Rep. Otto Wachsmann

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural resolution (HJ 656) commending Anne Cochrane Pace for her contributions. It does not create new laws or affect any policies, people, or programs. The resolution formally expresses appreciation for Pace's work and was unanimously agreed to by both the House and Senate in February 2025. It serves as a ceremonial acknowledgment with no binding legal effect.

Maddy summaryHJ 684 is a commemorative resolution honoring Loudoun County residents who were among the passengers aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which crashed in 2023. It formally recognizes and celebrates the lives of these community members without creating any new laws or policy changes. The resolution passed both the House and Senate in February 2025 and was signed into law. This is a symbolic gesture, not a substantive legislative measure.

Threats to discharge a firearm within or at buildings or means of transportation; penalties. Provides that any person (i) who makes and communicates to another by any means any threat to bomb, burn, destroy, discharge a firearm within or at, or in any manner damage any place of assembly, building or other structure, or means of transportation or (ii) who communicates to another, by any means, information, knowing the same to be false, as to the existence of any peril of bombing, burning, destruction, discharging of a firearm within or at, or damage to any such place of assembly, building or other structure, or means of transportation is guilty of a Class 5 felony, provided, however, that if such person is under 18 years of age, he is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Under current law, any person 15 years of age or older (a) who makes and communicates to another by any means any threat to bomb, burn, destroy, or in any manner damage any place of assembly, building or other structure, or means of transportation or (b) who communicates to another, by any means, information, knowing the same to be false, as to the existence of any peril of bombing, burning, destruction, or damage to any such place of assembly, building or other structure, or means of transportation is guilty of a Class 5 felony. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Criminal Justice Conference.

Prohibited equipment related to manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance; penalties. Exempts permitted outsourcing facilities and pharmacies from the prohibition for any person to possess, purchase, sell, give, distribute, or possess with intent to sell, give, or distribute an encapsulating machine or a tableting machine that manufactures, compounds, converts, produces, processes, prepares, or otherwise introduces into the human body a controlled substance. Current law exempts permitted manufacturers.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HJ 644) is a joint resolution commending the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia for its work in supporting individuals recovering from substance use disorders. It formally recognizes the organization's contributions to community health and recovery efforts in Virginia. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no binding policy impact or direct effect on laws or regulations. The measure passed both chambers of the General Assembly with voice votes in February 2025.

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.

Prescription Monitoring Program; exemptions; licensed narcotic maintenance treatment programs. Removes dispensing of covered substances within a licensed narcotic maintenance treatment program from the list of circumstances that are exempt from the reporting requirements of the Prescription Monitoring Program. The bill specifies that any reporting of information related to dispensing covered substances within a licensed narcotic maintenance treatment program shall comply with applicable federal laws and regulations. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

Virginia Retirement System; disability benefits; emergency dispatchers. Requires that, beginning July 1, 2026, emergency dispatchers who are not members of the hybrid retirement program become participants in the disability program for hybrid retirement plan members if the locality employing such dispatcher participates in such program. The employers of such dispatchers shall provide the costs required for funding participation in such program.

Hospitals and nursing homes; licensure and inspection fees; Hospital and Nursing Home Licensure and Inspection Program Fund established. Directs the State Board of Health to require in its regulations the establishment of fees for the issuance, change, or renewal of a hospital or nursing home license to cover the costs of operating the hospital and nursing home licensure and inspection program in a manner that ensures timely completion of inspections. The bill requires the Board to distribute the costs of operating the hospital and nursing home licensure and inspection program in an equitable manner across all hospitals and nursing homes and specifies that the amount of such fees shall change no more frequently than annually. Such fee changes shall only be initiated under the bill if the expenses are more than 10 percent greater or less than the annual costs of operating the licensure and inspection program in a manner that ensures timely completion of inspections. The bill also creates the Hospital and Nursing Home Licensure and Inspection Program Fund to be used for the purposes of supporting the activities of the licensure and inspections requirements administered pursuant to current law. The bill directs the Board to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill related to the establishment of such fees and specifies that the provisions pertaining to the creation of the Fund shall not become effective until the Board adopts such emergency regulations. This bill is identical to SB 1484.

Drug paraphernalia; controlled paraphernalia; drug checking products; exception. Creates an exception for drug checking products used to determine the presence or concentration of a contaminant that can cause physical harm or death from the definitions of drug paraphernalia and controlled paraphernalia. Under current law, the exception applies only to narcotic testing products used to determine whether a controlled substance contains fentanyl or a fentanyl analog.