Sen. Creigh Deeds

Maddy summaryHJ 659 is a ceremonial resolution commending Mekhi Becton, Sr., for his contributions to the community. It does not create new laws, alter policies, or directly affect any individuals or groups beyond expressing legislative recognition. The resolution passed unanimously in the Senate via voice vote after being introduced and quickly advanced through procedural steps. As a non-binding resolution, it serves only to honor an individual and has no legal or practical impact on governance or public policy.

Institutions of higher education; Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program established; report. Establishes the Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program to address student food insecurity at public institutions of higher education and eligible private institutions of higher education, as defined by the bill. 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 and eligible private institutions of higher education; however, participation in the Program is optional for such institutions. Under the bill, if a public institution of higher education or eligible private institution of higher education satisfies certain criteria set out in the bill, including creating initiatives on campus to address student food insecurity, it will receive a "Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry" designation and the Council will award a grant to such institution. Any such institution that receives a grant under the bill is required to utilize the funds to support on-campus efforts and initiatives to eliminate student food insecurity at such institution through the maintenance and operation of the on-campus food pantry established pursuant to the Program. 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. This bill is identical to HB 2240.

Dissemination of criminal history record information. Requires an attorney for the Commonwealth to provide a physical or electronic copy of a person's criminal history record information, including criminal history record information maintained in the National Crime Information Center and the Interstate Identification Index System that is in his possession, pursuant to the rules of court for obtaining discovery or for review by the court. The bill also provides that no criminal history record information provided shall be disseminated further.Current law provides that nothing shall preclude the dissemination of a person's criminal history record information pursuant to such rules of court but does not require the attorney for the Commonwealth to provide the copy nor identify specific types of information. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission. This bill is identical to HB 1627.

Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System; conservation officers. Extends membership in the Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System (VaLORS) to conservation officers of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The bill provides that such membership applies only to service earned on or after July 1, 2025.

Deputy Hunter D. Reedy Memorial Bridge. Designates the bridge on Adwolfe Road and U.S. Route 11/State Route 660 over Interstate 81 in Smyth County the "Deputy Hunter D. Reedy Memorial Bridge." This bill is identical to HB 1853.

Board of Psychology; prescriptive authority for clinical psychologists work group; report. Directs the Boards of Psychology and Medicine to jointly convene a work group with stakeholders to study the education, training, and qualifications of clinical psychologists licensed in the Commonwealth and assess under what conditions it may be appropriate for clinical psychologists to be granted prescriptive authority. The bill requires the work group to report its findings to the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2025.

Electric cooperative subsidiaries; customers exceeding 90 megawatts demand. Permits electric cooperatives, through one or more of their affiliates, to make unregulated sales of electric power to certain customers that contract for electric utility services to serve a demand that is reasonably expected to exceed 90 megawatts. This bill is identical to HB 2644.

Constitutional amendment (first reference); qualifications of voters; right to vote; persons not entitled to vote. Provides that every person who meets the qualifications of voters set forth in the Constitution of Virginia shall have the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth and that such right shall not be abridged by law, except for persons who have been convicted of a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting. The amendment provides that a person who has been convicted of a felony shall not be entitled to vote during any period of incarceration for such felony conviction, but upon release from incarceration for that felony conviction and without further action required of him, such person shall be invested with all political rights, including the right to vote. Currently, in order to be qualified to vote a person convicted of a felony must have his civil rights restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority. The amendment also provides that a person adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction as lacking the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote during this period of incapacity until his capacity has been reestablished as prescribed by law. Currently, the Constitution of Virginia provides that a person who has been adjudicated to be mentally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competency is reestablished.

Campaign finance; prohibited personal use of campaign funds; complaints, hearings, civil penalty, and advisory opinions. Prohibits any person from converting contributions to a candidate or his campaign committee for personal use. Current law only prohibits such conversion of contributions with regard to disbursement of surplus funds at the dissolution of a campaign or political committee. The bill provides that a contribution is considered to have been converted to personal use if the contribution, in whole or in part, is used to fulfill any commitment, obligation, or expense that would exist irrespective of the person's seeking, holding, or maintaining public office but allows a contribution to be used for the ordinary and accepted expenses related to campaigning for or holding elective office, including the use of campaign funds to pay for the candidate's dependent care expenses that are incurred as a direct result of campaign activity. The bill provides that any person subject to the personal use ban may request an advisory opinion from the State Board of Elections on such matters. The foregoing provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. The bill directs the State Board of Elections to adopt emergency regulations similar to those promulgated by the Federal Election Commission to implement the provisions of the bill and to publish an updated summary of Virginia campaign finance law that reflects the State Board of Elections' and Attorney General's guidance on the provisions of such law that prohibit the personal use of campaign funds and any new regulations promulgated by the State Board of Elections. This bill is identical to HB 2165.

Medicare supplement policies; annual open enrollment period. Requires an insurer, health services plan, or health maintenance organization issuing individual Medicare supplement policies or certificates in the Commonwealth to offer to an individual currently insured under any such policy an annual open enrollment period commencing on the day of the individual's birthday and remaining open for at least 60 days thereafter, during which time the individual may purchase any Medicare supplement policy made available by any insurer in the Commonwealth that offers the same benefits as those provided by the current coverage. The bill also requires such insurer, health services plan, or health maintenance organization to notify, at least 15 days but not more than 30 days prior to the commencement of such annual open enrollment period, each individual to whom such open enrollment period applies of the dates of that open enrollment period, the rights of the individual during that open enrollment period, and any modification of benefits provided by or adjustment of premiums charged for such Medicare supplement policy. This bill is identical to HB 2100.