Energy planning and electric utility oversight. Increases from 10 to 14 the membership of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation (the Commission) by adding three nonlegislative citizen members with expertise in ratepayer advocacy and the Attorney General or his designee from the Division of Consumer Counsel as an ex officio member; requires the Commission to annually elect a chairman and vice-chairman, meet twice annually, and receive an annual report from the State Corporation Commission by November 1 regarding the implementation of the Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act; requires newly appointed members of the Commission to receive an orientation on electric utility regulation from the State Corporation Commission annually; authorizes the Commission to employ an executive director and such other persons as it deems necessary and to employ experts who have knowledge of the issues before it; and extends the expiration of the Commission from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2029. The bill requires the Commission to (i) monitor applications by the Commonwealth for grants and awards for energy projects from the federal government, (ii) consider legislation referred to it during any session of the General Assembly or other requests by members of the General Assembly, and (iii) conduct studies and gather information and data in order to accomplish its purposes. Energy planning and electric utility oversight. Increases from 10 to 14 the membership of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation (the Commission) by adding three nonlegislative citizen members with expertise in ratepayer advocacy and the Attorney General or his designee from the Division of Consumer Counsel as an ex officio member; requires the Commission to annually elect a chairman and vice-chairman, meet twice annually, and receive an annual report from the State Corporation Commission by November 1 regarding the implementation of the Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act; requires newly appointed members of the Commission to receive an orientation on electric utility regulation from the State Corporation Commission annually; authorizes the Commission to employ an executive director and such other persons as it deems necessary and to employ experts who have knowledge of the issues before it; and extends the expiration of the Commission from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2029. The bill requires the Commission to (i) monitor applications by the Commonwealth for grants and awards for energy projects from the federal government, (ii) consider legislation referred to it during any session of the General Assembly or other requests by members of the General Assembly, and (iii) conduct studies and gather information and data in order to accomplish its purposes. The bill requires the Division of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency of the Department of Energy to present the final version of the Virginia Energy Plan to the Commission at a public meeting. The bill also requires the Commission, upon request by the Chairman of the House Committee on Commerce and Energy or the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor, to prepare a ratepayer impact statement for any proposed legislation related to electric utility regulation specified by such Chairman. Each such Chairman may request up to five ratepayer impact statements in any given regular or special session of the General Assembly. Additionally, the Commission, upon the request of any member of the General Assembly and at the Commission's discretion, may prepare a ratepayer impact statement for any proposed legislation related to electric utility regulation specified by such member. The bill changes the date by which an electric utility is required to file its updated integrated resource plan from May 1 to October 15, in each year immediately preceding the year the utility is subject to a review of rates for generation and distribution services filing, and provides that after January 1, 2024, each electric utility not subject to an annual review shall file an annual update to the integrated resource plan by October 15, in each year that the utility is subject to review of rates for generation and distribution services filing. The bill requires electric utilities, as part of preparing any integrated resource plan, to conduct outreach to engage the public in a stakeholder review process and provide opportunities for the public to contribute information, input, and ideas on the utility's integrated resource plan including the plan's development methodology, modeling inputs, and assumptions, as well as the ability for the public to make relevant inquiries, to the utility when formulating its integrated resource plan and to report its public outreach efforts to the Commission.

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. 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.

Procedure for removal of elected and certain appointed officers by courts. Sets out the procedure by which, and clarifies the reasons for which, an elected officer or officer who has been appointed to fill an elective office may be removed from office. The bill requires, among other things, that the general registrar review the petition for removal of an officer and determine its sufficiency in accordance with the uniform standards approved by the State Board of Elections and that the attorney for the Commonwealth review such petition to determine if valid grounds exist to remove the officer. If the attorney for the Commonwealth is the elected official who is subject to the removal petition, the bill specifies that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia is tasked with appointing an alternate attorney for the Commonwealth to receive such petition. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Boyd-Graves Conference.

