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SPONSORED LEGISLATION
HB358 - Voluntary Registration Health and Safety Checklist; DOE to update.
Shelly Anne Simonds, Phil M. Hernandez, Nadarius E. Clark
Last updated 6 months ago
8 Co-Sponsors
Voluntarily registered family day homes; safe sleep practices; checklist. Requires the Department of Education to update its Voluntary Registration Health and Safety Checklist for any voluntarily registered family day home to include safe sleep practices. Voluntarily registered family day homes; safe sleep practices; checklist. Requires the Department of Education to update its Voluntary Registration Health and Safety Checklist for any voluntarily registered family day home to include safe sleep practices.
STATUS
Passed
HB203 - Private security services business; training requirements for human trafficking.
Shelly Anne Simonds
Last updated 6 months ago
1 Co-Sponsor
Private security services business; training requirements; human trafficking. Requires the compulsory minimum, entry-level, and in-service training standards for an unarmed security officer, armed security officer, courier, security canine handler, and alarm respondent to include a training requirement on recognizing and reporting instances of suspected human trafficking. The bill provides that the Department of Criminal Justice Services shall have the power and duty to develop an online course to meet such training requirement.
STATUS
Passed
HB367 - Parking Lot Solar Development Pilot Program and Fund; established, report.
David A. Reid, Irene Shin, Shelly Anne Simonds
Last updated 9 months ago
3 Co-Sponsors
Parking Lot Solar Development Program and Fund; report. Directs Parking Lot Solar Development Program and Fund; report. Directs the Department of Energy, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Quality, to establish by January 1, 2025, a Parking Lot Solar Development Program for the purpose of encouraging development of distributed parking lot solar projects up to one megawatt in size in the Commonwealth. The bill also creates the Parking Lot Solar Development Fund for the purposes of (i) funding solar renewable energy credit values at an updated 10-year levelized incentive level through the renewable energy certificate market using a solar financing model as described in the bill, (ii) implementing and administering the Parking Lot Solar Development Program, and (iii) implementing and administering an alternative auction site that sets a fixed price for solar renewable energy credits not sold in the Commonwealth. The bill requires the Department, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Quality, to engage in a stakeholder consultation to evaluate the current costs of solar installations and incentive levels across market segments and study benefits to grid security and reliability, ratepayers, and environmental goals of the Commonwealth by December 1, 2024, and every five years thereafter. The bill also directs the Commission to consult with agencies and stakeholders to develop an online mapping database of potential parking lot solar sites for development in the Commonwealth by December 1, 2024. Finally, the bill requires the Department, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Quality, to submit an annual report to the General Assembly regarding the implementation of the Parking Lot Solar Development Program for the preceding fiscal year by November 1, 2025.
STATUS
Introduced
HB558 - Constitutional amendment; property tax exemption for certain surviving spouses (voter referendum).
Phil M. Hernandez, Michael B. Feggans, Bonita Grace Anthony
Last updated 6 months ago
14 Co-Sponsors
Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); real property tax exemption; surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty. Provides for a referendum at the November 5, 2024, election to approve or reject an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia that would expand the real property tax exemption that is currently available to the surviving spouses of soldiers killed in action to be available to the surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty with a Line of Duty determination from the U.S. Department of Defense.
STATUS
Passed
HB159 - State correctional and juvenile correctional facilities; use of canines, prohibited acts.
Holly M. Seibold, Michael J. Webert, Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker
Last updated 6 months ago
16 Co-Sponsors
Use of canines in correctional and juvenile correctional facilities; prohibited acts. Makes it unlawful for any correctional officer or other employee of a state correctional facility who is permitted to handle canines to use a patrol or security canine in any state correctional facility unless such correctional officer or other employee (i) reasonably believes that the use of a patrol or security canine is immediately necessary to protect any prisoner or any officer or employee from the threat of serious bodily injury or death or (ii) has the prior approval of the warden or a supervisor to use a patrol or security canine to intervene in an altercation, fight, or other incident between three or more prisoners. The bill also makes it unlawful for any juvenile correctional officer or other employee of a juvenile correctional facility to use a patrol or security canine in any juvenile correctional facility. The bill specifies that such provisions shall not apply to the training or use of detector canines or detector canine handlers. Use of canines in correctional and juvenile correctional facilities; prohibited acts. Makes it unlawful for any correctional officer or other employee of a state correctional facility who is permitted to handle canines to use a patrol or security canine in any state correctional facility unless such correctional officer or other employee (i) reasonably believes that the use of a patrol or security canine is immediately necessary to protect any prisoner or any officer or employee from the threat of serious bodily injury or death or (ii) has the prior approval of the warden or a supervisor to use a patrol or security canine to intervene in an altercation, fight, or other incident between three or more prisoners. The bill also makes it unlawful for any juvenile correctional officer or other employee of a juvenile correctional facility to use a patrol or security canine in any juvenile correctional facility. The bill specifies that such provisions shall not apply to the training or use of detector canines or detector canine handlers.
STATUS
Passed
HB947 - Local government; regulation by ordinance for locations of tobacco products, etc.
Alfonso H. Lopez, Nadarius E. Clark, William Chad Green
Last updated 6 months ago
9 Co-Sponsors
Local government powers; regulation of tobacco, nicotine, and hemp product retail sale locations. Allows a locality to regulate the retail sale locations of tobacco products, nicotine vapor products, alternative nicotine products, or hemp products intended for smoking for any such retail sale location and may prohibit a retail sale location on property within 1,000 linear feet of a child day center or a public, private, or parochial school. Local government powers; regulation of tobacco, nicotine, and hemp product retail sale locations. Allows a locality to regulate the retail sale locations of tobacco products, nicotine vapor products, alternative nicotine products, or hemp products intended for smoking for any such retail sale location and may prohibit a retail sale location on property within 1,000 linear feet of a child day center or a public, private, or parochial school.
