Del. Wendell Walker

Standards of Learning; programs of instruction; civics education; instruction on local government. Requires the Board of Education to include in the Standards of Learning for Virginia and United States Government for grade 12 and requires each school board to provide as a part of any Virginia and U.S. Government course or civic education course offered to students in grade 12 instruction on local government, including instruction on the types of localities in the Commonwealth and the structure and functions of local governments in the Commonwealth. The bill also requires the Board to consider in its criteria for awarding a diploma seal for excellence in civics education and understanding of the state and federal constitutions and the democratic model of government the successful completion of government or civics courses that include instruction on the structures and functions of local government.

Human trafficking investigators; licensing by the Department of Criminal Justice Services. Authorizes the Department of Criminal Justice Services to register and issue licenses for human trafficking investigators. The bill provides that a human trafficking investigator is a private investigator who is GSA compliant and engages in the business of, or accepts employment to make, investigations to obtain information on sex trafficking or severe forms of trafficking as defined in the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 and in the federal Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.

Department of Education; model policy on student cell phone use during instructional time; local adoption. Requires the Department of Education to develop, adopt, and distribute to each school board a model policy whereby public elementary and secondary school students are prohibited from possessing or using personal cell phones or other personal handheld communication devices during instructional time at school. The bill requires the Department, in developing and adopting such model policy, to seek to balance the interests of students' academic achievement, cognitive development, safety, and general well-being and permits the Department to include appropriate exceptions in extraordinary circumstances such as emergency situations or situations involving the need to contact the student's parents. The bill requires each school board to develop and adopt a policy that is consistent with such model policy adopted by the Department.

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally recognizes the University of Lynchburg equestrian team for winning the 2024 National Collegiate Equestrian Association single-discipline national championship. It highlights the team's victory over Sweet Briar College and acknowledges the specific achievements of individual riders and coaches involved in the competition. The House of Delegates ordered that a copy of this commendation be prepared and presented to the team as an official expression of appreciation for their accomplishment.

Civil penalties for certain local property violations; industrial and commercial areas. Allows localities by ordinanceto charge enhanced civil penalties for certain local property violationson property that is zoned or utilized for industrial or commercial purposes.

Auricular acupuncture; use of the five needle protocol. Allows any person to engage in the five needle auricular acupuncture protocol (5NP), a standardized protocol wherein up to five needles are inserted into the external human ear to provide relief from the effects of behavioral health conditions, provided that such person (i) has appropriate training in the 5NP, including training established by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association or equivalent certifying body; (ii) does not use any letters, words, or insignia indicating or implying that he is an acupuncturist; and (iii) makes no statement implying that his practice of the 5NP is licensed, certified, or otherwise overseen by the Commonwealth. Treatment utilizing the 5NP pursuant to this bill is strictly limited to the insertion of disposable, sterile acupuncture needles into the ear and only in compliance with the 5NP.

Issuance of restricted driver's license for multiple convictions of driving while intoxicated; completion of specialty dockets. Provides that a person whose driver's license has been revoked for multiple convictions of driving while intoxicated may file a petition for the issuance of a restricted driver's license without having to wait for the expiration of three years from the date of his last conviction, regardless of the date of such conviction, when such person's last conviction resulted from a final order being entered by a court after the successful completion of a Veterans Treatment Court Program, behavioral health docket, or other specialty docket. This bill is identical to SB 6.

Virginia Employment Commission; appeals proceedings; appeal tribunals and Board of Review; repeal. Specifies that any determination made by the Virginia Employment Commission in regard to any amount required to be deducted and withheld from unemployment compensation for purposes of child support obligations is final. The bill contains a number of technical amendments related to the Commission's appeals proceedings. The bill also repeals provisions related to appeal tribunals and the Commission-appointed Board of Review and contains technical amendments. This bill is identical to SB 655.

Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority; eligible site for site development grant; minimum acreage requirement. Allows the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority to determine a site of at least 50 but less than 100 acres to be eligible to receive a site development grant from the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program Fund. The reduced acreage requirement shall apply only to sites which (i) are located in GO Virginia regions 1 or 2, (ii) are located in a locality or region in which topographic or environmental factors constrain the availability of viable sites for economic development, (iii) present a unique economic development opportunity based on infrastructure, logistics, or other distinguishable features of the site, or (iv) create an economic development opportunity not currently available in the regional inventory of economic development sites. by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority.

Conveyance of easement; Department of StatePolice and Department of Transportation. Authorizes the conveyanceof an easement in Campbell County by the Department of State Policein conjunction with the Department of Transportation.