a locality for a bonded project pursuant to the Economic Development Access Program, provided that the conditions of the Commonwealth Transportation Board's economic development access policy are met. The bill has an emergency clause.
Alcoholic beverage control; local outdoor refreshment areas. Defines "outdoor refreshment area" and permits the governingbody of any locality in the Commonwealth to designate, by ordinance, up to three outdoor refreshment areas within such locality. The billprovides that such ordinance would permit the consumption of alcoholicbeverages within the outdoor refreshment area, provided that suchalcoholic beverages are purchased from a permanent retail on-premiseslicensee located within such designated area and are contained indisposable containers with a maximum capacity of no more than 16fluid ounces that clearly display the selling licensee's name orlogo. The bill requires the locality, prior to adopting such an ordinance,to create a public safety plan for each outdoor refreshment area.
Commonwealth Broadband Chief Advisor; broadbandservice territory maps. Requires the Commonwealth Broadband ChiefAdvisor to develop and maintain a map of private broadband providerservice territories, including accurate average broadband speeds insuch territories. The map shall be updated yearly and be made availableto the public.
Public schools; Standards of Learning assessments;reduction. Reduces the total number and type of required Standardsof Learning assessments to the minimum requirements established bythe federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended.
Department of Education; School ConstructionFund and Program. Establishes the School Construction Fund asa special nonreverting fund in the state treasury and requires theDepartment of Education to establish the School Construction Programfor the purpose of providing grants from the Fund, subject to certainconditions, to school boards that leverage federal, state, and localprograms and resources to finance the design and construction ofnew school buildings and facilities or the modernization and maintenanceof existing school buildings and facilities.
State parks; discounted rental and service fees; military and veterans. Directs the Department of Conservation and Recreation to establish a policy that entitles any veteran or person on active duty military service, and the accompanying spouse and children of such person, to a 50 percent discount on rental and service fees.
Commending Sim Ewing.
Tourism Development Authority; name change.Renames the Tourism Development Authority, also known as the VirginiaCoalfield Regional Tourism Development Authority, as the Heart ofAppalachia Tourism Authority. The bill contains technical amendments.