Del. Michael Feggans

Public schools; student discipline; Restorative Schools in Virginia Pilot Program; established. Establishes the Restorative Schools in Virginia Pilot Program (the Program), to be administered by the Department of Education (the Department), for the purpose of addressing school discipline issues and promoting evidence-based restorative practices, as that term is defined in the bill, in public schools in the Commonwealth by awarding grants to a school division in each superintendent's region in the Commonwealth to be used in developing and implementing a comprehensive plan to integrate evidence-based restorative practices in such school divisions in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill directs the Department to (i) develop the application process by which a school board may apply to receive funds pursuant to the Program; (ii) establish criteria for the selection and award of grants pursuant to the Program; and (iii) develop a process for evaluating the progress and performance of each school division selected to receive a grant pursuant to the Program in implementing such evidence-based restorative practices and satisfying the Program requirements set forth in the bill. The bill requires any such school division to (a) establish a learning collaborative for the purpose of developing a comprehensive plan for implementing evidence-based restorative practices in accordance with the provisions of the bill and (b) submit to the Department by July 1 of each year immediately following any year for which it receives a grant a report on its progress in implementing such evidence-based restorative practices for the preceding school year. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 3.01, as amended, § 3.01:1, and §§ 3.02:1 and 3.02:2, as amended, of Chapter 147 of the Acts of Assembly of 1962, which provided a charter for the City of Virginia Beach, and to repeal § 3.02:3 of Chapters 127 and 762 of the Acts of Assembly of 2020, relating to city council; voting districts.

Speed safety cameras; placement and operation. Changes the terms "photo speed monitoring device" to "speed safety camera" and "high-risk intersection segment" to "high-risk speed corridor" in provisions related to vehicle speed violations. The bill authorizes localities to provide by ordinance for the placement and operation of a speed safety camera by the law-enforcement agency of such locality in certain locations. The bill authorizes any locality without its own law-enforcement agency to, by ordinance, authorize officers of the law-enforcement agency with jurisdiction within such locality to issue a summons and swear to or affirm a certificate for a vehicle speed violation. For any new speed safety camera placed, the bill provides for a warning by mail instead of a summons and no civil penalty for alleged vehicle speed violations within the first 30 days of such camera's operation. The bill makes various other changes to the requirements for the use of speed safety cameras, including changes related to signs indicating the use of such cameras; the use of funds collected from civil penalties; requirements for private vendors; the periodic review of the use of such cameras; the provision of information to the public related to the use and placement of such cameras; the creation of advisory groups; and consultation with certain entities prior to placement and operation of such cameras.

Virginia National Guard; deployment to active duty combat. Prohibits the Virginia National Guard from being deployed into active duty combat, defined in the bill, unless Congress has made an official declaration of war, defined in the bill, or has taken an official action as authorized by the Constitution of the United States for the purposes of expressly executing the laws of the United States, repelling invasion, or suppressing an insurrection.

First-time Homebuyer Grant Program. Establishes a First-time Homebuyer Grant Program for the purpose of assisting first-time homebuyers with first-time homebuyer expenses, as those terms are defined in the bill. The bill provides that the Department of Housing and Community Development shall award eligible first-time homebuyers a grant in an amount equal to five percent of such expenses incurred during a calendar year, not to exceed $10,000. Any grant awarded pursuant to the Program shall be repaid to the Commonwealth if the property for which expenses were incurred is sold within three years from the purchase date, unless the sale is made following a natural disaster or other act of God.

Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; civil penalty. Provides that no person shall leave, place, or store a handgun in an unattended motor vehicle, as defined in the bill, when such handgun is visible to any person who is outside such unattended motor vehicle. The bill provides that any person violating such prohibition is subject to a civil penalty of no more than $500 and that such unattended motor vehicle may be subject to removal for safekeeping.

Collective bargaining by firefighters and emergency medical services providers. Authorizes firefighters and emergency medical services providers employed by a political subdivision of the Commonwealth to engage in collective bargaining through labor organizations or other designated representatives. The bill establishes the Fire Service Cooperation Board to administer its provisions. The bill provides for the appointment of a three-member board of arbitration regarding any dispute arising between an employer and firefighters or emergency medical services providers. Under the bill, determinations made by such board of arbitration are final on a disputed issue and are binding on the parties involved. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.

State Board of Local and Regional Jails; oversight of local and regional jails; powers and duties. Increases from 11 to 19 the membership of the State Board of Local and Regional Jails (the Board) by requiring the appointment of (i) two members of the Senate and two members of the House of Delegates and (ii) four additional nonlegislative citizen members, including (a) one representative of a nonprofit organization that provides training or rehabilitation programs for incarcerated inmates; (b) one male citizen and one female citizen who were formerly incarcerated within the Commonwealth; and (c) one person who is a grandparent, parent, child, sibling, or spouse or domestic partner of a person currently incarcerated within the Commonwealth.The bill also adds numerous additional duties for the Board, including to (1) provide information, as appropriate, to inmates, family members, representatives of inmates, and local, regional, and community correctional facility employees and contractors and others regarding the rights of inmates; (2) establish policies for a statewide uniform reporting system to collect and analyze data related to complaints received in or about local, regional, and community correctional facilities; (3) monitor, document, review, and report on the operation of stores and commissaries in local correctional facilities and systems for providing electronic visitation and messaging and telephone calls; and (4) review, monitor, and report and make recommendations on policies related to (A) attorney access to clients for calls and visitation; (B) access to voting for incarcerated individuals who are eligible to vote; and (C) the collection of data on suicides, suicide attempts, and self-harm in custody. The bill also specifies additional information to be included in the Board's currently required annual report to the General Assembly and the Governor and requires such report to be made available to the public online.The bill enumerates certain items for assessment that may be included in the Board's annual inspection of each local correctional facility, as required by current law, and also specifies the Board's authority and right to access such facilities, interview persons, and access certain information and documents. Upon completion of an inspection, the bill requires the Board to produce a report, including information enumerated in the bill, to be made available to the public online and to be delivered to the Governor, the Attorney General, the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services, the House Committee on Public Safety, and the sheriff in charge of the local correctional facility or superintendent of the regional correctional facility.Finally, the bill allows the Board to initiate and attempt to resolve an investigation upon its own initiative, or upon receipt of a complaint from an inmate, a family member or representative of an inmate, or a local, regional, or community correctional facility employee or contractor, or others, regarding various concerns as enumerated in the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-510, 2.2-511, 18.2-325, 18.2-326, 18.2-329, 18.2-330, 18.2-331, 18.2-331.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to regulating electronic gaming devices, licensees, taxation, placement and compliance; penalties.

Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment Act; prohibited practices; penalties. Creates the Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment Act to regulate the practices of persons seeking to receive compensation for preparing, presenting, prosecuting, advising, consulting, or assisting any individual regarding any veterans' benefits matter, as defined in the bill. The bill provides that a violation of its provisions constitutes a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.