Virginia 2025 Regular Session All Bills
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1246
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/24/25
Virginia Emergency Management Preparedness and Capabilities Grant Program and Fund established; work group; report. Establishes the Virginia Emergency Management Preparedness and Capabilities Grant Program and Fund for the purpose of awarding grants to political subdivisions to assist with the cost of emergency management and preparedness. The bill states that the Program will be administered by the Department of Emergency Management, which shall establish guidelines for (i) the administration of the Program and (ii) awarding grants to political subdivisions from the Fund. A political subdivision awarded a grant must use such funds for certain purposes to advance the emergency preparedness of such subdivision, and must provide a 50 percent match of local or federal funds for the award. The bill requires the Department, beginning on or before December 1, 2025, and each year thereafter, to submit a report to the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, the Governor, and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Public Safety and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations summarizing the activities of the Program. The bill directs the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to establish a work group to study existing emergency management needs and analyze sustainability of current funding, among other things, and to report the work group's findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on General Laws and the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology on or before October 1, 2025.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1247
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Public institutions of higher education; certain grants from and partnerships and agreements with foreign countries of concern prohibited; report; civil penalty. Prohibits, except with the approval of the governing board of the institution of higher education or the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia under certain circumstances, any public institution of higher education from accepting any grant from or participating in any partnership or agreement with any foreign country of concern, as that term is defined in the bill. The bill requires the Council to establish and enforce mechanisms for compliance and penalties for noncompliance with such prohibition, which shall include civil penalties not to exceed $25,000 per offense and may include periodic institutional reporting until any such noncompliance is remedied by the institution. The bill requires each public institution of higher education, by December 1 of each year, to report to the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Council any grant that it accepted from or agreement or partnership in which it participated with a foreign country of concern during the previous fiscal year and the date on which such grant, agreement, or partnership is expected to terminate.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1248
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/15/25
Report Pass
1/22/25
Engrossed
1/24/25
Refer
2/4/25
Report Pass
2/11/25
Enrolled
2/18/25
Chaptered
3/21/25
Passed
3/21/25
Fire Prevention Code; prohibition on permit fees for fire departments and emergency medical services agencies in certain localities. Prohibits the State Fire Marshal from charging a fee for the approval and administration of certain permits issued to fire departments and emergency medical services agencies in localities with a total population of less than 10,000 as determined by the most recent federal decennial census by the United States Census Bureau.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1249
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Charging several acts of larceny or any offense deemed larceny. Permits the Commonwealth to charge and proceed against a person accused of larceny or any offense deemed larceny for any number of distinct acts of such larcenies that may have been committed by him within six months from the first to the last of the acts charged in the indictment.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1250
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/16/25
Engrossed
1/21/25
Refer
2/4/25
Report Pass
2/6/25
Enrolled
2/13/25
Chaptered
3/24/25
Passed
3/24/25
Transportation Trust Fund; investments; personal liability. Extends the limitation on personal liability for loss in investments from moneys in the Transportation Trust Fund to an individual's actions taken while serving on or employed by certain entities, even if such individual no longer serves on or is employed by any such entity. The bill also applies such limitation on personal liability for loss in investments to members and employees of the Central Virginia Transportation Authority. This bill is identical to HB 2234.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1251
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/24/25
Report Pass
1/29/25
Engrossed
1/31/25
Refer
2/6/25
Report Pass
2/7/25
Engrossed
2/12/25
Engrossed
2/17/25
Engrossed
2/17/25
Engrossed
2/17/25
Enrolled
2/19/25
Chaptered
3/21/25
Passed
3/21/25
Department of Veterans Services; powers and duties of Commissioner; identification of incarcerated veterans. Provides that the Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Services shall assist the Department of Corrections, sheriffs, and local and regional jails in utilizing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Veterans Re-Entry Search Services system to identify veterans incarcerated in state prisons and local and regional jails to help such veterans prepare for release or reentry, reduce recidivism and homelessness, connect such veterans to resources to address the challenges of post-traumatic stress disorder, and divert eligible veterans to treatment dockets. This bill is identical to HB 2071.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1252
