Virginia 2024 Regular Session All Bills
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB768
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
2/7/24
Refer
2/7/24
Child victims and witnesses using two-way closed-circuit television; standard. Expands the age range during which a child may testify using two-way closed-circuit television in a criminal case to include any child younger than 18 years of age at the time of the trial. Under current law, an alleged victim must be 14 years of age or younger at the time of the alleged offense and 16 years of age or younger at the time of the trial to testify by two-way closed-circuit television, and a child witness must be 14 years of age or younger at the time of the trial to so testify. The bill also provides that the court may order that the testimony of a child be taken by two-way closed-circuit television if it finds that the child is unavailable to testify in open court in the presence of the defendant, the jury, the judge, and the public if the court finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, based upon expert opinion testimony, that the child will suffer emotional trauma that is more than de minimis as a result of testifying in the defendant's presence and not the courtroom generally. Under current law, the court may order such testimony be taken by two-way closed-circuit television if there is a substantial likelihood, based upon expert opinion testimony, that the child will suffer severe emotional trauma from so testifying.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB769
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
1/26/24
Engrossed
1/31/24
Refer
2/2/24
Report Pass
2/14/24
Report Pass
2/27/24
Enrolled
3/5/24
Chaptered
4/4/24
Passed
4/4/24
Multi-jurisdiction grand jury; elder abuse crimes. Adds the following to the list of crimes that a multi-jurisdiction grand jury may investigate: (i) financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, (ii) financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult by an agent, and (iii) abuse and neglect of a vulnerable adult. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Criminal Justice Conference.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB77
Introduced
12/26/23
Refer
12/26/23
Report Pass
2/2/24
Engrossed
2/7/24
Refer
2/9/24
Report Pass
2/26/24
Engrossed
2/28/24
Engrossed
3/1/24
Engrossed
3/1/24
Enrolled
3/7/24
Vetoed
3/20/24
Robbery. Conforms certain provisions of the Code referencing robbery to the degrees of robbery offenses established by Chapter 534 of the Acts of Assembly of 2021, Special Session I. These changes include: (i) limiting to the three higher degrees of robbery certain non-robbery crimes for which committing such crime with the intent to commit a robbery is an element of the offenses, (ii) limiting the types of robbery that are included in the definition of "acts of violence" to the two higher degrees of robbery, (iii) clarifying how robbery offenses will be scored on the sentencing guidelines, (iv) allowing persons convicted of the two lesser degrees of robbery to be eligible for conditional release if they are terminally ill and for the enhanced earned sentence credits, (v) allowing persons who are ineligible for parole as a result of being convicted of three certain enumerated offenses to be eligible for parole if convicted of an offense that would constitute robbery by presenting of firearms, and (vi) limiting the application of the three-strikes law to the two higher degrees of robbery and making persons convicted under the three-strikes law eligible for parole if one of the three convictions resulting in the mandatory life sentence would constitute one of the two lesser degrees of robbery. The bill leaves unchanged the current law making all degrees of robbery predicate criminal acts by adding the two lesser degrees of robbery to the definition of "predicate criminal act" and specifying the two higher degrees of robbery are included in the definition of "act of violence." The bill requires the changes made to the eligibility for conditional release of terminally ill prisoners and enhanced earned sentence credits apply retroactively if certain criteria are met. Robbery. Conforms certain provisions of the Code referencing robbery to the degrees of robbery offenses established by Chapter 534 of the Acts of Assembly of 2021, Special Session I. These changes include: (i) limiting to the three higher degrees of robbery certain non-robbery crimes for which committing such crime with the intent to commit a robbery is an element of the offenses, (ii) limiting the types of robbery that are included in the definition of "acts of violence" to the two higher degrees of robbery, (iii) clarifying how robbery offenses will be scored on the sentencing guidelines, (iv) allowing persons convicted of the two lesser degrees of robbery to be eligible for conditional release if they are terminally ill and for the enhanced earned sentence credits, (v) allowing persons who are ineligible for parole as a result of being convicted of three certain enumerated offenses to be eligible for parole if convicted of an offense that would constitute robbery by presenting of firearms, and (vi) limiting the application of the three-strikes law to the two higher degrees of robbery and making persons convicted under the three-strikes law eligible for parole if one of the three convictions resulting in the mandatory life sentence would constitute one of the two lesser degrees of robbery. The bill leaves unchanged the current law making all degrees of robbery predicate criminal acts by adding the two lesser degrees of robbery to the definition of "predicate criminal act" and specifying the two higher degrees of robbery are included in the definition of "act of violence." The bill requires the changes made to the eligibility for conditional release of terminally ill prisoners and enhanced earned sentence credits apply retroactively if certain criteria are met.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB770
