Virginia Bills

Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Commissioner of Social Services to (i) convene a stakeholder group to consider the development of a statewide unified public-private system for early childhood care and education in the Commonwealth and (ii) collaborate to develop a uniform quality rating and improvement system with required participation by publicly funded early childhood care and education programs and voluntary participation by privately funded providers.

Increases from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony the penalty for cruelly or unnecessarily beating, maiming, mutilating, or killing a dog or cat. Current law requires that the dog or cat die as a direct result of torture, or inhumane injury or pain, before the violation is a Class 6 felony. The bill incorporates

Establishes a pilot program under which the governing body of any locality operating under the urban county executive form of government (Fairfax County) may request an electric utility to place underground electric utility distribution lines in areas of transit-oriented development in such locality in conjunction with a transportation infrastructure improvement project that the Commonwealth Transportation Board identifies that reduces congestion, improves mobility, incorporates transit systems and improves safety. The measure provides that the locality and the utility shall enter into an agreement that provides that (i) the locality shall pay to the utility its full additional costs of relocating and converting that portion of the line located in the locality underground rather than overhead that are not recoverable under applicable rates, net of relocation credits, which costs shall include associated feasibility costs, or any smaller portion of such costs as the utility and the locality may agree; (ii) the locality shall impose an assessment on electric utility customers in the locality in an amount sufficient to cover the utility's additional costs, which assessment shall be shown as a separate item on such customers' electric bills and shall be collected by the utility on behalf of the locality; (iii) the utility shall convert, operate, and maintain the agreed portion of the line underground; and (iv) such other terms and conditions on which the parties may agree. The measure provides that upon presentation of the agreement to the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the Commissioner of Highways shall be responsible for securing the necessary easements and permits for the pilot program. The measure provides that the pilot program terminates on July 1, 2026.

Prohibits evidence gathered through the conduct of an interrogation that violates the provisions of the Firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians Procedural Guarantee Act from being admissible in any case against a firefighter or emergency medical services personnel.

Creates the Virginia Works Portal, administered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority, to provide one-stop access to information regarding education pathways, career opportunities, and workforce development information available from agencies, institutions, and entities around the Commonwealth. The bill provides that the Portal shall provide an interactive, user-friendly environment and must be available to the public by July 1, 2020. The bill creates the five-person Virginia Works Board chaired by the Governor's Chief Workforce Development Advisor to oversee the Portal and the Virginia Works Advisory Committee of public and private sector stakeholders to advise the Board. The Virginia Works Board is directed to report annually to the Joint Subcommittee on the Future Competitiveness of Virginia Higher Education and to the Governor and Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance. The provisions of the bill are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act.

Prohibits a person who has been convicted of a felony offense of (a) fraud or misrepresentation or (b) robbery, extortion, burglary, larceny, embezzlement, fraudulent conversion, perjury, bribery, treason, or racketeering from qualifying to be a notary, regardless of whether his civil rights have been restored.

Provides that monthly revenue transfers from a licensed distiller to the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (i) may be submitted electronically and through other methods approved by the Board and (ii) shall be limited to the amount due to the Board in applicable taxes and markups. The bill prohibits the Board from charging a case fee for moving spirits to the tasting area of a government store established on the premises of a licensed distillery when such spirits are moved by employees of the licensed distiller.

Authorizes the dissemination of criminal history record information to the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) for the purpose of investigating individuals for initial licensure, certification, or registration. Under current law, DPOR has that authority only for the initial licensure of real estate brokers and salespersons. The bill permits the Director of DPOR, or his designee, to issue a notice to any person unlawfully engaging in unlicensed practice of an occupation to cease and desist such activity. The bill provides that following the close of any biennium, when the account for any regulatory board within DPOR shows that unspent and unencumbered revenue exceeds $100,000 or 20 percent of the total expenses allocated to the regulatory board for the past biennium, whichever is greater, the regulatory board shall (i) distribute all such excess revenue to current regulants of the board and (ii) reduce fees so that they are sufficient but not excessive to cover expenses. Under current law, these boards are required to adjust their fees when their account shows expenses allocated to it for the past biennium to be more than 10 percent greater or less than moneys collected on behalf of the regulatory board. Current law does not require the boards to distribute excess funds to regulants. The bill requires the Director of DPOR to report, at least annually, the fund status of each of the regulatory boards to the members of such boards. The bill also provides that when any legislative bill requiring DPOR to increase or begin regulation of an occupation is filed during any session of the General Assembly, the Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation shall prepare an evaluation of the legislation using criteria outlined in current law that the Board is required to use whenever the Board determines that a particular occupation should be regulated or that a different degree of regulation should be imposed on a currently regulated occupation. The bill deregulates residential building energy analysts and natural gas automobile mechanics and technicians.

Requires the

Amends the definition of "agritourism activity," for purposes of liability, as well as the statutory limit on the imposition of restrictions by local governments, to include service as a wedding venue for not more than 12 weddings per calendar year, each wedding involving not more than 250 guests.