Photo speed monitoring devices, pedestrian crossing violation monitoring systems, and stop sign violation monitoring systems; placement and operation; violation enforcement; civil penalties. Authorizes state and local law-enforcement agencies to place and operate pedestrian crossing violation and stop sign violation monitoring systems in school crossing zones, highway work zones, and high-risk speed corridors for purposes of recording pedestrian crossing and stop sign violations, as those terms are defined in the bill. The bill requires local law-enforcement agencies implementing or expanding the use of pedestrian crossing violation and stop sign violation monitoring systems, prior to the implementation or expansion of such systems, to conduct a public awareness program for such implementation or expansion.The bill directs the Supreme Court of Virginia to develop a summons for vehicle speed violations captured by photo speed monitoring devices and violations captured by the other devices authorized by this bill and requires summonses issued for such violations captured by such devices to be such summons. The bill makes various changes to the requirements for the use of these devices, including the use of funds from collected civil penalties, signage, data retention and storage, photo speed monitoring device calibration, making certain information available to the public, requirements for private vendors, and reporting. The bill establishes civil penalties for violations of requirements and provides that, for any summons issued, failure to comply with the requirements for the operation of such devices renders such summons invalid and requires courts to dismiss such summons.The bill also limits the use of such devices in highway work zones to when workers are present, as defined in the bill, and provides that a certificate sworn to or affirmed by a law-enforcement officer or a retired sworn law-enforcement officer is not prima facie evidence of the facts contained therein for a device placed in a highway work zone unless the operator of the photo speed monitoring device, pedestrian crossing violation monitoring system, or stop sign violation monitoring system, respectively, provides a sworn certification verifying that workers were present at the time of the violation.
Green warning lights, snow plows and vehicles equipped with truck-mounted attenuators. Authorizes snow plows used for clearing or removing snow on or along public highways and vehicles equipped with a truck-mounted attenuator that are used in constructing, maintaining, and repairing highways or utilities on or along public highways to be equipped with and use either (i) flashing, blinking, or alternating amber warning lights of types approved by the Superintendent of State Police or (ii) alternating amber and green warning lights of a type approved by the Superintendent of State Police. The bill requires that warning lights be lit only when performing the functions that qualify them to be equipped with such lights and that if a vehicle is equipped with multiple warning lights that are alternating amber and green warning lights, such lights shall be used synchronously with each other.
Holding a handheld personal communications device while driving; driver improvement clinic. Clarifies that a court may order, for a first violation of texting and driving, the satisfactory completion of a driver improvement clinic in lieu of a conviction.
Use of license plates from another vehicle; authorized time period. Extends from five to 30 days the time period for which the owner of a motor vehicle is authorized to use license plates from his motor vehicle on another motor vehicle owned by a person operating a garage or owned by a motor vehicle dealer, provided that such use is limited to the time during which his motor vehicle is being repaired or while the motor vehicle owned by the garage operator or motor vehicle dealer is loaned to him for demonstration.
Capital Region Airport Commission; plan for discontinuing the use of PFAS chemicals in firefighting materials at Richmond International Airport; report. Directs the Capital Region Airport Commission to develop a plan for discontinuing by January 1, 2030, the use of PFAS chemicals in firefighting materials at Richmond International Airport and to complete such plan and provide a report to the Virginia Aviation Board no later than November 15, 2026.
Department of Transportation; autonomous truck-mounted attenuators; pilot program authorized. Authorizes the Department of Transportation to establish a pilot program for the implementation and deployment of autonomous truck-mounted attenuators within mobile work zones, defined in the bill. The bill has an expiration date of December 31, 2031. This bill is identical to HB 582.
Abandonment of highway; section of the secondary state highway system; local authority. Removes the requirement that a section of the secondary state highway system be in a residence district for a county to find that such section is no longer necessary for the purpose of abandoning such section of highway as a public highway.
School crossing zones; active times. Authorizes a local governing body, by ordinance, to increase from 30 minutes to up to 60 minutes the period of time before and after regular school hours during which school crossing zones are active if it determines that children will be going to or from school during that period of time.
Commissioner of Highways; certain agreements with the U.S. Department of Transportation; National Environmental Policy Act. Authorizes the Commissioner of Highways to enter into agreements for a term of five years with the U.S. Department of Transportation, as provided for in federal law, regarding state assumption of responsibility for categorical exclusions and the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program. The bill authorizes the Department of Transportation to assume certain responsibilities of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation pursuant to such agreement. Under the bill, the Commonwealth waives its immunity from civil suit in a federal court under certain circumstances. The bill contains an expiration date of five years after the date on which the first agreement is entered into. This bill is identical to HB 411.
Voluntary contributions during electronic Department of Motor Vehicles transactions. Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide a method by which an individual conducting certain electronic Department transactions may make a voluntary contribution to the Virginia Highway Safety Improvement Program. Under current law, the Department is only required to provide a method by which voluntary contributions may be made to the Virginia Donor Registry and Public Awareness Fund.
