Certain institutions of higher education; financial assistance; noncredit workforce training program; student grants; reimbursement. Increases from $3,000 to $4,000 the maximum amount for which the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia shall reimburse an eligible institution of higher education per completed noncredit workforce training program per eligible student pursuant to the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Program. Current law provides that the Council shall reimburse an eligible institution an amount equal to one-third of the cost of the noncredit workforce training program, not to exceed $3,000, per eligible student upon such eligible student's completion of the program.

State Corporation Commission; Energy-Intensive Trade-Exposed Industries work group; report. Directs the State Corporation Commission to convene a work group for the purposes of assessing the competitiveness of manufacturers in energy-intensive trade-exposed industries in the Commonwealth to foreign manufacturers that are not required to meet the same federal and state standards regarding labor, energy, intellectual property, and environmental factors. The bill defines "energy-intensive trade-exposed industry" and establishes the requirements for the membership of the work group. The work group is required to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Commerce and Energy and the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor no later than December 1, 2025.

Celebrating the life of Richard Wilson.

Phase I Utilities; deferred fuel costs; biennial reviews. Authorizes Appalachian Power to petition the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) for a financing order for deferred fuel costs. The bill sets forth specific transaction terms and other provisions related to the financing order. Before granting a financing order, the Commission is required to find that (i) the proposed issuance of deferred fuel cost bonds is in the public interest and the associated deferred fuel cost charges are just and reasonable and (ii) the structuring and pricing of the deferred fuel cost bonds are reasonably expected to result in reasonable deferred fuel cost charges consistent with market conditions at the time the deferred fuel cost bonds are priced and the terms set forth in such financing order. The bill requires the financing order to include, among other things: (a) the amount of deferred fuel costs to be financed using deferred fuel cost bonds; (b) a requirement that deferred fuel cost charges authorized under a financing order are non-bypassable and paid by all retail customers of the electric utility, irrespective of the generation supplier of such customer, except for certain exempt customers; (c) a formula-based true-up mechanism for making annual adjustments to the deferred fuel cost charges; and (d) a method of tracing funds collected as deferred fuel cost charges. The bill requires the utility to permit certain retail customers to opt out of financing the customer's pro rata obligation for the deferred fuel cost charges through deferred fuel cost bonds. Under the bill, the financing order is irrevocable. Phase I Utilities; deferred fuel costs; biennial reviews. Authorizes Appalachian Power to petition the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) for a financing order for deferred fuel costs. The bill sets forth specific transaction terms and other provisions related to the financing order. Before granting a financing order, the Commission is required to find that (i) the proposed issuance of deferred fuel cost bonds is in the public interest and the associated deferred fuel cost charges are just and reasonable and (ii) the structuring and pricing of the deferred fuel cost bonds are reasonably expected to result in reasonable deferred fuel cost charges consistent with market conditions at the time the deferred fuel cost bonds are priced and the terms set forth in such financing order. The bill requires the financing order to include, among other things: (a) the amount of deferred fuel costs to be financed using deferred fuel cost bonds; (b) a requirement that deferred fuel cost charges authorized under a financing order are non-bypassable and paid by all retail customers of the electric utility, irrespective of the generation supplier of such customer, except for certain exempt customers; (c) a formula-based true-up mechanism for making annual adjustments to the deferred fuel cost charges; and (d) a method of tracing funds collected as deferred fuel cost charges. The