SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2024 SESSION

  • print version
Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology

Chair: Adam P. Ebbin

Clerk: Eric Bingham, Andrew Horton
Staff: Joanne Frye
Date of Meeting: February 7, 2024
Time and Place: 30 minutes after adjournment/Senate Room B

S.B. 18 Virginia Public Procurement Act; construction management & design-build contracting, applicability.

Patron: Locke

Virginia Public Procurement Act; construction management and design-build contracting; applicability. States that design-bid-build, defined in the bill, utilizing competitive sealed bidding is the preferred method of procurement for construction services in the Commonwealth. Complex projects, defined in the bill, may request an exemption from the provisions of the bill and relevant law from the Division of Engineering and Buildings of the Department of General Services. The bill requires all documents related to the proposed use of construction management or design-build by state public bodies and institutions of higher education and any available subcontractor opportunities to be posted on eVA. The bill transfers from the Department of General Services to the Division of Engineering and Buildings the authority to evaluate the proposed use of construction management or design-build by state public bodies and institutions of higher education and specifies that a local governing body must approve at a public meeting the use of construction management or design-build by a local public body. Finally, the bill prohibits state public bodies, institutions of higher education, and local governing bodies from considering prior construction management or design-build experience of contractors on comparable projects.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-4378 through 2.2-4382 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Public Procurement Act; construction management and design-build contracting; applicability.

24100807D

S.B. 113 Veterans' Fellowship for State Government Pilot Program; created, report.

Patron: Reeves

Department of Veterans Services; Veteran's Fellowship for State Government Pilot Program. Creates, within the Department of Veterans Services, the Veteran's Fellowship for State Government Pilot Program (the Program) through which the Department shall collaborate with Virginia Commonwealth University to recruit veterans to participate in undergraduate-level and graduate-level cohorts to assist such veterans in pursuing educational pathways to employment with the Commonwealth. The Department shall report annually to the General Assembly by November 1 regarding the progress of the participants, the return on investment for the Commonwealth, and recommendations for Program enhancements. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2027.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 2.2-2001.7, relating to Department of Veterans Services; Veteran's Fellowship for State Government Pilot Program.

24102009D

S.B. 122 Pharmaceutical Services, Office of; establishes in Department of General Services, report.

Patron: VanValkenburg

Department of General Services; Office of Pharmaceutical Services; report. Establishes in the Department of General Services an Office of Pharmaceutical Services to develop and execute a plan to consolidate state agency prescription drug purchasing and pharmacy benefit management programs to increase efficiency in prescription drug purchasing and constrain spending on prescription drugs. The bill directs the Department to provide to the Governor and the General Assembly an interim report on the development of the plan by November 1, 2024, and a final report on the plan by November 1, 2025.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 11 of Title 2.2 an article numbered 9, consisting of a section numbered 2.2-1184, relating to Department of General Services; Office of Pharmaceutical Services; report.

24101273D

S.B. 164 Virginia Consumer Protection Act; prohibited practices, artificial intelligence disclosure.

Patron: Reeves

Virginia Consumer Protection Act; prohibited practices; artificial intelligence disclosure. Prohibits the dissemination or sale of an item created with artificial intelligence technology that contains a videographic or still image intending to depict an actual person or an audio or audio-visual recording intending to depict the voice of an actual person where the creator has not disclosed the use of artificial intelligence technology.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 59.1-200 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Consumer Protection Act; prohibited practices; artificial intelligence disclosure.

24103621D

S.B. 222 Commonwealth information security; requirements of state public bodies.

Patron: McGuire

Commonwealth information security requirements. Requires state public bodies, defined in the bill, to (i) comply with the Commonwealth's security policies and standards, (ii) ensure each of its employees completes information security training, (iii) conduct regular security audits, and (iv) report the results of such audits to the appropriate entity. The bill directs the Chief Information Officer of the Commonwealth to (a) publish and maintain a list of the Commonwealth's security policies and standards with which state public bodies are required to comply, (b) ensure that transition meetings with state public bodies occur, and (c) document such transitions and any exemptions from the requirements of the bill.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-2009 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 55.3 of Title 2.2 a section numbered 2.2-5514.2, relating to Commonwealth information security requirements.

