Sen. Christie Craig

Marine Resources Commission; permits; public notice. Requires the Commissioner of Marine Resources to ensure that for any project under consideration for a Commission-issued permit the Commission sends public notice electronically to any business, residence, or civic organization that has requested to be added to the Commission's public notice email list.

Commending Amanda L. Newins.

Commending Scott Chambers.

Investigation prior to release; input fromthe attorney for the Commonwealth. Provides that when the ParoleBoard is conducting the required investigation to determine if aprisoner will be released on parole, the Board must notify the attorneyfor the Commonwealth in each jurisdiction in which an offense occurred for which the prisoner is incarcerated, and the attorney for theCommonwealth may submit his input to the Board regarding the impactthat the release of the prisoner will have on public safety.

Felony homicide; certain drug offenses; penalty. Provides that a person is guilty of felony homicide, which constitutessecond degree murder and is punishable by confinement of not lessthan five nor more than 40 years, if the underlying felonious actthat resulted in the killing of another involved the manufacture,sale, gift, or distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substanceto another and (i) such other person's death results from his useof the controlled substance and (ii) the controlled substance is the proximate cause of his death. The bill provides that venue fora prosecution of this crime shall lie in the locality where the underlyingfelony occurred, where the use of the controlled substance occurred,or where death occurred. The bill also provides that if a persongave or distributed a Schedule I or II controlled substance onlyas an accommodation to another individual who is not an inmate ina community correctional facility, local correctional facility, orstate correctional facility, or in the custody of an employee thereof,and not with intent to profit thereby from any consideration receivedor expected nor to induce the recipient of the controlled substanceto use or become addicted to or dependent upon such controlled substance,he is guilty of a Class 5 felony.

State Air Pollution Control Board; regulations; low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle standards. Repeals theState Air Pollution Control Board's authority to implement low-emissionsand zero-emissions vehicle standards that apply for vehicles witha model year of 2025 and later.

Annual retail sales and use tax holiday. Establishes an annual retail sales and use tax holiday that takesplace on the first full weekend in August beginning in 2025. Duringsuch weekend, state retail sales and use tax will not apply to certain(i) school supplies, (ii) clothing and footwear, (iii) qualifiedproducts designated as Energy Star or WaterSense, (iv) portablegenerators, or (v) hurricane preparedness equipment.

General oyster-planting ground leases; riparianassignments; Marine Resources Commission. Directs the MarineResources Commission to not issue or renew any private leases for general oyster-planting grounds in the Commonwealth on or after July1, 2024, and to promulgate regulations to conform to the provisionsof the bill. The bill returns any general oyster-planting grounds that are unassigned or currently leased by the Commission to publicoyster rocks, beds, and shoals that are unassignable to any personfor private use but does not curtail the length of time remainingon existing leases.

Law-enforcement officers; protected personalinformation. Provides that any full-time or part-time law-enforcementofficer who provides information relative to a criminal investigationor in proceedings preliminary to a criminal prosecution may refuse,unless ordered by a court, to disclose his residence address, home telephone number, or any personal information concerning his family.The bill also provides that any full-time or part-time law-enforcementofficer who testifies as a witness in a criminal case may refuseto disclose personal information concerning his family unless itis determined by the court that such evidence is relevant to the case.