Rep. Phil Scott

Maddy summarySJ 369 is a symbolic resolution commending children of the Shenandoah Valley for their contributions. It does not create new laws or affect any policies, funding, or regulations. The bill simply expresses formal recognition through a resolution passed unanimously by both the Senate and House. It directly affects no individuals or groups beyond the ceremonial acknowledgment. This is a procedural, non-binding expression of appreciation with no concrete policy changes.

Public high school students; opportunity to earn transferable meta-major associate degree during high school to reduce college debt. Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, in cooperation with the Virginia Community College System and each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education and each baccalaureate public institution of higher education, to establish a program by which qualified high school students earn an associate degree in a meta-major through dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment, or a combination thereof, that (i) is fully transferable to any baccalaureate public institution of higher education that offers a program of study in such meta-major and (ii) to the extent possible, satisfies discipline-specific degree requirements in the student's preferred program of study.

Real property tax; exemptions for disabled veterans and surviving spouses; driveways. Clarifies that any driveway used to access land otherwise exempt from real property taxes as being owned by a veteran who has a 100 percent service-connected, permanent, and total disability shall also be exempt from such taxation. The bill also clarifies that any driveway used to access land otherwise exempt from real property taxes due to being owned by a surviving spouse of a member of the armed forces who died in the line of duty shall be similarly exempt from real property taxes.

Virginia National Guard; deployment to active duty combat. Prohibits the Virginia National Guard from being deployed into active duty combat, defined in the bill, unless Congress has made an official declaration of war, defined in the bill, or has taken an official action as authorized by the Constitution of the United States for the purposes of expressly executing the laws of the United States, repelling invasion, or suppressing an insurrection.

Voter registration; cancellation of registration; notice of cancellation; new address if available. Requires general registrars to cancel the registration of any person for whom a notice has been submitted to the Department of Motor Vehicles in accordance with the Driver License Compact and forwarded to the general registrar that the voter has moved from the Commonwealth, provided that the registrar mail notice of such cancellation to the person at his new address, as reported to the DMV, if available, and the address at which the person most recently had been registered in Virginia. Under current law, such cancellation is permissive and there is no provision for availability regarding the notice of cancellation required to be mailed to the person's new address.

Absentee voting in person; available beginning 14 days prior to election; hours of operation. Limits the availability of absentee voting in person to beginning 14 days prior to any election. During these two weeks, the bill requires that absentee voting in person be available Monday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. each day. Under current law, absentee voting in person is available during regular business hours of the office of the general registrar beginning 45 days prior to any election with a requirement to be open a minimum of eight hours between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on the first and second Saturdays immediately preceding the election.

Constitutional amendment (first reference); personal property tax; exemption for motor vehicles owned for personal, noncommercial use. Requires the General Assembly to exempt from personal property taxes motor vehicles owned by an individual for personal, noncommercial use, provided that for the first year following the effective date of such law, the exemption shall be equal to 20 percent of the tax rate imposed by a locality on tangible personal property, and shall increase by an additional 20 percent of such rate for each year thereafter until such time that the exemption is equal to 100 percent. For purposes of the exemption, "motor vehicle" includes only automobiles, pickup trucks, and motorcycles. The amendment provides that the exemption is applicable on the date the motor vehicle is acquired or the effective date of the amendment, whichever is later, but is not applicable for any period of time prior to the effective date.

Voter registration; cancellation of registration by voter; effective for the immediately proceeding election. Provides that any valid authorization for cancellation submitted by a registered voter prior to the day of the immediately proceeding election shall be effective in such election. Under current law, when submitted by any means other than when notarized or in person, such cancellation must be made at least 22 days prior to an election in order to be valid in that election.

Elections; voter identification; identification containing a photograph required. Requires presentation of a form of identification containing a photograph in order to vote. The bill repeals the provisions of law permitting a voter who does not have one of the required forms of identification to vote after signing a statement, subject to felony penalties for false statements, that he is the named registered voter he claims to be. Instead, the bill provides that such voter is entitled to cast a provisional ballot.

Firearms-related offenses; mandatory minimum sentence; penalty. Increases from five to 10 years for a second or subsequent offense the mandatory minimum sentence for use or display of a firearm during the commission of certain felonies.