Del. Irene Shin

Local approval of data centers; temporary moratorium. Prohibits final approval of any application for a rezoning, special exception, special use permit, site plan, or plan of development for the siting of a new data center by a locality until the earlier of (i) the fulfillment of all pending requests for interconnection to distribution service by an electric utility customer that is a data center or (ii) July 1, 2028.

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

Small renewable energy projects; agrivoltaics definition; advisory panel. Defines under the provisions relating to small renewable energy projects the term "agrivoltaics" to mean the intentional co-location of agricultural production and solar energy generation on the same land that (i) is designed to prioritize and sustain agricultural productivity while integrating renewable energy; (ii) allows the ongoing production and sale of agricultural products throughout the solar array's life; (iii) is a part of an existing farm business; and (iv) ensures flexibility for farmers to adapt to market conditions and support operational needs. The bill also directs the Virginia Cooperative Extension, in consultation with the Department of Energy, to convene a stakeholder advisory panel to develop recommendations to (i) establish criteria to determine qualifying agrivoltaic projects that are eligible for grant funding through the Virginia Power Innovation Fund and Program, (ii) identify how to monitor and sustain the integrity of agrivoltaic projects, and (iii) consider permitting or provide other incentives that may be effective in promoting agrivoltaic projects in the Commonwealth. The bill directs the stakeholder advisory panel to submit a report on its recommendations to the Secretaries of Agriculture and Forestry and Natural and Historic Resources by November 1, 2026.

Virginia Fair Housing Law; Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act; Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; personalized algorithmic pricing disclosures; prohibitions; civil penalties; civil actions. Prohibits, for purposes of the Virginia Fair Housing Law and the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA), certain discriminatory uses of protected class data, defined in the bill, in the sale or rental of a dwelling. The bill requires, when applicable, disclosure of the use of personalized algorithmic pricing, defined in the bill, for purposes of the Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act and the VRLTA. Under the VRLTA, the bill prohibits a landlord from facilitating an agreement between or among two or more landlords to not compete with respect to any dwelling unit, including by operating or licensing software, a data analytics service, or an algorithmic device that performs a coordinating function, defined in the bill, on behalf of or between and among such landlords. The bill also prohibits a landlord and a multiple listing service, defined in the bill, from setting or adjusting rent prices, rental agreement terms, occupancy levels, or other rental agreement terms and conditions in one or more of his dwelling units based on recommendations from software, a data analytics service, or an algorithmic device performing a coordinating function. The bill allows the Attorney General to seek an injunction and civil penalties to restrain certain violations of the bill and allows any injured individual to bring a civil action to recover the greater of actual or statutory damages and reasonable attorney fees.

Assault and battery; definition of "Islamophobia"; penalty. Defines "Islamophobia" as it relates to the crime of assault and battery as malicious prejudice or hatred directed toward Islam or Muslims. This definition applies regardless of whether the victim is actually a practitioner of Islam, provided that the perpetrator targeted such victim based on a perceived adherence to such faith. The bill also clarifies that religious conviction includes Islam. The bill directs the Department of State Police, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, to include the bill's definition of "Islamophobia" in its hate crime reporting central repository.

Electric utilities; small portable solar generation devices. Permits any electric utility customer to own and operate a small portable solar generation device, defined in the bill as a nationally certified, plug-in solar photovoltaic device with a maximum power output of no more than 1,200 watts at a single premise that is not designed to be interconnected with the electric grid and is intended primarily to offset part of the customer's electricity consumption. The bill prohibits an investor-owned utility, municipal utility, or electric cooperative from imposing interconnection requirements, charging any fee related to the device, or requiring that the customer obtain the utility's approval before installing or using the device. Under the bill, no electric utility or electric cooperative shall be liable for damage or injury caused by a small portable solar generation device.

Public utilities; reopening rate case in certain instances. Provides that if an application is filed with the State Corporation Commission for approval of the acquisition or disposition of control involving a public utility and such application is filed within 24 months after the entry of a final order in a rate increase proceeding, the Commission may, on its own initiative or upon petition of any interested person, reopen such rate increase proceeding.

Transportation network companies; minimum compensation; civil penalty. Establishes minimum compensation rates for TNC partners. The bill also prohibits gratuities from passengers from being included in TNC partner compensation calculations, authorizes TNC partners to collect gratuity in cash or electronically, and prohibits transportation network companies from limiting the amount that can be paid as gratuity through such companies' digital platforms. The bill requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to establish a process for reporting violations and to investigate claims. The bill authorizes enforcement by civil action or by civil penalties assessed by the DMV Commissioner.

Local anti-rent gouging authority; civil penalty. Provides that any locality may by ordinance adopt anti-rent gouging provisions. The bill provides for notice and a public hearing prior to the adoption of such ordinance and specifies that all landlords who are under the ordinance may be required to give at least 90 days' written notice of a rent increase and cannot increase the rent by more than the locality's calculated allowance, not to exceed three percent, and states that such allowance is effective for a 12-month period beginning July 1 each year. The bill requires the locality to publish such allowance on its website by June 1 of each year. Certain facilities, as outlined in the bill, are exempt from such ordinance. The bill also requires a locality adopting an anti-rent gouging ordinance to establish an anti-rent gouging board to establish rules and procedures by which landlords may apply for and be granted exemptions from the rent increase limits set by the ordinance or delegate such duties and functions to an existing local board, department, or agency. The bill also requires the anti-rent gouging board to establish a fair return on investment rent increase exemption to the annual anti-rent gouging allowance where necessary to offset increased operating expenses. Finally, the bill provides that a locality shall establish a civil penalty for failure to comply with the requirements set out in its ordinance.

Electric utilities; electric vehicle charging stations; transportation electrification. Permits Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company to develop, own, maintain, and operate public-facing fast-charging stations, as defined in the bill, at or beyond a radial distance from privately owned fast-charging stations, which radial distance shall be determined by the Commission in a rulemaking proceeding initiated by June 1, 2027, with a final order entered no later than December 31, 2027. The bill repeals current law related to the recovery of costs associated with investment in transportation electrification on December 31, 2027, to coincide with such final order. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2030.