Virginia Parole Board; membership; appointment of members; powers and duties. Increases the membership of the Parole Board from up to five members to 10 members, five of whom are to be appointed by the Governor, three of whom are to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, and two of whom are to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. The bill requires that four of the five Parole Board members appointed by the Governor have specific background and experience as enumerated in the bill. The bill also provides that when the Parole Board votes to deny an inmate's parole and issues the basis for such denial in writing as required by current law, the Parole Board shall also include in such writing specific steps that the inmate may take to demonstrate commitment to rehabilitation and notice that the Parole Board shall, at such inmate's next parole hearing, consider whether the inmate has taken such steps. Finally, the bill requires the Parole Board, at least 30 days prior to its final deliberation and vote regarding whether to grant parole to an inmate, to provide a true copy of all information collected throughout the investigation to such inmate, his attorney, or another person that the inmate has designated to receive such information either electronically or in paper form.
Criminal complaint, warrant, summons, etc.; temporary sealing. Provides that (i) any complaint that accompanies any warrant, summons, or capias issued pursuant to relevant law may be temporarily sealed for a specific period of time by the appropriate court upon application of the attorney for the Commonwealth for good cause shown in an ex parte hearing and (ii) any individual arrested on or served with such warrant, summons, or capias may move the appropriate court for the unsealing of such complaint. The bill states that the burden of proof with respect to continued sealing shall be upon the Commonwealth.
Health education and family life education; certain videos and animations relating to human development inside the uterus. Requires health education instruction to include an oral, written, or digital lesson, lecture, or presentation about human biology relating to pregnancy and human development inside the uterus, including (i) a high-definition ultrasound video, at least three minutes in duration, showing the development of the brain, heart, sex organs, and other vital organs in early fetal development and (ii) a high-quality, computer-generated rendering or animation showing the process of fertilization and every stage of human development inside the uterus, noting significant markers in cell growth and organ development for each significant marker of pregnancy until birth. The bill requires any family life education curriculum or similar curriculum offered by a local school division that includes any oral, written, or digital lesson, lecture, or presentation about sexual activity and pregnancy in the context of student health or healthy relationships to also include such a video and rendering or animation.
Department of Environmental Quality; data centers; use of emergency generation unit; disclosure requirements. Directs the Department of Environmental Quality to require each data center that operates an emergency generation unit, as those terms are defined in the bill, to report on a publicly accessible website within 24 hours the times when such emergency generation unit will be in operation.
Elections; campaign finance; federal political action committees; reporting requirements. Requires a federal political action committee that makes contributions of $50,000 or more to a candidate for statewide office, $25,000 or more to a candidate for an office in the General Assembly, or $10,000 or more to a candidate for any other office of the Commonwealth to make scheduled reports of its contributions and contributors to the State Board of Elections. The bill also requires federal political action committees that are required to make such scheduled reports to also report (i) any single contribution or loan of $10,000 or more received at any time during the calendar year within three business days of receipt of the contribution or loan and (ii) any single contribution received or expenditure made of $1,000 or more between May 26 and the third Tuesday in June in odd-numbered years and between October 8 and the date of the November general election in any year by 11:59 p.m. on the day following the contribution or expenditure.
Institutions of higher education; eligibility for in-state tuition for citizens of federally recognized Virginia tribes. Makes any non-Virginia student who is a member or citizen of a federally recognized tribe and who is enrolled in an undergraduate degree program eligible for in-state tuition. The bill also allows the governing board of any public institution of higher education to charge in-state tuition to such students enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program. This is a recommendation of the Commission on Updating Virginia Law to Reflect Federal Recognition of Virginia Tribes.
Criminal complaint, warrant, summons, etc.; temporary sealing. Provides that (i) any complaint that accompanies any warrant, summons, or capias issued pursuant to relevant law may be temporarily sealed for a specific period of time by the appropriate court upon application of the attorney for the Commonwealth for good cause shown in an ex parte hearing and (ii) any individual arrested on or served with such warrant, summons, or capias may move the appropriate court for the unsealing of such complaint. The bill states that the burden of proof with respect to continued sealing shall be upon the Commonwealth.
Electric utilities; suspension of certain requirements. Provides that the renewable energy portfolio standard requirements and any associated construction, procurement, or retirement mandates are suspended for the applicable compliance year if the State Corporation Commission determines that compliance has resulted in, or will result in, any of the following: (i) an increase in the average residential customer’s total monthly electric bill of more than five percent in any calendar year that is attributable to compliance with the renewable energy portfolio standard or associated zero-carbon generation or energy storage requirements; (ii) an increase in any rate adjustment clause, rider, or non-bypassable charge associated with compliance with this section that exceeds $50 per month for the average residential customer; (iii) a determination that compliance poses a material risk to electric system reliability or resource adequacy in the Commonwealth; or (iv) a determination that the cost of renewable energy certificates necessary for compliance exceeds the applicable alternative compliance payment or deficiency payment for two consecutive compliance years.
Crimes by gangs; definition of "predicate criminal act"; penalties. Adds the misdemeanor and felony offenses of carrying a concealed weapon and the misdemeanor offense of pointing, holding, or brandishing a firearm, air or gas operated weapon, or object similar in appearance to the definition of "predicate criminal act" related to prohibited criminal street gang participation.
Elections; identification containing a photograph required and excuse required to vote absentee. Requires the last four digits of a voter's social security number and presentation of a form of identification containing a photograph in order to vote. The bill repeals the provisions of law permitting a voter who does not have one of the required forms of identification to vote after signing a statement, subject to felony penalties for false statements, that he is the named registered voter he claims to be. Instead, the bill provides that such voter is entitled to cast a provisional ballot. The bill also requires a registered voter to provide a reason for being absent or unable to vote at his polling place on election day in order to receive an absentee ballot to vote by mail. Registered voters offering to vote absentee in person are similarly required by the bill to provide a reason until the second Saturday immediately preceding an election, at which time an excuse is not required to vote absentee in person. The bill provides that an application for an absentee ballot is required to receive an absentee ballot by mail and to vote absentee in person before the second Saturday immediately preceding an election. The bill also repeals the permanent absentee voter list and limits the special annual application to those voters with an illness or disability.
Charitable gaming; use of proceeds; charitable gaming adjusted gross receipts. Amends charitable gaming law to allow certain organizations, as a condition of receiving a charitable gaming permit or authorization to conduct electronic gaming, to use (i) with respect to charitable gaming, other than electronic gaming, a predetermined percentage of its charitable gaming adjusted gross receipts, not to exceed 10 percent, and (ii) with respect to electronic gaming, a predetermined percentage of its electronic gaming adjusted gross receipts, not to exceed 10 percent. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.
Board of Social Work; Doctor of Social Work degree; education requirements for licensure. Directs the Board of Social Work to amend its regulations to specify that a Doctor of Social Work degree satisfies the education requirements for certain social work licenses.
