Sentencing guidelines; written explanation; appeal. Requires that the written explanation the court files with the record of a case when departing from the sentencing guidelines adequately explains the sentence imposed to promote fair sentencing. The bill also provides that the failure to follow any of the required sentencing provisions, including the failure to provide a written explanation that adequately explains the sentence imposed, shall be reviewable on appeal or may the basis of any other post-conviction relief. The bill also provides that the failure to provide a written explanation that adequately explains the sentence imposed is error that may constitute a basis for resentencing by the trial judge. Under current law, the failure to follow any or all of the provisions of the sentencing guidelines or the failure to follow any or all of such provisions in the prescribed manner is not reviewable on appeal and cannot be the basis of any other post-conviction relief. The provisions of the bill apply only to those sentencing hearings conducted and such sentences imposed on or after July 1, 2022. Sentencing guidelines; written explanation; appeal. Requires that the written explanation the court files with the record of a case when departing from the sentencing guidelines adequately explains the sentence imposed to promote fair sentencing. The bill also provides that the failure to follow any of the required sentencing provisions, including the failure to provide a written explanation that adequately explains the sentence imposed, shall be reviewable on appeal or may the basis of any other post-conviction relief. The bill also provides that the failure to provide a written explanation that adequately explains the sentence imposed is error that may constitute a basis for resentencing by the trial judge. Under current law, the failure to follow any or all of the provisions of the sentencing guidelines or the failure to follow any or all of such provisions in the prescribed manner is not reviewable on appeal and cannot be the basis of any other post-conviction relief. The provisions of the bill apply only to those sentencing hearings conducted and such sentences imposed on or after July 1, 2022.

Cannabis control; vertical integration; social equity. Requires the Board of Directors of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (the Board) to promulgate regulations that allow to qualify as a social equity applicant, and therefore receive certain licensing preferences and advantages, any applicant that has lived or been domiciled for at least 12 months in the Commonwealth and whose principal place of business is, and was prior to July 1, 2021, located in a jurisdiction determined by the Board to be economically distressed. The bill also provides that, if an act of assembly is passed by the 2022 Session of the General Assembly that creates licenses to allow for the cultivation, manufacture, wholesale, and retail sale of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products in the Commonwealth, any industrial hemp processor that meets certain registration, program, and production requirements set forth in the bill shall be permitted to possess one or any combination of such licenses upon payment of a $1 million fee to the Board and submission of and compliance with a diversity, equity, and inclusion plan.

Bicycle operators; failure to stop at a stop sign. Imposes a $500 fine on the operator of a bicycle who fails to stop at a stop sign. The bill also provides that the bicycle shall be impounded for a period of six months.

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); marriage; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; affirmative right to marry. Provides for a referendum at the November 8, 2022, election to approve or reject an amendment that would repeal the constitutional provision defining marriage as only a union between a man and woman as well as the related provisions that are no longer valid as a result of the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015). The amendment provides that the right to marry is a fundamental right inherent in the liberty of persons and requires the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions and agents to issue marriage licenses, recognize marriages, and treat all marriages equally under the law, regardless of the sex or gender of the parties to the marriage. Religious organizations and clergy acting in their religious capacity have the right to refuse to perform any marriage.

Common interest communities; prohibition on refusal to recognize a licensed real estate broker. Clarifies the prohibition on property owners' associations and unit owners' associations pursuant to the Property Owners' Association Act (§ 55.1-1800 et seq.) and the Virginia Condominium Act (§ 55.1-1900 et seq.), as the case may be, refusing to recognize a licensed real estate broker that is designated by the lot owner or unit owner as such lot owner's or unit owner's authorized representative, provided that the property owners' association or unit owners' association is given a written authorization signed by the lot owner or unit owner designating such licensed individual as his authorized representative and containing certain information for such designated representative. The bill also expands the list of authorized persons to whom a seller or seller's authorized agent may provide a written request for the delivery of the association disclosure packet or resale certificate. The bill contains a technical amendment.

