Sen. Russet Perry

Maddy summaryThis bill is a commemorative resolution honoring the life of Ronyell Deshawn Whitaker. It does not create new laws or policies but serves to recognize and celebrate his legacy. The measure has been passed by both the Senate and House and is now awaiting final action. Such resolutions are symbolic gestures intended to acknowledge individuals who have made significant contributions to their communities.

Maddy summaryThis bill honors the life of Christian A. Jurgensen III through a legislative resolution. It does not create new laws or change existing policies but serves as a formal recognition of his contributions. The measure was passed by both the Senate and House in March 2026.

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural Senate resolution (SJ 118) that formally celebrates the life of Martin Gerald Farber. It does not create new laws, alter policies, or directly affect any individuals or groups. The resolution was introduced on February 20, 2026, and passed by the Senate on March 5, 2026, as a ceremonial gesture. It serves solely to honor the memory of Martin Gerald Farber without implementing any concrete policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SJ 132) honoring the late Charles Douglas Poindexter. It does not create new laws, allocate funds, or affect any policies or individuals. The resolution simply expresses the Senate's recognition of Poindexter's life and contributions. It was passed unanimously by the Senate on March 5, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SJ 141) proposes holding a commemorative session at the Colonial Capitol in Williamsburg, Virginia. It would authorize the use of this historic site for a special legislative session to honor local history. The bill is currently referred to the Committee on Rules for further consideration. As a procedural resolution, it does not create new laws or affect policy.

Elections; political campaign advertisements; synthetic media; penalty. Prohibits electioneering communications containing synthetic media, as those terms are defined in the bill, from being published or broadcast without containing the following conspicuously displayed statement: "This message contains synthetic media that has been altered from its original source or artificially generated and may present conduct or speech that did not occur." The bill creates a civil penalty not to exceed $25,000 for a violation of such prohibition and a Class 1 misdemeanor for a willful violation. The bill permits any registered voter who receives an electioneering communication in violation of this requirement to institute an action for preventative relief to prohibit the publication or dissemination of such electioneering communication, including an application for a permanent or temporary injunction.

Qualifying localities; underground electric distribution and transmission improvements; levy on utility customers by ordinance. Authorizes a qualifying locality, defined in the bill, to enter into an agreement with an electric utility to place new or proposed underground electric distribution or transmission lines and facilities or to relocate or convert existing overhead electric distribution or transmission lines and facilities underground. The bill requires any such agreement to provide that the locality pay to the utility its full additional costs of placing new or proposed electric distribution or transmission lines in the qualifying locality or relocating and converting that portion of a line located in the county underground rather than overhead, minus the net of relocation credits.The bill also provides that the qualifying locality may impose an additional levy on electric utility customers, which (i) shall not exceed $1 per month on residential customers; (ii) shall not exceed $10 per month on nonresidential customers; (iii) may be fixed at any amount on nonresidential customers that are major commercial energy consumers, defined in the bill; and (iv) shall be collected by the utility on behalf of the locality.

Study; JLARC; creation of Secretariat of Rural Affairs; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the need for and feasibility of creating a Secretariat of Rural Affairs in the Commonwealth.

Income tax credit; braille labeling program. Creates a nonrefundable individual and corporate income tax credit, as applicable, for taxable years 2026 through 2030 for up to $50,000 of expenditures incurred in the development and implementation of a braille labeling program on products, items, or packages sold in or shipped within the Commonwealth. The bill specifies that the aggregate amount of such credits allowed for all taxpayers in a taxable year is $500,000 and that any credit not usable for the taxable year in which it is first allowed shall not be carried over for credit in any succeeding taxable year.

Electric utilities; certificate of operation for high-load facilities. Prohibits any person from operating a high-load facility, defined in the bill as a facility whose electricity demand exceeds 90 megawatts that was not operating before January 1, 2027, without first having obtained a certificate of operation from the State Corporation Commission. The bill includes factors for the Commission to consider in reviewing a petition to operate a high-load facility. The bill establishes a presumption that a high-load facility shall be considered to have met certain requirements if the high-load facility has secured sufficient contracts for energy storage resources or zero-carbon electric generating resources or that the high-load facility has a plan to implement sufficient demand reduction measures. The bill also requires the Commission to consider certain factors in a review of a petition for a certificate to operate a high-load facility, including whether there is sufficient energy, capacity, and grid infrastructure to support the operation of the high-load facility and whether the operation of the high-load facility would create an unreasonable cross-subsidy across customers served by the incumbent electric utility.