SJR209 - Celebrating the life of Devin Michael Riley.

1 Co-Sponsor

SB547 - Law-enforcement training; communication with individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

4 Co-Sponsors

Law-enforcement training; individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Requires the Department of Criminal Justice Services to establish compulsory minimum and in-service training standards for law-enforcement officers on communicating with individuals with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability, such as autism spectrum disorder, which shall include (i) an overview and behavioral recognition of autism spectrum disorder, (ii) best practices for crisis prevention and de-escalation techniques, (iii) an objective review of any relevant tools and technology available to assist in communication, and (iv) education on law-enforcement agency and community resources for the autism community on future crisis prevention. The bill requires that such training standards be established in consultation with at least one individual with autism spectrum disorder, one family member of an individual with autism spectrum disorder, one specialist who works with individuals with autism spectrum disorder, one representative from the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, and one representative from a state or local law-enforcement agency. The bill requires the Department to establish such training standards by January 1, 2027, and requires any person employed as a law-enforcement officer prior to July 1, 2024, to complete the compulsory in-service training by July 1, 2028.

SB726 - Public schools; opioid antagonist administration, etc.

2 Co-Sponsors

Public schools; opioid antagonist procurement, possession, and administration; school board employee training and certification; opioid overdose prevention and reversal instruction; guidelines and requirements. Requires each local school board to develop, in accordance with the guidelines developed by the Department of Health in collaboration with the Department of Education, plans, policies, and procedures for (i) providing at each public secondary school that includes grades nine through 12 a program of instruction on opioid overdose prevention and reversal and for encouraging each student to complete such program of instruction prior to graduation; (ii) the procurement, placement, and maintenance in each public elementary and secondary school of a supply of opioid antagonists in an amount equivalent to at least two unexpired doses for the purposes of opioid overdose reversal; and (iii) the possession and administration of an opioid antagonist by any employee of the school board who is authorized by a prescriber and trained in the administration of an opioid antagonist, including policies (a) requiring each public elementary and secondary school to ensure that at least one employee is authorized by a prescriber and trained and certified in the administration of an opioid antagonist, (b) for partnering with a program administered or approved by the Department of Health to provide such training and certification, and (c) for maintaining records of each such trained and certified employee. Public schools; opioid antagonist procurement, possession, and administration; school board employee training and certification; opioid overdose prevention and reversal instruction; guidelines and requirements. Requires each local school board to develop, in accordance with the guidelines developed by the Department of Health in collaboration with the Department of Education, plans, policies, and procedures for (i) providing at each public secondary school that includes grades nine through 12 a program of instruction on opioid overdose prevention and reversal and for encouraging each student to complete such program of instruction prior to graduation; (ii) the procurement, placement, and maintenance in each public elementary and secondary school of a supply of opioid antagonists in an amount equivalent to at least two unexpired doses for the purposes of opioid overdose reversal; and (iii) the possession and administration of an opioid antagonist by any employee of the school board who is authorized by a prescriber and trained in the administration of an opioid antagonist, including policies (a) requiring each public elementary and secondary school to ensure that at least one employee is authorized by a prescriber and trained and certified in the administration of an opioid antagonist, (b) for partnering with a program administered or approved by the Department of Health to provide such training and certification, and (c) for maintaining records of each such trained and certified employee. The bill provides for the disciplinary, civil, and criminal immunity of any employee of a public school, school board, or local health department, regardless of whether such employee was trained or certified in opioid antagonist administration, for any act or omission made in connection with the good faith administration of an opioid antagonist for the purposes of opioid overdose reversal during regular school hours, on school premises, or during a school-sponsored activity, unless such act or omission was the result of gross neglect or willful misconduct. The bill requires each school board to adopt and each public elementary and secondary school to implement policies and procedures in accordance with the provisions of the bill and, in doing so, to utilize to the fullest extent possible programs offered by the Department of Health for the provision of opioid antagonist administration training and certification and opioid antagonist procurement. In addition, the bill modifies the school board employees who are authorized to administer opioid antagonists to include any school board employee who has completed training and is certified in the administration of an opioid antagonist by a program administered or authorized by the Department of Health. Finally, the bill directs the Department of Health and the Department of Education to collaborate to develop guidelines and policies for the implementation of the provisions of the bill and requires each school board to implement the provisions of the bill by the beginning of the 2025–2026 school year.

SB422 - Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; prohibited provisions, fees for maintenance.

1 Co-Sponsor

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; prohibited fees. Prohibits landlords subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act from requiring a tenant to (i) pay any fee for the maintenance or repair of any unit subject to such rental agreement unless necessitated by the tenant's violation of a requirement of the Act or (ii) pay any fee to submit periodic rent payments or other amounts due, unless the landlord offers an alternative method of payment that does not include additional fees.

SB697 - Solar and energy facilities; local regulation.