24103126D

S.B. 249 Virginia Public Procurement Act; construction management and design-build contracting.

Patron: McPike

Virginia Public Procurement Act; construction management and design-build contracting. Limits the use of construction management or design-build contracts by state public bodies and covered institutions for complex projects. The bill requires state public bodies, covered institutions, and local public bodies to provide documentation of the processes used for the final selection of a contract to all the unsuccessful applicants upon request. The bill adds certain requirements for covered institutions, including posting all documents exchanged between the Department of General Services and the covered institution on the central electronic procurement website eVA and requires approval by the covered institution's board of visitors or governing board if the covered institution chooses to proceed with construction management or design-build against the recommendation of the Department. The bill requires a local public body to adopt a resolution or motion to use construction management or design-build prior to issuing a Request for Qualifications and to publish notice of such resolution or motion on its website or eVA. Finally, the bill provides that the Department shall report annually, for any construction management or design-build project, on the qualifications that made such project complex.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-4380 through 2.2-4383 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Public Procurement Act; construction management and design-build contracting.

24104319D

S.B. 260 Virginia Public Procurement Act; preference for products made or manufactured in Virginia and U.S.

Patron: DeSteph

Virginia Public Procurement Act; preference for products made or manufactured in Virginia and the U.S.; recyclable content; report. Provides preference for a bidder who is a resident of Virginia over a bidder who is a resident of any other state in determining the award for any contract for goods, services, or construction under the Virginia Public Procurement Act. When a bidder is a resident of Virginia and the lowest responsive and responsible bidder is a resident of another state, the Virginia resident shall be given the option to match the price of the nonresident bidder. The bill directs the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to convene a stakeholder work group to recommend revisions to the recyclable materials tax credit and report on the work group's recommendations by November 1, 2024.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-4324 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Public Procurement Act; preference for products made or manufactured in Virginia and the U.S.; recyclable content; report.

24102218D

S.B. 284 Siting of data centers; impacts on resources and historically significant sites.

Patron: Roem

Siting of data centers; impacts on resources and historically significant sites. Provides that any local government land use application required for the siting of a data center shall only be approved in areas where the data center will (i) have a minimal impact on historic, agricultural, and cultural resources and (ii) not be within one mile of a national park, state park, or other historically significant site.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 22 of Title 15.2 a section numbered 15.2-2209.4, relating to siting of data centers; impacts on resources and historically significant sites.

24101555D

S.B. 285 Siting of data centers; site assessment.

Patron: Roem

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.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 22 of Title 15.2 a section numbered 15.2-2209.4, relating to siting of data centers; impacts on resources; site assessment.

24104537D

S.B. 302 Virginia First Manufacturing Incentive Program and Fund; created.

Patron: DeSteph

Virginia First Manufacturing Incentive Program and Fund; creation. Creates the Virginia First Manufacturing Incentive Program and Fund to facilitate the growth of existing manufacturing industries by creating a reshoring, nearshoring, and inshoring program focused on expanding and recruiting manufacturing operations that produce products identified as critical infrastructure by providing discretionary incentive funding for trade assistance.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 2.2-2240.7, relating to Virginia First Manufacturing Incentive Program and Fund; creation.

24102492D

S.B. 308 Residential dwelling units; rentals for 30 consecutive days or longer.

Patron: McPike

Residential dwelling units; rentals for 30 consecutive days or longer. Prohibits a locality from enacting or enforcing an ordinance that bans the rental of residential dwelling units for 30 consecutive days or longer. The bill allows a locality by ordinance to regulate such rental if such regulations (i) are reasonable and (ii) do not exceed the requirements for an owner-occupied residential property or a residential property rented for a lease term of 12 months or more in the same zoning district.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 5 of Chapter 9 of Title 15.2 a section numbered 15.2-987, relating to residential dwelling units; rentals for 30 consecutive days or longer.

