Net energy metering; eligible customer-generators and eligible agricultural customer-generators. Provides that no contract, lease, or arrangement by which a third party owns, maintains, or operates an electrical generating facility on an eligible customer-generator's property shall constitute the sale of electricity or cause the customer-generator or the third party to be considered an electric utility by virtue of participating in net energy metering. The bill prohibits an eligible customer-generator or eligible agricultural customer-generator from being required to provide proof of liability insurance or to purchase additional liability insurance as a condition of interconnection. The bill exempts eligible customer-generators and eligible agricultural customer-generators that operate a battery storage device of capacity commensurate with and equal to or greater than that of the electrical generating facility and in conjunction with the electrical generating facility from standby charges. The bill provides that any eligible customer-generator or eligible agricultural customer-generator may participate in demand response, energy efficiency, or peak reduction from dispatch of onsite battery service, provided that the compensation received is in exchange for a distinct service that is not already compensated by net metering credits for electricity exported to the electric distribution system or compensated by any other utility program or tariff. This bill is identical to HB 1062.
Sponsored bills
Purchase, possession, sale, transfer, etc., of assault firearms and certain ammunition feeding devices prohibited; penalty. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, possesses, transports, or transfers an assault firearm, as that term is defined in the bill, and prohibits a person who has been convicted of such violation from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm for a period of three years from the date of conviction. The bill provides that an assault firearm does not include any firearm that is an antique firearm, has been rendered permanently inoperable, is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action, or was manufactured before July 1, 2024. The bill also prohibits the sale of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, as that term is defined in the bill. The bill provides that any person who willfully and intentionally (i) sells an assault firearm to another person or (ii) purchases an assault firearm from another person is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and that any person who imports, sells, barters, or transfers a large capacity ammunition feeding device is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill also makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person younger than 21 years of age to import, sell, manufacture, purchase, possess, transport, or transfer an assault firearm regardless of the date of manufacture of such assault firearm.
Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; civil penalty. Provides that no person shall leave, place, or store a handgun in an unattended motor vehicle, as defined in the bill, when such handgun is visible to any person who is outside such motor vehicle. The bill provides that any person violating such prohibition is subject to a civil penalty of no more than $500 and such unattended motor vehicle may be subject to removal for safekeeping. This bill is identical to HB 1462.
Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements; civil action. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning January 1, 2027. Under the program, benefits are paid to covered individuals, as defined in the bill, for family and medical leave. The bill specifies that covered individuals shall not include state employees, constitutional and other local officers, and employees of local school divisions and that funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning January 1, 2026. The bill provides that the amount of a benefit is 80 percent of the employee's average weekly wage, not to exceed 80 percent of the state weekly wage, which amount is required to be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the statewide average weekly wage. The bill caps the duration of paid leave at 12 weeks in any application year and provides self-employed individuals the option of participating in the program. Finally, the bill requires the Commission to update its 2021 Paid Family and Medical Leave study to include an assessment of the budgetary impacts of extending the benefits of the program to exempt individuals.
Minimum qualifications for law-enforcement officers; citizenship; waiver. Allows individuals who have been grantedDeferred Action for Childhood Arrivals by U.S. Citizenship and ImmigrationServices to qualify for the positions of chief of police, policeofficer of a locality, deputy sheriff, jail officer, and law-enforcementofficer. Current law allows only citizens of the United States toqualify for the named positions.
Limitation on sentence upon revocation of suspensionof sentence; technical violations. Provides that when conductinga revocation hearing, the court shall consider at the same revocation hearing all alleged technical violations that occurred prior to such revocation hearing and have not been previously considered by thecourt. The bill also requires that when a defendant has been takeninto custody for an alleged first or second technical violation forwhich the court may only impose up to 14 days of active incarceration,the court shall adjudicate such violation within 14 days of the defendantbeing taken into custody. The bill states that if such violationis not adjudicated within 14 days of the defendant being taken intocustody, the defendant shall be admitted to bail, unless (i) suchdefendant consents to being further detained while awaiting adjudicationor sentencing or (ii) the Commonwealth has established, by clear and convincing evidence, that the defendant presents a significantrisk of harm to himself or the community based on substance use disorderor serious mental illness and has been referred for residential treatment.Notwithstanding the foregoing, the bill provides that no such defendantshall be held in custody awaiting adjudication of or sentencing onsuch alleged technical violation for longer than 30 days.
