Del. Nadarius Clark

Water utilities; prohibition of multiple rate increases within three-year period for water utilities. Prohibits a public utility authorized to furnish water or water and sewer service from filing an application for a rate increase more frequently than once in any three-year period. The bill provides exceptions to such prohibition for the utility to file an application (i) for a decrease in rates; (ii) limited to a rate adjustment clause, rider, or surcharge; (iii) for a temporary emergency increase in rates; or (iv) for an increase upon a finding by the State Corporation Commission that extraordinary circumstances exist. The provisions of the bill do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2027 Session of the General Assembly.

Orders closing a proceeding; petitions for review. Provides that when a circuit court acts on or issues an order pertaining to the closure of a proceeding, such order is eligible for immediate appellate review with the Supreme Court of Virginia. The bill further provides that any person aggrieved by such an order may, within 15 days of the entry of such an order, file a petition for review with the Supreme Court of Virginia. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Boyd-Graves Conference.

Wage garnishment; state tax debt. Provides that the maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings of an individual for any workweek that is subject to garnishment to collect delinquent taxes and charges owed to the state government shall not exceed the lesser of (i) 25 percent of such individual's disposable earnings for that week or (ii) the amount by which such individual's disposable earnings exceed 40 times the federal or Virginia minimum wage, whichever is greater. The bill also directs the Department of Taxation to recognize Currently Not Collectible status granted by the Internal Revenue Service and to offer taxpayers with such status a similar Virginia status with comparable protections from collection activities. The bill contains technical amendments and has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Incapacitated persons; finding of lack of capacity to understand act of voting. Provides that a finding that a person is incapacitated in a proceeding for guardianship or conservatorship shall not be synonymous with a finding that such person lacks the capacity to understand the act of voting and therefore is not qualified to vote in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of Virginia. The bill provides that no person shall be deemed disqualified to vote due to a lack of capacity for the purposes of the Constitution of Virginia unless a court makes a specific finding by clear and convincing evidence that such person lacks the capacity to understand the act of voting. This bill is identical to SB 34.

Board of Education; Board of Nursing; High School Certified Nurse Aide Training and Certification Program established; requirements; report. Establishes the High School Certified Nurse Aide Training and Certification Program for the purpose of creating a pathway for qualified high school students, as defined by the bill, to prepare for and obtain certification as a certified nurse aide (CNA) in the Commonwealth by approving and supporting the establishment of approved training programs, as that term is defined by the bill, whereby any qualified high school student may participate in a program of instruction that (i) is designed to prepare such students for certification as a CNA, in accordance with the requirements of the Board of Nursing; (ii) is taught by an individual who is qualified to provide such instruction, consistent with the requirements of the Board of Education and the Board of Nursing; and (iii) supports each participating student in meeting the requirements for and obtaining certification as a CNA. The bill directs the Board of Education, in collaboration with the Board of Nursing, to administer the Program and to establish policies and procedures for the administration of the Program. Finally, the bill requires the Board of Education to submit to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education by November 1 of each year a report on the activities of the Program for the preceding year.

Minimum wage; farm laborers or farm employees. Eliminates the exemption from Virginia's minimum wage requirements for persons employed as farm laborers or farm employees. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027, and is identical to SB 121.

Fines and costs; period of limitations on collection; deferred payment agreement. Changes the period of limitations for the collection of court fines and costs from within 60 years from the date of the offense or delinquency giving rise to imposition of such penalty if imposed by a circuit court or within 30 years if imposed by a general district court to within 10 years from the date of the judgment whether imposed by a circuit court or general district court. The bill provides that upon the expiration of the period of limitations, no action shall be brought to collect the debt.The bill extends the time period for commencing collection activity from 90 days to 180 days after judgment, but provides that no collection activity shall be commenced while a defendant is incarcerated on an active term of imprisonment and subject to a deferred payment agreement.The bill also provides that for any defendant sentenced to an active term of incarceration and ordered to pay any fine, cost, forfeiture, or penalty related to the charge that such defendant is incarcerated for, or any other charge for which such defendant was sentenced on the same day, the court shall enter such defendant into a deferred payment agreement for such fines, costs, forfeitures, or penalties. The bill requires the due date for such deferred payment agreement to be set no earlier than 180 days after the defendant's scheduled release from incarceration on the charge for which such defendant was sentenced on the same day. This bill is identical to SB 180. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies; noncompliance with rental agreement; mandatory waiting period. Increases the mandatory waiting period for a landlord to pursue remedies for termination of the rental agreement from five days to 14 days. The waiting period begins after a landlord serves written notice on a tenant notifying the tenant of his nonpayment of rent and of the landlord's intention to terminate the rental agreement if rent is not paid. This bill is identical to SB 48.

Department of Energy; workforce development in offshore wind industry. Directs the Director of the Department of Energy to identify and develop training resources to advance workforce development in the offshore wind industry in the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to SB 25.

Minimum wage. Increases the minimum wage incrementally to $15.00 per hour by January 1, 2028. The bill codifies the adjusted state hourly minimum wage of $12.77 per hour that is effective January 1, 2026, and increases the minimum wage to $13.75 per hour effective January 1, 2027, and to $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2028. Effective January 1, 2029, and annually thereafter, the bill requires the minimum wage to be adjusted to reflect increases in the consumer price index. This bill is identical to SB 1.