Del. Michael Feggans

Assistance for certain voters outside of thepolling place; definition of disability. Expands the definitionof disability for purposes of providing assistance outside of a pollingplace to voters with disabilities to include any permanent or temporary disability. Under current law, the disability is limited to a permanentor temporary physical disability.

Virginia Minority Business Commission; report;sunset. Establishes the 13-member Virginia Minority Business Commission in the legislative branch of government for the purposeof promoting the growth and competitiveness of Virginia minority-ownedbusinesses. The bill provides that the Commission sunsets on July1, 2026.

Financial institutions; reporting financialexploitation of elderly or vulnerable adults. Permits a financial institution, as defined in the bill, to allow an elderly or vulnerableadult, as defined in the bill, to submit and periodically updatea list of trusted persons whom such financial institution or financialinstitution staff, as defined in the bill, may contact in the caseof suspected financial exploitation of such adult. In such a case,the bill also allows a financial institution or financial institutionstaff to convey such suspicion to one or more certain individuals,provided that the recipient of such conveyance is not the suspectedperpetrator of financial exploitation. The bill provides that a financialinstitution or financial institution staff shall be immune from any criminal, civil, or administrative liability for any act taken oromission made in accordance with the bill's provisions.

Commission on Legislature Modernization; report. Establishes the Commission on Legislature Modernization in the legislativebranch for the purpose of studying the operation and functionality of the General Assembly and identifying ways to make the legislaturemore effective, efficient, responsive, reflective, and transparenton behalf of all Virginians. The Commission will consist of 17 members,which shall include 9 legislators, 6 nonlegislative citizen members,and 2 ex officio members. The Commission shall be convened for aperiod of two years, every 10 years in the year ending in four, andshall terminate after the submission of its final report to the General Assembly at the end of its second year.

Study; joint committee of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health; challenges faced by and effective strategies for ensuring the sustainable, long-term success of the five historically black colleges and universities in the Commonwealth; report. Establishes a joint committee consisting of five members of the House Committee on Education and three members of the Senate Committee on Education and Health to study the challenges faced by and effective strategies for ensuring the sustainable, long-term success of the five historically black colleges and universities in the Commonwealth–Hampton University, Norfolk State University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Virginia University of Lynchburg–by discussing, adopting, and recommending to the Governor and the General Assembly for formal recognition and endorsement a comprehensive statewide HBCU Support Plan.

Commending Sandra Gioia Treadway.

Public institutions of higher education; Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program; established. Establishes the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program to address student hunger at public institutions of higher education. The bill provides that the Program shall be managed by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and available for participation by public institutions of higher education; however, participation in the Program shall be optional for such institutions. Under the bill, if a public institution of higher education satisfies certain criteria set out in the bill, including creating initiatives on campus to address student hunger, it shall be designated as a "Hunger-Free Campus" and the Council shall award a grant to such institution. A public institution of higher education that receives a grant under the bill shall utilize the funds to support on-campus efforts and initiatives to eliminate student hunger at such institution. The bill requires the Council to submit a report to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education no later than two years after the establishment of the Program that shall include (i) the total number and amounts of grant awards, (ii) information about the impact that the Program has had on establishing additional hunger-free campuses at public institutions of higher education and reducing the number of students experiencing food insecurity, and (iii) recommendations regarding the potential establishment of an annual appropriation for the Program.