Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra

Electric utilities; pilot programs for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. Amends annual funding commitments for the purposes of the annual pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for low-income, elderly, and disabled individuals conducted by Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power Company. Under the bill, Appalachian Power Company is required to continue its pilot program at no less than $1 million and no greater than $1.5 million annually. Dominion Energy Virginia is required to continue its pilot program at no less than $156 million and no greater than $204 million for the time period beginning July 1, 2026, and ending July 1, 2038. The bill extends the sunset date of such pilot programs from July 1, 2028, to July 1, 2038.The bill also provides that Dominion Energy Virginia may recover costs associated with certain electrical facilities that have been approved by the State Corporation Commission as of December 1, 2033, provided that certain requirements are met and notwithstanding any limitations on such cost recovery in current law. The bill directs Dominion Energy Virginia to propose to the Commission, in any proceeding to determine rates for generation and distribution services commencing after January 1, 2027, and before July 1, 2033, that certain costs related to capacity procurement requirements and distribution infrastructure investments are allocated to the utility's customer class approved to serve customers with a contracted or measured electric demand of 25 megawatts or greater and an anticipated or measured average annual electric load factor of 75 percent or greater. The bill provides that certain customers in manufacturing, industrial, or consumer goods warehousing and distribution activities other than data storage may elect to remain on their existing rate schedule. The bill requires Dominion Energy Virginia, in connection with its first proceeding to determine rates for generation and distribution services commencing after July 1, 2026, to include in its petition to the Commission a proposal to revise its tariff for supplementary, maintenance, or standby service for customers with power plants, effective as of January 1, 2028. The bill provides that the Commission shall only approve such proposal if it determines that such tariff will not adversely affect other retail customers or the utility in a manner contrary to the public interest, and any revised tariff terms shall include protections against stranded cost risks to the utility customer base. Additionally, the bill authorizes Dominion Energy Virginia to file a petition for the securitization of certain deferred fuel costs. The bill requires the Commission, in evaluating certain petitions, to require to the greatest extent it finds in the public interest the use of wages, salaries, benefits, and other remuneration to any mechanic, laborer, or worker employed, retained, or otherwise hired to perform services in connection with a contract contemplated pursuant to such petition at the prevailing wage rate and to the greatest extent practicable, the use of a skilled workforce through registered apprenticeship programs for any authorized demand flexibility programs, utility-related procurement through utility-owned or third-party providers, and an evaluation of other potential opportunities to develop Virginia's skilled workforce by requiring minimum apprenticeship program requirements for such electric generation or energy storage facility work. This bill incorporates HB 634.

Medical cannabis; administration to terminally ill patients; report. Directs the Department of Health to promulgate regulations specifying that hospital staff may store, dispense, and administer cannabis oil when a patient has valid certification and exempts such staff from criminal penalties for possession of cannabis oil. The bill directs the Department of Health to convene a work group to discuss the implementation process for providing cannabis products to patients in medical care facilities and report on its discussion to the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2026. This bill incorporates HB 486. This bill is identical to SB 332.

Discovery; methods of delivery. Requires the Commonwealth, upon request by the accused or his counsel, to copy or photograph any discovery materials or evidence the accused is permitted to inspect and review, including relevant police reports, criminal records, dashboard camera footage, and body-worn camera footage, and requires the Commonwealth to provide copies to the accused or his counsel, subject to the redaction, restricted dissemination, and protective order provisions of the relevant Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia and unless such material is prohibited from being distributed by law.The bill requires the attorney for the Commonwealth in any district court to provide to counsel of record for the accused, if requested, a copy of any relevant police report at least 10 days prior to the date the case is set for trial or preliminary hearing, and such report is subject to limitations on dissemination. The bill further provides that if such materials are provided to counsel of record for the accused in district court for a preliminary hearing, the circuit court shall order such counsel to provide discovery to the attorney for the Commonwealth subject to the relevant Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia prior to trial in circuit court. Lastly, the bill provides that if at any time during the course of the proceedings it is brought to the attention of the court that the attorney for the Commonwealth has failed to comply with such provisions, the court may order the Commonwealth to permit discovery or inspection, grant a continuance, or prohibit the Commonwealth from introducing evidence not disclosed, or the court may enter such other order as it deems just under the circumstances.

