Department of Education; local composite index school funding formula; data center revenue. Requires the Department of Education, in coordination with the Department of Taxation, no later than December 1, 2026, to revise the local composite index school funding formula to include as a factor in the calculation of required local effort any local revenue generated by any data center, as defined in relevant law, in the local school division, including real property taxes and business personal property taxes attributable to the operation of any such center, while also ensuring that no local school division that does not have such a data center is disadvantaged by any such revision. The bill requires the Department to submit such revised formula to the General Assembly no later than December 1, 2026, for approval pursuant to the general appropriation act enacted during any regular or special session during the 2026 calendar year before utilizing and making calculations according to the formula and provide that if the General Assembly grants such approval, the Department of Education shall apply such revised formula effective beginning with the 2028-2030 biennium.
Virginia Retirement System; service retirement allowance; return to work. Allows Virginia Retirement System (VRS) members who return to work full time at the Department of Corrections as a correctional officer or an instructional employee required to be licensed by the Board of Education to continue to receive their VRS pension if (i) the person has a break in service of at least six calendar months between retirement and returning to work full time for the Department of Corrections, (ii) the person is not receiving a retirement benefit pursuant to an early retirement incentive program offered by the Department of Corrections, and (iii) those returning to work as a correctional officer successfully complete the minimum training standards established by the Department of Criminal Justice Services within 12 months of the hiring date. If the person makes the election to continue to receive a VRS pension during such new employment at the Department of Corrections, then (a) such service and compensation shall not affect any other retirement benefits, (b) such person shall still be eligible for cash match plan benefits, and (c) the employer shall include the person's compensation in membership payroll subject to certain employer contributions.
Local motor vehicle licenses and motor vehicle registrations; failure to pay certain taxes, fees, and parking citations. Provides that certain suspension of local motor vehicle licenses and motor vehicle registrations for failure to pay certain taxes, fees, and parking citations apply only to vehicles for which such unpaid taxes, fees, and citations are assessed and owed. Under current law, such suspensions are permitted for unpaid taxes, fees, and citations on any vehicle owned by the person who is liable for such a tax, fee, or citation.
Public elementary and secondary schools and public institutions of higher education; display of Ten Commandments in each classroom required. Requires each school board to display in each classroom in each public elementary and secondary school in the local school division and each public institution of higher education to display in each classroom on campus the Ten Commandments on a poster or framed document that is at least 11 inches by 14 inches and that includes a certain English translation of the Ten Commandments and, in the case of public elementary and secondary schools, a context statement on the history of the Ten Commandments in American public education. The bill provides that each school board and public institution of higher education shall either accept donated funds to purchase such displays or accept donations of such displays.
Automated driving systems; civil penalties; work group; report. Provides requirements for the operation of fully autonomous vehicles and motor vehicles operated with an automated driving system engaged. The bill requires fully autonomous vehicles and automated driving systems operated in the Commonwealth to receive autonomous operation licenses prior to being operated in the Commonwealth. The bill provides requirements regarding geofences and requirements for providers, as those terms are defined in the bill. The bill also prohibits localities from prohibiting the operation of fully autonomous vehicles or motor vehicles operated with an automated driving system. The bill establishes civil penalties for violations of the provisions of the bill. The bill directs the Department of Motor Vehicles to convene a work group to make recommendations regarding the regulation of fully autonomous vehicles and automated driving systems and the requirements created by the bill and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees on Transportation no later than November 1, 2026.
Income tax; credit for certain health care providers. Provides, for taxable years 2026 through 2030, a nonrefundable individual income tax credit for eligible health care providers, defined in the bill, who provide health care in an underserved community during the taxable year. The bill defines "underserved community" as an area within the Commonwealth identified by the Board of Health as medically underserved. The amount of the credit shall equal $5,000 if the eligible health care provider provided at least 1,600 hours of health care in an underserved community during the taxable year or $2,500 if the eligible health care provider provided at least 800 hours of health care in an underserved community during the taxable year. The bill provides that such providers shall only be allowed to claim such credit for two taxable years. The aggregate amount of credits allowable under the provisions of the bill shall not exceed $5 million per taxable year.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 33.2-359, 33.2-371, 33.2-1526, 33.2-1526.1, 33.2-3102, 33.2-3401, 33.2-3402, 33.2-3403, 33.2-3502, 46.2-774, and 46.2-2099.48 of the Code of Virginia; to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 2 of Chapter 19 of Title 33.2 a section numbered 33.2-1904.1, by adding in Article 11 of Chapter 19 of Title 33.2 a section numbered 33.2-1937, by adding in Chapter 24 of Title 33.2 a section numbered 33.2-2402, by adding in Chapter 7 of Title 46.2 a section numbered 46.2-775, by adding a section numbered 58.1-603.3, and by adding in Chapter 17 of Title 58.1 articles numbered 13, 14, and 15, consisting of sections numbered 58.1-1749, 58.1-1750, and 58.1-1751; and to repeal § 33.2-3100.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to transportation funding.
Oral threat to kill or to do bodily harm; employees of local or state department of social services; penalty. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who orally makes a threat to kill or do bodily injury to any call-center contractor or employee of the Department of Social Services or a local department of social services, as those terms as defined in relevant law, who is engaged in the performance of his duties.
Income tax; credit for affordable housing projects. Provides, for taxable years 2026 through 2030, a nonrefundable income tax credit for qualifying taxpayers, defined in the bill as taxpayers that, during the taxable year, own a direct or indirect interest through one or more pass-through entities, in an affordable housing project, also defined in the bill. The credit amount shall be equal to the product of (i) the portion of such taxpayer's ownership in such affordable housing project and (ii) the sum of 50 percent of the difference between the fair market value of each unit rented to a qualifying tenant and the rent actually charged to such tenant for the unit, computed for that portion of the taxable year in which the unit was rented to such tenant. The bill defines a qualifying tenant as a tenant with a Virginia adjusted gross income less than 120 percent of the area median income, adjusted for family size. The aggregate amount of credits allowable under the provisions of the bill shall not exceed $5 million per taxable year.
Virginia Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for 911 dispatchers. Allows local governments to provide enhanced retirement benefits for hazardous duty service, other than a hazardous duty supplement, to full-time salaried 911 dispatchers. The bill provides that such enhanced retirement benefits apply only to service earned as a full-time salaried 911 dispatcher on or after July 1, 2027, but allows an employer, as that term is defined in relevant law, to provide such enhanced retirement benefits for service earned as a full-time salaried 911 dispatcher before July 1, 2027, in addition to service earned on or after that date. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.
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.
Middle Peninsula Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority; public purpose; submerged aquatic vegetation. Allows the Middle Peninsula Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority to receive and expend public funds and private donations in order to restore or create submerged aquatic vegetation within the region for which the authority exists subject to certain limitations. The bill also allows the Authority to sell or convey tidal mitigation or submerged aquatic vegetation credits resulting from restoration or creation projects to political subdivisions within the Authority and with the concurrence of the Marine Resources Commission to nonparticipating political subdivisions. Currently, the Authority is only allowed to receive public and private funds for tidal wetland restoration and creation projects and is prohibited from selling or conveying tidal mitigation credits to any participating political subdivision.
