Virginia 2025 Regular Session All Bills
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1188
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/22/25
Report Pass
1/29/25
Engrossed
1/31/25
Refer
2/6/25
Report Pass
2/6/25
Engrossed
2/12/25
Engrossed
2/14/25
Enrolled
2/18/25
Chaptered
3/19/25
Passed
3/19/25
Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; international licensure and certification; regulations. Directs the regulatory boards within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to promulgate regulations allowing the issuance of a license or certification to any applicant who holds a comparable international license or certification issued by another country. This bill is identical to HB 1940.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1189
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/22/25
Virginia Residential Development Infrastructure Program and Fund. Establishes the Virginia Residential Development Infrastructure Program and Fund to provide financial assistance to localities for expanding or improving public infrastructure needed to support new residential development through the construction or installation of an eligible project, as defined by the bill. The bill provides that the Department of Housing and Community Development will administer the Program, in consultation with the Virginia Resources Authority.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1190
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/24/25
Report Pass
1/29/25
Engrossed
1/31/25
Engrossed
2/3/25
Virginia Energy Facility Review Board established; localities; comprehensive plan and local ordinances related to siting of critical interconnection projects; planning district commissions; regional energy plans; Virginia Clean Energy Technical Assistance Center established. Establishes the Virginia Energy Facility Review Board as a political subdivision of the Commonwealth for the purposes of conducting critical interconnection reviews, conduct analysis and study policy options, review regional energy plans, local comprehensive plans, and local solar and storage ordinances and to facilitate the responsible siting of critical interconnection projects in the Commonwealth.The bill also establishes the Virginia Clean Energy Technical Assistance Center, consisting of public institutions of higher education, to serve as an interdisciplinary study, research, and information resource and to provide technical assistance to state agencies, planning district commissions, localities, the Review Board, other public bodies, and private entities in matters related to critical interconnection projects. The bill requires the Center to collaborate with the Review Board to issue the regional energy report and to establish the model local ordinance.The bill requires the Review Board to issue a regional energy report that models each planning district's meaningful annual contribution to clean energy generation, energy efficiency measures, and energy storage. Each planning district commission is required to adopt a regional energy plan to address energy generation, storage, and use that demonstrates a meaningful contribution to the Commonwealth's energy goals as determined by the regional energy report issued by the Review Board and to submit the plan to the Review Board. The Review Board is required to determine if a regional energy plan is in compliance with certain provisions within 60 days of receipt of such plan. If the Review Board determines that the regional energy plan is not in compliance, the relevant planning district commission has 60 days to adopt a compliant regional energy plan. If the relevant planning district commission fails to adopt a compliant energy plan within the 60 days, the Review Board, within 90 days of such failure, is required to issue an alternative regional energy plan that is in effect for such region.The bill requires the Review Board to establish a model local ordinance for siting, permitting, and zoning of critical interconnection projects and all other ground-mounted front-of-meter solar energy and energy storage projects. The bill requires each locality to adopt an ordinance for the permitting of solar energy facilities and energy storage facilities that is consistent with the Commonwealth Clean Energy Policy and the model ordinance and submit it to the Review Board. Under the bill, the Review Board is required to determine if the local ordinance is compliant with certain requirements. If the Review Board determines that the local ordinance is not in compliance, the locality has 60 days to adopt a compliant local ordinance. If the locality fails to adopt a compliant local ordinance within the 60 days, the bill provides that the model local ordinance established is in effect for such locality. The bill provides a procedure for a planning district commission or a locality to appeal a Review Board determination regarding a regional energy plan or a local ordinance.Under the bill, any developer planning to construct a critical interconnection project is required to submit an application to the Review Board. The Review Board is required to determine if the critical interconnection project (i) qualifies as a project of statewide significance, defined in the bill, and (ii) complies with the ordinance in each locality in which the proposed critical interconnection project would be located. In making its determination, the Review Board is required to consider the Commonwealth Clean Energy Policy, certain regulations adopted by the State Air Pollution Control Board, certain renewable portfolio requirements, and any other information it deems relevant. The bill provides that the Review Board has the discretion to disregard any unreasonable restriction, defined in the bill, in the local ordinance on the installation of the critical interconnection projects or the building of structures that facilitate the installation of critical interconnection projects. In addition, the Review Board may consider any regional energy plan developed by the relevant planning district commission. The Review Board is required to issue its opinion on the critical interconnection project within 90 days of receiving an application.The bill requires a locality to issue its final decision regarding any zoning change, variance, or the issuance of a special exemption, special use permit, or conditional use permit related to a critical interconnection project no later than 180 days after receiving a critical interconnection opinion issued by the Review Board. If the locality's final decision diverges from the Review Board's opinion, the locality is required to include a written determination setting forth all facts and conclusions reached by the locality that support its final decision. Under the bill, a locality's failure to make a final decision within the 180-day period constitutes a granting of the zoning change, variance, special exemption, special use permit, or conditional use permit related to a critical interconnection project.The bill requires that any appeal of a locality's decision related to a critical interconnection project will be filed in the circuit court of such locality. The bill provides that such appeal can be brought only by the aggrieved applicant or the owner of the property subject to a special exception and no other person has standing to file such appeal or seek judicial review. Under the bill, in any such appeal, there is a rebuttable presumption that the opinion of the Review Board is correct. Such presumption may be overcome by a preponderance of the evidence that the locality's decision to grant or deny a project or to include the challenged conditions was consistent with provisions in the locality's ordinance that are not unreasonable restrictions. This bill is a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1191
