Rep. Charles D. Poindexter

Department of Transportation; replica of the Bob White Covered Bridge. Requires the Department of Transportation to work with the governing body of Patrick County and community groups interested in constructing a replica of the Bob White Covered Bridge to approve a construction plan for a replica of the Bob White Covered Bridge for tourism purposes open for pedestrian, non-motor vehicle traffic. The bill requires the Department to ensure that the replica bridge is sufficiently stable and does not create a hazard but exempts such replica bridge from all Code of Virginia provisions and Department of Transportation regulations regarding bridge standards and design.

Celebrating the life of Michael Wayne Woods.

Special license plates; NOT FORGOTTEN. Authorizesthe issuance of revenue-sharing special license plates for supportersof Americans listed as prisoners of war or missing in action bearingthe legend NOT FORGOTTEN. The bill requires that the design of suchplate incorporate the POW/MIA Flag as designated by the federal NationalPOW/MIA Flag Act. The bill exempts these special license plates fromthe requirement to obtain 450 prepaid applications for such plate.The bill provides that some of the license plate fees will be depositedin the POW/MIA Fund, established within the Department of Accounts,and paid annually to the National League of Families of American Prisonersand Missing in Southeast Asia and used to support its operation andprograms in Virginia.

Solar and wind farms; reporting of acreage bylocality. Requires each locality to provide to the Departmentof Mines, Minerals and Energy information about the amount of landformerly in production agriculture or silviculture that has beenapproved for development into or has been developed into solar orwind farms. The bill requires the Division of Energy to establish a database to collect and maintain figures on the amount of landformerly in production agriculture or production silviculture thathas been approved for development into or has been developed intosolar or wind farms. The bill also requires localities, in adoptingordinances for and approving the development of solar and wind farmprojects, to consider certain effects of such projects.

Constitutional amendment (first reference);executive power; state of emergency; special session. Limitsthe authority of the Governor to issue an executive order declaringa state of emergency that restricts, limits, or prohibits otherwiselawful action by a private business, nonprofit entity, or individualfor a period more than 45 days in duration without approval by theGeneral Assembly. The Governor is required to convene a special sessionfor the purpose of the General Assembly approving the extension ofsuch executive order beyond the forty-fifth day after its originalissuance and if the General Assembly does not approve such extension,the Governor is prohibited from issuing a subsequent executive orderin the same form for the same declared emergency. The General Assemblyis permitted to extend the executive order to a date requested bythe Governor or to a date of the General Assembly's choosing, butit shall not approve the extension to a date beyond the first fullweek of the next regular session of the General Assembly, unlesssuch date is requested by the Governor.

Commending Christchurch School.

Wake surfing; proximity to certain structuresor other persons. Prohibits a person within 200 feet of a dock,pier, boathouse, boat ramp, or other person in the water from operatinga vessel on any inland lake that is more than 500 feet above sealevel and of 20,000 acres or more in size, and wholly located withinthe Commonwealth (Smith Mountain Lake), while accompanied by a personor persons engaged in wake surfing.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable AugustusBenton Chafin, Jr.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable AugustusBenton Chafin, Jr.