Siting of data centers; site assessment; high energy use facility. Provides that prior to any approval of a rezoning application, special exception application, or special use permit for the siting of a new high energy use facility (HEUF), as defined in the bill, a locality shall require that an applicant perform and submit a site assessment to examine the sound profile of the HEUF on residential units and schools located within 500 feet of the HEUF property boundary. The bill also allows a locality to require that a site assessment examine the effect of the proposed HEUF facility on (i) ground and surface water resources, (ii) agricultural resources, (iii) parks, (iv) registered historic sites, and (v) forestland on the HEUF site or immediately contiguous land. The provisions of the bill do not apply to a site with an existing legislative or administrative approval where an applicant is seeking an expansion or modification of an already existing or approved facility and such expansion does not exceed an additional 100 megawatts or more of electrical power. Finally, the bill provides that its provisions shall not be construed to prohibit, limit, or otherwise supersede existing local zoning authority. This bill was incorporated into SB 94.
Newborn and stillborn tax credit. Establishes a refundable income tax credit for taxable years 2026 through 2030 for married individuals in an amount equal to $2,000 per eligible birth so long as such eligible birth is not also the birth of a child by a surrogate. The bill also allows individuals and married individuals filing jointly to claim a refundable income tax credit in an amount equal to $2,000 per stillborn birth so long as such stillborn birth is not also the birth of a child by a surrogate. The bill specifies that only one tax credit may be claimed for each eligible birth or stillborn birth.
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.
Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Program and Fund. Directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to establish the Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Program and Fund to reimburse participating veterinarians for the surgical sterilizations they perform on eligible cats or dogs beginning July 1, 2027. The bill provides that a surcharge of $50 per ton of pet food distributed in the Commonwealth be deposited in the Fund and that such pet food be exempted from the existing litter tax. An animal will be eligible for sterilization under the Program beginning July 1, 2027, if it is a feral or free-roaming cat, is owned by a low-income individual, or is in the possession of a releasing agency such as an animal shelter.
Department of Medical Assistance Services; Medicaid waivers; consumer-directed services; employer of record. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) to modify the program rules for consumer-directed services available through certain Medicaid waivers to allow an individual receiving services to serve as the employer of record (EOR) for his own service delivery and designate another individual to perform all or a portion of the duties of the EOR on the individual's behalf when the individual receiving services is unable to perform such duties or direct his own care. The bill specifies that when an individual (i) has not yet reached the age of majority, (ii) is ineligible to use his existing employer identification number (EIN) to facilitate the taxation of benefits, or (iii) is otherwise determined to be ineligible by DMAS by administrative rule, the EIN shall be assigned to the individual receiving services and shall not be transferred to another individual. Under the bill, DMAS has the authority to limit such amendments to specify that an individual receiving services may make such designation no more than twice per calendar year.
Workforce Transition Act of 1995; eligibility for transitional severance benefit; officers and employees of the Fort Monroe Authority. Provides that employees of the Fort Monroe Authority are eligible for transitional severance benefits conferred by the Workforce Transition Act of 1995 if (i) reemployment with the Commonwealth is not possible because there is no available position for which the employee is qualified or the position offered to the employee requires relocation or a reduction in salary and (ii) involuntary separation was due to causes other than job performance or misconduct.
Virginia Student Teacher Scholarship Program established; report. Establishes the Virginia Student Teacher Scholarship Program, to be administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia in coordination with the Department of Education, whereby a student teacher who (i) is completing a required supervised clinical practice through a traditional educator preparation program in the Commonwealth, (ii) is assigned to complete such supervised clinical practice at a public elementary or secondary school in the Commonwealth without pay, and (iii) applies and meets certain eligibility criteria shall be awarded a scholarship in an amount not to exceed $7,500 per each supervised clinical practice experience to assist with expenses incurred during the supervised clinical practice. The bill contains provisions relating to Program administration and requires the Council to submit and publish an annual report containing certain Program data.
State employee health insurance plan; coverage for prosthetic devices. Provides that the plan established by the Department of Human Resource Management for the provision of health insurance coverage for state employees shall include coverage for medically necessary prosthetic devices and their repair, fitting, replacement, and components.
Data centers; rainwater harvesting systems. Requires any new construction or substantial expansion, as defined in the bill, of a data center, as defined in the bill, to (i) include a rainwater harvesting system sufficient to capture rainwater runoff from at least 30 percent of the total roof surface area of such data center and (ii) use such harvested rainwater for non-potable water needs, as defined in the bill, including irrigation or the dissipation of heat from any component of such data center. The bill also requires any such system to be designed, installed, and periodically inspected by a person certified by the American Society of Sanitary Engineering and authorizes the State Board of Health to promulgate regulations in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Quality as necessary to effectuate the provisions of the bill.
Virginia Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for animal control officers. Adds full-time animal control officers to the list of local employees eligible to receive enhanced retirement benefits for hazardous duty service for service earned in such positions on or after July 1, 2027. Under current law, localities may provide such benefits to first responders, including firefighters and emergency medical technicians, and certain other hazardous duty positions. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.
Salaries of certain full-time deputy sheriffs. Provides that, beginning on and after July 1, 2026, the salary of certain full-time deputy sheriffs shall be increased by an amount equal to $100 for each full year of service.
Virginia Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for 911 dispatchers. Allows local governments to provide enhanced retirement benefits for hazardous duty service 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.
