Del. Katrina Callsen

Release of accused on secured or unsecured bond. Removes the conditions requiring that any person arrested for a felony (i) who has previously been convicted of a felony, (ii) who is presently on bond for an unrelated arrest in any jurisdiction, or (iii) who is on probation or parole be released only upon a secure bond. Additionally, the bill adds to the factors a judicial officer shall consider in making a bail determination (a) the person's current bond status for an unrelated arrest in any jurisdiction and (b) the person's current status on probation or parole. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Criminal Justice Conference.

Importation, sale, manufacture, etc., of assault firearms and certain ammunition feeding devices prohibited; penalties. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, or transfers an assault firearm, as that term is defined in the bill with some exceptions, and prohibits a person who has been convicted of such violation from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm for a period of three years from the date of conviction. The bill provides that an assault firearm does not include any firearm that is an antique firearm, has been rendered permanently inoperable, is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action, or was manufactured before July 1, 2025. The bill also prohibits the sale of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, as that term is defined in the bill. The bill provides that any person who willfully and intentionally (i) sells an assault firearm to another person or (ii) purchases an assault firearm from another person is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and that any person who imports, sells, barters, or transfers a large capacity ammunition feeding device is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill also makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person younger than 21 years of age to import, sell, manufacture, purchase, possess, transport, or transfer an assault firearm regardless of the date of manufacture of such assault firearm with some exceptions. This bill is identical to SB 1181.

Collective bargaining by public employees; exclusive bargaining representatives. Repeals the existing prohibition on collective bargaining by public employees. The bill creates the Public Employee Relations Board, which shall determine appropriate bargaining units and provide for certification and decertification elections for exclusive bargaining representatives of state employees and local government employees. The bill requires public employers and employee organizations that are exclusive bargaining representatives to meet at reasonable times to negotiate in good faith with respect to wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment. The bill repeals a provision that declares that, in any procedure providing for the designation, selection, or authorization of a labor organization to represent employees, the right of an individual employee to vote by secret ballot is a fundamental right that shall be guaranteed from infringement. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 917.

Fines, restitution, forfeiture, penalties, and other costs; criminal and traffic cases; itemized statement. Requires the clerk of the court, upon written or electronic request, to provide an itemized statement to any defendant convicted of a traffic infraction or a violation of any criminal law of the Commonwealth or of any political subdivision thereof, or found not innocent in the case of a juvenile, who is sentenced to pay a fine, restitution, forfeiture, or penalty or assessed any other costs in the circuit court or appropriate district court of his county or city at the time such fine, restitution, forfeiture, penalty, or other costs are assessed, or within a reasonable time after assessment. The bill requires the clerk to also provide an updated statement of the outstanding balances of any fines, forfeiture, and penalties, restitution and costs, or payment history upon written or electronic request of the defendant. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.

High-risk artificial intelligence; development, deployment, and use; civil penalties. Creates requirements for the development, deployment, and use of high-risk artificial intelligence systems, defined in the bill, and civil penalties for noncompliance, to be enforced by the Attorney General. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

Public institutions of higher education; governing boards; nonvoting, advisory representatives. Requires the State Board for Community Colleges, the board of visitors of each baccalaureate public institution of higher education, and each local community college board to appoint a nonvoting, advisory faculty representative to its respective board. Under current law, such an appointment is permissive. The bill also requires the board of visitors of each baccalaureate public institution of higher education and each local community college board to appoint a nonvoting, advisory staff representative to its respective board. The bill requires such advisory faculty and staff representatives to be elected by the faculty and staff of the institution, respectively, in the manner that such faculty and staff members deem appropriate. Current law requires the advisory faculty representative to be chosen from individuals elected by the faculty or the institution's faculty senate or its equivalent. The bill also clarifies that any vacancy of such an advisory representative shall be filled in the same manner as the original selection, whether the vacancy occurs by expiration of a term or otherwise.

Weapons; possession prohibited in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services; penalty. Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to knowingly and intentionally possess in the building of any hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services in the Commonwealth, including an emergency department or other facility rendering emergency medical care, a (i) firearm, (ii) knife with a blade over three and one-half inches, or (iii) other dangerous weapon, including explosives and stun weapons. The bill also provides that notice of such prohibitions shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance of any hospital and no person shall be convicted of the offense if such notice is not posted, unless such person had actual notice of the prohibitions. The bill provides that any such firearm, knife, explosive, or weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth and specifies exceptions to the prohibition. This bill is identical to SB 1110.

Placing Nazi symbol or emblem on certain property with intent to intimidate; penalty. Creates a Class 6 felony for any person who, with the intent of intimidating any person or group of persons, places a Hakenkreuz, hooked cross, or Nazi symbol or emblem, sometimes referred to as the Nazi swastika, on the private property of another without permission. The bill also makes it a Class 6 felony if such Nazi symbol or emblem is placed on a highway or other public place in a manner having a direct tendency to place another person in reasonable fear or apprehension of death or bodily injury. Finally, the bill clarifies that such Nazi symbol or emblem does not include and is distinct from the sacred swastika word and symbol of peace and prosperity used by Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, or Native American religions.

Elections administration; duties of local electoral board; certification of election; grounds for removal; civil penalty. Provides that the certification of the results of an election is a clear ministerial duty of the local electoral boards and that a member of the local electoral board who neglects or refuses to perform such duty in accordance with law shall be subject to removal proceedings by the State Board of Elections and assessed a penalty not exceeding $1,000. The bill also authorizes the State Board of Elections to intervene and carry out the duties related to election certification in the event a local electoral board fails or refuses to do so.

Carrying a firearm or explosive material within Capitol Square or building owned or leased by the Commonwealth; exemptions; public institutions of higher education; penalty. Permits the governing board of a public institution of higher education to adopt a policy prohibiting the carrying of any firearm, ammunition, or components or combination thereof within any building owned or operated by such public institution of higher education. The bill allows such policy to include security measures that are designed to reasonably prevent the unauthorized access of buildings that are open to the public. Finally, the bill exempts certain activities, defined in the bill, operated at public or private institutions of higher education from any policy created by a governing board. This bill is identical to SB 1182.