Vested rights. Alters the criteria for determining when a landowner's rights shall be deemed vested in a land use. Under current law, such vesting occurs when the landowner (i) obtains or is the beneficiary of a significant affirmative governmental act that remains in effect allowing development of a specific project, (ii) relies in good faith on the significant affirmative governmental act, and (iii) incurs extensive obligations or substantial expenses in diligent pursuit of the specific project in reliance on the significant affirmative governmental act. The bill provides that vesting in a land use includes the development of a specific project as contemplated by and consistent with a significant affirmative governmental act and any related approvals, conditions, plans, or application materials accepted or approved by the locality, including the right to make minor modifications to such approvals that substantially conform and do not materially alter the character of the development contemplated by the significant affirmative governmental act. The bill further provides that a zoning administrator shall issue a written determination as to whether a proposed change is material or nonmaterial and that if a zoning administrator determines that a proposed change is material, an applicant may appeal the decision pursuant to general law. Finally, the bill narrows the circumstances by which a locality may treat a use as a valid nonconforming use by providing that if a landowner's rights are vested in a land use, that use shall not be rendered nonconforming by subsequent ordinance changes, except where the General Assembly explicitly authorizes retroactive application of new standards to protect public health and safety.
Special license plates in recognition of those lost or injured in military service; fees. Eliminates the annual registration fee and annual fee for one special license plate for any veteran who has been certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as having a service-connected disability. Existing law authorizes the waiver of such fees for one special license plate for any disabled veteran who has either lost, or lost the use of, a leg, arm, or hand, is blind, or is permanently and totally disabled as certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or his unremarried surviving spouse. The bill also exempts special license plates for immediate family members of persons who have died in military service to their country from the annual fee assessed for special license plates.
Disposition of Fort Whitworth. Authorizes the Governor to convey Fort Whitworth to the Petersburg Battlefields Foundation. The conveyance shall be made without consideration and in as-is condition.
Regional Care Compacts Pilot Program established; workforce development; certified nurse aides; licensed practical nurses; report. Directs the Department of Health to establish the Regional Care Compacts Pilot Program to permit health care entities to enter into compacts, as defined by the bill, to incentivize health care workforce development. The bill permits such compacts to engage in workforce development activities, pool resources, enter into agreements with other entities to expand training and placement capacity, establish shared goals, and share workforce data in accordance with applicable privacy laws. The bill directs the Department to provide technical assistance and permits the Department to administer the Program in coordination with the Department of Health Professions, the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority, and other relevant entities. The bill requires compacts to report to the Department on their activities and requires the Department to submit a consolidated report to the Governor and General Assembly each year by December 1.
Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program authority; right of entry; performance bond. Removes the requirement for a Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program (VESMP) authority to have a performance bond with surety, cash escrow, letter of credit, any combination thereof, or such other legal arrangement in order to enter any establishment or upon any property, public or private, for the purpose of initiating or maintaining appropriate actions that are required by conditions imposed by the VESMP authority on a land-disturbing activity when an owner, after proper notice, has failed to take acceptable action within the time specified.
Uniform Statewide Building Code; regulations superseded; exceptions; interpretations; report. Removes existing exceptions to the Uniform Statewide Building Code and establishes a process by which counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions may petition the State Building Code Technical Review Board (the Review Board) to grant single project exceptions. The bill requires the Review Board, in granting approval for an exception, to identify other counties, municipalities, and political subdivisions of the Commonwealth in which the conditions are substantially similar and to which such exception shall therefore apply. The bill additionally requires the Review Board to report to the General Assembly annually no later than November 1 regarding the number of petitions received, the disposition of such petitions, technical findings supporting approvals and denials, and the cost and safety impacts of any approved exception. The bill requires any interpretation issued by the Review Board to apply statewide. Finally, the bill directs the Board of Housing and Community Development, in consultation with the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, to establish a training program for local plan reviewers and inspectors to ensure enforcement of the Uniform Statewide Building Code is uniform across the Commonwealth.
Localities; liability insurance; certain waiver of sovereign immunity. Provides that a locality or political subdivision may provide liability insurance, including self-insurance, to cover damages or other expenses in certain civil actions arising out of an act or omission of certain officers, employees, board or commission members, or volunteers while such person is acting within the scope of his official duties. The bill provides that the provision of such liability insurance or self-insurance shall constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity in an amount not to exceed the combined total of any self-insurance coverage, insurance coverage under a group self-insurance pool, or any coverage pursuant to a policy purchased from an insurance company, including any excess or reserve coverage. The bill also provides that the insurer or self-insured shall not have a duty to defend or indemnify any covered person in cases where the act or omission took place outside the scope of such covered person's employment or official duties, where such act or omission was done maliciously or occurred as a result of gross negligence or willful misconduct, or is otherwise excluded by the terms of the policy.
Superintendent of Public Instruction; employment of certified school library specialists. Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to employ in the Department of Education at least one certified school library specialist who shall have several duties enumerated in the bill, including (i) providing leadership and technical assistance with the implementation and use of information literacy skills to school divisions, Department staff, and other stakeholders to support student achievement; (ii) directing the implementation of state and national school library standards and consulting with and providing technical assistance to local school divisions relating to such standards; (iii) collaborating on various grants and other initiatives that promote student literacy through school library programs throughout the Commonwealth; (iv) supporting student learning through instructional programs in which students are required to demonstrate information literacy, digital literacy and fluency, and effective use of technology and instructional programs that incorporate science, technology, engineering, and math learning; and (v) providing the Department, the Board of Education, the General Assembly, and school boards with support relating to student learning through the use of school library standards and library resources.
Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund created. Creates the Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund to assist private developers with non-utility costs associated with the installation of electric vehicle charging stations (i) in certain localities; (ii) on eligible public land, as defined in the bill; or (iii) within one mile of the boundary of eligible public land. The bill provides that a private developer may apply for a grant in an amount equal to 70 percent of the private developer's non-utility costs for the installation of such public electric vehicle charging stations. The awarding of a grant under the Program is conditional upon an agreement with the applicant that any cost of a project not funded by a grant awarded by the Program be funded by non-federal funds. The bill directs the Department of Energy to establish guidelines for the administration of the Program, including guidelines related to the application for and award of grants. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2031.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 58.1-3912 of the Code of Virginia, relating to real property tax bills; disclosure; resource protection area.
Public campaign financing; counties and cities may establish for certain offices. Authorizes the governing body of a county or city to establish by ordinance a system of public campaign financing for elected local offices. The bill specifies certain requirements for a system of public campaign financing established by a governing body, including the provision of a public election fund to be administered by the treasurer of the county or city. A system of public campaign financing established by a county or city is permitted to more stringently regulate the campaign finance activity of participating candidates and shall be subject to regulation and oversight by the State Board of Elections to ensure its conformity with state law and policy to the extent practicable.
General funds, bonds, and capital outlay. Removes the Executive Director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the Secretary of Finance from the Six-Year Capital Outlay Plan Advisory Committee. The bill also provides that the Six-Year Capital Outlay Plan Advisory Committee consists of four members, with voting privileges, including the staff directors of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget, and the Director of the Department of General Services.
