Rep. Tim Griffin

Commending the ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation.

Virginia Education Success Account Program established. Establishes the Virginia Education Success Account Program wherebythe parents of qualified students, defined in the bill, who residein school divisions in which the school board has, by majority vote,affirmed its participation in the program, may apply for a one-year, renewable Virginia Education Success Account that consists of anamount that is equivalent to a certain percentage of all applicableannual Standards of Quality per pupil state funds appropriated forpublic school purposes and apportioned to the school division inwhich the qualified student resides, including the per pupil shareof state sales tax funding in basic aid and any per pupil share ofstate special education funding for which the qualified student iseligible. The bill permits the parent of the qualified student touse the moneys in such account for certain qualified expenses ofthe qualified student, including tuition, deposits, fees, and requiredtextbooks at a private elementary school or secondary school thatis located in the Commonwealth. The bill also contains provisionsrelating to program and account administration by the Department of the Treasury and a third party that serves as program administratorpursuant to a contract with the Department of the Treasury.

Punishment for conviction of second or subsequentmisdemeanor larceny; penalties. Provides that any person convictedof a second larceny offense shall be confined in jail not less than30 days nor more than 12 months and that for a third or any subsequentlarceny offense, such person is guilty of a Class 6 felony.

Birth of dependent household member tax deduction. Allows an income tax deduction for the birth of adependent member of a taxpayer's household that occurs during thetaxable year, beginning in taxable year 2024. The bill provides thatthe deduction will be in the amount of (i) $1,000 for a married couple filing jointly or (ii) $500 for an individual.

Day of Tears. Recognizing January 22 asthe Day of Tears in Virginia.

Students who receive home instruction; participation in interscholastic and intramural extracurricular programs. Prohibits public schools from joining an organization governing interscholastic programs that does not deem eligible for participation a student who (i) receives home instruction; (ii) has demonstrated evidence of progress for two consecutive academic years; (iii) is in compliance with immunization requirements; (iv) is entitled to free tuition in a public school; (v) has not reached the age of 19 by August 1 of the current academic year; (vi) is an amateur who receives no compensation but participates solely for the educational, physical, mental, and social benefits of the activity; (vii) complies with all disciplinary rules and is subject to all codes of conduct applicable to all public high school athletes; and (viii) complies with all other rules governing awards, all-star games, maximum consecutive semesters of high school enrollment, parental consents, physical examinations, and transfers applicable to all high school athletes. The bill provides that no local school board is required to establish a policy to permit students who receive home instruction to participate in interscholastic programs. The bill permits reasonable fees to be charged to students who receive home instruction to cover the costs of participation in such interscholastic programs, including the costs of additional insurance, uniforms, and equipment. The bill also requires each school board to adopt a policy to permit any student who receives home instruction and who resides in the local school division to participate in any intramural extracurricular program that is offered to public school students in the same grade level, subject to any reasonable conditions that the school board may establish for such participation such as conditions relating to fees, prerequisites, or space availability.

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 anywherehe may lawfully carry a handgun openly within the Commonwealth.

Relating to voter registration; list of registeredvoters and persons voting at elections. Requires the Departmentof Elections to provide digital lists of all registered voters andof persons who voted at any primary, special, or general electionheld in the four preceding years at no cost and manually preparedpaper lists at actual cost to certain persons. Under current lawsuch lists are provided at a reasonable price.

Tax credit for vehicle emissions testing equipment;certain vehicles. Allows a corporation, individual, or publicservice corporation a tax credit equal to 10 percent of the purchaseprice of a vehicle with an internal combustion engine that is principallygaraged in Virginia. Current law allows such a credit only for certainclean-fuel vehicles.

Abortion prohibited; exception; life of themother; penalty. Provides that if any person administer to,or cause to be taken by a woman, any drug or other thing, or usemeans, with intent to destroy her unborn child, or to produce abortionor miscarriage, and thereby destroy such child, or produce such abortionor miscarriage at any point after conception of such unborn child,he is guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor unless it is necessary fora licensed physician to terminate a human pregnancy or assist in the termination of a human pregnancy by performing an abortion or causinga miscarriage on any woman in order to save her life in the opinionof such physician so performing the abortion or causing the miscarriage.