Certain federal pandemic relief funds for public education; certain conditions. Requires any local school division that, as of July 1, 2023, has available and unspent or unobligated federal ESSER formula funds exceeding 20 percent of its total awarded allocations to return unspent or unobligated ESSER or GEER state set-aside funds awarded to the local school division by the Virginia Department of Education (the Department) to the Department no later than July 15, 2023, unless precluded by federal law or regulation. The bill requires the Department to subsequently expend, including through awarding such funds to local school divisions, any such returned ESSER or GEER state set-aside funds for student instruction and remediation. The bill also requires each local school division to obtain the approval of the local school board for its federal ESSER III spending plan, update such spending plan at least once every six months, and publish such spending plan in an accessible format on a publicly available website. Certain federal pandemic relief funds for public education; certain conditions. Requires any local school division that, as of July 1, 2023, has available and unspent or unobligated federal ESSER formula funds exceeding 20 percent of its total awarded allocations to return unspent or unobligated ESSER or GEER state set-aside funds awarded to the local school division by the Virginia Department of Education (the Department) to the Department no later than July 15, 2023, unless precluded by federal law or regulation. The bill requires the Department to subsequently expend, including through awarding such funds to local school divisions, any such returned ESSER or GEER state set-aside funds for student instruction and remediation. The bill also requires each local school division to obtain the approval of the local school board for its federal ESSER III spending plan, update such spending plan at least once every six months, and publish such spending plan in an accessible format on a publicly available website.

Standards of Quality; work-based learning; teacher leaders and mentors; principal mentors; certain personnel positions and initiatives. Makes several changes to the Standards of Quality, including requiring the establishment of units in the Department of Education to oversee work-based learning and principal mentorship statewide and requiring the Board of Education to establish and oversee the local implementation of teacher leader and teacher mentor programs in Standard 5. The bill also makes several changes relating to school personnel in Standard 2, including (i) requiring each school board to employ teacher leaders and teacher mentors at specified student-to-position ratios; (ii) lowering the ratio of English language learner students to teachers; (iii) lowering the ratio of assistant principals to students in each elementary, middle, and high school; (iv) lowering the ratio of school counselors to students in grades kindergarten through 12; and (v) 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.

Certain retired licensed public school employees; continued employment; service retirement allowance. Permits any person receiving a service retirement allowance from the Virginia Retirement System who is hired by a local school board as an instructional or administrative employee required to be licensed by the Board of Education or as a school bus driver to elect to continue to receive the retirement allowance during such employment if he has been receiving such retirement allowance for at least two academic semesters, or the equivalent, preceding his employment and is not receiving a retirement benefit pursuant to an early retirement incentive program from any local school division within the Commonwealth. Current law permits any person receiving a service retirement allowance from the Virginia Retirement System who is hired by a local school board as an instructional or administrative employee required to be licensed by the Board of Education or as a school bus driver to elect to continue to receive the retirement allowance during such employment if he has been receiving such retirement allowance for at least 12 calendar months preceding his employment, he is not receiving a retirement benefit pursuant to an early retirement incentive program from any local school division within the Commonwealth, and at the time he is employed, the position to which he is assigned is among those identified by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the relevant division superintendent, or the relevant local school board as a critical shortage area. The bill also extends from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2030, the sunset date for provisions (i) requiring school boards, division superintendents, if so requested, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to annually identify and report critical shortages of teachers and administrative personnel and (ii) permitting any person receiving a service retirement allowance who is hired as a local school board instructional or administrative employee required to be licensed by the Board of Education to elect to continue to receive the retirement allowance during such employment under certain conditions. Certain retired licensed public school employees; continued employment; service retirement allowance. Permits any person receiving a service retirement allowance from the Virginia Retirement System who is hired by a local school board as an instructional or administrative employee required to be licensed by the Board of Education or as a school bus driver to elect to continue to receive the retirement allowance during such employment if he has been receiving such retirement allowance for at least two academic semesters, or the equivalent, preceding his employment and is not receiving a retirement benefit pursuant to an early retirement incentive program from any local school division within the Commonwealth. Current law permits any person receiving a service retirement allowance from the Virginia Retirement System who is hired by a local school board as an instructional or administrative employee required to be licensed by the Board of Education or as a school bus driver to elect to continue to receive the retirement allowance during such employment if he has been receiving such retirement allowance for at least 12 calendar months preceding his employment, he is not receiving a retirement benefit pursuant to an early retirement incentive program from any local school division within the Commonwealth, and at the time he is employed, the position to which he is assigned is among those identified by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the relevant division superintendent, or the relevant local school board as a critical shortage area. The bill also extends from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2030, the sunset date for provisions (i) requiring school boards, division superintendents, if so requested, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to annually identify and report critical shortages of teachers and administrative personnel and (ii) permitting any person receiving a service retirement allowance who is hired as a local school board instructional or administrative employee required to be licensed by the Board of Education to elect to continue to receive the retirement allowance during such employment under certain conditions.