Substantial risk orders; substantial risk factors and considerations. Provides various factors that a judge or magistrate must consider for the purpose of determining probable cause prior to issuing an emergency substantial risk order or a substantial risk order. The bill provides that such factors shall include whether the person who is subject to the order (i) committed any acts of violence or criminal offenses resulting in injury to himself or another person within the six months prior to the filing of the petition; (ii) made any threats or used any physical force against another person that resulted in injury within the six months prior to the filing of the petition; (iii) violated any provision of a protective order issued or was arrested for stalking within the six months prior to the filing of the petition; (iv) was convicted of any offense that would prohibit such person from possessing a firearm; (v) engaged in any conduct within the year prior to the filing of the petition that demonstrated a pattern of violent acts or threats to another person, including any acts or threats made against family members, neighbors, coworkers, or toward schools or students or government buildings or employees; (vi) committed any acts of violence or criminal offenses against an animal within the six months prior to the filing of the petition; or (vii) made any attempt or threat of suicide or any act, attempted act, or threat of self-harm that caused or may have caused serious bodily injury or whether evidence of recent acquisition of a firearm or ammunition by the person who is subject to the order is provided by the respondent. The bill also outlines various other factors that a judge or magistrate may consider for the purpose of issuing an emergency substantial risk order or a substantial risk order. The bill also provides that possession includes actual access or the potential to readily access a firearm for the purposes of finding if a person possesses a firearm or if such firearm shall be voluntarily relinquished.
Affordable housing; local zoning ordinance authority; comprehensive plan. Authorizes any locality in the Commonwealth to provide for an affordable housing dwelling unit program by amending the zoning ordinance of such locality. Current law restricts such authorization to counties with an urban county executive form of government or county manager plan of government and certain other localities. This bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025.
Purchase of firearms; waiting period; penalty. Provides that no person shall sell a firearm unless at least five days have elapsed from the time the prospective purchaser completes the written consent form to have a licensed dealer obtain criminal history record information, with exceptions enumerated in relevant law. This bill incorporates SB 55 and SB 551 and is identical to HB 1195.
Prescription Drug Affordability Board established; drug cost affordability review. Establishes the Prescription Drug Affordability Board for the purpose of protecting the citizens of the Commonwealth and other stakeholders within the health care system from the high costs of prescription drug products. The bill requires the Board to meet in open session at least four times annually, with certain exceptions and requirements enumerated in the bill. Members of the Board are required to disclose any conflicts of interest, as described in the bill. The bill also creates a stakeholder council for the purpose of assisting the Board in making decisions related to drug cost affordability. The bill tasks the Board with identifying prescription, generic, and other drugs, as defined in the bill, that are offered for sale in the Commonwealth and, at the Board's discretion, conducting an affordability review of any prescription drug product. The bill lists factors for the Board to consider that indicate an affordability challenge for the health care system in the Commonwealth or high out-of-pocket costs for patients. The bill also provides that any person aggrieved by a decision of the Board may request an appeal of the Board's decision and that the Attorney General has authority to enforce the provisions of the bill. The bill provides that the Board shall establish no more than 12 upper payment limit amounts annually between January 1, 2025, and January 1, 2028.The bill requires the Board to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly twice annually, beginning on July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. Provisions of the bill shall apply to state-sponsored and state-regulated health plans and health programs and obligate such policies to limit drug payment amounts and reimbursements to an upper payment limit amount set by the Board, if applicable, following an affordability review. The bill specifies that Medicare Part D plans shall not be bound by such decisions of the Board.The bill also requires the nonprofit organization contracted by the Department of Health to provide prescription drug price transparency to provide the Board access to certain data reported by manufacturers. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025, and is identical to HB 570.