Child custody, visitation, and placement; best interests of the child. Requires consideration of a child's attachment to a parent or guardian when determining the best interests of the child. The bill defines "attachment" as an aspect of the child's relationship with a parent or guardian that promotes the child's use of the parent or guardian as a secure base from which to explore, learn, and relate and to feel value, security, comfort, familiarity, and continuity.

Earned sentence credits. Provides that sentence credits may be earned by any person committed to the custody of the Department of Corrections (the Department), regardless of whether the person is confined in a state or local correctional facility. The bill allows inmates to earn more than 4.5 sentence credits for each 30 days served on a sentence for a conviction of robbery or carjacking, provided that the inmate did not use a weapon or threaten or harm another person during the commission of the offense. The bill allows inmates to earn enhanced sentence credits for consecutive sentences served after the completion of any offense that would otherwise limit the inmate to earning 4.5 sentence credits for each 30 days served. The bill allows an inmate to earn Level I sentence credits if, provided certain other requirements are met, the inmate had no more than one minor correctional infraction and no serious correctional infractions within the previous 12 months. The bill directs the Department to establish a program that allows victims to advocate on behalf of an inmate for reclassification of the inmate's sentence credits. The bill provides that the earned sentence credit provisions of § 53.1-202.3 of the Code of Virginia, which would become effective on July 1, 2022, shall apply retroactively to the entire sentence of any person who is committed to the custody of the Department and is participating in the earned sentence credit program on July 1, 2022. The bill requires the Department, among other things, to provide notice to inmates regarding sentence credit adjustments and an adjusted release date by July 1, 2022, and establish a process through which inmates may appeal the Department's determinations regarding sentence credit adjustments. Earned sentence credits. Provides that sentence credits may be earned by any person committed to the custody of the Department of Corrections (the Department), regardless of whether the person is confined in a state or local correctional facility. The bill allows inmates to earn more than 4.5 sentence credits for each 30 days served on a sentence for a conviction of robbery or carjacking, provided that the inmate did not use a weapon or threaten or harm another person during the commission of the offense. The bill allows inmates to earn enhanced sentence credits for consecutive sentences served after the completion of any offense that would otherwise limit the inmate to earning 4.5 sentence credits for each 30 days served. The bill allows an inmate to earn Level I sentence credits if, provided certain other requirements are met, the inmate had no more than one minor correctional infraction and no serious correctional infractions within the previous 12 months. The bill directs the Department to establish a program that allows victims to advocate on behalf of an inmate for reclassification of the inmate's sentence credits. The bill provides that the earned sentence credit provisions of § 53.1-202.3 of the Code of Virginia, which would become effective on July 1, 2022, shall apply retroactively to the entire sentence of any person who is committed to the custody of the Department and is participating in the earned sentence credit program on July 1, 2022. The bill requires the Department, among other things, to provide notice to inmates regarding sentence credit adjustments and an adjusted release date by July 1, 2022, and establish a process through which inmates may appeal the Department's determinations regarding sentence credit adjustments.

Commission on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the Commonwealth; report. Establishes the 10-member Commission on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the Commonwealth in the legislative branch to identify and recommend legislative priorities and policies for adoption or examination by the General Assembly and the Governor in order to provide ongoing support in developing and reviewing services and funding related to the five historically black colleges and universities in the Commonwealth, which are Hampton University, Norfolk State University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, and Virginia University of Lynchburg.

Public schools; instruction concerning gambling. Requires instruction concerning gambling and the addictive potential thereof to be provided by the public schools as prescribed by the Board of Education. The bill requires the Board of Education to report to the Chairmen of House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health a description of such instruction. Public schools; instruction concerning gambling. Requires instruction concerning gambling and the addictive potential thereof to be provided by the public schools as prescribed by the Board of Education. The bill requires the Board of Education to report to the Chairmen of House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health a description of such instruction.

Tax credit; automated external defibrillator. Creates a one-time, individual income tax credit of up to $1,200 for the purchase of an automated external defibrillator that is placed in the taxpayer's vehicle. The credit may be claimed during taxable years 2022 through 2026 and includes an aggregate annual cap of $500,000.