bill requires the utility to permit certain retail customers to opt out of financing the customer's pro rata obligation for the deferred fuel cost charges through deferred fuel cost bonds. Under the bill, the financing order is irrevocable. The bill creates the deferred fuel cost charge and provides that the revenues generated by this charge, known as deferred fuel cost property, are a property right that can be transferred and pledged as security for the deferred fuel cost bonds. The bill establishes the procedures for creating, perfecting, and enforcing the security interest in deferred fuel cost property. The bill includes a state non-impairment obligation. Under the bill, if the deferred fuel cost bonds are issued, the Commonwealth and its agencies, including the Commission, agree not to take any action that would limit or alter the deferred fuel cost charges until the deferred fuel cost bonds have been paid and performed in full. The bill makes various changes to procedures under which the Commission reviews the earnings and sets the rates of Appalachian Power. The bill provides that, in lieu of the triennial review proceedings required under current law, Appalachian Power will be subject to biennial reviews of their rates, terms, and conditions for generation and distribution services, with the first review commencing on March 31, 2024. The bill requires the Commission, in each biennial review, to conduct a proceeding to review all rates, terms, and conditions for generation and distribution services, with such proceeding utilizing the two successive 12-month test periods ending December 31 immediately preceding the year in which such proceeding is conducted. The bill provides that in each biennial review proceeding, the Commission will set the fair rate of return on common equity applicable to the generation and distribution services of the utility for the two such services combined and for certain approved rate adjustment clauses. The bill provides that the Commission may use any methodology it finds consistent with the public interest to determine Appalachian Power's fair rate of return on common equity. Additionally, the bill provides that the Commission may increase or decrease the combined rate of return for generation and distribution services by up to 50 basis points based on the reliability, generating plant performance, customer service, and operating efficiency of a utility, as compared to nationally recognized standards determined by the Commission to be appropriate for such purposes. The bill requires the Commission, before December 31, 2023, to direct the initiation of a proceeding to review and determine the appropriate protocols and standards applicable to implementing any such performance-based adjustments. The bill provides that if the Commission determines in its sole discretion that the utility's existing rates for generation and distribution services will, on a going-forward basis, either produce (1) revenues in excess of the utility's authorized rate of return or (2) revenues below the utility's authorized rate of return, then the Commission is required to order any reductions or increases, as applicable and necessary, to such rates for generation and distribution services that it deems appropriate to ensure the resulting rates for generation and distribution services (A) are just and reasonable and (B) provide the utility an opportunity to recover its costs. The bill provides that, if in any biennial review, the Commission finds that, during the test period under review, the utility has earned more than 100 basis points above the authorized fair combined rate of return on its generation or distribution services, the Commission will direct that 100 percent of the amount of such earnings that were more than 100 basis points above such fair combined rate of return be credited to customers' bills. The bill requires the Commission to authorize deferred recovery for reasonable (I) actual costs associated with severe weather events and (II) actual costs associated with natural disasters, not currently in rates, and provides that the Commission shall allow the utility to amortize and recover such deferred costs over future periods as determined by the Commission. The bill provides that the Commission is authorized to determine during any biennial review the reasonableness or prudence of any cost subject to the rate review incurred or projected to be incurred by the utility. The bill removes the requirement for Appalachian Power to file an integrated resource plan with the Commission.

