Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact. Authorizes Virginia to become a signatory to the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact. The Compact increases public access to audiology and speech-language pathology services by providing for the mutual recognition of other member state licenses for such services. The Compact has been enacted in 23 states and the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Compact Commission is currently preparing rules and bylaws in order for the member states to be fully integrated in the Compact's data system.

Prohibited sales and loans to juveniles; definition of sexual conduct. Clarifies the definition of "sexual conduct" so that it is neutral regarding sexual orientation for the purposes of crimes related to prohibited sales and loans to juveniles.

Substance abuse counselors; barrier crimes; exception. Allows persons with convictions for possession of a controlled substance to work at adult substance abuse or adult mental health treatment programs.

Rights of persons with disabilities; definitions; mobility-impaired person. Removes from the definition of "mobility-impaired person" the requirement that such person complete training to use a dog for service or support as a prerequisite to invoking the rights of persons with disabilities under Chapter 9 (§ 51.5-40 et seq.) of Title 51.5.

Paid sick leave; health care providers and grocery store workers. Requires employers to provide paid sick leave to health care providers and grocery store workers. Under current law, employers are only required to provide paid sick leave to certain home health workers. The bill removes requirements that workers work on average at least 20 hours per week or 90 hours per month to be eligible for paid sick leave. The bill provides that certain health care providers may waive their right to accrue and use paid sick leave and provides an exemption for employers of certain other health care providers. The bill requires the Department of Labor and Industry to develop guidelines for retail employers that sell groceries to provide sick leave and to publish such guidelines by December 1, 2023. The provisions of the bill other than the requirement for the Department of Labor and Industry to develop guidelines have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2024. Paid sick leave; health care providers and grocery store workers. Requires employers to provide paid sick leave to health care providers and grocery store workers. Under current law, employers are only required to provide paid sick leave to certain home health workers. The bill removes requirements that workers work on average at least 20 hours per week or 90 hours per month to be eligible for paid sick leave. The bill provides that certain health care providers may waive their right to accrue and use paid sick leave and provides an exemption for employers of certain other health care providers. The bill requires the Department of Labor and Industry to develop guidelines for retail employers that sell groceries to provide sick leave and to publish such guidelines by December 1, 2023. The provisions of the bill other than the requirement for the Department of Labor and Industry to develop guidelines have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2024.

Department of Criminal Justice Services; powers and duties; Secured Schools Program and Fund. Establishes the Secured Schools Program and Secured Schools Program Fund, established by and implemented by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, as a comprehensive, prompt, and reliable first warning notification and emergency broadcast system for each public safety answering point (PSAP) in the Commonwealth to (i) allow elementary or secondary school faculty to alert the local PSAP of an imminent threat to public safety within the elementary or secondary school and (ii) alert administration at each elementary and secondary school located within such PSAP's service area in the case of an imminent threat to public safety within the proximity boundary of the elementary or secondary school, as established by school administrators and local law enforcement. The bill allows such alerts to be issued by means of website announcements; email notices; phone, cellular phone, or text messages; alert lines; public address systems; panic buttons; or any other means of communication. The bill directs the Department to adopt regulations governing the implementation of the Program, in accordance with criteria provided in the bill, and establish criteria for funding the Program through disbursements from the Fund. Department of Criminal Justice Services; powers and duties; Secured Schools Program and Fund. Establishes the Secured Schools Program and Secured Schools Program Fund, established by and implemented by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, as a comprehensive, prompt, and reliable first warning notification and emergency broadcast system for each public safety answering point (PSAP) in the Commonwealth to (i) allow elementary or secondary school faculty to alert the local PSAP of an imminent threat to public safety within the elementary or secondary school and (ii) alert administration at each elementary and secondary school located within such PSAP's service area in the case of an imminent threat to public safety within the proximity boundary of the elementary or secondary school, as established by school administrators and local law enforcement. The bill allows such alerts to be issued by means of website announcements; email notices; phone, cellular phone, or text messages; alert lines; public address systems; panic buttons; or any other means of communication. The bill directs the Department to adopt regulations governing the implementation of the Program, in accordance with criteria provided in the bill, and establish criteria for funding the Program through disbursements from the Fund.

Removal or restriction of access to printed or audiovisual material in public school libraries; review standards and procedures; protected classes or characteristics. Prohibits local school boards from removing or restricting access to printed or audiovisual materials available in public school libraries solely on the basis of the presence of characters, literary elements, themes, symbols, or other literary content relating to protected characteristics, including race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability or other medical condition, or protected classes as defined in relevant law. The bill further provides that each school board must apply review standards related to the removal or restriction of access to printed or audiovisual material in public secondary school libraries, including those involving sexual content or nudity, consistently and equally, free from viewpoint discrimination based on the presence of literary representations of or literary content relating to such protected classes or protected characteristics.

