Distribution of recordation tax to cities and counties. Reestablishes the distribution of $20 million of state recordation tax revenue to counties and cities to be used for transportation or public education purposes. Legislation in 2020 dedicated the $20 million to the Hampton Roads Regional Transit Program.

Emergency Services and Disaster Law; limitation on duration of executive orders. Limits the duration of any executive order issued by the Governor pursuant to his powers under the Emergency Services and Disaster Law to no more than 30 days from the date of issuance unless the General Assembly votes to approve a period longer than 30 days by a two-thirds majority of all members elected to each house. If a special session is called to address the emergency, it shall take place by electronic means only. Under current law, once issued, such executive orders are effective until June 30 following the next adjournment of the regular session of the General Assembly. The bill contains technical amendments. Emergency Services and Disaster Law; limitation on duration of executive orders. Limits the duration of any executive order issued by the Governor pursuant to his powers under the Emergency Services and Disaster Law to no more than 30 days from the date of issuance unless the General Assembly votes to approve a period longer than 30 days by a two-thirds majority of all members elected to each house. If a special session is called to address the emergency, it shall take place by electronic means only. Under current law, once issued, such executive orders are effective until June 30 following the next adjournment of the regular session of the General Assembly. The bill contains technical amendments.

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.

Voter identification; identification containing a photograph required. Requires presentation of a form of identification containing a photograph in order to vote. The bill repeals the provisions of law permitting a voter who does not have one of the required forms of identification to vote after signing a statement, subject to felony penalties for false statements, that he is the named registered voter he claims to be. Instead, the bill provides that such voter is entitled to cast a provisional ballot.

Commending Michael E. Karmis.

Virginia FinTech Regulatory Sandbox Program; temporary product testing; consumer protections; report. Creates the Virginia FinTech Regulatory Sandbox Program, which allows participants to temporarily test a financial product or service on a limited basis without otherwise being licensed or authorized to conduct such business under the laws of the Commonwealth. The bill specifies application requirements and requires approval by the State Corporation Commission prior to an applicant's participation in the Program. Participants in the Program have a period of 24 months to conduct testing of a financial product or service with the possibility of an additional 12 months of testing if an agreement to do so is reached with the Commission. In addition, the bill provides that up to 30 days before the end of the testing period, a participant may request an extension of up to six months for the purpose of obtaining a license or other authorization for conducting business in the Commonwealth. Participants must provide required disclosures to consumers, and the bill gives the Commission the right to remove Program participants and to require assurances regarding consumer protections during the testing period. The bill also includes recordkeeping and reporting requirements for Program participants and a requirement for the Commission to provide an annual report to the General Assembly.

School principals; incident reports; violent offenses. School principals; incident reports; violent offenses. Requires that school principals report to law enforcement any felony offenses and violent offenses enumerated in the bill that may constitute a criminal offense. Under the bill, principals have discretion to report certain non-violent crimes to law enforcement. Under current law, principals are required to make such reports to law enforcement only for such acts that may constitute a felony offense.

Board of Education; local school boards; public notice and comment regarding certain materials. Requires the Board of Education (the Board), in order to provide appropriate opportunity for input from the general public, parents, teachers, and local school boards, to solicit public comment prior to revising, adopting, or approving any Standards of Learning resource guide or curriculum framework, list of recommended textbooks in any Standards of Learning academic subject, textbook, instructional aid or material, or required or recommended reading list. The bill requires the Board to publish notice of its intended action at least 30 days prior to soliciting public comment, provide interested parties reasonable opportunity to be heard and present information prior to final action of the Board, and make such materials available for public inspection at least 30 days prior to final revision, adoption, or approval, as the case may be. Under current law, such requirements for public input apply only to the adoption or revision of Standards of Learning resource guides and lists of recommended textbooks in any Standards of Learning academic subject. The bill also requires the Board to establish minimum standards for local school boards to provide appropriate opportunity for input from the general public, parents, and teachers by soliciting public comment prior to revising, adopting, or approving any curriculum, textbook, instructional aid or material, or required or recommended reading list. The bill requires each local school board to comply with such minimum standards, which are required to include opportunities for public input that are substantially similar to those that are required to be provided by the Board. Board of Education; local school boards; public notice and comment regarding certain materials. Requires the Board of Education (the Board), in order to provide appropriate opportunity for input from the general public, parents, teachers, and local school boards, to solicit public comment prior to revising, adopting, or approving any Standards of Learning resource guide or curriculum framework, list of recommended textbooks in any Standards of Learning academic subject, textbook, instructional aid or material, or required or recommended reading list. The bill requires the Board to publish notice of its intended action at least 30 days prior to soliciting public comment, provide interested parties reasonable opportunity to be heard and present information prior to final action of the Board, and make such materials available for public inspection at least 30 days prior to final revision, adoption, or approval, as the case may be. Under current law, such requirements for public input apply only to the adoption or revision of Standards of Learning resource guides and lists of recommended textbooks in any Standards of Learning academic subject. The bill also requires the Board to establish minimum standards for local school boards to provide appropriate opportunity for input from the general public, parents, and teachers by soliciting public comment prior to revising, adopting, or approving any curriculum, textbook, instructional aid or material, or required or recommended reading list. The bill requires each local school board to comply with such minimum standards, which are required to include opportunities for public input that are substantially similar to those that are required to be provided by the Board.

Telework expenses tax credit. Reinstates the telework expenses tax credit for taxable years 2022 through 2031. The previous version of the credit expired on January 1, 2019. The bill removes requirements that were in place under the previous version of the credit, such as requiring the employee and employer to sign a telework agreement. The bill also eliminates a previous requirement that credit claimants apply for and reserve credits in advance and instead directs the Department of Taxation to develop procedures for claiming the credit.

