Sen. Saddam Salim

Department of Motor Vehicles; driver communication improvement program. Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to develop and implement a program for the promotion, printing, and distribution of envelopes for use by drivers diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, as that term is defined in relevant law, to provide to a law-enforcement officer for the purpose of easing communication during a traffic stop or upon such law-enforcement officer's arrival at the scene of a traffic accident.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; solar photovoltaic equipment and facilities. Prohibits state and local agencies from including a provision in any request for proposal, procurement agreement, contract, ordinance, policy, permit, or accompanying document that directs the exclusion from use of any materials contained in or products associated with solar photovoltaic equipment and facilities that are manufactured in the United States. This bill is identical to HB 2024.

Department of Taxation; free tax filing program. Directs the Tax Commissioner to terminate the Virginia Free File program and the related agreement with the Consortium for Virginia. The bill also requires the Tax Commissioner to develop and offer a free individual state income tax filing program, effective beginning in taxable year 2028, that is similar to and compatible with the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Direct File program. To implement the new program, the bill requires the Tax Commissioner to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the IRS and coordinate with the IRS in program development. The bill contains technical amendments that remove obsolete language regarding fillable forms. This bill is identical to HB 2264.

Transportation network companies; publishing and disclosure requirements. Requires a transportation network company (TNC) to (i) issue an annual report to the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles containing the aggregate data regarding the average fare collected from passengers, the total time driven by TNC partners while transporting a passenger, and the total amount earned by TNC partners in connection with prearranged rides and (ii) disclose to TNC partners details about the deactivation process and provide a weekly summary that includes the total fare collected from passengers, the total amount earned, and the percentage earned by such TNC partner that week. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 2756.

Possession or transportation of firearms, firearms ammunition, stun weapons, or explosives or carrying concealed weapons by persons convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime prohibited; penalty. Prohibits any person who has been convicted, on or after July 1, 2025, of assault or assault and battery if it appears on the face of the warrant upon such conviction that such person intentionally selected the person against whom the offense was committed because of his race, religious conviction, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, or ethnic or national origin from knowingly and intentionally possessing or transporting any firearm or ammunition for a firearm, any stun weapon, or any explosive material or carrying a concealed weapon, a violation of which is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

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, for a willful violation, a Class 1 misdemeanor. 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. This bill is identical to HB 2479.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; solar photovoltaic equipment and facilities. Prohibits state and local agencies from including a provision in any request for proposal, procurement agreement, contract, ordinance, policy, permit, or accompanying document that directs the exclusion from use of any materials contained in or products associated with solar photovoltaic equipment and facilities that are manufactured in the United States. This bill is identical to SB 1165.

Collective bargaining by public employees; exclusive bargaining representatives. Repeals the existing prohibition on collective bargaining by public employees. The bill creates the Public Employee Relations Board, which shall determine appropriate bargaining units and provide for certification and decertification elections for exclusive bargaining representatives of state employees and local government employees. The bill requires public employers and employee organizations that are exclusive bargaining representatives to meet at reasonable times to negotiate in good faith with respect to wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment. The bill repeals a provision that declares that, in any procedure providing for the designation, selection, or authorization of a labor organization to represent employees, the right of an individual employee to vote by secret ballot is a fundamental right that shall be guaranteed from infringement. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. This bill incorporates SB 964, SB 1033, and SB 1401 and is identical to HB 2764.

Speech-language pathology assistants; licensure, qualifications, scope of practice; revocation or suspension of license; continuing education. Adds speech-language pathology assistants to the professions governed by the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. The bill also establishes qualifications, scope of practice, and supervision requirements for speech-language pathology assistants. The bill directs the Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology to adopt regulations governing the speech-language pathology assistant profession by July 1, 2026, and specifies that the provisions governing the licensure of speech-language pathology assistants have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Storage of firearms in a residence where a minor or person prohibited from possessing a firearm is present; penalty. Requires any person who possesses a firearm in a residence where such person knows that a minor or a person who is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm is present to store such firearm and the ammunition for such firearm in a locked container, compartment, or cabinet that is inaccessible to such minor or prohibited person. The bill provides that a violation is a Class 4 misdemeanor. The bill exempts (i) any person in lawful possession of a firearm who carries such firearm on or about his person and (ii) the storage of antique firearms and provides that the lawful authorization of a minor to access a firearm is not a violation of the bill's provisions. The bill also requires firearm dealers to post a notice stating such firearm storage requirements and the penalty for improperly storing such firearms.