Commending the Sentara Healthcare NightingaleRegional Air Ambulance.
Russia; boycott of goods and services. Encouragingall residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia to boycott all goodsand services originating in Russia.
Celebrating the life of Thomas Francis FarrellII.
Parental Choice Education Savings Accounts established.Permits the parents of qualified students, defined in the bill, to apply to the school division in which the qualified student residesfor a one-year, renewable Parental Choice Education Savings Accountthat consists of an amount that is equivalent to a certain percentage of all applicable annual Standards of Quality per pupil state funds appropriated for public school purposes and apportioned to the residentschool division in which the qualified student resides, includingthe per pupil share of state sales tax funding in basic aid and any state per pupil share of special education funding for which thequalified student is eligible. The bill permits the parent of thequalified student to use the moneys in such account for certain education-relatedexpenses of the qualified student, including tuition, deposits, fees,and required textbooks at a private elementary school or secondaryschool that is located in the Commonwealth. The bill also contains provisions relating to auditing, rescinding, and reviewing expensesmade from such accounts.
Public School Trades Incentive Fund and Program;established. Establishes the Public School Trades Incentive Fund(the Fund) and the Public School Trades Incentive Program (the Program)for the purpose of providing grants on a competitive basis from theFund to any school board that seeks to (i) restore high school programsthat teach students skilled trades that lead to earning industry-recognizedcertifications or credentials or (ii) create or restore middle schoolprograms that encourage and recruit students to participate in highschool programs that teach students skilled trades that lead to earning industry-recognized certifications or credentials. The bill requiresthe Department of Education to administer the Program and to establishsuch rules and procedures relating to applications and awards asit deems appropriate, provided that the Department considers andgives appropriate weight to certain criteria for grantees. The billpermits any grantee to use Program funds for equipment, curriculumdevelopment, or instructor training. The bill requires each grantee to longitudinally track students who complete any program for whichthe school board received funds in order to determine the effectivenessof the (a) new or restored middle school programs in recruiting studentsto participate in restored high school programs and (b) restoredhigh school programs in matching students with high-paying jobs inthe fields in which they are certified or credentialed.
World Polio Day. Designates October 24,in 2022 and in each succeeding year, as World Polio Day in Virginia.
Rate of tax on gasoline and diesel fuel. Lowers the rate of tax on gasoline and diesel fuel on July 1, 2022, from 26.2 cents per gallon to 21.2 cents per gallon on gasoline and from 27 cents per gallon to 20.2 cents per gallon on diesel fuel, the rates that were in effect before July 1, 2021. The bill provides that the rate of tax on gasoline and diesel fuel will return to 26.2 and 27 cents per gallon, respectively, on July 1, 2023, and will be indexed based on the change in the United States Average Consumer Price Index for both 2021 and 2022; thereafter, the rate will be indexed annually.
Attorney General; instituting or conductingcriminal prosecutions for certain acts of violence. Authorizesthe Attorney General to institute or conduct criminal prosecutionsin cases involving a violation of the criminal laws for certain actsof violence when such prosecution is requested by the sheriff orchief of police investigating the violation. The bill also providesthat prior to instituting or conducting a criminal prosecution forsuch cases, the Attorney General shall give notice to the local attorneyfor the Commonwealth where such violation occurred of his intentto institute or conduct such criminal prosecution.
Firearms; removal from persons posing substantialrisk; penalties. Repeals the procedure by which any attorney for the Commonwealth or law-enforcement officer may apply to a generaldistrict court, circuit court, or juvenile and domestic relationsdistrict court judge or magistrate for an emergency substantial riskorder to prohibit a person who poses a substantial risk of injuryto himself or others from purchasing, possessing, or transportinga firearm. The bill also removes the substantial risk order registryfor the entry of orders issued.
Department of Education; policy on sexually explicit content in instructional material. Requires the Department of Education to develop and each local school board to adopt model policies for ensuring parental notification of any instructional material that includes sexually explicit content and include information, guidance, procedures, and standards relating to (i) ensuring parental notification; (ii) directly identifying the specific instructional material and sexually explicit subjects; and (iii) permitting the parent of any student to review instructional material that includes sexually explicit content and provide, as an alternative, nonexplicit instructional material and related academic activities to any student whose parent so requests. The bill provides that the local school board model policies may be more comprehensive than the model policies developed by the Department. The bill requires the Department to develop such model policies no later than July 31, 2022, and requires each local school board to adopt policies consistent with this act no later than January 1, 2023. The bill states that the provisions of the bill shall not be construed as requiring or providing for the censoring of books in public elementary and secondary schools.
