Del. Jackie Glass

Law-enforcement agencies; use of certain technologies and interrogation practices; forensic laboratory accreditation. Directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to establish a comprehensive framework for the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning systems, audiovisual surveillance technologies, and custodial and noncustodial interrogations of adults and juveniles by law-enforcement agencies, which shall include (i) developing policies and procedures and publishing model policies for the use of generative AI, machine learning systems, and audiovisual surveillance technologies and interrogation practices and (ii) establishing compulsory minimum training standards for basic training and recertification of law-enforcement officers on the use of generative AI, machine learning systems, audiovisual surveillance technologies, and conducting interrogations. The bill provides that the Department shall establish and publish such model policies by January 1, 2027, and that all law-enforcement agencies shall adopt policies consistent with such model policies by July 1, 2027. The bill requires any person employed as a law-enforcement officer prior to July 1, 2026, to complete the training required by the bill by January 1, 2030. The bill also prohibits local law-enforcement agencies and campus police departments from purchasing any equipment or instrument that is intended to be used in forensic laboratory analysis or any breath test device, presumptive chemical test, or presumptive mobile instrument unless such equipment, instrument, device, or test has been approved by the Department of Forensic Science or the Forensic Science Board. Such provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2030.

Law-enforcement agencies; use of certain technologies and interrogation practices; forensic laboratory accreditation. Directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services (the Department) to establish a comprehensive framework for the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems, machine learning systems, audiovisual surveillance technologies, and custodial and noncustodial interrogations of adults and juveniles by law-enforcement agencies, which shall include (i) developing policies and procedures and publishing model policies for the use of generative AI, machine learning systems, and audiovisual surveillance technologies and interrogation practices and (ii) establishing compulsory minimum training standards for basic training and recertification of law-enforcement officers in the use of generative AI, machine learning systems, and audiovisual surveillance technologies and in conducting interrogations. The bill provides that the Department shall establish and publish such model policies by January 1, 2027, and that all law-enforcement agencies shall adopt policies consistent with such model policies by July 1, 2027. The bill requires any person employed as a law-enforcement officer prior to July 1, 2026, to complete the training required by the bill by January 1, 2030. The bill also provides that no local law-enforcement agency or campus police department shall operate a forensic laboratory, defined in the bill, unless such forensic laboratory is accredited by an accrediting body that requires conformance to forensic-specific requirements and that is a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition Arrangement with a scope of accreditation that covers the testing being performed. The bill also prohibits local law-enforcement agencies and campus police departments from purchasing any equipment or instrument that is intended to be used in forensic laboratory analysis or any breath test device, presumptive chemical test, or presumptive mobile instrument unless such equipment, instrument, device, or test has been approved by the Department of Forensic Science or the Forensic Science Board. Such provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2030.

Constitutional amendment (first reference); qualifications of voters; 16-year-olds permitted to vote. Provides that, notwithstanding the requirement that a voter shall be 18 years of age, any person who is 16 years of age or older and is otherwise qualified to vote shall be permitted to register to vote and to vote in local elections.

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.

Contraception; right to contraception; applicability; enforcement. Establishes a right to obtain contraceptives and engage in contraception, as such terms are defined in the bill. The bill clarifies that none of its provisions shall be construed to permit or sanction the performance of any sterilization procedure without a patient's voluntary and informed consent. The bill creates a cause of action that may be instituted against anyone who infringes on such right. This bill is identical to SB 1105.

Civil actions; liability of employer for personal injury or death by wrongful act. Provides that in an action for personal injury or death by wrongful act brought by a vulnerable victim, defined in the bill, against an employee, a finding that the employee's employer is vicariously liable for such employee's conduct shall be based on several factors, including the likelihood of the employee coming into contact with such vulnerable victim and the employer's failure to exercise reasonable care over the employee.

Baby Food Protection Act; testing and labeling requirements for toxic heavy metals. Prohibits a person from selling, distributing, or offering for sale a baby food product that contains certain toxic heavy metals that exceed the limits established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The bill requires a manufacturer of a baby food product to meet certain testing requirements and include certain information related to toxic heavy metals on the manufacturer's website and on the baby food product. The bill requires a consumer to report a baby food product to the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services if the consumer reasonably believes that the baby food is being sold in the Commonwealth with toxic heavy metals that exceed the limits established by the FDA. The foregoing provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026. The bill also directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to convene a work group to study and make recommendations on the current enforcement of laws related to the presence of toxic heavy metals in baby food products and any further action needed to address the issue of toxic heavy metals in baby food products. The bill requires the work group to report on its findings and recommendations by the first day of the 2026 Regular Session.

Virginia military forces; Sexual Offense Prevention and Response Program established. Establishes the Sexual Offense Prevention and Response Program (the Program) within the Department of Military Affairs. The bill also establishes the Sexual Offense Prevention and Response Officer (the Officer) to perform victim advocacy services, including helping victims of certain criminal sexual assault offenses make either a restricted report or an unrestricted report, as those terms are defined in the bill. Restricted and unrestricted reports may be made (i) by a person who is a member of the Virginia military forces, defined in the bill as the Virginia National Guard and the Virginia Defense Force, or (ii) against a member of the Virginia military forces. The bill directs the Adjutant General, in coordination with the Officer, to submit an annual report to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Delegates, and the chairmen of both the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice. The annual report shall include relevant information enumerated in the bill, including implementation and effectiveness of the Program's policies and procedures, as well as statistical information about restricted reports and unrestricted reports.

Child labor; child engaged in the work of content creation; trust account. Requires that a child under the age of 16 who meets certain criteria specified in the bill to be considered a child engaged in the work of content creation be compensated by the content creator, defined in the bill, whose video content includes such child's likeness, name, or photograph. The bill requires the content creator to set aside gross earnings on the video content that includes the likeness, name, or photograph of the child in a trust account to be preserved for the benefit of the child upon attaining 18 years of age or having been declared emancipated. The bill also requires the content creator to maintain certain records specified in the bill and provide them to the child and the holder of the trust account on an ongoing basis. The bill also allows the child, or his parent or guardian on behalf of such child, to commence a civil action if the content creator fails to maintain the required records and to enforce the provisions of law related to the trust account. This bill is identical to SB 998.