STATUS
Passed
HB1216 - Employee Child Care Assistance Pilot Program; established, report.
Adele Y. McClure, Carrie Emerson Coyner, Michael B. Feggans
Last updated 8 months ago
28 Co-Sponsors
Employee Child Care Assistance Pilot Program. Establishes the Employee Child Care Assistance Pilot Program (the Program) to provide matching funds to employers in order to incentivize employers to contribute to the child care costs of their employees. The Program shall be administered by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (the Foundation). To participate in the Program, an employer shall agree to make child care contributions to the eligible mixed-delivery provider on behalf of the employee and shall provide any other information deemed necessary by the Foundation. To the extent funds are available, the Foundation shall issue a state match directly to such eligible mixed-delivery provider or to a third-party administrator. Program funds shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis; however, the Foundation is encouraged to prioritize awards to small businesses. Employee Child Care Assistance Pilot Program. Establishes the Employee Child Care Assistance Pilot Program (the Program) to provide matching funds to employers in order to incentivize employers to contribute to the child care costs of their employees. The Program shall be administered by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (the Foundation). To participate in the Program, an employer shall agree to make child care contributions to the eligible mixed-delivery provider on behalf of the employee and shall provide any other information deemed necessary by the Foundation. To the extent funds are available, the Foundation shall issue a state match directly to such eligible mixed-delivery provider or to a third-party administrator. Program funds shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis; however, the Foundation is encouraged to prioritize awards to small businesses.
STATUS
Engrossed
HB1157 - Federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth; agencies to consult on permits and reviews.
Paul E. Krizek, Alfonso H. Lopez, Betsy B. Carr
Last updated 5 months ago
5 Co-Sponsors
Consultation with federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth; permits and reviews with potential impacts on environmental, cultural, and historic resources. Requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Historic Resources, and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to establish policies and procedures for consulting with federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth when evaluating certain permits and reviews relating to environmental, cultural, or historic resources that potentially impact those federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Secretary of the Commonwealth to designate an Ombudsman for Tribal Consultation to facilitate communication and consultation with federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth and requires the Ombudsman to develop by January 1, 2025, a list of localities in which federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth shall be consulted to effectuate the provisions of the bill. The bill codifies Executive Order 82 (2021). Consultation with federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth; permits and reviews with potential impacts on environmental, cultural, and historic resources. Requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Historic Resources, and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to establish policies and procedures for consulting with federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth when evaluating certain permits and reviews relating to environmental, cultural, or historic resources that potentially impact those federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Secretary of the Commonwealth to designate an Ombudsman for Tribal Consultation to facilitate communication and consultation with federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth and requires the Ombudsman to develop by January 1, 2025, a list of localities in which federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth shall be consulted to effectuate the provisions of the bill. The bill codifies Executive Order 82 (2021).
STATUS
Passed
HB961 - Income tax, state; Virginia local journalism sustainability credits.
Alfonso H. Lopez, Dan I. Helmer, Nadarius E. Clark
Last updated 9 months ago
7 Co-Sponsors
Virginia local journalism sustainability tax credits. Creates a nonrefundable income tax credit for eligible local newspaper publishers, defined in the bill, for compensation paid to local news journalists. The credit is equal to (i) for the first taxable year in which the credit is claimed, the lesser of 10 percent of the actual amounts paid in wages to local news journalists during such taxable year or $5,000 and (ii) in subsequent taxable years, the lesser of five percent of the actual amounts paid in wages to local news journalists during such taxable year or $2,500. The credit includes an aggregate cap of $5 million per taxable year. The bill also creates a nonrefundable income tax credit for eligible small businesses with fewer than 50 employees for certain expenses incurred for local media advertising in a local newspaper or in a broadcast of a local radio or television station. The credit is equal to (i) for the first taxable year in which the credit is claimed, the lesser of 80 percent of the actual amounts paid or incurred for qualified local media advertising expenses or $4,000 and (ii) in subsequent taxable years, the lesser of 50 percent of the actual amounts paid or incurred for qualified local media advertising expenses during such taxable year or $2,000. The credit includes an aggregate cap of $10 million per taxable year. Each of the credits may be claimed in taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2024, but before January 1, 2029.
STATUS
Introduced
HB1053 - Abandoned watercraft; destruction and disposal by localities and state agencies.
Barry D. Knight, Michael B. Feggans, Shelly Anne Simonds
Last updated 6 months ago
3 Co-Sponsors
Destruction and disposal of abandoned watercraft by localities and state agencies. Allows localities and state agencies to apply, under certain conditions, to the Department of Wildlife Resources for an authorization to destroy and dispose of an abandoned watercraft.
STATUS
Passed
BIOGRAPHY
INCUMBENT
Representative from Virginia district HD-094
COMMITTEES
Virginia House
BIRTH
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ABOUT
Shelly Anne Simonds was born in Indiana but has lived in Newport News, Virginia for over 20 years. She graduated from Menchville High School before earning a degree in communications from Old Dominion University. Simonds spent several years working in marketing and public relations. She helped launch a small business selling eco-friendly baby products. More recently, Simonds worked for the Daily Press newspaper leading their community outreach division.read less
OFFICES HELD
Virginia House from Virginia
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