Sen. Christie Craig

Transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment; pilot program. Directs the Department of Veterans Services to establish a pilot program with two locations to make electroencephalogram (EEG) combined transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment available for certain military members, veterans, first responders, law-enforcement officers, and certain agents of federal agencies, and family members of the aforementioned individuals. The bill requires the Department to establish regulations for administration of the pilot program.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution officially commends Dennis M. Ellmer, president of Priority Auto Group, for receiving the 2024 First Citizen of Chesapeake award. The measure highlights his extensive contributions to the Hampton Roads community, including establishing a volunteer program for employees, creating a job training initiative for formerly incarcerated individuals, and sponsoring a charity event that raises millions for children's organizations. The bill directs the Senate Clerk to prepare a copy of the resolution to present to Mr. Ellmer as a formal expression of the Senate's appreciation for his leadership and philanthropy.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Virginia state laws to update definitions and regulations concerning gaming devices, gambling, and skill games. It clarifies that machines offering prizes based on chance are gambling devices, while explicitly excluding electronic gaming devices authorized under a separate chapter. The legislation also expands the definition of illegal gambling to include the playing or offering of skill games, provided they involve elements of chance or specific operational criteria. By adding new sections to the Code of Virginia, the bill establishes a clearer legal framework for regulating gambling activities and defining what constitutes an illegal operation.

Maddy summarySB 6004 amends Virginia state laws to update definitions and regulations regarding gambling devices, specifically clarifying what constitutes a gambling device versus an authorized electronic gaming device. The bill expands the legal definition of "illegal gambling" to include the playing or offering of skill-based games while explicitly excluding state-licensed electronic gaming machines from this prohibition. By adding new sections to the Code of Virginia, the legislation establishes a clearer framework for identifying gambling paraphernalia and operators involved in unlicensed gaming activities. This update aims to refine how the state distinguishes between legal and illegal forms of gaming commerce without changing the existing licensing structure for authorized casinos.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; preference for products made or manufactured in Virginia and the U.S.; recyclable content; report. Provides preference for a bidder who is a resident of Virginia over a bidder who is a resident of any other state in determining the award for any contract for goods, services, or construction under the Virginia Public Procurement Act. When a bidder is a resident of Virginia and the lowest responsive and responsible bidder is a resident of another state, the Virginia resident shall be given the option to match the price of the nonresident bidder. The bill directs the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to convene a stakeholder work group to recommend revisions to the recyclable materials tax credit and report on the work group's recommendations by November 1, 2024.

Annual retail sales and use tax holiday. Establishes an annual retail sales and use tax holiday that takes place on the first full weekend in August beginning on July 1, 2025, through July 1, 2030. During such weekend, state retail sales and use tax will not apply to certain (i) school supplies, (ii) clothing and footwear, (iii) qualified products designated as Energy Star or WaterSense, (iv) portable generators, or (v) hurricane preparedness equipment. This bill is identical to HB 25.

High school graduation requirements; satisfactionof certain course credits with workforce credentials; developmentand maintenance of list of accepted credentials. Requires theBoard of Education, in collaboration with the Virginia CommunityCollege System, to develop and maintain a current, comprehensive,and uniform list of industry-recognized workforce credentials thatstudents may take as a substitute for certain units of credit requiredfor graduation, including such credentials that are accepted as substitutesfor (i) laboratory science credits or (ii) electives credits. Thebill provides that such list uniformly applies across each localschool division and that each school board is required to accept as a substitute for a required credit any credential listed as anaccepted substitute for such required credit. The bill also requiresany College and Career Access Pathways Partnership entered into betweena school board and a comprehensive community college to specify,consistent with the list, industry-recognized credentials that areaccepted as substitutes for certain credits required for high schoolgraduation. Finally, the bill requires the Board, in establishinggraduation requirements, to permit any student to substitute (i)three standard units of credit and one verified credit in laboratoryscience or (ii) credits for electives for completion of any industry-approvedworkforce credential that is included on the list as an acceptedsubstitute for such credits.

Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, etc., of fentanyl, heroin, or related controlled substances; Task Force on Fentanyl and Heroin Enforcement established; penalties. Provides that a person is guilty of felony homicide, which constitutes second degree murder and is punishable by confinement of not less than five nor more than 40 years, if the underlying felonious act that resulted in the killing of another involved the manufacture, sale, gift, or distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substance to another and (i) such other person's death results from his use of the controlled substance and (ii) the controlled substance is the proximate cause of his death. The bill provides that venue for a prosecution of this crime shall lie in the locality where the underlying felony occurred, where the use of the controlled substance occurred, or where death occurred. The bill also provides that if a person gave or distributed a Schedule I or II controlled substance only as an accommodation to another individual who is not an inmate in a community correctional facility, local correctional facility, or state correctional facility, or in the custody of an employee thereof, and not with intent to profit thereby from any consideration received or expected nor to induce the recipient of the controlled substance to use or become addicted to or dependent upon such controlled substance, he is guilty of a Class 5 felony. The bill also requires the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to investigate the cause and manner of a death in any case where the attorney for the Commonwealth or the investigating law-enforcement agency has probable cause to believe that the death resulted from such felony homicide. The bill also adds mandatory minimum fines for manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with the intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, heroin, or carfentanil based on the weight of such mixtures or substances. Additionally, the bill creates the Task Force on Fentanyl and Heroin Enforcement whose purpose is to study ways to enhance the ability of law-enforcement officers throughout the Commonwealth to combat the illegal manufacturing, importation, and distribution of fentanyl, heroin, and other similar controlled substances. The bill requires the Task Force to meet at least annually and to report to the Governor and General Assembly by December 1 of each year regarding its activities and any recommendations.

Constitutional amendment (second reference);real property tax exemption; surviving spouses of soldiers who diedin the line of duty. Expands the current tax exemption for realproperty available to the surviving spouses of soldiers killed inaction to the surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the lineof duty with a Line of Duty determination from the U.S. Departmentof Defense.

Motor sports facilities; local incentives. Allows a locality that is home to a motor sports facility, as defined in relevant law, in the Commonwealth to propose local incentives that address the economic conditions within such locality and will help stimulate real property improvements and new job creation. The bill allows a locality to establish eligibility criteria for local incentives that are different from the current criteria required by relevant law.