Online Children's Safety Protection Act established;civil penalties. Creates the Online Children's Safety ProtectionAct, which requires certain duties of covered entities, defined inthe bill, to protect the best interests of children who use onlineservices, products, or features. The bill requires any covered entitythat provides an online service, product, or feature likely to beaccessed by a child to complete a data protection impact assessment,the details of which are described in the bill, within two yearsbefore any new online service, product, or feature is offered tothe public on or after July 1, 2024. The bill also prohibits certainactions by covered entities and authorizes the Attorney General toimpose penalties and initiate actions against any covered entitythat violates the provisions of the bill.
Sponsored bills
Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Programand Fund established. Establishes the Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Program and Fund to reimburse participating veterinarians for the surgical sterilizations they perform on eligible cats ordogs. The bill provides that a surcharge of $50 per ton of pet fooddistributed in the Commonwealth be deposited in the Fund and suchpet food be exempted from the existing litter tax. An animal willbe eligible for sterilization under the Program if it is a feralor free-roaming cat or is owned by a low-income individual or a releasingagency such as an animal shelter.
Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the HonorableYvonne Bond Miller's service in the Virginia General Assembly.
Commending the Reverend Tyler C. Millner, Sr.
Commending Sandra Gioia Treadway.
Skill games; exceptions. Clarifies thatskill games are a form of illegal gambling except where relevant Code provides otherwise.
Celebrating the life of Debra Jane Griggs.
Commending Terry Woods.
Felony homicide; certain drug offenses; penalty. Provides that a person is guilty of felony homicide, which constitutessecond degree murder and is punishable by confinement of not lessthan five nor more than 40 years, if the underlying felonious actthat resulted in the killing of another involved the manufacture,sale, gift, or distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substanceto another and (i) such other person's death results from his useof the controlled substance and (ii) the controlled substance is the proximate cause of his death. The bill provides that venue fora prosecution of this crime shall lie in the locality where the underlyingfelony occurred, where the use of the controlled substance occurred,or where death occurred. The bill also provides that if a persongave or distributed a Schedule I or II controlled substance onlyas an accommodation to another individual who is not an inmate ina community correctional facility, local correctional facility, orstate correctional facility, or in the custody of an employee thereof,and not with intent to profit thereby from any consideration receivedor expected nor to induce the recipient of the controlled substanceto use or become addicted to or dependent upon such controlled substance,he is guilty of a Class 5 felony.
Annual retail sales and use tax holiday.Establishes an annual retail sales and use tax holiday that takesplace on the first full weekend in August beginning on August 1,2025. During such weekend, state retail sales and use tax will notapply to certain (i) school supplies, (ii) clothing and footwear,(iii) qualified products designated as Energy Star or WaterSense,(iv) portable generators, or (v) hurricane preparedness equipment.