Virginia 2024 Regular Session All Bills
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB835
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Juvenile and domestic relations district courts; appointment of counsel or guardian ad litem; removal or appeal. Specifies that any attorney appointed to represent a child or parent, guardian, or other adult at a hearing in the juvenile and domestic relations district court shall continue representation upon removal or appeal to the circuit court and upon the juvenile and domestic relations court being divested of the right to enter any further decrees or orders to determine custody, guardianship, visitation, or support. Under current law, such continued representation is discretionary upon appeal to the circuit court. Juvenile and domestic relations district courts; appointment of counsel or guardian ad litem; removal or appeal. Specifies that any attorney appointed to represent a child or parent, guardian, or other adult at a hearing in the juvenile and domestic relations district court shall continue representation upon removal or appeal to the circuit court and upon the juvenile and domestic relations court being divested of the right to enter any further decrees or orders to determine custody, guardianship, visitation, or support. Under current law, such continued representation is discretionary upon appeal to the circuit court.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB836
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
Uniform Statutory Rule Against Perpetuities; trusts; certain nonvested property interests or powers of appointment over property or property interests. Extends from 90 years to 1,000 years the period for which a nonvested property interest held in trust may vest or terminate, or for which a power of appointment over property or property interests may be exercised. The bill clarifies that such extension applies only to such interests or powers that were created on or after July 1, 2024, and that such extension does not apply to real property held in trust or a power of appointment over real property granted under a trust. The bill also provides that the current law that allows the terms of a trust instrument to provide an exception to the Uniform Statutory Rule Against Perpetuities shall apply only to a nonvested interest in or power of appointment over personal property held in trust, or a power of appointment over personal property granted under a trust, if such interest or power was created between July 1, 2000, and June 30, 2024, but shall not apply to such interests or powers created on or after July 1, 2024.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB837
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Recording of proceedings in district courts; juvenile and domestic relations district court. Allows an audio recording of proceedings in a juvenile and domestic relations district court to be made by a party or his counsel. Recording of proceedings in district courts; juvenile and domestic relations district court. Allows an audio recording of proceedings in a juvenile and domestic relations district court to be made by a party or his counsel.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB838
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
Report Pass
2/28/24
Engrossed
3/6/24
Engrossed
3/7/24
Enrolled
3/25/24
Vetoed
4/8/24
Expungement of police and court records. Provides that for the purposes of expungement of police and court records the term "otherwise dismissed" means to render a legal action out of consideration in a different way or manner than a nolle prosequi or formal dismissal by the trial court. The bill specifies that the term "otherwise dismissed" also includes those circumstances when a person is charged with the commission of a crime, a civil offense, or any offense defined in relevant law and the initial charge is reduced or amended to another offense, including a lesser included offense or the same offense with a lesser gradient of punishment, so that such person is not convicted of the initial charge and may file a petition requesting expungement of the police and court records relating to the initial charge. The bill also provides that if a court finds that the continued existence and possible dissemination of information relating to an arrest may cause circumstances that constitute manifest injustice, including any hindrance to obtain employment, an education, or credit, it shall enter an order requiring the expungement of the police and court records. Under current law, a court shall enter an order of expungement when information relating to an arrest causes or may cause circumstances that constitute a manifest injustice to the petitioner. Expungement of police and court records. Provides that for the purposes of expungement of police and court records the term "otherwise dismissed" means to render a legal action out of consideration in a different way or manner than a nolle prosequi or formal dismissal by the trial court. The bill specifies that the term "otherwise dismissed" also includes those circumstances when a person is charged with the commission of a crime, a civil offense, or any offense defined in relevant law and the initial charge is reduced or amended to another offense, including a lesser included offense or the same offense with a lesser gradient of punishment, so that such person is not convicted of the initial charge and may file a petition requesting expungement of the police and court records relating to the initial charge. The bill also provides that if a court finds that the continued existence and possible dissemination of information relating to an arrest may cause circumstances that constitute manifest injustice, including any hindrance to obtain employment, an education, or credit, it shall enter an order requiring the expungement of the police and court records. Under current law, a court shall enter an order of expungement when information relating to an arrest causes or may cause circumstances that constitute a manifest injustice to the petitioner. The bill also provides that when an initial charge has been reduced or amended to another offense for which reporting to the Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE) is still required pursuant to relevant law and an order of expungement is granted for the initial charge, the CCRE shall amend the original arrest but maintain the fingerprints collected from the original arrest. Except for the provisions regarding the circumstances that constitute manifest injustice, the bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB839