Health insurance; coverage for donated human breast milk. Requires health insurers, corporations providing health care coverage subscription contracts, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for expenses incurred in the provision of pasteurized donated human breast milk. The requirement applies if the covered person is an infant under the age of six months, the milk is obtained from a human milk bank that meets quality guidelines established by the Department of Health, and a licensed medical practitioner has issued an order for an infant who satisfies certain criteria. The measure applies to policies, contracts, and plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024. The measure also requires the state plan for medical assistance services to include a provision for payment of medical assistance services incurred in the provision of pasteurized donated human breast milk. The bill requires the Department of Health to establish quality guidelines for human milk banks that operate, sell, distribute, or collect milk in Virginia by July 1, 2023. The provisions of the bill other than the requirement for the Department of Health to establish quality guidelines have a delayed enactment of July 1, 2023. This bill is a recommendation of the Health Insurance Reform Commission. Health insurance; coverage for donated human breast milk. Requires health insurers, corporations providing health care coverage subscription contracts, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for expenses incurred in the provision of pasteurized donated human breast milk. The requirement applies if the covered person is an infant under the age of six months, the milk is obtained from a human milk bank that meets quality guidelines established by the Department of Health, and a licensed medical practitioner has issued an order for an infant who satisfies certain criteria. The measure applies to policies, contracts, and plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024. The measure also requires the state plan for medical assistance services to include a provision for payment of medical assistance services incurred in the provision of pasteurized donated human breast milk. The bill requires the Department of Health to establish quality guidelines for human milk banks that operate, sell, distribute, or collect milk in Virginia by July 1, 2023. The provisions of the bill other than the requirement for the Department of Health to establish quality guidelines have a delayed enactment of July 1, 2023. This bill is a recommendation of the Health Insurance Reform Commission.

Carrying a firearm or explosive material within Capitol Square and the surrounding area, into building owned or leased by the Commonwealth, etc.; penalty. Repeals the prohibition on carrying a firearm or explosive material within (i) the Capitol of Virginia; (ii) Capitol Square and the surrounding area; (iii) any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth or any agency thereof; or (iv) any office where employees of the Commonwealth or any agency thereof are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties. Current law makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to carry a firearm or explosive material within these areas, subject to certain exceptions, including the following individuals while acting in the conduct of such person's official duties: any law-enforcement officer, any authorized security personnel, any active military personnel, any fire marshal when such fire marshal has been granted police powers, or any member of a cadet corps while such member is participating in an official ceremonial event for the Commonwealth.

Filing an order of disposition from a criminal case in general district courts. Provides that any adult criminal disposition for a misdemeanor or felony in a juvenile and domestic relations district court may be submitted to the general district court of the same territorial jurisdiction to be filed as a general district court record upon a petition filed by the victim of the offense and with the consent of the juvenile and domestic relations district court.

Compensation for wrongful incarceration. Modifies the formula for compensating wrongfully incarcerated persons to equal $55,000 per year of incarceration, adjusted for inflation, changes the amount of compensation that may be paid out as a lump sum to equal 25 percent of the total award with the remainder to be paid out as an annuity with a term of 10 years, provides that the General Assembly may pay to the wrongfully incarcerated person the amount of court costs and other charges incurred to receive the compensation, and allows a wrongfully incarcerated person who submitted an Alford plea to receive compensation for such wrongful incarceration. The bill also provides an income tax subtraction for any compensation awarded to a wrongfully incarcerated person.

Organ donors; unpaid leave; civil penalty. Requires that an employer that employs 15 or more employees provide eligible employees with (i) up to 60 business days of unpaid organ donation leave in any 12-month period to serve as an organ donor and (ii) up to 30 business days of unpaid organ donation leave in any 12-month period to serve as a bone marrow donor. The bill requires the employer to restore the employee's position following the leave, to continue to provide coverage for the employee under any health benefit plan, and to pay the employee any commission earned prior to the leave. The bill prohibits the employer from taking retaliatory action against the employee for taking organ donation leave. The bill requires the Commissioner of Labor and Industry to enforce its provisions and provides for civil penalties for violations of its requirements.

College partnership laboratory schools; application and establishment. Permits any public institution of higher education or private institution of higher education to apply to the Board of Education (the Board) to establish a college partnership laboratory school as a new school or through the conversion of all or part of an existing school. Under current law, only public and private institutions of higher education that operate approved teacher education programs are permitted to apply to the Board to establish such a school and no explicit provision is made for the conversion of an existing school. The bill permits college partnership laboratory schools to enter into a memorandum of understanding with any individual or entity to provide apprenticeships, career training, and curriculum support to carry out the provisions of law relating to such schools. The bill requires the Board, in reviewing such applications, to give substantial preference to any application from a historically black college or university and any application to establish a college partnership laboratory school in an underserved community, which the bill defines as a geographical area that is served by public schools in which a high percentage of students are eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunch, as determined by the Board. College partnership laboratory schools; application and establishment. Permits any public institution of higher education or private institution of higher education to apply to the Board of Education (the Board) to establish a college partnership laboratory school as a new school or through the conversion of all or part of an existing school. Under current law, only public and private institutions of higher education that operate approved teacher education programs are permitted to apply to the Board to establish such a school and no explicit provision is made for the conversion of an existing school. The bill permits college partnership laboratory schools to enter into a memorandum of understanding with any individual or entity to provide apprenticeships, career training, and curriculum support to carry out the provisions of law relating to such schools. The bill requires the Board, in reviewing such applications, to give substantial preference to any application from a historically black college or university and any application to establish a college partnership laboratory school in an underserved community, which the bill defines as a geographical area that is served by public schools in which a high percentage of students are eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunch, as determined by the Board.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology; admissions requirements. Requires the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology academic year Governor's School in Fairfax County to annually admit for first-time enrollment as freshmen at least 100 students who reside in the Loudoun County school division.