Uniform Statewide Building Code; livability standards. Expands the list of provisions in the Uniform Statewide Building Code related to recognized standards of health and safety required to be present in buildings and structures to include standards related to (i) the accumulation and growth of mold, (ii) plumbing leaks or issues, (iii) air conditioning and heating equipment and running hot water, and (iv) the removal of lead paint and paint that is flaking.

Study; Department of Education; root causes of public school bus driver shortages and working conditions of public school bus drivers in the Commonwealth; report. Requests that the Department of Education, with the assistance of each local school board, to study the root causes of public school bus driver shortages and the working conditions of public school bus drivers in the Commonwealth by (i) administering to each public school bus driver in each local school division in the Commonwealth and as many former public school bus drivers as is feasible a survey to determine the level of satisfaction with and the need for improvement to the working conditions of public school bus drivers in the Commonwealth, (ii) analyzing such survey data and such other information and data as it deems necessary and advisable, including information from other states and school districts contained therein that have had success in addressing public school bus driver shortages by addressing working conditions, and (iii) making recommendations for statutory, regulatory, or budgetary changes that may contribute to the improvement of the working conditions of public school bus drivers.

Study; Virginia State Crime Commission; hate crimes and bias-motivated acts directed toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; report. Directs the Virginia State Crime Commission to study the increase in hate crimes and bias-motivated acts directed toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the Commonwealth.

Planning; subdivision of land and zoning. Changes the definition of "subdivision" to provide that it does not preclude different owners of adjacent parcels from entering into a valid and enforceable boundary line agreement with one another so long as such agreement is only used to resolve a bona fide property line dispute, the boundary adjustment does not move by more than 250 feet from the center of the current platted line or alter either parcel's resultant acreage by more than five percent of the smaller parcel size, and such agreement does not create an additional lot, alter the existing boundary lines of localities, result in greater street frontage, or interfere with a recorded easement, and such agreement shall not result in any nonconformity with local ordinances and health department regulations. The bill also provides that for any property affected by this definition, any division of land subject to a partition suit by virtue of order or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction shall take precedence over the requirements of certain existing subdivision provisions and the minimum lot area, width, or frontage requirements in the zoning ordinance so long as the lot or parcel resulting from such order or decree does not vary from minimum lot area, width, or frontage requirements by more than 20 percent. Planning; subdivision of land and zoning. Changes the definition of "subdivision" to provide that it does not preclude different owners of adjacent parcels from entering into a valid and enforceable boundary line agreement with one another so long as such agreement is only used to resolve a bona fide property line dispute, the boundary adjustment does not move by more than 250 feet from the center of the current platted line or alter either parcel's resultant acreage by more than five percent of the smaller parcel size, and such agreement does not create an additional lot, alter the existing boundary lines of localities, result in greater street frontage, or interfere with a recorded easement, and such agreement shall not result in any nonconformity with local ordinances and health department regulations. The bill also provides that for any property affected by this definition, any division of land subject to a partition suit by virtue of order or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction shall take precedence over the requirements of certain existing subdivision provisions and the minimum lot area, width, or frontage requirements in the zoning ordinance so long as the lot or parcel resulting from such order or decree does not vary from minimum lot area, width, or frontage requirements by more than 20 percent.

Issuance of original driver's licenses to minors. Authorizes the chief juvenile and domestic relations district court judge to waive the ceremonial requirements for the issuance within the district of original driver's licenses to minors or order that the licensing ceremony be conducted in an alternative manner.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; prohibited discrimination; national origin. Provides that a landlord may not discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges with respect to the rental of a dwelling unit, or in the provision of services or facilities in the connection therewith, to any person because of such person's national origin.