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
1/26/24
Engrossed
1/31/24
Refer
2/2/24
Report Pass
2/23/24
Enrolled
3/4/24
Chaptered
4/4/24
Passed
4/4/24
American Revolution 250 Commission; membership and staffing. Amends the membership of the American Revolution 250 Commission to allow for the appointment of ex officio members who are directors of historic homes, historic sites, or National Park Service sites or former legislative members of the Commission. The bill also provides for staff of the Commission to serve as the Commission's fiscal agent.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB84
Introduced
12/28/23
Refer
12/28/23
Report Pass
1/24/24
Engrossed
1/29/24
Refer
1/31/24
Mineral mining and exploration; public notification. Requires an explorer conducting any mineral exploration activities, as those terms are defined in the bill, prior to the start of such activities, to (i) publish a notice in a newspaper having a general circulation in the locality where the exploration activity will occur at least once a week for two successive weeks, (ii) notify the governing body of such locality at least 15 days in advance of such activity, and (iii) notify all individual residences and properties within 500 yards of the property lines where the exploration activity will take place at least 15 days in advance of such activity. The bill requires such notices to include certain information related to the exploration activity.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB840
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
1/25/24
Engrossed
1/30/24
Refer
2/1/24
Report Pass
2/15/24
Report Pass
2/21/24
Enrolled
2/28/24
Chaptered
3/20/24
Passed
3/20/24
Special license plates; 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Authorizes the issuance of revenue-sharing special license plates marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. The bill provides that the prepaid application requirements for special license plates shall not apply to such plates, that the provisions of the bill expire on July 1, 2032, that such plates shall not be newly issued on or after such date, and that such plates may continue in use for a period of time determined by the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB841
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Elections; conduct of election; ranked choice voting; locally elected offices; report. Allows elections for any local or constitutional office to be conducted by ranked choice voting. Under current law, only elections of members of a county board of supervisors or a city council are allowed to be conducted by ranked choice voting. The bill also clarifies requirements for conducting elections using ranked choice voting and requires results for elections conducted by ranked choice voting to be reported along with other results reported on election night, except that such results must clearly be identified as preliminary and based on the first rankings in a ranked choice voting election. The bill provides that final tabulation for an election for a local or constitutional office that is not shared by more than one county or city is required to be conducted on the same day as other results are canvassed by the local electoral board and that final tabulation for and election for a local or constitutional office that is shared by more than one county or city is required to be conducted at a centralized facility under the supervision of the Department of Elections. The bill specifies that ranking data is required to be made publicly available by the Department and requires the State Board of Elections to provide standards and to approve vote tabulating software for use with existing voting systems in elections conducted by ranked choice voting. The bill also limits a risk-limiting audit of an election conducted using ranked choice voting to the first choice rankings reported on voting systems. Finally, the bill directs the Department to review the testing and approval framework for voting equipment in the Commonwealth and submit a report of such review no later than the first day of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Elections; conduct of election; ranked choice voting; locally elected offices; report. Allows elections for any local or constitutional office to be conducted by ranked choice voting. Under current law, only elections of members of a county board of supervisors or a city council are allowed to be conducted by ranked choice voting. The bill also clarifies requirements for conducting elections using ranked choice voting and requires results for elections conducted by ranked choice voting to be reported along with other results reported on election night, except that such results must clearly be identified as preliminary and based on the first rankings in a ranked choice voting election. The bill provides that final tabulation for an election for a local or constitutional office that is not shared by more than one county or city is required to be conducted on the same day as other results are canvassed by the local electoral board and that final tabulation for and election for a local or constitutional office that is shared by more than one county or city is required to be conducted at a centralized facility under the supervision of the Department of Elections. The bill specifies that ranking data is required to be made publicly available by the Department and requires the State Board of Elections to provide standards and to approve vote tabulating software for use with existing voting systems in elections conducted by ranked choice voting. The bill also limits a risk-limiting audit of an election conducted using ranked choice voting to the first choice rankings reported on voting systems. Finally, the bill directs the Department to review the testing and approval framework for voting equipment in the Commonwealth and submit a report of such review no later than the first day of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB842
