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ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
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2024 SESSION
Chair: Jeremy S. McPike
Clerk: Gillian Conway,A. Chapman
Staff: Jeff Sharp
Date of Meeting: February 19, 2024
Time and Place: 10:00 a.m. Senate Room B, General Assembly Building
https://virginia-senate.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3
Patron: Martinez
Town of Leesburg Parking Authority. Authorizes the creation of the Town of Leesburg Parking Authority. The bill grants to the Authority various powers, including the authority to construct, operate, and lease parking facilities, contract with outside entities, issue revenue bonds and revenue refunding bonds, and acquire property. The bill also exempts the Authority from taxation.
A BILL to create the Town of Leesburg Parking Authority.24100204D
Patron: Simon
Charter; City of Falls Church; qualifications of members of boards and commissions. Repeals certain provisions in the City of Falls Church charter related to qualifications of persons appointed to boards and commissions.
A BILL to amend Chapter 323 of the Acts of Assembly of 1950, which provided a charter for the City of Falls Church, by repealing § 4.14 of Chapter 323, relating to qualifications of members of boards and commissions.24107436D
Patron: Watts
Local regulation of door-to-door vendors; political parties exempted. Provides that local ordinances regulating the activities of door-to-door vendors shall not apply to any person participating in certain specified political activities.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-913 of the Code of Virginia, relating to local regulation of door-to-door vendors; political parties exempted.24102435D
Patron: Campbell
Waiving of utility connection fees in certain areas; City of Staunton. Allows the City of Staunton to reduce or waive utility connection fees in certain designated areas.
A BILL to allow the City of Staunton to waive utility connection fees in certain areas.24104500D
Patron: Simonds
Comprehensive plan; healthy communities strategy. Authorizes localities, beginning July 1, 2024, to adopt a healthy communities strategy as part of its next and any subsequent reviews of the comprehensive plan. The bill provides that the locality's strategy may include identifying (i) major sources of pollution or hazardous waste sites within the locality, (ii) policies to mitigate the unique or compounded health risks to residents that may be caused by such pollution sources or hazardous waste sites, (iii) objectives and policies to promote civic engagement in public decision-making processes by residents, (iv) objectives and policies that prioritize improvements and programs that promote healthy communities, and (v) objectives and policies that encourage linking public transit with community and health services and siting or co-locating health services in unconventional settings to ensure convenient access for all community members.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 15.2-2223.6, relating to comprehensive plan; healthy communities strategy.24105704D
Patron: Campbell
Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority; eligible site for site development grant; minimum acreage requirement. Reduces from 100 acres to 50 acres the minimum number of contiguous acres required for a site that is not a brownfield to satisfy the acreage requirement to be considered eligible to receive a site development grant from the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program Fund by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority. The bill also exempts from the minimum acreage requirement any site that exists in a locality that has three or fewer eligible sites that are at least 100 acres.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-2240.2:1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority; eligible site for site development grant.24102915D
Patron: Reaser
Early childhood care and education; child day programs; use of office buildings; waiver of zoning requirements. Permits any locality to, by ordinance, provide for the waiver of any requirements for zoning permits for the operation of a child day program in an office building, as defined by the bill, provided that such facility satisfies the requirements for state licensure as a child day program.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 15.2-2292.2, relating to early childhood care and education; child day programs; use of office buildings; waiver of zoning requirements.24104412D
Patron: Ballard
License tax; retired police or military dogs; exemption. Allows a locality by ordinance to exempt any dog that served as a police or law-enforcement dog or military working dog from the license tax on the ownership of dogs. Such ordinance must include a verification process for the vaccination records of such a dog.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 3.2-6528 of the Code of Virginia, relating to license tax; retired police or military dogs; exemption.24102274D
Patron: Convirs-Fowler
Charter; City of Virginia Beach; board of equalization. Amends the charter for the City of Virginia Beach by expanding the board of equalization from 4 members to 5 members and an alternate.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 8.07, as amended, of Chapter 147 of the Acts of Assembly of 1962, which provided a charter for the City of Virginia Beach, relating to board of equalization; membership.24101732D
Patron: Callsen
City council salaries. Removes the statutory salary caps for members of city councils.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 15.2-1414.5 and 15.2-1414.6 of the Code of Virginia, relating to city council salaries.24102911D
Patron: Sullivan
Conservation of trees during land development process in certain localities. Expands authority of certain localities to adopt an ordinance providing for the planting and replacement of trees during the development process by allowing a tree canopy fund that currently applies to the planting of trees on public property to include maintenance of trees on public property and planting and maintenance of trees on private property. The bill removes a provision that requires that any funds collected for the purposes of the tree canopy fund be returned to the original contributor if not spent within five years but maintains the requirement that such finds be spent within five years. The bill also includes an expansion of the canopy credit.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-961.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to conservation of trees during land development process in certain localities.24102972D
Patron: Simon
Establishment by localities of certain real estate contract disclosures prohibited. Prohibits localities from establishing or enforcing a mandatory disclosure requirement for a real estate licensee, any party to a contract for the sale or listing of residential real property, or any authorized agent of such party. The bill provides that prohibited mandatory disclosures include mandatory notifications in contracts, contract amendments or addenda, advertising, other promotional materials, and subsequent deeds after the initial deed is recorded, related to the sale of residential real estate.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 15.2-983.1, relating to real estate contracts; localities; certain real estate contract disclosures prohibited.24104483D
Patron: Coyner
Community revitalization fund; expanding use for all localities. Expands the current provisions of law allowing for the establishment of a community revitalization fund for the purpose of preventing neighborhood deterioration to apply to all localities. Currently, only the City of Richmond is authorized to establish such a fund. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Housing Commission.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-958.5 of the Code of Virginia, relating to community revitalization fund; expanding use for all localities.24104252D
Patron: Webert
Counties, cities and towns; powers of local government; conveyance of real property; public hearing requirement. Adds to the list of exemptions from the requirement imposed upon localities to hold a public hearing prior to the disposition of real property owned by such locality the conveyance of any utility easement necessary to provide utilities to residential properties adjacent to property owned by the locality. Current law only excludes from such public hearing requirement (i) the leasing of real property to another public body, political subdivision, or authority and (ii) the conveyance of site development or utility easements related to transportation projects across public property.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-1800 of the Code of Virginia, relating to counties, cities and towns; powers of local government; conveyance of real property; public hearing requirement.24104944D
Patron: Herring
Minimum qualifications for law-enforcement officers; citizenship; waiver. Allows individuals who are lawfully admitted for permanent residence who have resided in the United States for no less than 60 months and who are both eligible for and have applied for United States citizenship to qualify for the positions of chief of police and all police officers of any locality, all deputy sheriffs and jail officers in the Commonwealth, and all law-enforcement officers. The bill allows any agency or department employing law-enforcement officers to hire, recruit, or refer an individual who is a citizen of the United States over another individual who meets such qualifications if such individuals are equally qualified.