24104977D

S.B. 340 Virginia Freedom of Information Act; exclusions from mandatory disclosure, purchase card statement.

Patron: Salim

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; exclusions from mandatory disclosure; purchase card statement. Clarifies that the name of a public employee, officer, or official as it appears on a purchase card statement or other payment record and the description of individual purchases are not exempt from disclosure by the State Comptroller.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-3705.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Freedom of Information Act; exclusions from mandatory disclosure; purchase card statement.

24102889D

S.B. 359 Consumer Data Protection Act; social media platforms, addictive feed.

Patron: VanValkenburg

Consumer Data Protection Act; social media platforms; addictive feed. Prohibits a person that operates a social media platform that has knowledge that a user of the social media platform is a child under the age of 18 from using an addictive feed, defined in the bill, unless such social media platform obtains verifiable parental consent.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 59.1-575 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 59.1-577.1, relating to Consumer Data Protection Act; social media platforms; addictive feed.

24102374D

S.B. 361 Consumer Data Protection Act; protections for children.

Patron: VanValkenburg

Consumer Data Protection Act; protections for children. Prohibits operators, defined in the bill, of websites, online services, or online or mobile applications from collecting or using the personal data of users they know are younger than the age of 18 without consent and prohibits the sale or disclosure of the personal data of such users.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 59.1-575 and 59.1-578 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 59.1-577.1, relating to Consumer Data Protection Act; protections for children.

24102711D

S.B. 366 Local anti-rent gouging authority; civil penalty.

Patron: Boysko

Local anti-rent gouging authority; civil penalty. Provides that any locality may by ordinance adopt anti-rent gouging provisions. The bill provides for notice and a public hearing prior to the adoption of such ordinance and specifies that all landlords who are under the ordinance may be required to give at least two months' written notice of a rent increase and cannot increase the rent by more than the locality's calculated allowance, described in the bill as the maximum amount a landlord can increase a tenant's rent during any 12-month period, in effect at the time of the increase. The bill sets such allowance as equal to the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index or seven percent, whichever is less, states that such allowance is effective for a 12-month period beginning July 1 each year, and requires the locality to publish such allowance on its website by June 1 of each year. Certain facilities, as outlined in the bill, are exempt from such ordinance. The bill also allows a locality to establish an anti-rent gouging board that will develop and implement rules and procedures by which landlords may apply for and be granted exemptions from the rent increase limits set by the ordinance. Finally, the bill provides that a locality may establish a civil penalty for failure to comply with the requirements set out in the ordinance.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 15.2-959.1, relating to local anti-rent gouging authority; civil penalty.

24104607D

S.B. 405 Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fee disclosure statement.

Patron: Boysko

Department of Housing and Community Development; Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fee disclosure statement; work group. Requires landlords subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, prior to collecting any fee, deposit, or information from an applicant, to provide such applicant a fee disclosure statement containing the amount and purpose of each fee or deposit that may be charged to an applicant. The bill requires the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop a sample fee disclosure statement that may be used by landlords for such purpose, explaining in plain language the amount and purpose of fees that may be charged to an applicant for tenancy. The bill requires the Department to convene a work group to make recommendations for the development of such sample fee disclosure statement.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 36-139 and 55.1-1203 and of the Code of Virginia, relating to Department of Housing and Community Development; Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fee disclosure statement; work group.

24104748D

S.B. 422 VA Residential Landlord & Tenant Act; prohibited provisions in rental agreements, prohibited fees.

Patron: Ebbin

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; prohibited provisions; fees for maintenance and periodic payments. Prohibits landlords subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act from charging a tenant (i) any fee for the maintenance or repair of any dwelling unit unless necessitated by the tenant's violation of a requirement of the Act or (ii) any fee to submit periodic rent payments or other amounts due, regardless of the method of payment.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 55.1-1208 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; prohibited provisions; fees for maintenance and periodic payments.