Renewable energy; biomass-fired facilities; Department of Forestry advisory panel; report. Removes the renewable energy requirement for each Phase I and Phase II Utility to retire all biomass-fired electric generating units that do not co-fire with coal by December 31, 2028. The bill provides that biomass-fired facilities may qualify as renewable energy standard eligible sources, provided that they are in operation as of January 1, 2023, and (i) supply no more than 10 percent of their annual net electrical generation to the electric grid or no more than 15 percent of their annual total useful energy to any entity other than the manufacturing facility to which the generating source is interconnected and are fueled by forest-product manufacturing materials harvested in accordance with best management practices or (ii) are owned by a Phase I or Phase II Utility, have less than 52 megawatts capacity, and are fueled by forest-product manufacturing residuals, biowastes, or biomass harvested in accordance with best management practices. The bill directs the Department of Forestry to convene an advisory panel to examine the use of forest-related materials, agricultural-related materials, and solid woody waste materials for biomass-fired electric generating units in the Commonwealth and to submit a report of the advisory panel's findings and any recommendations to the House Committee on Commerce and Energy and the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor no later than December 1, 2024. The bill further directs the Department of Forestry to develop by December 1, 2023, best management practices for the sustainable harvesting of biomass for biomass-fired electric generating units that are subject to the provisions of the bill.

Study; Department of Conservation and Recreation; Mayo River State Park; report. Requests the Department of Conservation and Recreation to study the feasibility of establishing a state park in Henry County between the North Mayo River and the South Mayo River.

Joint Subcommittee on Tax Policy; to analyze tax credits and economic security payments. Directs the Joint Subcommittee on Tax Policy to review and analyze options for a state-level grant program, tax credit, or refund for families, including the expansion of the earned income tax credit, the creation of a state-level child tax credit or child and dependent care tax credit, and the creation of a grant program to provide grants to local social services departments for the provision of monthly economic security payments to families with children. Joint Subcommittee on Tax Policy; to analyze tax credits and economic security payments. Directs the Joint Subcommittee on Tax Policy to review and analyze options for a state-level grant program, tax credit, or refund for families, including the expansion of the earned income tax credit, the creation of a state-level child tax credit or child and dependent care tax credit, and the creation of a grant program to provide grants to local social services departments for the provision of monthly economic security payments to families with children.

Green and alternative energy job creation tax credit. Adds methane extracted in Planning District 2 to the list of alternative sources of energy production that qualify an industry as a creator of green jobs for purposes of the green job creation tax credit, which is renamed the green and alternative energy job creation tax credit by the bill. The bill applies to taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2023. Green and alternative energy job creation tax credit. Adds methane extracted in Planning District 2 to the list of alternative sources of energy production that qualify an industry as a creator of green jobs for purposes of the green job creation tax credit, which is renamed the green and alternative energy job creation tax credit by the bill. The bill applies to taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2023.

Standard of Quality 2; specialized student support position ratio. Amends Standard of Quality 2 by increasing the required number of specialized student support positions from at least three to at least four such positions per 1,000 students. Such specialized student support positions include school social workers, school psychologists, school nurses, licensed behavior analysts, licensed assistant behavior analysts, and other licensed health and behavioral positions. Standard of Quality 2; specialized student support position ratio. Amends Standard of Quality 2 by increasing the required number of specialized student support positions from at least three to at least four such positions per 1,000 students. Such specialized student support positions include school social workers, school psychologists, school nurses, licensed behavior analysts, licensed assistant behavior analysts, and other licensed health and behavioral positions.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; private contracts; payment of subcontractors. Clarifies certain definitions throughout the Code for consistency between public and private construction contracts. The bill updates the notice required when a general contractor withholds all or a part of the amount invoiced by a subcontractor in a public construction contract and when an owner withholds payment from a general contractor to include language specifically identifying the contractual noncompliance, the dollar amount being withheld, and the lower-tier subcontractor responsible for the contractual noncompliance.

Peninsula Airport Commission. Adds to the Peninsula Airport Commission (the Commission) one member from the City of Poquoson, one member from the City of Williamsburg, one member from James City County, one member from York County, and one additional member for every 65,000 residents in any member locality, appointed by the respective governing body. The bill requires the addition of one member, to be appointed by the Governor, when there are an even number of members eligible to be appointed to the Commission. The bill provides that any locality is automatically excluded from the Commission if it fails to pay its proportionate share of the cost of participation by June 30, 2024. The bill repeals various provisions authorizing certain localities to join the Commission upon the terms and consent of the Commission. The bill requires the chairman position to rotate between the member localities annually beginning with a representative from the locality with the lowest population and continuing in order to the locality with the highest population. The bill provides a staggered schedule for original appointments of new members, requires the Cities of Hampton and Newport News to determine which one of the two members currently representing each locality will continue as members, and provides that the terms of the other members representing the Cities of Hampton and Newport News shall expire on July 1, 2023.

Electric vehicle charging stations; requirement for certain developments. Provides that any locality may by ordinance require electric vehicle charging stations as part of subdivision or site plan approval for a development containing commercial, industrial, or multifamily residential uses with a density of seven residential dwelling units per acre or greater. This bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2024. Electric vehicle charging stations; requirement for certain developments. Provides that any locality may by ordinance require electric vehicle charging stations as part of subdivision or site plan approval for a development containing commercial, industrial, or multifamily residential uses with a density of seven residential dwelling units per acre or greater. This bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2024.