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/29/25
Engrossed
2/3/25
Refer
2/7/25
Report Pass
2/14/25
Enrolled
3/7/25
Vetoed
3/26/25
Collection and reporting of data related to adults charged with a criminal offense punishable by confinement in jail or a term of imprisonment; Virginia Longitudinal Data System. Allows the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission to contribute the statewide and locality-level data it collects on adults charged with criminal offenses punishable by incarceration to the Virginia Longitudinal Data System administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1192
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
2/3/25
Engrossed
2/4/25
Refer
2/7/25
Report Pass
2/13/25
Enrolled
2/20/25
Chaptered
5/2/25
Passed
5/2/25
Electric utilities; generation of electricity from renewable and zero carbon sources; projects on or adjacent to public elementary or secondary schools. Provides that for purposes of compliance with a renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) program, to the extent that low-income qualifying projects, as defined in existing law, are not available and projects located on or adjacent to public elementary or secondary schools are available, a certain percentage of the required projects shall be composed of projects located on or adjacent to public elementary or secondary schools. This bill is identical to HB 1934.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1193
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/29/25
Engrossed
2/3/25
Engrossed
2/3/25
Refer
2/6/25
Report Pass
2/10/25
Enrolled
2/18/25
Chaptered
3/24/25
Passed
3/24/25
Dissemination of criminal history record information. Requires an attorney for the Commonwealth to provide a physical or electronic copy of a person's criminal history record information, including criminal history record information maintained in the National Crime Information Center and the Interstate Identification Index System that is in his possession, pursuant to the rules of court for obtaining discovery or for review by the court. The bill also provides that no criminal history record information provided shall be disseminated further.Current law provides that nothing shall preclude the dissemination of a person's criminal history record information pursuant to such rules of court but does not require the attorney for the Commonwealth to provide the copy nor identify specific types of information. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission. This bill is identical to HB 1627.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1194
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
2/3/25
Engrossed
2/4/25
Refer
2/7/25
Report Pass
2/10/25
Engrossed
2/13/25
Engrossed
2/22/25
Engrossed
2/22/25
Enrolled
3/7/25
Chaptered
4/2/25
Department of Criminal Justice Services; training on certain arrests. Requires the Department of Criminal Justice Services to establish a training course for law-enforcement agencies and officers on the discretion such officers can exercise regarding certain arrests. The bill requires that such training include (i) instruction on the scope and nature of law-enforcement officer discretion in arrest decisions, with particular emphasis on encounters with individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, including individuals currently subject to an emergency custody order, a temporary detention order, or an involuntary admission order, and (ii) instruction on the immediate and long-term effects of arrests on individuals in need of mental health services due to a mental health crisis, including impacts on treatment outcomes as identified in substantially accepted peer-reviewed research literature by July 1, 2026. The bill requires any person employed as a law-enforcement officer prior to July 1, 2026, to complete such in-person or virtual training by January 1, 2027, and biennially thereafter, and any person employed as a law-enforcement officer after July 1, 2026, to complete the training within one year of his date of hire and biennially thereafter. Lastly, the bill directs the Criminal Justice Services Board to promulgate regulations pursuant to relevant law requiring in-person or virtual training to special conservators of the peace on the provisions of the bill and other existing statutes related to the arrest and prosecution of persons with mental or behavioral health disorders by July 1, 2026. The bill requires any person appointed as a special conservator of the peace prior to July 1, 2026, to complete the training by January 1, 2027, and biennially thereafter, and any person appointed as a special conservator of the peace after July 1, 2026, to complete the training within one year of his appointment and biennially thereafter.As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Behavioral Health Commission. This bill is identical to HB 1712.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1195
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/15/25
Report Pass
1/21/25
Engrossed
1/23/25
Refer
2/3/25
Line of Duty Act; payments to beneficiaries. Provides that if a deceased person, as that term is defined in the Line of Duty Act, died as a result of certain cancers within 10 years from his date of retirement, his beneficiary shall be entitled to the payment of certain benefits. Under current law, such beneficiary shall be entitled to such payment if the deceased person's death (i) arose out of and in the course of his employment or (ii) was within five years from his date of retirement.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1196
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Sales and use tax exemption; data centers. Requires data center operators to meet certain energy efficiency standards in order to be eligible for the sales and use tax exemption for data center purchases. Under the bill, a data center operator shall be eligible for the exemption only if such operator demonstrates that (i) its facilities either have a power usage effectiveness score of no greater than 1.2 or, for data centers co-located in buildings with other commercial uses, achieve an energy efficiency level of no less than the most efficient 15 percent of similar buildings constructed in the previous five years and (ii) by January 1, 2028, it will procure carbon-free renewable energy and associated renewable energy certificates equal to 90 percent of its electricity requirements or its electricity will be otherwise derived from non-carbon-emitting, renewable sources.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1197