24105046D

S.B. 479 Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; enforcement by localities.

Patron: Aird

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; enforcement by localities. Provides that if a condition exists in a rental dwelling unit that constitutes a material noncompliance by the landlord with the rental agreement or with any provision of law that, if not promptly corrected, constitutes a fire hazard or serious threat to the life, health, or safety of tenants or occupants of the premises, a locality may institute an action for injunction and damages to enforce the landlord's duty to maintain the rental dwelling unit in a fit and habitable condition, provided that (i) the property where the violation occurred is within the jurisdictional boundaries of the locality and (ii) the locality has notified the landlord who owns the property, either directly or through the managing agent, of the nature of the violation and the landlord has failed to remedy the violation to the satisfaction of the locality within a reasonable time after receiving such notice.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 55.1-1259 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; enforcement by localities.

24102691D

S.B. 492 Va. Public Procurement Act; procurement of electric vehicles, forced and child labor prohibition.

Patron: Stanley

Virginia Public Procurement Act; procurement of electric vehicles; forced and child labor prohibition. Prohibits public bodies from awarding contracts to acquire an electric vehicle or electric vehicle component from a business unless such business provides a sworn declaration from the manufacturer of such electric vehicle or electric vehicle component certifying that every person involved in the production of such electric vehicle or electric vehicle component and every person involved in the sourcing, manufacturing, or mining of the material used in such electric vehicle or electric vehicle component, did not use forced labor or oppressive child labor, both terms defined in the bill, in the sourcing, manufacturing, or mining of such electric vehicle or electric vehicle component.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 2.2-4311.3, relating to Virginia Public Procurement Act; procurement of electric vehicles; forced and child labor prohibition.

24103609D

S.B. 496 Virginia Growth and Opportunity Act; Virginia investment performance grants.

Patron: Carroll Foy

Virginia Growth and Opportunity Act; Virginia investment performance grants; Virginia economic development incentive grants. Reduces the local funding match requirement for GO Virginia grants from being equal to the grant amount to being at least equal to half of the grant amount. The bill also allows payouts for the Virginia investment performance grant and the Virginia economic development incentive grant programs to begin in the first year after reaching performance targets. Under current law, payouts for such grant programs generally cannot begin until the third year after projects achieve their performance targets. The bill also requires projects seeking grants from the Virginia investment performance grant program to pay at least the prevailing average wage if job creation is included in a grant award determination.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-2489, 2.2-5100, 2.2-5101, and 2.2-5102.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Growth and Opportunity Act; Virginia investment performance grants; Virginia economic development incentive grants.

24104367D

S.B. 570 Virginia Human Rights Act; definitions of "person" and "employer."

Patron: Ebbin

Virginia Human Rights Act; definitions of "person" and "employer." Waives the Commonwealth's sovereign immunity to a civil action under the definition of "person" in relevant law and makes the waiver retroactive to July 1, 2020. The bill also expands the definition of "employer" as it relates to the requirement to provide reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities under the Virginia Human Rights Act to include any government or political subdivision, or agent of such government or political subdivision, employing more than five employees for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year. The bill also reduces the number of employees from 15 to six for the definition of employer of domestic workers.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-3901, 2.2-3905, and 2.2-3905.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Human Rights Act; definitions of "person" and "employer."

24104820D

S.B. 588 Va. Residential Landlord & Tenant Act; affordable housing, criminal record screening model policy.

Patron: Lucas

Department of Housing and Community Development; Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; affordable housing; criminal record screening model policy. Requires the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development (the Department) to develop a criminal record screening model policy for admitting or denying an applicant for affordable housing covered under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act in accordance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's guidance on the application of the Fair Housing Act and maintain such model policy on its website. The bill prohibits a landlord of an affordable housing unit from inquiring about or requiring disclosure of, or if such information is received, basing an adverse action, in whole or in part, on an applicant's criminal or arrest record unless the landlord does so in accordance with the criminal record screening model policy developed by the Department and posted on its website and provides the applicant with a written copy of such policy.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 36-139, 55.1-1200, and 55.1-1203 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Department of Housing and Community Development; Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; affordable housing; criminal record screening model policy.