Current law only allows citizens of the United States to qualify for the named positions; the citizenship requirement can only be waived for good cause upon request of a sheriff or chief of police or the director or chief executive of any agency or department employing law-enforcement officers to the Department of Criminal Justice Services.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-1705 of the Code of Virginia, relating to minimum qualifications for law-enforcement officers; citizenship; waiver.24102761D
Patron: Bulova
Purchase of development rights for affordable housing. Permits any local government to purchase development rights or accept the donation of development rights in an effort to preserve and provide affordable housing. The bill grants local governments the powers necessary to carry out the purchase of such development rights. The bill prohibits the conversion or diversion of such affordable housing once the development rights are purchased unless the local government determines that such diversion is essential to the development and growth of the locality and in accordance with the locality's comprehensive plan.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 15.2 a chapter numbered 24.4, consisting of sections numbered 15.2-2441 through 15.2-2445, relating to purchase of development rights for affordable housing.24104341D
Patron: Lopez
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.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 15.2-912.4, relating to local government powers; regulation of tobacco, nicotine, and hemp product retail sale locations.24106162D
Patron: Lopez
Local Environmental Impact Fund. Allows localities to create a permanent and perpetual fund to be known as the Local Environmental Impact Fund. The bill provides that the Fund shall consist exclusively of appropriated local moneys and any gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds received on its behalf, and that the Fund is to be created for the purpose of granting funds to residents or locally owned businesses for the mitigation of environmental impacts. Such grants from the Fund shall be used only for the purchase of energy efficient (i) lawn care and landscaping equipment, (ii) home appliances, (iii) HVAC equipment, or (iv) micromobility devices. The Fund shall be administered and managed by the locality.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 15.2 a chapter numbered 24.4, consisting of a section numbered 15.2-2441, relating to Local Environmental Impact Fund.24102400D
Patron: Morefield
Southwest Regional Recreation Authority; powers. Provides for the Attorney General to provide legal services in civil matters upon the request of the executive director or board of directors of the Authority. The bill also provides for the board of the Authority to adopt policies for the procurement of goods and services and requires such policies to incorporate certain provisions of the Virginia Public Procurement Act. In addition, the bill (i) makes the provisions of the Virginia Personnel Act and the policies of the Department of Human Resource Management applicable to employees of the Authority, (ii) authorizes the Director of the Department of General Services to lease vehicles and construction and forestry equipment to the Authority, and (iii) authorizes the Commissioner of Highways to lease construction or forestry vehicles to the Authority.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-507, 2.2-1176, and 15.2-6019 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 15.2-6019.1, 15.2-6020.1, and 15.2-6020.2 relating to the Southwest Regional Recreation Authority; powers.24104368D
Patron: O'Quinn
Russell County Industrial Development Authority; appointments. Clarifies that the board of supervisors of Russell County may appoint nine members to its industrial development authority, which shall consist of two members from the governing body of each town that has used its borrowing capacity to borrow $2 million or more for industrial development and such other members as the board of supervisors shall agree upon. Under current law, two of the members must come from a town that has used its borrowing capacity to borrow $2 million or more for industrial development.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-4904 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Russell County Industrial Development Authority; appointments.24105168D
Patron: Thomas
Vacant buildings; registration. Permits any county, city, or town to require, by ordinance, the owner of any building that has been vacant for at least 12 months and (i) that meets the definition of "derelict building" in relevant law, (ii) that meets the definition of "criminal blight" in relevant law, or (iii) in which a locality has determined a person is living without the authority of the owner to register such building annually. Under current law, any city and certain towns are permitted to require the owner of any building that has been vacant for at least 12 months and meets the definition of "derelict building" in relevant law to register such building annually. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Housing Commission.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-1127 of the Code of Virginia, relating to vacant building registration; civil penalty.24105791D
Patron: Henson
Local government; standardization of public notice requirements for certain meetings, hearings, or intended actions. Standardizes the frequency with which and length of time in which notices of certain meetings, hearings, and other intended actions of localities must be published. The notice provisions included in the bill are organized into three groups: (i) publication required at least seven days before a meeting, hearing, or intended action; (ii) publication required twice, with the first notice appearing no more than 28 days before and the second notice appearing no less than seven days before a meeting, hearing, or intended action; and (iii) publication required three times, with the first notice appearing no more than 35 days before and the third notice appearing no less than seven days before the meeting, hearing, or intended action. The bill also standardizes descriptive information in such notices related to (a) proposing, amending, or repealing ordinances; (b) local budget adoption; and (c) zoning ordinances and planning-related actions.
24105792D