Employee Child Care Assistance Program established. Establishes the Employee Child Care Assistance Program to provide matching funds in order to incentivize employers to contribute to the child care costs of their employees. The Program shall be administered by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation. To participate in the Program, an employer shall agree to make child care contributions to the eligible mixed delivery provider on behalf of the employee or to a third-party administrator, as defined by the bill, and shall provide any other information deemed necessary by the Foundation. The bill specifies that, to the extent funds are available, the Foundation shall issue a state match to a third-party administrator. Program funds shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis; however, the bill clarifies that the Foundation is encouraged to prioritize awards to proposals involving contributions from small businesses. The bill requires the Foundation to provide an interim report to the General Assembly by September 1, 2028, and a summative report to the General Assembly by September 1, 2030, on the effectiveness and impact of the Program. This bill is identical to HB 18.
Sponsored bills
Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements; civil action. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning April 1, 2028. Under the program, benefits are paid to covered individuals, as defined in the bill, for family and medical leave. Funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning April 1, 2028. The bill provides that the amount of a benefit is 80 percent of the employee's average weekly net earnings, not to exceed 100 percent of the statewide average weekly net earnings, which amount is required to be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the statewide average weekly wage. The bill caps the duration of paid leave at 12 weeks in any application year and provides self-employed individuals the option of participating in the program. This bill is identical to HB 1207.
Law-enforcement officers; restrictions on wearing of facial coverings; exceptions; penalty. Prohibits any law-enforcement officer, defined in the bill, from wearing a facial covering, defined in the bill, while engaged in the performance of his official duties. The bill sets out several exceptions to such prohibition, including protective facial coverings to protect against disease, infection, and exposure to toxic substances and facial coverings worn by any law-enforcement officer assigned to a special weapons and tactics team while engaged in the performance of his official duties with such team. The bill subjects the law-enforcement officer to disciplinary action, including dismissal, demotion, suspension, transfer, or decertification, and creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any law-enforcement officer who wears a facial covering in violation of the provisions of the bill unless the law-enforcement agency that employs such law-enforcement officer has adopted and established a written policy for and restrictions on the use of facial coverings. The bill also directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to develop a model policy for and restrictions on the use of facial coverings by law-enforcement officers. This bill is identical to HB 1482.
Office of the Children's Ombudsman; powers and duties; report; recommendations. Makes a number of changes to the Office of the Children's Ombudsman (the Office). The bill expands the Office's access to certain records and reports and allows the Office to report certain complaints to the Office of the Inspector General. Under the bill, the Office is required to report findings and recommendations related to failures by state agencies to protect children to the Governor or General Assembly upon request. Under current law, such reports are made to the General Assembly. The bill makes certain changes to the Office's reporting and recommendation requirements. Finally, the bill adds and amends several definitions related to the Office.
Elections; conduct of election; ranked choice voting; locally elected offices; report. Expands the option to use ranked choice voting from only elections for county board of supervisors and city councils to any local governing body. The bill requires the State Board of Elections to provide standards and to approve vote tabulating software for use with existing voting systems in elections conducted by ranked choice voting. The bill provides for copying damaged or defective ballots that cannot be properly counted by electronic voting systems. The bill allows localities to request risk-limiting audits of elections conducted using ranked choice voting and provides that no such election may be included in any random drawing required to satisfy the general requirements for risk-limiting audits. The bill specifies that the State Board is required to produce generalized voter education materials on ranked choice voting and is also permitted to create and modify recount procedures to the extent necessary to accommodate a recount of an election. The bill directs the Department of Elections to review the testing and approval framework for voting equipment in the Commonwealth and submit a report of such review no later than the first day of the 2027 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Finally, the bill repeals the 2031 expiration of the option to use ranked choice voting in elections, making such option permanent. This bill is identical to HB 630.
Law-enforcement agencies; agreements with federal authority for immigration enforcement; requirements. Prohibits any state or local law-enforcement agency, defined in the bill, from maintaining, renewing, or entering into any federal immigration agreement unless such agreement contains certain provisions. The bill also prohibits any person acting in his capacity as a law-enforcement officer to assist, cooperate with, or use any law-enforcement resources to facilitate any operation that seeks to identify, arrest, or otherwise impose a penalty upon an individual for any violation of federal civil immigration law. The bill provides that such prohibition shall not apply (i) if the authority to enforce such laws is otherwise permitted or required by law; (ii) if the person acting in his capacity as a law-enforcement officer is presented with a valid judicial warrant or judicial subpoena that authorizes such enforcement; or (iii) to the transfer of custody of an adult convicted of certain violent felonies from a state, local, or regional correctional facility upon such correctional facility's receipt of a federal immigration detainer. This bill is identical to HB 1441.
Firearm transfers to another person from a prohibited person. Provides that a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm because the person is subject to a protective order or has been convicted of an assault and battery of a family or household member may transfer a firearm owned by the prohibited person to any person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such firearm, provided that the person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such firearm is 21 years of age or older and does not reside with the person who is subject to the protective order. Under current law, there is no requirement that a transferee cannot be younger than 21 years of age and cannot reside with the prohibited person. The bill also provides that the prohibited person who transfers, sells, or surrenders a firearm pursuant to the provisions of the bill shall inform the clerk of the court of the name, address, and signature of the transferee, federally licensed firearms dealer, or law-enforcement agency in possession of the firearm and shall provide a copy of the form to the transferee. The bill also provides that a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm because the person is subject to a protective order or has been convicted of an assault and battery of a family or household member shall be advised that a law-enforcement officer may obtain a search warrant to search for any firearms from the person if the law-enforcement officer has probable cause. This bill is identical to SB 38.
Firearm transfers to another person from a prohibited person. Provides that a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm because the person is subject to a protective order or has been convicted of an assault and battery of a family or household member may transfer a firearm owned by the prohibited person to any person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such firearm, provided that the person who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such firearm is 21 years of age or older and does not reside with the person who is subject to the protective order. Under current law, there is no requirement that a transferee cannot be younger than 21 years of age and cannot reside with the prohibited person. The bill also provides that the prohibited person who transfers, sells, or surrenders a firearm pursuant to the provisions of the bill shall inform the clerk of the court of the name, address, and signature of the transferee, federally licensed firearms dealer, or law-enforcement agency in possession of the firearm and shall provide a copy of the form to the transferee. The bill also provides that a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm because the person is subject to a protective order or has been convicted of an assault and battery of a family or household member shall be advised that a law-enforcement officer may obtain a search warrant to search for any firearms from the person if the law-enforcement officer has probable cause. This bill is identical to HB 93.
Maddy summaryThis bill formally recognizes and commends the Arlington County Bar Association for its contributions to the legal community. It does not create new laws or change any policies but serves as a ceremonial acknowledgment of the organization's work. The measure was passed by both the House and Senate through voice votes without requiring a formal vote count.
Maddy summaryThis bill formally recognizes and commends Stella D. Garcia, an individual being honored for unspecified contributions. The legislation is a ceremonial resolution that does not create new laws, allocate funds, or alter existing policies. It was passed by both the House and Senate through voice votes and is now awaiting final action. The measure serves as a public acknowledgment rather than establishing any concrete policy changes or affecting specific groups.