1 Co-Sponsor

Solar and energy facilities; local regulation. Prohibits a locality from including in an ordinance (i) limits on the total amount, density, or size of any ground-mounted solar facility or energy storage facility until such time that the total area under panels within the locality exceeds four percent of the total area within the locality or (ii) any prohibitions on the use of solar panels that comply with generally accepted national environmental protection and product safety standards, provided that such installation is in compliance with any provisions of a local ordinance that establishes criteria and requirements for siting. Solar and energy facilities; local regulation. Prohibits a locality from including in an ordinance (i) limits on the total amount, density, or size of any ground-mounted solar facility or energy storage facility until such time that the total area under panels within the locality exceeds four percent of the total area within the locality or (ii) any prohibitions on the use of solar panels that comply with generally accepted national environmental protection and product safety standards, provided that such installation is in compliance with any provisions of a local ordinance that establishes criteria and requirements for siting.

SB426 - Pari-mutuel wagering; historical horse racing, percentage retained for distribution.

1 Co-Sponsor

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.

SR132 - Commending Sarah Everhardt.

1 Co-Sponsor

SB30 - Budget Bill.

1 Co-Sponsor

Budget Bill. Provides for all appropriations of the Budget submitted by the Governor of Virginia in accordance with the provisions of § 2.2-1509 of the Code of Virginia, and provides a portion of revenues for the two years ending respectively on the thirtieth day of June 2025 and the thirtieth day of June 2026.

SB543 - Health insurance; patient access to emergency services, mobile crisis response services.

1 Co-Sponsor

Health insurance; emergency services; mobile crisis response services. Provides that emergency services, with respect to an emergency medical condition, include, as it relates to any mental health services or substance abuse services rendered at a behavioral health crisis service provider, (i) a behavioral health assessment that is within the capability of a behavioral health crisis service provider, including ancillary services routinely available to evaluate such emergency medical condition, and (ii) such further examination and treatment, to the extent that they are within the capabilities of the staff and facilities available at the behavioral health crisis service provider, as are required so that the patient's condition does not deteriorate.

SB224 - Voter registration; cancellation of registration by voter convicted of a felony.

1 Co-Sponsor

Voter registration; cancellation of registration by voter convicted of a felony; notice prior to cancellation. Requires the general registrar to mail a notice to all persons known by him to have been convicted of a felony prior to canceling any such person's voter registration. The bill specifies that such notice shall inform the person of the report from the Department of Elections based on information received from the Central Criminal Records Exchange indicating his felony conviction and allow such person to submit evidence that his right to vote has been restored within 14 days of the date the notice was mailed. The bill requires the general registrar to cancel the registration of such person who does not respond within 14 days.

SB148 - Securities Act; an issuer or seller of digital token shall be exempt from registration requirements.

1 Co-Sponsor

Securities Act; digital tokens; exemption. Provides that an issuer or seller of a digital token, as defined in the bill, shall be exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act if (i) the digital token cannot be considered an investment contract, as defined in the bill; (ii) the primary purpose of the token is consumptive, as defined in the bill; (iii) the issuer or seller of the digital token did not market the digital token to the initial buyer as a financial investment; and (iv) at least one of four additional criteria are satisfied. The bill requires an issuer or seller of a digital token to file a notice of intent with the State Corporation Commission prior to qualifying for such exemption. The bill also requires the Commission to make a notice of intent form available on its website for this purpose and permits the Commission to promulgate rules as necessary to implement the provisions of the bill.

SB285 - Siting of data centers; site assessment.

1 Co-Sponsor

Siting of data centers; site assessment. Requires a locality, prior to any approval for the siting of a data center, to require disclosure of water and power usage at full build-out and perform a site assessment to examine the effect of the data center on water usage, the regional electric grid, and carbon emissions as well as any impacts on agricultural, historic, and cultural resources within the locality.

SB432 - Consumer Data Protection Act; protections for children.

1 Co-Sponsor

Consumer Data Protection Act; protections for children. Requires a controller or processor to obtain verifiable parental consent, defined in the bill, prior to registering any child with the operator's product or service or before collecting, using, or disclosing such child's personal data and prohibits a controller from knowingly processing the personal data of a child for purposes of (i) targeted advertising, (ii) the sale of such personal data, or (iii) profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects concerning a consumer. The bill also amends the definition of child for purposes of the Consumer Data Protection Act to include any natural person younger than 18 years of age.

SB416 - Alcoholic beverage control; tied house exception.

1 Co-Sponsor

Alcoholic beverage control; tied house exception. Allows a manufacturer, bottler, broker, importer, or wholesaler to sponsor or provide support, including equipment, staff, financial, and other support, for a special event for which a nonprofit organization has been issued a banquet license and partners with a governmental entity that holds a mixed beverage caterer's license, provided that the mixed beverage caterer's license held by the governmental entity is not used in coordination with such special event.

SB551 - Firearms; two day waiting period, penalty.

1 Co-Sponsor

Purchase of firearms; waiting period; penalty. Provides that no person shall sell a firearm unless at least two 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.