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
1/30/24
Engrossed
2/2/24
Refer
2/6/24
Report Pass
2/19/24
Engrossed
2/22/24
Engrossed
2/26/24
Enrolled
2/29/24
Vetoed
4/8/24
Retaliatory action against employee prohibited; remedies available. Provides that a violation of certain provisions regarding retaliatory action against employees may be alleged in a court of competent jurisdiction within one year of the employer's final prohibited retaliatory action. The bill states that in such cases, double damages may be awarded if such violation was willful.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB771
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
2/7/24
Refer
2/7/24
Content manufacturing tax credit. Removes the sunset for the motion picture tax credit, which currently is set to expire after taxable year 2026, and expands and redesignates the tax credit as the content manufacturing tax credit. The bill increases the total amount of credits that can be allocated to taxpayers to $46.5 million beginning in fiscal year 2024; however, should less than $100 million worth of certain new investments, as described by the bill, occur in Virginia by January 1, 2027, the cap will be reduced to $10 million per fiscal year. Content manufacturing tax credit. Removes the sunset for the motion picture tax credit, which currently is set to expire after taxable year 2026, and expands and redesignates the tax credit as the content manufacturing tax credit. The bill increases the total amount of credits that can be allocated to taxpayers to $46.5 million beginning in fiscal year 2024; however, should less than $100 million worth of certain new investments, as described by the bill, occur in Virginia by January 1, 2027, the cap will be reduced to $10 million per fiscal year. The bill also amends the definition of the "qualifying expenses" eligible for the content manufacturing tax credit to mean certain amounts spent in connection with the production of an eligible project filmed in the Commonwealth. The bill defines "eligible project" to be the production of a motion picture or an episodic television series.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB772
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
2/2/24
Engrossed
2/7/24
Refer
2/9/24
Report Pass
2/19/24
Engrossed
2/21/24
Engrossed
2/23/24
Enrolled
2/28/24
Chaptered
4/8/24
Passed
4/8/24
Parental admission of minors for inpatient treatment. Clarifies that for the purposes of admission of a minor to a willing mental health facility for inpatient treatment, the finding required to be made by a qualified evaluator that the minor appears to have a mental illness serious enough to warrant inpatient treatment may include a finding of substance abuse and such inpatient treatment may be related to such mental illness, which may include substance abuse. The bill also specifies that a temporary detention order shall not be required for a minor 14 years of age or older who objects to admission to be admitted to a willing facility upon the application of a parent. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Commission on Youth.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB773
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Marijuana; criminal penalties. Modifies several criminal penalties related to marijuana, imposes limits on dissemination of criminal history record information related to certain marijuana offenses, and provides a petition process for any person who has been sentenced to jail or to the custody of the Department of Corrections for a marijuana offense to seek a resentencing hearing. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB774
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
1/26/24
Engrossed
1/31/24
Refer
2/2/24
Alcohol safety action program; local administrative fee. Provides that any county, city, or town, or any combination thereof, that has established and operates an alcohol safety action program and supplements fees collected for the program pursuant to general law by more than 33 percent annually in order to fully fund the program may charge a local administrative fee of no more than $100 to each person entering such program.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB775
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
2/5/24
Engrossed
2/8/24
Refer
2/12/24
License plate reader systems; civil penalty. Provides requirements for the use of license plate reader systems, defined in the bill, by law-enforcement agencies. The bill limits the use of such systems to scanning, detecting, and recording data about vehicles and license plate numbers for the purpose of identifying a vehicle that is (i) associated with a wanted, missing, or endangered person or human trafficking; (ii) stolen; (iii) involved in an active law-enforcement investigation; or (iv) in the vicinity of a recent crime and may be connected to that crime. The bill authorizes and requires the Commonwealth Transportation Board to establish a permitting process for installing and using such systems in state highway rights-of-way.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB776
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
