Rep. Eric Phillips

Elections; administration; electoral board appointments; up to five party recommendations. Allows the political party entitled to the appointment of an electoral board member to make recommendations of up to five qualified voters for each appointment. Under current law, the political party entitled to the appointment of an electoral board member must make recommendations of at least three qualified voters for each appointment.

Electric utilities; renewable energy portfolio standard program; zero-carbon electricity. Amends the definition of renewable energy for purposes of the Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act to include energy derived from hydrogen and nuclear power. The bill provides that the existing renewable energy portfolio standard program that establishes goals for the sale of renewable energy shall also include goals for the sale of zero-carbon electricity and adds zero-carbon electricity generating resources and certain other resources approved by the State Corporation Commission to the list of eligible sources for purposes of the renewable portfolio standard program.

A BILL to repeal the second enactment of Chapter 525 of the Acts of Assembly of 2020, as amended and reenacted by Chapter 146 of the Acts of Assembly of 2021, Special Session I, by Chapter 137 of the Acts of Assembly of 2022, and by Chapter 298 of the Acts of Assembly of 2023, relating to GO Virginia Grants; matching funds; sunset repeal.

Electric utilities; rate caps; Commission on Electric Utility Regulation; utility rate reviews. Requires the State Corporation Commission to establish capped rates for Appalachian Power. The bill requires the capped rates to be the rates in effect for each Phase I electric utility as of July 1, 2025. The bill authorizes the Commission to adjust such capped rates in connection with the electric utility's recovery of fuel and purchased power costs. The bill's capped rates expire on July 1, 2027. The bill requires the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation (the Commission) to review and make recommendations regarding certain petitions filed by Appalachian Power with the State Corporation Commission. For each such review, the bill requires the Commission to convene a subcommittee that includes one nonlegislative citizen member from each planning district commission within the Phase I Utility's service territory, each of whom is appointed by the relevant planning district commission. The Commission shall submit its recommendation to the State Corporation Commission no later than 90 days following the date such petition is filed. The bill prohibits the Commission from adopting any recommendation if a majority of the members of the subcommittee vote against the recommendation. The bill requires the State Corporation Commission to consider the recommendations of the Commission.

Department of Corrections; designated employees with same power as sheriff or law-enforcement officer. Allows the Department of Corrections to designate employees to have the same power as a sheriff or a law-enforcement officer for the purpose of enforcing the criminal laws of the Commonwealth. Under current law, the Department can designate such employees with internal investigations authority to have such law-enforcement powers in the investigation of allegations of criminal behavior affecting the operations of the Department. Accordingly, the bill makes technical changes to additional sections that reference such designated employees, including in the definition of a law-enforcement officer used in various places throughout the Code and for the purposes of the Line of Duty Act, assault and battery of a law-enforcement officer, retired law-enforcement officers being able to carry a concealed handgun, and certain retired law-enforcement officers being able to purchase their service handgun or other weapon.

Estimated tax; failure by individual, trust, or estate to pay. Increases from $150 to $1,000 the maximum underpayment of estimated tax for which no addition to tax shall be added.

A BILL to direct the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to study the efficacy of expanding the School of Dentistry of Virginia Commonwealth University; report.

Insurance; Fire Programs Fund; purposes; Aid to Localities Grant Program. Increases the assessment on certain insurance companies from one percent to 1.5 percent. The bill provides that the portion of the Fire Programs Fund allocated to localities may be used for the additional purposes of (i) constructing, improving, or expanding fire station facilities; (ii) providing mental health resources for fire personnel; or (iii) hiring additional fire personnel and funding recruitment and retention programs. The bill also prohibits such funds from being used, except as provided, for the purposes of investments, operating expenses, debt repayment, taxes, or fees. The bill also establishes the Aid to Localities Grant Program, to be funded by 0.25 percent of the assessments on insurance companies, for the purposes of providing assistance to local fire departments that are at risk of closing or facing major violations due to the lack of funds needed to be in compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

School boards; employment of school resource officers in each public elementary and secondary school. Requires each school board to enter into a collaborative agreement with the local law-enforcement agency to employ at least one school resource officer in each public elementary and secondary school in the local school division and provides that no school board shall be granted any full or partial waiver from such staffing requirements. The bill contains a contingent effective date that states that the foregoing requirement shall become effective beginning with the fiscal year in which funding has been provided pursuant to the general appropriation act to fully fund such requirement.

Vacant building registration; civil penalty. Increases from $100 to $500 the maximum annual registration fee a locality may charge the owners of certain vacant buildings to defray the cost of processing such registration. The civil penalty for failure to register such vacant building is increased from $200 to $750, and the maximum civil penalty for failure to register in certain conservation and rehabilitation districts or in other areas designated as blighted is increased from $400 to $1,000.