Rep. Eric Zehr

Sales and use tax; food purchased for human consumption and essential personal hygiene products. Eliminates the remaining one percent local sales and use tax that is imposed on food purchased for human consumption and essential personal hygiene products beginning on July 1, 2026. Under current law, no other sales and use tax is applied to such products. The bill requires an equivalent amount of revenue to be distributed to cities and counties on a monthly basis in compensation for the lost tax revenue.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 2.2-1500 through 2.2-1545, relating to government efficiency; agency reporting requirements; healthcare financing reform; Interagency Health Financing Task Force; managed care organization performance review; housing regulatory review; procurement reform; technology consolidation; real property management; personnel efficiency; federal funding contingency; establishment of the Joint Subcommittee on Government Efficiency; data integration and transparency.

Fire Programs Fund; aid to localities; redistribution of funds. Provides that, for the purposes of funds distributed to localities as aid for fire programs, if a locality does not provide the required annual report and forms, any funds due to the locality for the next year shall be returned to the Fire Programs Fund and redistributed as grants to enhance firefighting and rescue services in accordance with policies developed by the Virginia Fire Services Board. Under current law, such funds are added to the 75 percent of the Fund allocated to the counties, cities, and towns of the Commonwealth for improvement of fire services in localities.

Genetic sequencing; organ transplants; use of foreign genetic sequencing or genetic sequencer operational and research software; foreign storage of genetic sequencing data; health insurance coverage for certain foreign organ transplants; civil penalty. Prohibits medical care facilities from (i) using genetic sequencers or any operational and research software, as such terms are defined in the bill, produced in a country designated as a foreign adversary by the federal government and (ii) storing genetic sequencing data with a country designated as a foreign adversary by the federal government. The bill requires medical care facilities to certify their compliance with such provisions, under penalty of perjury, annually with the Commissioner of Health and subjects medical care facilities that violate such provisions to civil penalties. The bill also prohibits health insurance carriers from covering human organ transplants that occur in China or other designated foreign countries and subjects carriers that violate this provision to civil penalties.

Food establishment inspection exemptions; private homes and farms. Exempts from required food establishment operation inspections any private home or farm where the resident or farmer processes, prepares, or otherwise produces food if such food is (i) sold in person in the Commonwealth to an individual for his own consumption and not for resale or consignment; (ii) sold at the private home or farm; (iii) not offered for sale to be used in or offered for consumption in retail food establishments; and (iv) affixed with a label placed on the principal display panel or, for a product packaging not large enough to bear such a label, offered for sale with a sign displaying the name, physical address, and telephone number of the person preparing the food, the date the food was processed, and the statement "NOT FOR RESALE — PROCESSED AND PREPARED WITHOUT STATE INSPECTION."

Seizure, forfeiture, and destruction of property used in connection with the exploitation and solicitation of children. Provides that all audio and visual equipment, electronic equipment, devices, and other personal property used in connection with the possession, production, distribution, publication, sale, possession with intent to distribute, or making of child pornography, or in connection with the solicitation of a person less than 18 years of age, in violation of current law, shall be subject to lawful seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth by order of the court trying the case. The bill also (i) requires the court to order the destruction of all such equipment, devices, and other personal property, (ii) requires certain information to be provided by the law-enforcement agency responsible for the destruction, (iii) prohibits destruction of such items to be used in a criminal prosecution until all rights of appeal have been exhausted, and (iv) requires the law-enforcement agency to provide notice, by first-class mail, to the accused or other interested party, if known, and his attorney at least seven days prior to the destruction of the time and place the destruction will occur.

Carrying a concealed handgun; permit not required. Allows any person who is otherwise eligible to obtain a concealed handgun permit to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere he may lawfully carry a handgun openly within the Commonwealth.

Maddy summaryHR 853 is a ceremonial resolution commending Khadijeh Aslankhani for her contributions, with no substantive policy changes or direct impact on legislation. It serves solely as a formal expression of appreciation from the House of Representatives. The bill was passed by voice vote and engrossed without debate, reflecting standard procedural steps for such resolutions. As a commemorative measure, it does not allocate funds, alter laws, or affect any specific group or policy.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (HR 861) that formally commends Dr. McKinley L. Price, D.D.S., for his contributions. It does not create any new laws, obligations, or direct impacts on policies or constituents. The resolution serves as a non-binding expression of appreciation from the House of Representatives. It passed the House by voice vote on February 21, 2025.

Department of Motor Vehicles; driver communication improvement program. Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to develop and implement a program for the promotion, printing, and distribution of envelopes for use by drivers diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, as that term is defined in relevant law, to provide to a law-enforcement officer for the purpose of easing communication during a traffic stop or upon such law-enforcement officer's arrival at the scene of a traffic accident.