Del. Katrina Callsen

Maddy summaryHJ 746 is a ceremonial resolution commending Marta Keane for her contributions. It does not create new laws or affect any policies; it solely serves as an official expression of recognition. The resolution was passed unanimously by both the House and Senate via voice vote in February 2025. This type of resolution typically honors individuals for community service, achievements, or other notable actions, but it has no binding legal effect.

Maddy summaryHJ 721 is a ceremonial resolution commending Norfolk State University for its contributions to education and the community. It does not create new laws, allocate funds, or affect any policies or individuals. The bill serves only as a formal expression of recognition from the legislature. As a procedural resolution, it has no practical impact beyond the symbolic gesture.

Maddy summaryHJ 670 is a ceremonial resolution commending *The Roanoker*, a newspaper serving the Roanoke community. It contains no policy provisions or concrete changes to law; it solely expresses legislative appreciation for the publication's service. The bill passed both chambers of the legislature with no recorded opposition. This type of resolution does not affect any laws, regulations, or individuals. It serves only as a symbolic gesture of recognition.

Real property tax; assessment of affordable rental housing. Directs the Department of Taxation to develop a uniform income and expense reporting form that may be provided by duly authorized assessors and completed by the owners of affordable rental housing properties prior to assessment of such affordable rental housing properties. The bill provides that the duly authorized real estate assessor charged with determining the fair market value of affordable rental housing shall use the income approach when such housing generates income unless certain information is not provided by the property owner. The bill specifies that the foregoing provisions shall become effective for assessments beginning on or after January 1, 2026. Finally, the bill directs the Department to develop, in consultation with a stakeholder group, the uniform income and expense reporting form no later than September 1, 2025, and directs the Department to provide by November 1, 2025, a letter to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the House Committee on Finance with an update on the development of such form and implementation of training for assessing officials and contracted assessors on the assessment of affordable rental housing.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; discrimination prohibited; military family-owned businesses. Prohibits any public body from discriminating against a bidder or offeror in the solicitation or awarding of contracts on the basis of status as a military family, defined in the bill. The bill provides that all public bodies shall establish programs to facilitate the participation of military family-owned businesses, as defined in the bill, in procurement transactions.

Higher education; financial assistance; Virginia National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program; eligibility criteria. Makes several changes to the Virginia National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program, including (i) making the provisions relating to the requirements and conditions for eligibility for and award of grants under the Program subject to regulations as prescribed by the Adjutant General, (ii) eliminating the requirement to satisfy financial obligations with the institution of higher education at the beginning of each semester, (iii) simplifying the requirements relating to academic performance and good standing, and (iv) providing that, upon acceptance of an application for a grant, grant funds are to be disbursed to the applicable institution of higher education for credit against the recipient student's account. This bill is identical to SB 1106.

Department of Human Resource Management; hiring on the basis of direct experience. Prohibits any state agency from requiring as a condition of eligibility for hire to a position in state employment that an applicant have a baccalaureate degree. The bill provides an exception to such prohibition if the knowledge, skills, or abilities required for the position for which an applicant is applying can only reasonably be obtained, as determined by the appointing authority, through a course of study in pursuit of, and culminating in the award of, a baccalaureate degree. This bill is identical to SB 1014.

Constitutional amendment (first reference); qualifications of voters; right to vote; persons not entitled to vote. Provides that every person who meets the qualifications of voters set forth in the Constitution of Virginia shall have the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth and that such right shall not be abridged by law, except for persons who have been convicted of a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting. A person who has been convicted of a felony shall not be entitled to vote during any period of incarceration for such felony conviction, but upon release from incarceration for that felony conviction and without further action required of him, such person shall be invested with all political rights, including the right to vote. Currently, in order to be qualified to vote a person convicted of a felony must have his civil rights restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority. The amendment also provides that a person adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction as lacking the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote during this period of incapacity until his capacity has been reestablished as prescribed by law. Currently, the Constitution of Virginia provides that a person who has been adjudicated to be mentally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competency is reestablished.

Maddy summaryHJ 659 is a ceremonial resolution commending Mekhi Becton, Sr., for his contributions to the community. It does not create new laws, alter policies, or directly affect any individuals or groups beyond expressing legislative recognition. The resolution passed unanimously in the Senate via voice vote after being introduced and quickly advanced through procedural steps. As a non-binding resolution, it serves only to honor an individual and has no legal or practical impact on governance or public policy.

Health insurance; cost sharing for breast examinations. Prohibits health insurance carriers from imposing cost sharing for diagnostic breast examinations and supplemental breast examinations, as those terms are defined in the bill, under certain insurance policies, subscription contracts, and health care plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in the Commonwealth on and after January 1, 2026. The bill provides that such examinations include examinations using diagnostic mammography, breast magnetic resonance imaging, or breast ultrasound. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Health Insurance Reform Commission. This bill incorporates HB 2133 and is identical to SB 1436.