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/27/25
Engrossed
1/30/25
Refer
2/6/25
Report Pass
2/13/25
Engrossed
2/18/25
Engrossed
2/19/25
Engrossed
2/19/25
Enrolled
3/7/25
Vetoed
3/24/25
Financial institutions; loans and legal rate of interest. Provides that for the purposes of provisions governing usury and the legal rate of interest, (i) "loan" means a loan or forbearance of money lent at interest or for a fee or other charge and includes open-end and closed-end loan transactions and recourse and nonrecourse loans and (ii) make" or "making," when used in reference to a loan, means advancing, offering to advance, or making a commitment to advance funds to a borrower for a loan.The bill provides that the prohibition against a contract for the payment of interest on a loan at a rate that exceeds 12 percent per year applies to any person who seeks to evade its application by any device, subterfuge, or pretense whatsoever, including (a) making loans disguised as personal property sale and leaseback transactions; (b) disguising loan proceeds as a cash rebate for the pretextual installment sale of goods or services; and (c) making, offering, assisting, or arranging a debtor to obtain a loan with a greater rate of interest, consideration, or charge than permitted through any method, including mail, telephone, Internet, or any electronic means, regardless of whether the person has a physical location in the state.Finally, the bill provides that for any contract entered into on or after July 1, 2025, pursuant to which a person receives a cash advance for an amount that is based on the wages, compensation, or other income that an individual has earned but that has not been paid to the individual, and for which repayment to the cash advance provider will be made by some automatic means, at the end of the pay cycle is considered a loan and any additional funds such person is obligated to pay under the terms of the contract are considered interest. The bill specifies that such a contract is subject to the 12 percent per year maximum.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1253
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/23/25
Engrossed
1/27/25
Refer
2/5/25
Report Pass
2/13/25
Enrolled
2/20/25
Chaptered
3/21/25
Passed
3/21/25
Unlawful designation as Doctor of Physical Therapy. Adds to the list of titles that are unlawful to use without a license "D.P.T." and "Doctor of Physical Therapy." The bill also removes "P.T.T." and "Physical Therapy Technician" from such list.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1254
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/20/25
Engrossed
1/22/25
Refer
2/4/25
Report Pass
2/7/25
Enrolled
2/17/25
Vetoed
3/24/25
Comprehensive plan; environmental justice strategy. Requires cities with populations greater than 20,000 and counties with populations greater than 100,000 to consider, at the next and all subsequent reviews of the comprehensive plan, adopting an environmental justice strategy. The bill provides that the locality's strategy shall be to identify environmental justice and fenceline communities within the jurisdiction of the local planning commission and identify objectives and policies to reduce health risks, to promote civic engagement, and to prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of environmental justice and fenceline communities, as those terms are defined by the bill.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1255
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/20/25
Engrossed
1/22/25
Refer
2/4/25
Report Pass
2/5/25
Engrossed
2/10/25
Engrossed
2/12/25
Enrolled
2/17/25
Chaptered
3/24/25
Passed
3/24/25
Use of restraints on juveniles in court prohibited; exceptions. Prohibits the use of instruments of restraint, as defined in the bill, on a juvenile appearing before the juvenile and domestic relations district court unless, upon motion of the attorney for the Commonwealth or on the court's own motion sua sponte, the court makes a finding that (i) the use of such restraints is necessary (a) to prevent physical harm to such juvenile or another person, (b) because such juvenile has a history of disruptive courtroom behavior that has placed others in potentially harmful situations or presents a substantial threat of serious harm to himself or others as evidenced by recent behavior, or (c) because such juvenile presents a substantial risk of flight from the courtroom and (ii) there are no less restrictive alternatives to such restraints that will prevent flight of or harm to such juvenile or another person, including court personnel or law-enforcement officers. The bill provides that the juvenile shall be entitled to an attorney prior to a hearing on the use of instruments of restraint. The bill also requires the court to provide the juvenile's attorney an opportunity to be heard before the court orders the use of instruments of restraint, and the juvenile's attorney may waive the juvenile's appearance at such hearing. Lastly, the bill requires the court, if such restraints are ordered, to communicate to the parties the basis of the decision either orally or in writing. This bill is identical to HB 2222.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1256
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Counties, cities, and towns; comprehensive plan; accessory dwelling units. Clarifies that the comprehensive plan prepared by a local planning commission and adopted by a local governing body may include the use of accessory dwelling units, defined in the bill, as part of any residential development and use designated within such plan. The bill contains technical amendments.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1257
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/30/25
Engrossed
2/3/25
Refer
2/7/25
Report Pass
2/17/25
Engrossed
2/20/25
Engrossed
2/20/25
Enrolled
3/7/25
Chaptered
3/24/25
Passed
3/24/25
