Provision of abortion; informed written consent; newborn safety devices. Requires the physician or advanced practice registered nurse authorized to perform an abortion, induction, or termination to provide certain written information regarding newborn safety devices for the purposes of effectuating a pregnant woman's informed written consent prior to the abortion, induction, or termination. The bill directs the Department of Health to publish by October 1, 2026, in English and in each language that is the primary language of two percent or more of the population of the Commonwealth, such information relating to newborn safety devices in such a way as to ensure that the information is easily comprehensible.
Virginia Consumer Protection Act; prohibited practices; kratom products. Prohibits the selling or offering for sale of (i) any kratom product containing any synthesized material, semi-synthetic alkaloid, or synthetic kratom-like compound; (ii) any kratom product containing 7-hydroxymitragynine in an alkaloid fraction exceeding two percent of total alkaloids in the container or providing more than one milligram of 7-hydroxymitragynine per serving; (iii) any kratom product adulterated with any dangerous, poisonous, or otherwise deleterious non-kratom ingredient, including any substance listed as a controlled substance under state or federal law; (iv) any kratom product that is combustible or intended for vaporization or injection; (v) any kratom product that is manufactured, packaged, or marketed in a manner attractive to children; or (vi) any kratom extract product containing residual solvent levels exceeding applicable statutory or pharmacopeial limits.
Security requirements for dealers in firearms; civil penalty. Prohibits dealers in firearms operating from a retail mercantile establishment, as defined in the bill, and holding a valid federal firearms license issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives from conducting business or storing firearms at a location unless certain security requirements specified in the bill are met. The bill creates a civil penalty not exceeding $1,000 for violations of such security requirements. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2028.
Pharmacy freedom of choice; specialty pharmacy benefits. Provides that in no event shall any person receiving a covered specialty pharmacy benefit from a nonpreferred or nonparticipating provider, regardless of whether it has submitted a reimbursement agreement, be responsible for amounts that may be charged by the nonpreferred or nonparticipating provider in excess of the copayment and the insurer's reimbursement applicable to all of its preferred or participating pharmacy providers.
A BILL to direct the Director of the Department of Energy to identify and develop training resources to advance workforce development in the nuclear energy industry.
Child care; exemption from licensure; light family day homes. Exempts from the requirement to be licensed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction any light family day home, defined in the bill as a family day home for five through eight children under the age of 13, exclusive of the provider's own children and any children who reside in the home, provided that any such home complies with certain requirements enumerated in the bill, including background check requirements. The bill permits the Superintendent of Public Instruction to conduct inspections of any such home to ensure compliance with basic health and safety standards.
Waste to Energy Grant Program established; report. Establishes the Waste to Energy Grant Program to incentivize eligible localities, defined by the bill as counties, cities, and towns located in Planning District 23, to dispose of their waste through use of a qualifying waste to energy plant, as defined by the bill. The bill provides that, for any year in which at least one grant is awarded by the Program, the Department of Environmental Quality must submit a report to the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations detailing information on the utilization of the Program and its impact on waste management in grant recipient localities.
State Forester; bicentennial farm program established. Directs the State Forester to establish and administer a bicentennial farm program to honor farm families in the Commonwealth whose property has been in the same family for 200 years or more. In order to be eligible for recognition under the program, a farm shall (i) have been owned by the same family for at least 200 consecutive years; (ii) be lived on, or actually farmed, by a descendant of the original owners; and (iii) gross more than $2,500 annually from the sale of farm products. The bill also repeals a provision of law to reflect the transfer of the Century Farm Program from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to the Department of Forestry's Office of Farmland Preservation as a result of the passage of HB 892 and SB 616 in the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
Health Care Learning Lab and Regulatory Improvement Program established. Requires the Department of Health (the Department) to establish the Health Care Learning Lab and Regulatory Improvement Program (the Program) to enable a person to obtain limited access to the market in the Commonwealth to temporarily test an innovative health care product or service on a limited basis without otherwise being licensed or authorized to act under the laws of the Commonwealth. Under the Program, an applicant requests the waiver of certain laws, regulations, or other requirements for a 24-month testing period, with an option to request an additional six-month testing period. The bill provides application requirements, consumer protections, procedures for exiting the Program or requesting an extension, and recordkeeping and reporting requirements. The bill requires the Department to provide an annual report to the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health that provides information regarding each Program participant and recommendations regarding the effectiveness of the Program. The bill directs the Board of Health to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill and has an expiration date of July 1, 2030.
Virginia Historic Landmarks Register; bicentennial farms. Directs the Department of Historic Resources to include bicentennial farms as a property that can be nominated for listing on the Virginia Historic Landmarks Register to honor farm families in the Commonwealth whose property has been in the same family for 200 years or more. In order to be eligible for such nomination, the bill requires the farm to (i) have been owned by the same family for at least 200 consecutive years; (ii) be lived on, or actually farmed, by a descendant of the original owners; and (iii) comply with any other nomination requirements the Department deems appropriate.
Department of Motor Vehicles; driver communication improvement program. Expands the driver communication improvement plan for the promotion, printing, and distribution of envelopes for use by drivers diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder to allow use by drivers with a disability that can impair communication, which, as defined by current law, includes persons diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The bill requires the Department of Motor vehicles to (i) meet certain specifications for such envelopes, (ii) provide such envelopes on request without requiring a person to identify or provide proof of a disability, and (iii) notify certain persons of the program and provide instructions for requesting such envelopes.
Early childhood care and education; Child Care Subsidy Program; income-based eligibility for assistance; development and implementation of phased reduction model. Requires the Department of Education (the Department) to develop and implement a phased reduction model for the Child Care Subsidy Program (the Program) that provides for an assistance phase-out period during which the assistance for which a given family is eligible is incrementally reduced in proportion to the increase in such family's income for the purpose of ensuring that no family receiving child care assistance under the Program experiences a sudden loss in eligibility for assistance as a result of an increase in family income. The bill requires the phased reduction model developed and implemented by the Department to consist of incremental income tiers, with each increase in income tier corresponding to a proportional reduction in the percentage of assistance for which a given family is eligible under the Program. The bill directs the Board of Education to (i) promulgate regulations for the development and implementation of the phased reduction model in accordance with the provisions of the bill and (ii) submit to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services any amendments to the current Child Care and Development Fund Plan for Virginia as are necessary to implement the provisions of the bill.
