Sen. Saddam Salim

Forest Sustainability Fund; fund allocation. Provides that moneys from the Forest Sustainability Fund must be allocated proportionally among localities that forgo tax revenues as a result of the use value assessment and taxation for real estate devoted for forest use. The bill specifies that no locality shall receive an allocation of more than four percent or less than one-half of one percent of available funds from the Fund. This bill is identical to SB 129.

Firearm safety device tax credit; definition of firearm safety device. Expands the definition of "firearm safety device" as it relates to the firearm safety device tax credit to include any device that, when installed on a firearm, is designed to prevent the firearm from being operated without first deactivating the device. The provisions of the bill are effective for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2024. This bill incorporates HB 945.

Search warrants, subpoenas, court orders, or other process; menstrual health data prohibited. Prohibits the issuance of a search warrant, subpoena, court order, or other process for the purpose of the search and seizure or production of menstrual health data, as defined in the bill, including data stored on a computer, computer network, or other device containing electronic or digital information. This bill is identical to HB 78.

Funeral services; transportation protectionagreements. Defines "transportation protection agreement" asan agreement that provides for the coordination and arranging of all professional services related to transportation of human remainsor cremated remains beyond the distance stated in the preneed funeralcontract. The bill clarifies that transportation protection agreementsare not considered preneed funeral contracts.

Line of Duty Act; payment of benefits. Increases from $25,000 to $75,000 the death benefit payout under the Virginia Line of Duty Act for a death caused by occupational cancer, respiratory disease, or hypertension or heart disease for those deaths that will occur on or after January 1, 2025. This bill is identical to SB 649.

Child care; background checks. Allows applicants for employment and applicants to serve as volunteers to work in certain child day centers, family day homes, and family day systems pending the results of a full background check, provided that (i) the applicant has received qualifying results on a fingerprint-based background check through the Central Criminal Records Exchange or the Federal Bureau of Investigation and (ii) the applicant is supervised at all times by a person who received a qualifying result on a full background check within the past five years.

Line of Duty Act; payment of benefits. Increases from $25,000 to $75,000 the death benefit payout under the Virginia Line of Duty Act for a death caused by occupational cancer, respiratory disease, or hypertension or heart disease for those deaths that will occur on or after January 1, 2025. This bill is identical to HB 321.

Resale Disclosure Act; delivery of resale certificate; remedies. Provides that failure to deliver a resale certificate within 14 days, as required by the Resale Disclosure Act, deems the resale certificate unavailable. The bill grants a purchaser three days from the date of ratification of the contract or the date of receipt of the resale certificate or notice that such certificate is unavailable, as applicable, to cancel the contract. Additionally, the bill (i) excludes from the resale certificate requirements of the Act an initial disposition of a lot to a person who is not acquiring the lot for his own residence and (ii) allows a resale certificate to be delivered to a purchaser's authorized agent. Current law excludes the resale certificate requirements of the Act for any initial disposition, regardless of its intended use, and only allows a resale certificate to be delivered to a purchaser. Finally, the bill mandates the seller to be responsible for all fees associated with the preparation and delivery of the financial update. However, the settlement agent or other requesting party may pay such fees up front, regardless of whether such requesting party requests to be reimbursed for such fees from the seller.

Historic rehabilitation tax credit; increase.Increases from $5 million to $10 million, beginning in taxable year2024, the maximum amount of the historic rehabilitation tax credit,including amounts carried over from prior taxable years, that maybe claimed by a taxpayer in any taxable year. In addition, shouldthe taxpayer incur expenses toward the rehabilitation of a certifiedhistoric structure in a locality that has a designated enterprise zone, as defined in relevant law, the taxpayer may claim up to anadditional $10 million in any taxable year.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; public institutions of higher education; policies for establishing eligibility for accommodations; report. Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, in consultation with representatives of public institutions of higher education, disability advocacy organizations, students enrolled at public institutions of higher education, higher education disability accommodation professionals, and a subject matter expert, to (i) study the processes by which each public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth determines the eligibility for accommodations of an admitted or enrolled student with a temporary or permanent disability, (ii) identify in such processes any potential barriers to establishing eligibility, and (iii) make recommendations on reducing any such barriers and on the development and establishment of a uniform accommodations eligibility determination in the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to HB 509.