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/27/25
Report Pass
1/30/25
Engrossed
2/4/25
Refer
2/7/25
Report Pass
2/13/25
Engrossed
2/18/25
Engrossed
2/19/25
Enrolled
3/7/25
Chaptered
3/24/25
Passed
3/24/25
Electric cooperative subsidiaries; customers exceeding 90 megawatts demand. Permits electric cooperatives, through one or more of their affiliates, to make unregulated sales of electric power to certain customers that contract for electric utility services to serve a demand that is reasonably expected to exceed 90 megawatts. This bill is identical to HB 2644.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1198
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/28/25
Department of Conservation and Recreation; Virginia Land Conservation Fund; land conservation goals and needs assessment. Establishes as a goal of the Commonwealth the achievement of permanent conservation of 20 percent of the land area of Virginia by 2035 and requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation to monitor progress toward such goal and, every five years beginning in 2030, establish additional goals for 2040, 2045, and 2050. The bill requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation to consult with relevant state agencies in establishing such goals and to submit an annual land conservation goals and needs assessment report including certain enumerated information no later than November 1 of each year to relevant committees of the General Assembly. The bill also removes the requirement (i) that the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation develop a needs assessment for future expenditures from the Virginia Land Conservation Fund and maintain such assessment on an annual basis and (ii) that the Virginia Land Conservation Board of Trustees report with an estimate of the funds needed to achieve certain goals established by the Board.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1199
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
2/3/25
Engrossed
2/4/25
Refer
2/7/25
Report Pass
2/13/25
Enrolled
2/20/25
Chaptered
3/24/25
Passed
3/24/25
Medicare supplement policies; annual open enrollment period. Requires an insurer, health services plan, or health maintenance organization issuing individual Medicare supplement policies or certificates in the Commonwealth to offer to an individual currently insured under any such policy an annual open enrollment period commencing on the day of the individual's birthday and remaining open for at least 60 days thereafter, during which time the individual may purchase any Medicare supplement policy made available by any insurer in the Commonwealth that offers the same benefits as those provided by the current coverage. The bill also requires such insurer, health services plan, or health maintenance organization to notify, at least 15 days but not more than 30 days prior to the commencement of such annual open enrollment period, each individual to whom such open enrollment period applies of the dates of that open enrollment period, the rights of the individual during that open enrollment period, and any modification of benefits provided by or adjustment of premiums charged for such Medicare supplement policy. This bill is identical to HB 2100.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1200
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/20/25
Report Pass
1/29/25
Engrossed
1/31/25
Refer
2/6/25
Report Pass
2/10/25
Engrossed
2/13/25
Engrossed
2/17/25
Enrolled
2/19/25
Chaptered
3/21/25
Passed
3/21/25
Compensating victims of crime. Extends, for the purpose of compensating victims of crime, the time for filing a claim by the claimant to not later than three years after the occurrence of the crime upon which such claim is based or not later than three years after the death of the victim. Under current law, such time frame is not later than one year after either instance.The bill removes the prohibition on the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission (the Commission) making an award where the police records show that a crime was reported more than 120 hours after the occurrence of the crime unless the Commission, for good cause shown, finds the delay to have been justified. Also, the bill requires the Commission, in determining if a report was promptly reported to the proper authorities, to consider (i) any police records; (ii) the victim's physical, emotional, mental, and family situation; and (iii) the existence of a permanent protective order, issued pursuant to relevant law, for the victim or other persons eligible for awards from the person responsible for the qualifying crime.The bill also removes the ability of the Commission to deny, reduce, or withdraw any award upon finding that any claimant or award recipient has not fully cooperated with all law-enforcement agencies unless the law-enforcement agency certifies that the claimant or award recipient was willing but unable to cooperate due to a good faith belief that such cooperation would have endangered such claimant or award recipient and such claimant or award recipient was not provided with any victim or witness protection services when such protection services were requested by a law-enforcement agency. This bill is identical to HB 1968.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1201
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/21/25
Engrossed
1/23/25
Refer
2/3/25
Report Pass
2/10/25
Enrolled
2/18/25
Chaptered
3/24/25
Passed
3/24/25
Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System; conservation officers. Extends membership in the Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System (VaLORS) to conservation officers of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The bill provides that such membership applies only to service earned on or after July 1, 2025.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1202
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/29/25
Engrossed
1/31/25
Refer
2/6/25
Report Pass
2/10/25
Engrossed
2/13/25
Engrossed
2/22/25
Engrossed
2/22/25
Enrolled
3/7/25
Chaptered
4/2/25
Tax exempt property; nonprofit institutions of learning; emergency. Clarifies existing law in that institutions licensed by the Department of Education that provide services pursuant to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or any school that is licensed by the Board of Education as a school for students with disabilities are institutions of learning not conducted for profit whose property is exempt from taxation pursuant to the Constitution of Virginia. The bill contains an emergency clause. This bill is identical to HB 1970.