Health insurance; provider credentialing; processing of new applications. Requires a health insurance carrier that credentials the physicians, mental health professionals, or other providers in its network to establish reasonable protocols and procedures for processing of new provider credentialing applications. The bill requires that if the carrier accepts applications through an online credentialing system, the carrier must notify a new provider applicant through the online credentialing system that the application is received. If the carrier does not accept applications through an online credentialing system, the bill requires the carrier to provide, within 10 days of receiving an application, notification to the new provider applicant that the application was received. The bill provides that, beginning January 1, 2024, a new provider applicant's application will be deemed complete within 30 days of the carrier receiving the application, unless the carrier has provided notice that the application is not complete. Under the bill, a carrier must approve or deny new provider applicant credentialing applications within 60 days of receiving a completed application and claims submitted according to carrier claims submittal policies must be adjudicated and paid no later than 40 days after the new provider applicant is credentialed and contracted. The bill directs the Virginia Department of Health to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.

Animal testing; annual report; whistle blower protections created; Animal Welfare Whistle Blower Reward Fund established; civil penalty. Requires state and private facilities using animal test methods to annually submit on or before December 1 to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services a report regarding the use of animals in biomedical or behavioral research for the preceding year. The bill also creates whistle blower protections for any violations of any animal care requirements and establishes the Animal Welfare Whistle Blower Reward Fund to provide monetary rewards to persons who have disclosed any such violations. Finally, the bill provides that violations will result in a civil penalty of not less than $500 nor more than $2,500.

Virginia Housing Development Authority; economically mixed projects; affordable rent for persons or families of low or moderate income. Provides that in any economically mixed project financed through the Virginia Housing Development Authority, at least 20 percent of the units must be held available for occupancy by persons and families earning 80 percent or less of the area median income, and the rent charged for such units shall be at least 10 percent below the rents of unrestricted units in the project. Economically mixed projects located in a locality with a population no greater than 35,000 as determined by the most recent U.S. census shall not be required to limit the rent charged for such units to at least 10 percent below the rents of unrestricted units in the project.

Department of Criminal Justice Services; two-year pilot program; safe harbor for sex trafficked youth. Provides that the Department of Criminal Justice Services, in consultation with the Virginia State Crime Commission, shall identify a suitable locality to administer a two-year Demand Reduction and Safe Harbor for Domestic Minor Sex Trafficked Youth pilot program that focuses on (i) implementing proactive reverse sting operations that target buyers of sex services, (ii) utilizing a multidisciplinary response team to coordinate assessment and treatment for victims of sex trafficking, and (iii) designing an alternative to an arrest protocol. The bill provides that the goal of the program is to reduce the arrest of sex trafficking victims, reduce demand for commercial sex exploitation by focusing on buyers, and establish high-quality education, alternative employment opportunities, and life skills for victims. Department of Criminal Justice Services; two-year pilot program; safe harbor for sex trafficked youth. Provides that the Department of Criminal Justice Services, in consultation with the Virginia State Crime Commission, shall identify a suitable locality to administer a two-year Demand Reduction and Safe Harbor for Domestic Minor Sex Trafficked Youth pilot program that focuses on (i) implementing proactive reverse sting operations that target buyers of sex services, (ii) utilizing a multidisciplinary response team to coordinate assessment and treatment for victims of sex trafficking, and (iii) designing an alternative to an arrest protocol. The bill provides that the goal of the program is to reduce the arrest of sex trafficking victims, reduce demand for commercial sex exploitation by focusing on buyers, and establish high-quality education, alternative employment opportunities, and life skills for victims.

Prescription of opioids; sickle cell anemia. Exempts prescribers from certain requirements of the Prescription Monitoring Program related to prescribing opioids if the opioid is prescribed to a patient for pain management related to sickle cell anemia.

Department of Veterans Services; veterans care center in Northern Virginia; report. Directs the Department of Veterans Services to study and develop a plan for the establishment of a veterans care center in the eastern portion of the Northern Virginia region and to report such plan to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Education and Health by November 1, 2023.

Study; Department of Energy; impacts of data center development; report. Directs the Department of Energy to study the impacts of data center development on Virginia's environment, economy, energy resources, and ability to meet carbon-reduction goals.