Income tax deduction; teaching materials. Creates a tax deduction beginning taxable year 2023 for up to $500 of teaching materials purchased by a licensed teacher and used to teach Virginia students enrolled in a public institution of higher education as defined in the Code. Income tax deduction; teaching materials. Creates a tax deduction beginning taxable year 2023 for up to $500 of teaching materials purchased by a licensed teacher and used to teach Virginia students enrolled in a public institution of higher education as defined in the Code.

GO Virginia grants; matching funds; sunset. Extends to July 1, 2025, the sunset date of the provision that allows a locality to use grant funds awarded by the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission as matching funds for GO Virginia grants. GO Virginia grants; matching funds; sunset. Extends to July 1, 2025, the sunset date of the provision that allows a locality to use grant funds awarded by the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission as matching funds for GO Virginia grants.

In-person visitation policies and procedures at certain facilities. Requires hospitals, nursing homes, certified nursing facilities, hospices or hospice facilities, assisted living facilities, and intermediate care facilities to establish certain in-person visitation policies and procedures. The bill (i) requires that such policies include screening, personal protective equipment, and other infection control protocols for visitors; (ii) prohibits such policies from requiring the visitor to provide proof of immunization or vaccination; (iii) requires such policies to allow consensual physical contact between the visitor and the resident, client, or patient of the facility; (iv) authorizes the resident, client, or patient to designate an essential caregiver and establishes requirements related to essential caregivers; (v) requires that such policies allow unrestricted in-person visitation under certain circumstances; (vi) provides that the policies and procedures may require visitors to agree in writing to follow such policies and procedures; (vii) authorizes facilities to suspend in-person visitation of specific visitors for violations of such agreement; (viii) requires facilities to make their in-person policies and procedures available to the Department of Health for review when applying for initial licensure, licensure renewal, or change of ownership; and (ix) requires facilities and the Department of Health to make their in-person visitation policies and procedures easily accessible from their websites. In-person visitation policies and procedures at certain facilities. Requires hospitals, nursing homes, certified nursing facilities, hospices or hospice facilities, assisted living facilities, and intermediate care facilities to establish certain in-person visitation policies and procedures. The bill (i) requires that such policies include screening, personal protective equipment, and other infection control protocols for visitors; (ii) prohibits such policies from requiring the visitor to provide proof of immunization or vaccination; (iii) requires such policies to allow consensual physical contact between the visitor and the resident, client, or patient of the facility; (iv) authorizes the resident, client, or patient to designate an essential caregiver and establishes requirements related to essential caregivers; (v) requires that such policies allow unrestricted in-person visitation under certain circumstances; (vi) provides that the policies and procedures may require visitors to agree in writing to follow such policies and procedures; (vii) authorizes facilities to suspend in-person visitation of specific visitors for violations of such agreement; (viii) requires facilities to make their in-person policies and procedures available to the Department of Health for review when applying for initial licensure, licensure renewal, or change of ownership; and (ix) requires facilities and the Department of Health to make their in-person visitation policies and procedures easily accessible from their websites.

University of Virginia; board of visitors; membership. Expands the membership of the University of Virginia board of visitors to include two nonvoting advisory members consisting of one faculty member of the University and one staff member of the University. The advisory faculty member shall be selected by the University faculty and the advisory staff member shall be selected by the University staff in the manner deemed appropriate by the faculty and staff, respectively.

License taxes; deductions; report. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a work group to analyze and review current reimbursement and operational challenges for medical practices that administer anti-cancer drugs in an in-office setting. The bill requires the Secretary to report his recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Finance, the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions, the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 15, 2023. License taxes; deductions; report. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a work group to analyze and review current reimbursement and operational challenges for medical practices that administer anti-cancer drugs in an in-office setting. The bill requires the Secretary to report his recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Finance, the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions, the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 15, 2023.

Noncitizens of the United States; aliens; terminology. Removes the term "alien" as it pertains to persons who are not citizens or nationals of the United States and replaces it with synonymous language, as appropriate, throughout the Code of Virginia.

Commending Larkin Garbee and Todd Nuckols.

Commending the Sickle Cell Association, Inc.

Commending Cindy Downing.

Celebrating the life of Edward Leroy Beard.

Commending Pancakes-N-Things.

Celebrating the life of Nicholas D. Street.