Study; OES to study feasibility of establishing a uniform electronic filing system for all state circuit, general district, and juvenile and domestic relations courts and provide a plan for the establishment of such system; report. Requests the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia to (i) determine the cost of the creation and implementation of a uniform filing system for all state circuit, general district, and juvenile and domestic relations district courts; (ii) identify any potential challenges of and concerns relating to establishing a statewide electronic filing system, such as Internet availability in certain parts of the state, balancing accessibility and transparency while maintaining confidentiality as required for certain cases, security concerns, system failure or outages, and training for users of the system, and determine possible solutions for identified concerns; (iii) analyze the current federal electronic filing system and plans implemented in other states to determine best practices for developing and implementing a statewide system for all circuit and district courts in the Commonwealth; and (iv) develop a plan for the establishment of a uniform electronic filing system in all circuit and district courts in the Commonwealth.

Study; JLARC; Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; Study; JLARC; Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to, by November 30, 2023, (i) review general operations of the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission, including (a) procedures and persons responsible for reviewing complaints received and determining whether to dismiss or investigate such complaints, (b) processes for determining whether to conduct informal or formal hearings, and (c) any informal or established rules used to determine disciplinary action imposed on a judge or justice; (ii) consider the requirements for election of members of the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission and determine whether (a) the current number of members and (b) the qualifications of members elected are adequate to ensure proper judicial oversight and accountability; (iii) identify areas of weakness and potential areas of improvement; (iv) research best practices for judicial accountability and discipline; (v) provide recommendations to increase transparency, eliminate actual or perceived bias, increase efficiency and establish deadlines or specific timeframes for resolving complaints, provide effective interventions prior to the need for disciplinary action, and establish rules surrounding the types of disciplinary actions taken and when to take specific disciplinary action; and (vi) keep confidential all records, transcripts, papers, investigatory notes, files, or other confidential information provided by the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission.

Regulated hemp products. Directs the Board of Directors of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority to establish a scheme for the regulation of hemp products intended for smoking, edible hemp products, and topical hemp products.

Child labor; tobacco farms; civil penalty. Prohibits any person from employing a child under the age of 18 to work in direct contact with tobacco plants or dried tobacco leaves unless (i) the owner of the farm or other location at which such work is conducted is the child's parent, grandparent, or legal guardian or (ii) the child's parent or legal guardian has consented in writing to such employment.

Health care provider panels; vertically integrated carriers; reimbursements to providers. Requires any vertically integrated carrier, upon written request, to offer participation in each requested provider panel or network established for each of the vertically integrated carrier's policies, products, and plans, including all policies, products, and plans offered to individuals, employers, and enrollees in government benefit programs, to the requesting provider under the same terms and conditions that apply to providers under common control with the vertically integrated carrier. The measure requires that the offered participation (i) be without any adverse tiering or other financial incentives that may discourage enrollees from utilizing the services of the provider, (ii) include all sites and services offered by the provider, and (iii) take into account the different characteristics of different providers with regard to the range, nature, cost, and complexity of services offered. The measure prohibits an officer or director of a vertically integrated carrier from simultaneously serving as an officer or director of an entity that owns, operates, manages, or controls an acute care hospital located, in whole or in part, in the Commonwealth. The measure defines "vertically integrated carrier" as a health insurer or other carrier that owns an interest in, is owned by, or is under common ownership or control with an acute care hospital facility, excluding an entity that is under the ultimate control of or under common control with a public hospital. Health care provider panels; vertically integrated carriers; reimbursements to providers. Requires any vertically integrated carrier, upon written request, to offer participation in each requested provider panel or network established for each of the vertically integrated carrier's policies, products, and plans, including all policies, products, and plans offered to individuals, employers, and enrollees in government benefit programs, to the requesting provider under the same terms and conditions that apply to providers under common control with the vertically integrated carrier. The measure requires that the offered participation (i) be without any adverse tiering or other financial incentives that may discourage enrollees from utilizing the services of the provider, (ii) include all sites and services offered by the provider, and (iii) take into account the different characteristics of different providers with regard to the range, nature, cost, and complexity of services offered. The measure prohibits an officer or director of a vertically integrated carrier from simultaneously serving as an officer or director of an entity that owns, operates, manages, or controls an acute care hospital located, in whole or in part, in the Commonwealth. The measure defines "vertically integrated carrier" as a health insurer or other carrier that owns an interest in, is owned by, or is under common ownership or control with an acute care hospital facility, excluding an entity that is under the ultimate control of or under common control with a public hospital.

Illegal gambling and unlawful gaming; Illegal Gambling and Unlawful Gaming Investigation Unit; penalties. Increases criminal penalties for various violations of illegal gambling and unlawful gaming. The bill also establishes the Illegal Gambling and Unlawful Gaming Investigation Unit (the Unit) within the Department of State Police. The bill establishes the Illegal Gambling and Unlawful Gaming Fund for the purpose of funding the activities of the Unit. Illegal gambling and unlawful gaming; Illegal Gambling and Unlawful Gaming Investigation Unit; penalties. Increases criminal penalties for various violations of illegal gambling and unlawful gaming. The bill also establishes the Illegal Gambling and Unlawful Gaming Investigation Unit (the Unit) within the Department of State Police. The bill establishes the Illegal Gambling and Unlawful Gaming Fund for the purpose of funding the activities of the Unit.