Students who need or use augmentative and alternative communication; instruction; eligibility; staff training. Provides that no student who needs or uses augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), which the bill defines as any device, tool, support, or service, or any combination thereof, that facilitates any form of communication, other than oral speech, that can be used to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas, shall be denied the opportunity for inclusion in regular classrooms or the provision of age-appropriate instruction on the basis that such student may require support with AAC. The bill prohibits any individualized education program team, member of such team, or school division employee from utilizing the results of any intelligence quotient test or any other test to measure intelligence or cognitive ability to determine a student with a disability's eligibility to be provided with and use AAC at school. The bill requires each school division to document on the individualized education program of a student with a disability who needs or uses AAC, beginning prior to the provision of instruction or support to the student, including any extended school year period, the student's AAC and communication access and support needs, including, as appropriate, individualized training as an assistive technology service for each school division employee or contractor who provides instruction or direct support to such student, to support the student's use of AAC and to ensure that curricula and instruction are designed or adapted as necessary to accommodate the student's unique communication access needs. Students who need or use augmentative and alternative communication; instruction; eligibility; staff training. Provides that no student who needs or uses augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), which the bill defines as any device, tool, support, or service, or any combination thereof, that facilitates any form of communication, other than oral speech, that can be used to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas, shall be denied the opportunity for inclusion in regular classrooms or the provision of age-appropriate instruction on the basis that such student may require support with AAC. The bill prohibits any individualized education program team, member of such team, or school division employee from utilizing the results of any intelligence quotient test or any other test to measure intelligence or cognitive ability to determine a student with a disability's eligibility to be provided with and use AAC at school. The bill requires each school division to document on the individualized education program of a student with a disability who needs or uses AAC, beginning prior to the provision of instruction or support to the student, including any extended school year period, the student's AAC and communication access and support needs, including, as appropriate, individualized training as an assistive technology service for each school division employee or contractor who provides instruction or direct support to such student, to support the student's use of AAC and to ensure that curricula and instruction are designed or adapted as necessary to accommodate the student's unique communication access needs.

Generation of electricity and energy development in the Commonwealth. Requires the Department of Energy, in cooperation with the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Authority, to convene a stakeholder work group to identify strategies and any needed public policies, including statutory or regulatory changes, for promoting the development of advanced small modular reactors in localities in the Commonwealth. The bill requires the Department of Energy to consider the economic development of rural Virginia while minimizing the impact on prime farmland a key priority in updating its Virginia Energy Plan. Generation of electricity and energy development in the Commonwealth. Requires the Department of Energy, in cooperation with the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Authority, to convene a stakeholder work group to identify strategies and any needed public policies, including statutory or regulatory changes, for promoting the development of advanced small modular reactors in localities in the Commonwealth. The bill requires the Department of Energy to consider the economic development of rural Virginia while minimizing the impact on prime farmland a key priority in updating its Virginia Energy Plan. The bill requires the Virginia Cooperative Extension to develop and maintain a map or repository of prime farmland in the Commonwealth, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Department of Forestry, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Department of Energy. An initial report of such map or repository shall be submitted the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2022. Finally, the bill requires the State Corporation Commission to develop a program to encourage and expedite infrastructure investments by Dominion Energy Virginia or American Electric Power, in industrial sites determined to be relevant and in high demand by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. The bill requires such program to be implemented by December 1, 2022, and the Commission is required to submit a report including recommendations for such program by December 15, 2022, to the Governor and General Assembly.

Income taxation; pass-through entities. Permits a qualifying pass-through entity, defined in the bill, to make an annual election in taxable years 2021 through 2025 to pay an elective income tax at a rate of 5.75 percent, created by the bill, at the entity level for the taxable period covered by the return. The bill also (i) creates a corresponding refundable income tax credit for taxable years 2021 through 2025 for any amount of income derived from a pass-through entity having Virginia taxable income if such pass-through entity makes such election and pays the elective income tax imposed at the entity level and (ii) allows an individual to claim a credit for similar taxes paid to other states for taxable years 2021 through 2025.

Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund; established; report. Establishes the Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund to provide grants for projects that reduce vehicle crashes involving wildlife and improve habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. High priority projects as set forth in the Wildlife Corridor Action Plan will be funded. The Director of the Department of Wildlife Resources is directed to submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1 of each year concerning funding of the Fund and award of grants from the Fund.