Rep. David Owen

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial joint resolution honoring Matthew Robert Chiaverotti. It has no policy provisions or direct impact on legislation, citizens, or government operations. The resolution formally celebrates his life and legacy through a symbolic gesture by the legislature. As a commemorative measure, it does not create new laws or alter existing policies.

Virginia Consumer Protection Act; Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; mold remediation; emergency. Prohibits the selling or offering for sale of services as a professional mold remediator to be performed upon any residential dwelling without holding a mold remediation certification from a nationally or internationally recognized certifying body for mold remediation. The bill also requires such professionals to comply with pertinent standards in conducting remediation. Finally, the bill directs the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to study the state of the mold inspection and mold remediation workforce in the Commonwealth to determine whether the licensure or certification of mold inspectors and remediators would benefit the public health, safety, and welfare and submit a report by January 1, 2026. This bill incorporates HB 2355 and contains an emergency clause.

Maddy summaryHJ 616 is a ceremonial resolution commending Colonel Gary T. Settle for his service. It does not create new laws or affect any policies, programs, or individuals financially or operationally. The resolution formally recognizes his contributions through a non-binding expression of appreciation from the legislature. This procedural bill was passed unanimously by both chambers with no substantive impact beyond the symbolic commendation.

Land application of sewage sludge; permit exemptions; sunset. Exempts from permitting requirements for land application, marketing, and distribution of sewage sludge any land application for a research project when such land is owned and operated by an institution of higher education in the Commonwealth. The bill requires the institution of higher education to notify the Department of Environmental Quality and the owner of every adjoining property of its intent to land apply such sewage sludge at least 30 days prior to commencing any land application of sewage sludge. The bill also requires the institution of higher education to comply with setback and recordkeeping requirements outlined in the Virginia Pollution Abatement Permit Regulation. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2030.

Public elementary and secondary schools; nutritional standards for school meals and other foods; nutrition requirements; certain color additives prohibited. Prohibits any public elementary or secondary school from offering or making available to any student any food served as a part of a school meal or any competitive food, as defined in applicable law, that contains any of the seven color additives listed in the bill. The bill directs the Board of Education to amend its nutritional guidelines for competitive foods promulgated pursuant to relevant law in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027, and is identical to SB 1289.

Baccalaureate public institutions of higher education; livestreaming, recording, and archiving of boards of visitors meetings; closed sessions; guidelines. Establishes several requirements, subject to a reenactment clause, relating to public access to meetings of the governing boards of baccalaureate public institutions of higher education. The bill also requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, in consultation with the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council and a representative from the Library of Virginia, to work with the public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth and with technology experts to develop minimal uniform standards, to the extent practicable, for (i) providing the public with real-time access to the meetings of governing boards of public institutions of higher education and the meetings of committees of such boards, (ii) archiving the recordings of such meetings, and (iii) taking minutes at such meetings. The bill requires any such minimal uniform standards to be implemented by each public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth no later than July 1, 2026.

Vitamins, minerals, and food supplements; practice of chiropractic; definition. Amends the definition of "practice of chiropractic" to include recommending or directing patients on the use of vitamins, minerals, or food supplements. The bill also allows a chiropractor to recommend or direct patients on the use of vitamins, minerals, or food supplements, provided that the rationale for such recommendation is (i) documented in a patient's record and (ii) based on a reasonable expectation that the use of such vitamins, minerals, or food supplements will result in a favorable patient outcome, including preventive practices, and that a greater benefit will be achieved than that which can be expected without such use. Under the bill, such chiropractor is not permitted to sell, dispense, or recommend vitamins, minerals, or food supplements for use if such use will negatively impact any of the patient's existing medical conditions. This bill is identical to SB 1015.

Bail and recognizance; appeal of conviction. Provides that the court shall not require any new bond for the release of a person who has been convicted of an offense in a district court and has noted an appeal.

School safety audit committees; annual meetings on school grounds with local law enforcement permitted. Permits each division superintendent or his designee and the school safety audit committee established by the division superintendent to meet annually on the grounds of any public school in the local school division with the chief law-enforcement officer of the locality or a designee from the local law-enforcement agency to discuss the annual school safety audit completed for such school.

Board of Education; Standards of Learning; incorporation of media literacy and digital citizenship. Requires the Board of Education to consider, during each regularly scheduled revision to the Standards of Learning and any associated curriculum framework, including the Digital Learning Integration Standards of Learning, incorporating media literacy and digital citizenship standards, as such terms are defined in the bill, at each grade level.