Public elementary and secondary schools; compulsory attendance requirements; religious exemption; requirements. Amends the provisions permitting any child and his parents to receive an exemption from school attendance by reason of bona fide religious training or belief, as defined in relevant law, to require the parent of any such child, in order to receive such exemption, to provide (i) evidence of the parent's ability to provide an adequate education for his child; (ii) notice to the division superintendent by August 15 of each year, or as soon as practicable in the event that such child and his parents move into the school division or seek to receive an exemption after the start of the school year, of such child and his parents' intention to receive such an exemption and certification that the child will receive an alternative form of instruction, including a description of the curriculum to be studied in the coming year; and (iii) evidence of the child's progress in accordance with the provisions of the bill.
Sponsored bills
Local school boards; powers and duties; binding arbitration agreements. Permits any school board to enter into a written agreement to submit any existing controversy to binding arbitration and to execute a contract, including a collective bargaining agreement, that contains a provision to submit to binding arbitration any controversy arising thereunder. This bill is incorporated into SB 917.
Retail electric energy; renewable energy certificates. Requires competitive service providers, as defined in the bill, to serve 100 percent of their customers' energy and capacity needs from electric generating units located within the PJM transmission region. Under the bill, a competitive service provider must ensure that 100 percent of its customers' energy is either zero-carbon electricity or matched with renewable energy certificates. A certain percentage of a retail customer's annual load must be matched with zero-carbon electricity or renewable energy certificates from within the PJM transmission region. The bill allows certain retail customers to be exempt from non-bypassable charges associated with the renewable energy portfolio standard. The bill also requires the State Corporation Commission to promulgate rules as necessary to ensure that the provisions of the bill do not create an unreasonable shifting of costs to nonparticipating customers and to ensure that in all integrated resource plans and cost recovery proceedings no incumbent electric utility is improperly incorporating the loads of retail electric customers into its forecasts or load projections.
Health insurance; cost sharing for breast examinations. Prohibits health insurance carriers from imposing cost sharing for diagnostic breast examinations and supplemental breast examinations, as those terms are defined in the bill, under certain insurance policies, subscription contracts, and health care plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in the Commonwealth on and after January 1, 2026. The bill provides that such examinations include examinations using diagnostic mammography, breast magnetic resonance imaging, or breast ultrasound. This bill is a recommendation of the Health Insurance Reform Commission. This bill was incorporated into SB 1436.
Health insurance; coverage for at-home blood pressure monitors. Requires health insurers, health maintenance organizations, and corporations providing health care coverage subscription contracts to provide coverage for at-home blood pressure monitors to individuals who (i) have a diagnosis of hypertension, (ii) are at risk of developing hypertension, or (iii) have been recommended for at-home blood pressure monitoring by a licensed health care provider. The coverage provided under the bill shall not be subject to any copayment or fees for an at-home blood pressure monitor. The bill directs the Bureau of Insurance, in consultation with the Department of Health, to establish guidelines for implementing the coverage required by the bill, to monitor compliance of such requirements by health care providers, and to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by December 1, 2026.
Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial Senate resolution (SR 210) that formally honors Lawrence Douglas Wilder, the first Black governor of Virginia (1990-1994). It does not create new laws or affect policy; it is solely a symbolic expression of respect for Wilder's historical service. The resolution was unanimously agreed to by the Senate on January 16, 2025. It directly recognizes Wilder's legacy but has no binding effect or practical impact on legislation or constituents.
Maddy summaryThis resolution formally expresses appreciation for Lawrence Douglas Wilder, Virginia's first Black governor, recognizing his service to the state. It passed both the Senate and House by voice vote on January 15-16, 2025, with no recorded opposition. The bill has no binding effect or policy changes - it serves solely as a ceremonial honor. It directly affects no individuals or entities beyond the symbolic recognition of Wilder's legacy.
Constitutional amendment (first reference); fundamental right to reproductive freedom. Provides that every individual has the fundamental right to reproductive freedom and that the right to make and effectuate one's own decisions about all matters related to one's pregnancy cannot be denied, burdened, or otherwise infringed upon by the Commonwealth, unless justified by a compelling state interest and achieved by the least restrictive means. The amendment prohibits the Commonwealth from penalizing, prosecuting, or otherwise taking adverse action against an individual for exercising the individual's right to reproductive freedom or for aiding another individual in the exercise of such right, unless justified by a compelling state interest.
Constitutional amendment (first reference); marriage between two individuals; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; affirmative right to marry. Repeals the constitutional provision defining marriage as only a union between one man and one woman as well as the related provisions that are no longer valid as a result of the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015). The amendment provides that the right to marry is a fundamental right inherent in the liberty of persons and prohibits the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions from denying the issuance of a marriage license to two parties contemplating a lawful marriage on the basis of the sex, gender, or race of such parties. The Commonwealth and its political subdivisions are required to recognize any lawful marriage between two parties and to treat such marriages equally under the law, regardless of the sex, gender, or race of such parties. The amendment provides that religious organizations and clergy acting in their religious capacity have the right to refuse to perform any marriage.
Surplus line broker taxes. Provides that any surplus lines broker or any person required to be licensed as one shall not be subject to the annual taxes, license taxes, or penalties under current law for any policy of insurance procured during the preceding calendar year on behalf of a commuter rail system jointly operated by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation District.