Elections; challenges to a voter or voter's registration. Eliminates the process by which any voter could challenge, in a polling place on the day of an election, the right of any other voter to cast a ballot. The bill also eliminates the process by which any three voters could challenge a voter's registration before the general registrar; such challenges may still be made by filing a petition with the circuit court of the county or city where the voter is registered.

Elections; absentee voting; cure process. Removes the requirement that absentee ballots be received by the Friday immediately preceding the day of the election for the general registrar to implement the process of curing errors or failures in such absentee ballots. The bill also moves the deadline for curing errors or omissions in absentee ballot applications from noon on the third day after the election to noon on the Monday after the election. This bill has a delayed effective date of September 1, 2026.

Pharmacy benefits managers; requirements; scope; report. Requires all health insurance carriers to use the pass-through pricing model and may limit a pharmacy benefits manager from deriving income from pharmacy benefits management services provided to a carrier except for income derived from a pharmacy benefits management fee. The bill prohibits a pharmacy benefits manager from (i) reversing and or resubmitting the claim of a pharmacist or pharmacy without meeting certain requirements, (ii) reducing any payment to a pharmacist or pharmacy to an effective rate of reimbursement, or (iii) retroactively denying or reducing a claim or aggregate of claims except under certain circumstances. The bill requires the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) to examine the practice of carriers or pharmacy benefits managers requiring or inducing covered individuals to utilize pharmacy services at an affiliated pharmacy. The Commission is required to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by December 1, 2027. Certain provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 669.

Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements; civil action. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning April 1, 2028. Under the program, benefits are paid to covered individuals, as defined in the bill, for family and medical leave. Funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning April 1, 2028. The bill provides that the amount of a benefit is 80 percent of the employee's average weekly net earnings, not to exceed 100 percent of the statewide average weekly net earnings, which amount is required to be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the statewide average weekly wage. The bill caps the duration of paid leave at 12 weeks in any application year and provides self-employed individuals the option of participating in the program. This bill is identical to SB 2.

Department of Education; culturally responsive and language-appropriate mental health support and services; guidance and policies. Requires, no later than October 1, 2027, the Department of Education to develop, adopt, and provide to each local school board guidance on the adoption of policies governing the provision of culturally responsive and language-appropriate mental health support and services for students in the local school division and permits any school board to develop and adopt policies in the local school division that are consistent with the guidelines adopted and provided by the Department of Education.

Affordable housing; religious organizations and other nonprofit tax-exempt properties. Allows for the administrative approval of development and construction of housing on land owned by property tax-exempt religious organizations or certain property tax-exempt nonprofit organizations and provides that zoning ordinances shall allow the by-right development and construction of housing on real property owned by such organizations, subject to various conditions and limitations. The bill provides that the review of such developments be completed pursuant to general law and states that localities shall not require a special exception, special use permit, conditional use permit, rezoning, or any discretionary review or approval process. The bill requires that at least 60 percent of the housing development's total units be for affordable housing and that the housing development remain affordable for at least 30 years. The bill also provides that all such housing is subject to local real property taxation following completion, unless explicitly exempted by the locality. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027, and expires on January 1, 2031. This bill is identical to SB 388.

Small lot residential zoning districts. Requires any locality with a population of 50,000 or more to adopt, maintain, and apply to land within its boundaries at least one zoning district classification that permits a single-family dwelling on a lot with a minimum lot area not exceeding 3,000 square feet. The bill provides that such zoning district classifications shall not impose minimum lot widths exceeding 30 feet or setback, lot coverage, or density requirements that would preclude construction of eligible dwellings on conforming lots. The bill's provisions do not apply to areas within a historic district.