Del. Chad Green

Consumer Data Protection Act; social media; parental consent. Requires any social media platform, defined in the bill, that is subject to the provisions of the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act to obtain verifiable parental consent prior to permitting any minor to create an account with such social media platform and, with such account, use such social media platform. The bill requires such social media platform to give the parent or legal guardian of such minor the option to consent to the collection and use of the minor's personal data without consenting to the disclosure of such minor's personal data to third parties.

Line of Duty Act; payments to beneficiaries. Provides that if a deceased person, as that term is defined in the Line of Duty Act, died as a result of certain cancers within 10 years from his date of retirement, his beneficiary shall be entitled to the payment of certain benefits. Under current law, such beneficiary shall be entitled to such payment if the deceased person's death (i) arose out of and in the course of his employment or (ii) was within five years from his date of retirement.

Recognition of the Wolf Creek Cherokee Tribe of Virginia. Extends state recognition to the Wolf Creek Cherokee Tribe of Virginia within the Commonwealth.

Local tax authority; nicotine vapor products. Authorizes localities by ordinance to impose a sales and use tax on nicotine vapor products and includes directives for the administration and enforcement of any such ordinance. The bill also directs the Department of Taxation to consult with localities, the Virginia Association of Counties, and the Virginia Municipal League in implementing and administering such local taxation of nicotine vapor products.

Zoning; traffic studies. Provides that no locality shall require a traffic study as a condition for approval of a rezoning application that involves either a single-family or multifamily residential use of fewer than 50 residential units. The bill further provides that in any instance in which a locality requires a rezoning applicant to submit a traffic study as part of the application, the applicant shall be reimbursed by the locality for the costs of the traffic study if the locality does not accept the results of the traffic study or if the locality requires the applicant to make additional traffic-related improvements that are not required by the traffic study.

Notification by individuals finding companion animals; civil penalty. Increases from $50 to $500 the civil penalty for violating provisions requiring an individual who finds a companion animal and (i) provides care or safekeeping or (ii) retains the companion animal in such a manner as to control its activities to notify the owner of such companion animal and a public animal shelter that serves the locality where such companion animal was found and provide adequate care of such companion animal.

Maddy summaryHJ 498 designates April 6, 2025, and every April 6 thereafter, as "Kindness Day" in Virginia. This procedural resolution does not create new laws or affect specific groups; it simply establishes an annual observance date. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Rules but has not advanced further. It serves only to formally name the day, with no additional policy mechanisms or implementation requirements.

Attorneys and assistant attorneys for the Commonwealth to prosecute cases involving compulsory school attendance. Provides that the attorney for the Commonwealth and assistant attorney for the Commonwealth of the several counties and cities may, in their discretion, prosecute all cases involving compulsory school attendance pursuant to relevant law. Current law states that it shall be the duty of the attorneys for the Commonwealth of the several counties and cities to prosecute such cases.

Regulation of discharging preproduction plastic; requirements. Requires the Department of Environmental Quality to establish a program to ensure zero discharge or release from point and nonpoint source at certain facilities that discharge to (i) a surface water under a Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued by the Department or (ii) a publicly owned treatment works under an industrial pretreatment program permit or other written authorization issued by a local permit control authority and to require the prompt and environmentally responsible containment and cleanup of discharged or released preproduction plastic. The bill requires the Department to adopt and implement certain requirements in order to reduce and control the discharge or release of preproduction plastic from such facilities. The bill allows the Department to exempt a facility from the requirements of the program if a facility satisfies the criteria for a no exposure certification and complies with inspection requirements administered by the Department. The bill also allows the Department to establish additional requirements regarding the regulation of discharges and releases of preproduction plastic from certain facilities into water or onto land in the Commonwealth.

Assisted conception; certain medical treatments; written contract required. Provides that the laws governing abortion shall not be construed to prohibit or limit the access to and use of (i) in vitro fertilization or any other method of assisted conception or (ii) any other medical treatment or intervention used to assist in the conception of a pregnancy or to maintain such a pregnancy. The bill further provides that, beginning the in vitro fertilization process, the genetic parents, if known to each other, shall enter into a written contract stipulating to the disposition of any embryo created for the intended use in such process. The bill specifies that such contract shall include provisions regarding the cryopreservation, disposal, and control of any such embryo in the event of the death or incarceration of one or more of the genetic parents or the divorce of the genetic parents, if applicable.