Secretary of Education and Superintendent of Public Instruction; revisions to Standard of Learning summative assessments. Directs the Secretary of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene and consult a work group to revise the Standards of Learning summative assessments of proficiency and to develop a plan for implementation of such revised assessments that shall consider best practices and innovations in summative assessments of proficiency, alternative approaches to current and new assessment items, assessment items that include open-ended questions, long-form writing, and other tasks, a plan for pilot implementation of such assessment items prior to the 2027–2028 school year, the development of a bank of vetted sample assessment items, recommended legislative and regulatory changes and funding necessary to implement approaches considered by the work group, and a proposed timeline for implementation. The bill requires the Department of Education to submit its initial plan for implementation of revised Standards of Learning summative assessments developed by the work group to the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2023, with annual updates on implementation of such plan no later than November 1 each year thereafter through 2027. Secretary of Education and Superintendent of Public Instruction; revisions to Standard of Learning summative assessments. Directs the Secretary of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene and consult a work group to revise the Standards of Learning summative assessments of proficiency and to develop a plan for implementation of such revised assessments that shall consider best practices and innovations in summative assessments of proficiency, alternative approaches to current and new assessment items, assessment items that include open-ended questions, long-form writing, and other tasks, a plan for pilot implementation of such assessment items prior to the 2027–2028 school year, the development of a bank of vetted sample assessment items, recommended legislative and regulatory changes and funding necessary to implement approaches considered by the work group, and a proposed timeline for implementation. The bill requires the Department of Education to submit its initial plan for implementation of revised Standards of Learning summative assessments developed by the work group to the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2023, with annual updates on implementation of such plan no later than November 1 each year thereafter through 2027.

Sales and transient occupancy taxes; accommodations intermediaries. Changes the process by which sales and transient occupancy taxes are collected from accommodations sales involving accommodations intermediaries. Under current law, accommodations intermediaries remit these taxes to the Department of Taxation or a locality, or a hotel, depending on the circumstances. The bill requires accommodations intermediaries to collect such taxes and remit them to the Department of Taxation or a locality, as applicable. The bill also provides that in a transaction involving multiple parties that may be considered accommodations intermediaries, such parties may agree that one party shall be responsible for collecting and remitting the taxes. In such event, the party agreeing to collect and remit such taxes shall be the sole party liable for the tax. Accommodations intermediaries shall submit to localities certain information on accommodations facilitated by the intermediary on a monthly basis. The bill also broadens the definition of accommodations intermediary. Sales and transient occupancy taxes; accommodations intermediaries. Changes the process by which sales and transient occupancy taxes are collected from accommodations sales involving accommodations intermediaries. Under current law, accommodations intermediaries remit these taxes to the Department of Taxation or a locality, or a hotel, depending on the circumstances. The bill requires accommodations intermediaries to collect such taxes and remit them to the Department of Taxation or a locality, as applicable. The bill also provides that in a transaction involving multiple parties that may be considered accommodations intermediaries, such parties may agree that one party shall be responsible for collecting and remitting the taxes. In such event, the party agreeing to collect and remit such taxes shall be the sole party liable for the tax. Accommodations intermediaries shall submit to localities certain information on accommodations facilitated by the intermediary on a monthly basis. The bill also broadens the definition of accommodations intermediary. The bill directs the Department of Taxation to publish guidelines on implementation of the bill by August 1, 2022, and to convene a work group to examine the processes used to collect local transient occupancy taxes and make recommendations for improvements. The substantive provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of October 1, 2022.

Income tax; standard deduction. Increases the standard deduction, starting with taxable year 2022, from $4,500 to $9,000 for single filers and from $9,000 to $18,000 for married filers (one-half of such amount in the case of a married individual filing a separate return). The increase would remain in effect until taxable year 2026, when the standard deduction is scheduled to be reduced to $3,000 for single filers and to $6,000 for married filers. Income tax; standard deduction. Increases the standard deduction, starting with taxable year 2022, from $4,500 to $9,000 for single filers and from $9,000 to $18,000 for married filers (one-half of such amount in the case of a married individual filing a separate return). The increase would remain in effect until taxable year 2026, when the standard deduction is scheduled to be reduced to $3,000 for single filers and to $6,000 for married filers.