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
2/5/24
Engrossed
2/8/24
Refer
2/13/24
Schools boards; pupil transportation; alternatives. Expands the availability of allowable alternatives to traditional school bus transportation services relating to the transportation of students to and from school or school-related activities, including permitting any school board of a school division for which providing transportation by school bus is not cost effective to use a portion of its transportation funding to provide a grant to any parent of a student who provides student transportation to and from school, subject to certain conditions enumerated in the bill. Schools boards; pupil transportation; alternatives. Expands the availability of allowable alternatives to traditional school bus transportation services relating to the transportation of students to and from school or school-related activities, including permitting any school board of a school division for which providing transportation by school bus is not cost effective to use a portion of its transportation funding to provide a grant to any parent of a student who provides student transportation to and from school, subject to certain conditions enumerated in the bill.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB843
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
2/1/24
Engrossed
2/6/24
Refer
2/8/24
Report Pass
2/14/24
Enrolled
2/22/24
Chaptered
3/8/24
Passed
3/8/24
Pari-mutuel wagering; historical horse racing; percentage retained for distribution. Provides that with respect to all authorized historical horse racing terminals, of the amount that a horse racing licensee retains from wagering on historical horse racing pools, 0.025 percent shall be provided to each of the following: (i) the Virginia Breeders Fund; (ii) the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, for its equine programs; (iii) the Virginia Horse Center Foundation; and (iv) the Virginia Horse Industry Board. The bill also provides that, in addition to the amount horse racing licensees distribute to localities and the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund under current law, such licensees shall distribute the remainder of the percentage retained to the Commonwealth as a license tax.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB844
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
1/25/24
Engrossed
1/30/24
Refer
2/1/24
Report Pass
2/15/24
Enrolled
2/26/24
Chaptered
3/20/24
Passed
3/20/24
Commercial driver's licenses and commercial learner's permits; definitions; commercial driver training; drug and alcohol violations. Conforms the definition of commercial motor vehicle to federal regulations, codifies the entry-level driver training system required by federal regulations, and removes contradictory provisions. The bill also prohibits the issuance or continued validity of commercial driver's licenses and commercial learner's permits after a drug or alcohol violation by the applicant, licensee, or permittee. The bill contains technical amendments.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB845
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
1/25/24
Engrossed
1/30/24
Refer
2/1/24
Report Pass
2/15/24
Enrolled
2/26/24
Chaptered
4/8/24
Passed
4/8/24
Abandoned vehicles; owner and lienholder information. Provides that if an abandoned vehicle has been titled in another jurisdiction, the Department of Motor Vehicles, in its search for the owner or lienholder of such vehicle, may rely on information provided by a business in possession of the abandoned vehicle that acquired such vehicle from an insurance company in connection with a total loss unresolved claim, provided that such information is obtained from a nationally recognized title database with access to such jurisdiction's records about all entities having security interest in such vehicle. The bill requires the business to defend, indemnify, and hold the Department and the Commonwealth harmless for damages and costs resulting from such reliance.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB846
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Department of Criminal Justice Services; certification and regulation of charitable bail organizations. Provides for certification and regulation by the Department of Criminal Justice Services of charitable bail organizations, defined in the bill as any entity or nonprofit organization that exists for the purpose of providing or posting bond for another person and does not include a person that pays bail for (i) three or fewer defendants in any 180-day period or (ii) a defendant's family or household member.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB847
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Report Pass
1/26/24
Refer
1/26/24
Appointment of counsel for accused; felonies punishable by a mandatory minimum term of confinement for life. Provides that in any case in which an indigent defendant is charged with any felony punishable by a mandatory minimum term of confinement for life, the court shall appoint two competent, qualified, and experienced attorneys, one of whom shall be the public defender in a jurisdiction in which a public defender office is established, for the defendant. Under current law, the court is required to appoint two such attorneys in cases in which an indigent defendant is charged with a Class 1 felony. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Criminal Justice Conference.
VA
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Virginia House Bill HB848
Introduced
1/9/24
Refer
1/9/24
Refer
1/23/24
Report Pass
2/6/24
Engrossed
2/9/24
Refer
2/13/24
Report Pass
2/29/24
Enrolled
3/8/24
Chaptered
4/2/24
Passed
4/2/24
Veterinary medicine; traineeships. Allows any veterinary medicine licensure applicant enrolled in a traineeship program to engage in the limited practice of veterinary medicine, as that term is defined by the Board of Veterinary Medicine, under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian. The bill directs the Board to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.