Public institutions of higher education; student and campus safety; training in opioid antagonist administration for resident assistants required. Requires each resident assistant in a student housing facility at a public institution of higher education to complete, prior to the commencement of his duties, training in the administration of an opioid antagonist to any student, faculty, or staff member who is believed to be experiencing or about to experience a life-threatening opioid overdose. The bill requires each public institution of higher education to adopt policies and procedures relating to the administration of an opioid antagonist by each resident assistant, including policies and procedures (i) requiring each resident assistant to complete such training pursuant to the provisions of the bill and (ii) arranging for the provision of such opioid antagonist administration training.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1258
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Possession of fentanyl in presence of minor prohibited; enhanced penalty. Makes it a Class 3 felony for any person 18 years of age or older to knowingly possess any substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, including its derivatives, isomers, esters, ethers, salts, and salts of isomers, in the presence of a minor younger than 15 years of age, unless such substance was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of his professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by the Drug Control Act.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1259
Introduced
1/8/25
Refer
1/8/25
Report Pass
1/30/25
Engrossed
2/3/25
Refer
2/7/25
Report Pass
2/12/25
Engrossed
2/17/25
Engrossed
2/17/25
Engrossed
2/18/25
Enrolled
2/21/25
Vetoed
5/2/25
Vetoed
5/3/25
Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority; board of directors; chief executive officer. Makes several changes relating to the board of directors and the chief executive officer of the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority (the Authority), including (i) reducing from 19 to 13 the number of appointed members on the board of directors and adding the chief executive officer of the Authority as an ex officio member with voting privileges, thereby reducing from 21 to 16 the total number of board members; (ii) changing from voting to nonvoting the nature of the membership of the President of Virginia Commonwealth University (the University) on the board of directors and prohibiting rather than requiring, as under current law, the President of the University from serving as chairman of the board of directors; (iii) lengthening the terms of all members of the board of directors from three years to four years; (iv) adding demonstrated experience or expertise in finance or commercial real estate as options for satisfying the required qualifications for certain appointed members and requiring each enumerated area of demonstrated experience or expertise to be represented amongst such appointed members at any given time; (v) requiring the biennial election of a chairman and vice-chairman of the board of directors, requiring such chairman and vice-chairman to have served for at least two years on the board of directors, and prohibiting any employee of the University, employee of the Authority, member of the board of visitors of the University, or legislative member from serving as chairman; (vi) prohibiting rather than permitting, as under current law, the Senior Vice-President for Health Sciences of the University from serving as chief executive officer of the Authority but requiring the Senior Vice-President for Health Sciences to regularly communicate and collaborate with such chief executive officer to support the mutual interests and success of the University and the Authority; (vii) providing that no further action shall be taken if a majority of each of the three-member committees appointed by the board of directors of the Authority and the board of visitors of the University do not agree on the removal of the chief executive officer of the Authority within 30 days of the appointment of the committees by each board; and (viii) providing that in the event that a majority of the members of each committee do not agree on the selection or conditions of appointment of the chief executive officer within 30 days of the appointment of the committees by each board, then the process set forth in statute shall be repeated until such selection has been made or such conditions of appointment have been determined. Current law requires the President of the University to make a binding decision in the event of any such disagreement. This bill is identical to HB 2161.
VA
Virginia 2025 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB126
Introduced
1/5/24
Refer
1/5/24
Personal property tax relief; qualifying vehicles; reimbursement and appropriation. Provides for a portion of the general fund surplus at the close of the immediately preceding fiscal year to be appropriated for increased car tax relief. If more than $250 million in general fund surplus remains after all mandatory assignments under current law, then the total amount the Commonwealth shall pay in reimbursements to localities for providing required tangible personal property tax relief on qualifying vehicles for the immediately following tax year, beginning in tax year 2025, shall be $950 million plus up to 25 percent of the remaining surplus. In such case, the surplus amount would be held in reserve for appropriation for such tax relief and not further assigned by the Comptroller. If less than $250 million in general fund surplus remains after such mandatory assignments, the total amount of reimbursements from the Commonwealth to localities would remain at $950 million, the fixed amount under current law, and the remaining surplus would be assigned by the Comptroller for nonrecurring expenditures. Also beginning in tax year 2025, the bill increases from $20,000 to $30,000 the base vehicle value for which a county, city, or town shall establish its tangible personal property tax rate for each qualifying vehicle and reimbursements from the Commonwealth therefor.