Refunds of local taxes; authority of treasurer. Increases from $5,000 to $10,000 the maximum amount that the governingbody of a locality may authorize its treasurer to approve and issuefor a refund of taxes paid as a result of an erroneous tax assessment.
Local Food and Farming Infrastructure GrantProgram. Increases from $25,000 to $50,000 the amount of a grantthat may be made to a political subdivision for projects that supportlocal food production and sustainable agriculture.
Guardianship and conservatorship; notice of hearing. Requires the notice of hearing for a guardianship or conservatorship petition to include a notice that any adult individual or entity whose name and post office address appears in the initial petition for appointment may become a party to the action by filing a pleading with the circuit court in which the guardianship or conservatorship proceeding is pending.
Charter; City of Norfolk; council; elections.Makes various changes to reflect the City of Norfolk's upcomingshift in municipal elections from May to November.
Admission into evidence of certain forensic medical examination reports by sexual assault nurse examiners and sexual assault forensic examiners; testimony by two-way video conferencing. Allows testimony offered by either party in a preliminary hearing or sentencing hearing, or offered by the accused in any hearing other than a trial, by a sexual assault nurse examiner or sexual assault forensic examiner who performed a forensic medical examination to be presented by two-way video conferencing. The bill also allows such testimony to be presented by two-way video conferencing when offered by either party in a trial or by the attorney for the Commonwealth in a hearing other than a preliminary hearing or sentencing hearing, with the consent of the court and all parties.
Certain public elementary and secondary school students; excused absences; attendance at pow wow. Provides that, subject to guidelines established by the Department of Education, any student who is a member of a state-recognized or federally recognized tribal nation that is headquartered in the Commonwealth and who is absent from school to attend such tribal nation's pow wow gathering shall be granted one excused absence per academic year, provided that the parent of such student provides to the student's school advance notice of such absence in the manner required by the school.
Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence VictimFund; purpose; fee apportionment. Provides that the Departmentof Criminal Justice Services shall adopt guidelines to make fundsfrom the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Victim Fund, whichis used to support the prosecution of domestic violence cases andvictim services, available to sexual assault service providers andhospitals for the purpose of funding the cost of salaries and equipmentfor sexual assault forensic examiners, sexual assault nurse examiners,and pediatric sexual assault nurse examiners, with priority for fundingsuch costs given to such forensic examiners and nurse examiners serving rural or underserved areas of the Commonwealth. The bill also increasesthe amount apportioned to the Fund from the fixed fees for misdemeanorsand traffic infractions tried in district court.
Public schools; instruction concerning gambling. Requires instruction concerning gambling and the addictive potential thereof to be provided by the public schools as prescribed by the Board of Education. The bill requires the Board of Education to report to the Chairmen of House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health a description of such instruction.
Department of Labor and Industry; seizure firstaid information. Directs the Department of Labor and Industry(the Department) to disseminate information regarding seizure firstaid, defined in the bill, to all employers and employees in the Commonwealthand requires all employers in the Commonwealth to physically postthis information in a prominent location in the workplace. The billincorporates the "Good Samaritan" provision of the Code of Virginiathat shields a person from liability when rendering emergency carein good faith under certain circumstances.
Celebrating the life of the Honorable FloraLonette Davis Crittenden.