24104519D

S.B. 596 Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; noncompliance with rental agreement.

Patron: Ebbin

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; noncompliance with rental agreement; emergency eviction process. Reduces from 15 to seven the number of days, after the date upon which a tenant is served a landlord's intent to terminate the tenancy due to certain illegal activities by the tenant, within which the initial hearing on the landlord's action for immediate possession of the premises shall be held. The bill also reorganizes certain provisions of the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to consolidate language and organize the structure of certain provisions of the Act.

A BILL to amend and reenact the second enactment of Chapter 47 of the Acts of Assembly of 2020, Special Session I; to amend and reenact §§ 55.1-1236 and 55.1-1245 of the Code of Virginia; and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 55.1-1245.1, relating to Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; noncompliance with rental agreement; emergency eviction process.

24104621D

S.B. 600 Virginia Real Estate Time-Share Act; partial termination of certain time-shares.

Patron: Obenshain

Virginia Real Estate Time-Share Act; partial termination of certain time-shares. Allows for the partial termination of a time-share project by a developer or an association and provides the procedures for any such partial termination. The bill also sets a one-year statute of limitations on any legal challenge or action for damages or equitable relief arising out of any termination of a time-share project in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Real Estate Time-Share Act. The bill's provisions are declared to be effective retroactive in accordance with certain provisions of the Virginia Real Estate Time-Share Act.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 55.1-2216 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Real Estate Time-Share Act; partial termination of certain time-shares.

24102409D

S.B. 647 Virginia Public Procurement Act; apprenticeship programs, competitive sealed bidding.

Patron: Carroll Foy

Virginia Public Procurement Act; competitive sealed bidding; required criteria in invitations to bid. Requires all public bodies to include in any Invitation to Bid criteria that will be used in determining whether a bidder who is not prequalified by the Virginia Department of Transportation is a responsible bidder. Current law authorizes, but does not require, localities to include such criteria in Invitations to Bid.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-4302.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Public Procurement Act; competitive sealed bidding; required criteria in invitations to bid.

24105084D

S.B. 672 Property Owners' Association Act or Virginia Condominium Act; assessments for legal obligations.

Patron: Ebbin

Property Owners' Association Act; Virginia Condominium Act; assessments for legal obligations of associations. Clarifies that neither the Property Owners' Association Act or the Virginia Condominium Act (the Acts) shall be construed to prevent any association organized pursuant to such Acts from using assessments to pay the association's contractual or other legal obligations in the exercise of the association's duties and responsibilities. The bill also restricts such associations from imposing charges against one or more but less than all unit owners unless otherwise specifically authorized by the Act. Current law prohibits such charges or assessments from being imposed upon any unit or lot owner unless otherwise specifically authorized by the Acts.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 55.1-1805 and 55.1-1904 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Property Owners' Association Act; Virginia Condominium Act; assessments for legal obligations of associations.

24104418D

S.B. 680 Manufactured homes; conversion to real property.

Patron: Rouse

Manufactured homes; conversion to real property. Creates a process by which a manufactured home with a security interest may be converted to real property and provides requirements and procedures for doing so.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-653.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to manufactured homes; conversion to real property.

24105362D

S.B. 701 Vested rights; building permits.

Patron: French

Vested rights; building permits. Provides that if a locality has issued a building permit, despite nonconformance with the zoning ordinance, and a property owner, relying in good faith on the issuance of the building permit, incurs extensive obligations or substantial expenses in diligent pursuit of a building project that is in conformance with the building permit, the locality shall not treat such building as an illegal use but rather as a legal nonconforming use. Current law requires that such project be completed and a certificate of occupancy issued in order to receive such protection.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-2307 of the Code of Virginia, relating to vested rights; building permits.

24104047D