1/26/24
Engrossed
1/31/24
Refer
2/2/24
Report Pass
2/28/24
Enrolled
3/25/24
Vetoed
3/27/24
Minimum qualifications for law-enforcement officers; citizenship; waiver. Allows individuals who are lawfully admitted for permanent residence who have resided in the United States for no less than 60 months and who are both eligible for and have applied for United States citizenship to qualify for the positions of chief of police and all police officers of any locality, all deputy sheriffs and jail officers in the Commonwealth, and all law-enforcement officers. The bill allows any agency or department employing law-enforcement officers to hire, recruit, or refer an individual who is a citizen of the United States over another individual who meets such qualifications if such individuals are equally qualified. Current law only allows citizens of the United States to qualify for the named positions; the citizenship requirement can only be waived for good cause upon request of a sheriff or chief of police or the director or chief executive of any agency or department employing law-enforcement officers to the Department of Criminal Justice Services.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB777
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
1/31/24
Engrossed
2/5/24
Refer
2/7/24
Report Pass
2/22/24
Enrolled
2/29/24
Chaptered
4/2/24
Passed
4/2/24
Enrollment of and provision of free public education for certain students; kinship care and foster care. Provides that in the event that a student in a kinship care arrangement moves into a different school division during the school year as a result of safely returning home, being emancipated, or transitioning to a new kinship care arrangement, such student shall be deemed to continue to reside in the previous school division of residence for the remainder of the school year for the purpose of tuition-free enrollment and attendance. The bill also provides that certain provisions of law relating to continuity of public school enrollment and attendance for students in foster care apply to a student who has transitioned out of foster care and whose custody has been transferred to the student's parent or prior legal guardian or who has been emancipated. Enrollment of and provision of free public education for certain students; kinship care and foster care. Provides that in the event that a student in a kinship care arrangement moves into a different school division during the school year as a result of safely returning home, being emancipated, or transitioning to a new kinship care arrangement, such student shall be deemed to continue to reside in the previous school division of residence for the remainder of the school year for the purpose of tuition-free enrollment and attendance. The bill also provides that certain provisions of law relating to continuity of public school enrollment and attendance for students in foster care apply to a student who has transitioned out of foster care and whose custody has been transferred to the student's parent or prior legal guardian or who has been emancipated.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB778
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
1/25/24
Refer
1/25/24
Report Pass
2/2/24
Engrossed
2/7/24
Refer
2/9/24
Report Pass
2/28/24
Enrolled
3/7/24
Chaptered
4/4/24
Passed
4/4/24
Quitclaim and release property rights. Authorizes the Department of Conservation and Recreation to quitclaim and release certain real property rights related to a portion of real estate owned by the Department related to an offsite ingress and egress easement serving the Biscuit Run property in Albemarle County.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB779
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
1/26/24
Engrossed
1/31/24
Refer
2/2/24
Report Pass
2/14/24
Enrolled
2/22/24
Chaptered
3/8/24
Passed
3/8/24
Permissible venue; personal injury and wrongful death actions; appointment of administrator on behalf of estate of decedent. Provides that in a personal injury or wrongful death action in which an administrator is appointed on behalf of the estate of a decedent, permissible venue shall lie only in a county or city in which venue would have been properly laid if the person for whom such appointment is made had survived.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB78
Introduced
12/26/23
Refer
12/26/23
Report Pass
2/9/24
Engrossed
2/12/24
Refer
2/14/24
Report Pass
2/21/24
Engrossed
2/26/24
Engrossed
2/28/24
Enrolled
3/5/24
Chaptered
4/5/24
Passed
4/5/24
Search warrants, subpoenas, court orders, or other process; menstrual health data prohibited. Prohibits the issuance of a search warrant, subpoena, court order, or other process for the purpose of the search and seizure or production of menstrual health data, as defined in the bill, including data stored on a computer, computer network, or other device containing electronic or digital information.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB780
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Collective bargaining by public employees; public transportation providers. Permits the governing body of a public transportation provider, as defined in the bill, to adopt a resolution authorizing such public transportation provider to (i) recognize a labor union or other employee association as a bargaining agent of public officers and employees and (ii) collectively bargain or enter into a collective bargaining contract with such union or association or its agents with respect to any matter relating to such transportation district or its employees.