Trace evidence collection kit. Provides for the collection, retention, and storage of a trace evidence collection kit or anonymous trace evidence collection kit, defined in the bill, collected as part of a forensic medical examination of a victim of strangulation, with some procedures that parallel existing procedures for the collection, retention, and storage of physical evidence recovery kits collected for victims of sexual assault. The bill requires the Commonwealth to pay all medical fees relating to the collection of a trace evidence collection kit and does not require victims complaining of strangulation to participate in the criminal justice system or cooperate with law-enforcement authorities in order to be provided with such forensic medical examination. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025. Trace evidence collection kit. Provides for the collection, retention, and storage of a trace evidence collection kit or anonymous trace evidence collection kit, defined in the bill, collected as part of a forensic medical examination of a victim of strangulation, with some procedures that parallel existing procedures for the collection, retention, and storage of physical evidence recovery kits collected for victims of sexual assault. The bill requires the Commonwealth to pay all medical fees relating to the collection of a trace evidence collection kit and does not require victims complaining of strangulation to participate in the criminal justice system or cooperate with law-enforcement authorities in order to be provided with such forensic medical examination. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; compliance with certain federal requirements; work group; report. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to evaluate its ability to comply with certain federal requirements regarding the Commonwealth's right of recovery from insurance carriers for items or services for which payment was made under the state plan for medical assistance services by the effective compliance date of July 1, 2024, and to convene a work group to develop a communication plan to notify carriers of the changes required by such federal law. The bill directs the Department to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations and Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by November 1, 2023.

Short-term rental Short-term rental property; locality's ability to restrict property managed by a Virginia realtor. Provides that a locality may not restrict by ordinance any short-term rental property managed by a Virginia realtor, defined in the bill. The bill provides that a locality may not enforce an ordinance against such property where the ordinance (i) prohibits short-term rentals; (ii) limits occupancy in a short-term rental property to less than what is allowed under the building code or local zoning regulations; (iii) limits the number of days in a calendar year for which a short-term rental property can be rented; (iv) requires an owner to occupy the short-term rental property as his primary residence for any number of days in a calendar year; (v) requires any type of remote monitoring device to be installed on the short-term rental property, including decibel, audio, or video; (vi) requires exterior or interior inspections of the short-term rental property pertaining to any items defined under the building code more frequently than every five years, unless a complaint has been filed with the locality or building authority; (vii) requires repairs, renovations, or updates to the structure of the short-term rental property that are greater than those required under the applicable building code; or (viii) requires an owner to add additional or otherwise alter existing parking spaces for the short-term rental property. The provisions of the bill shall apply to any short-term rental property managed by a realtor and operating as such on or after January 1, 2023.

Compensating victims of crime; awards from Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund. Provides an exception to the general rule that a victim must fully cooperate with all law-enforcement agencies in order to receive an award from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund in those instances where the law-enforcement agency certifies that the claimant or award recipient was willing but unable to cooperate due to a good faith belief that such cooperation would have endangered such claimant or award recipient and such claimant or award recipient was not provided with any victim or witness protection services when such protection services were requested by a law-enforcement agency. Compensating victims of crime; awards from Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund. Provides an exception to the general rule that a victim must fully cooperate with all law-enforcement agencies in order to receive an award from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund in those instances where the law-enforcement agency certifies that the claimant or award recipient was willing but unable to cooperate due to a good faith belief that such cooperation would have endangered such claimant or award recipient and such claimant or award recipient was not provided with any victim or witness protection services when such protection services were requested by a law-enforcement agency.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; early termination of rental agreement; victims of sexual abuse or criminal sexual assault. Provides that a tenant who is a victim of sexual abuse or other criminal sexual assault may terminate such tenant's obligations under a rental agreement if the tenant (i) has obtained a protective order and has given proper written notice of termination during the period of the protective order or any extension thereof or (ii) as evidence of such abuse or criminal sexual assault, has obtained (a) records or files from a federal or state agency, law-enforcement agency, or court; (b) documentation from a domestic violence or sexual assault program; or (c) documentation from a religious, medical, or other professional and has given written notice of termination. Under current law, there must be a conviction before the tenant may terminate such obligations under a rental agreement.