Department of Veterans Services; mental health and rehabilitative services; Military Spouse Liaison. Adds military service members transitioning from military to civilian life to the list of persons supported by the program for mental health and rehabilitative services administered by the Department of Veterans Services. The bill requires the Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Services to include in the Department's annual report data related to such transitioning service members and an overview of the activities of the Military Spouse Liaison, including any legislative recommendations.

Study; Compensation Board; funding for deputy sheriffs; report. Requests the Compensation Board to study the feasibility and fiscal impact of including a locality's total square mileage when calculating funding for deputy sheriffs and to issue a report by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Natural gas utilities; retail supply choice. Natural gas utilities; retail supply choice. Allows every person access to distribution service or retail natural gas from a natural gas company authorized to provide natural gas service to the area where the service will be received. The bill prohibits a public entity from adopting an ordinance, resolution, or any other requirement that limits or prohibits customers from acquiring natural gas service and supply from both utility and non-utility gas companies. The bill prohibits public entities from denying building permits solely based on a proposed utility provider and directs public entities to ensure that all applicable permits and fees are reasonable, as compared to other utility providers, and do not restrict an applicant's ability to use the services of an authorized utility provider.

Health insurance credits for certain local officials and employees. Increases the amount of monthly health insurance credits received by retired constitutional officers and their employees with a minimum of 15 years of creditable service from $1.50 to $1.75 per month per year of creditable service not to exceed $52.50 per month beginning July 1, 2024. Health insurance credits for certain local officials and employees. Increases the amount of monthly health insurance credits received by retired constitutional officers and their employees with a minimum of 15 years of creditable service from $1.50 to $1.75 per month per year of creditable service not to exceed $52.50 per month beginning July 1, 2024.

Celebrating the life of Douglas William Rogers.

Workers' compensation; failure to timely pay compensation. Requires, after the first occurrence of a failure to timely pay compensation under the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act and upon the occurrence of any subsequent or successive failure to pay compensation, that an additional penalty be added to the unpaid compensation amount in an amount that increases from $100 for the first subsequent failure to pay compensation to $500 for the fifth and any subsequent failures to pay compensation. Current law requires a penalty of 20 percent of such unpaid compensation amount for failure to timely pay compensation.

Virginia Retirement System and State Police Officers' Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for 911 dispatchers. Adds 911 dispatchers to the list of local employees eligible to receive enhanced retirement benefits for hazardous duty service under the Virginia Retirement System. The bill also extends membership in the Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System to 911 dispatchers who are employed by the Department of State Police. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2024, and contains a reenactment clause. Virginia Retirement System and State Police Officers' Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for 911 dispatchers. Adds 911 dispatchers to the list of local employees eligible to receive enhanced retirement benefits for hazardous duty service under the Virginia Retirement System. The bill also extends membership in the Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System to 911 dispatchers who are employed by the Department of State Police. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2024, and contains a reenactment clause.

School boards; nonresident student enrollment policies; work group; report. Requires any school board that accepts for enrollment students who reside outside of the local school division to establish and make available to the public policies or regulations that include considerations for the eligibility for such nonresident student enrollment, application procedures and timelines, and a transparent and fair method to address enrollment requests beyond capacity. The bill requires the Department of Education to compile and post publicly and prominently on its website a database of each such set of school board policies or regulations. The bill requires the Secretary of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to issue recommendations no later than October 1, 2023, to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, and the Senate Committee on Education and Health on the implementation of tuition-free nonresident student enrollment in the Commonwealth. School boards; nonresident student enrollment policies; work group; report. Requires any school board that accepts for enrollment students who reside outside of the local school division to establish and make available to the public policies or regulations that include considerations for the eligibility for such nonresident student enrollment, application procedures and timelines, and a transparent and fair method to address enrollment requests beyond capacity. The bill requires the Department of Education to compile and post publicly and prominently on its website a database of each such set of school board policies or regulations. The bill requires the Secretary of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to issue recommendations no later than October 1, 2023, to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, and the Senate Committee on Education and Health on the implementation of tuition-free nonresident student enrollment in the Commonwealth.

Commending Bryna Addair.

Department of Housing and Community Development; powers and duties of Director. Adds to the powers and duties of the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development (the Department) the responsibility to conduct a comprehensive statewide affordable housing needs assessment every five years, to develop a biennial statewide affordable housing plan and submit such plan to the General Assembly every two years, and to collect and publish certain zoning information collected from Virginia localities. The bill requires localities to respond to inquiries of the Department regarding the collection of such zoning information upon request.

Auxiliary grants; independent community living. Allows the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services to provide auxiliary grants to eligible recipients residing in independent community living, as defined in the bill, under conditions set forth in the bill. The bill directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to, if deemed necessary, amend the state plan for medical assistance services and any waivers thereof to implement the provisions of the bill and limits to no more than 200 the number of auxiliary grant recipients in independent community living. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2024, and directs the Commissioner for Aging and Rehabilitative Services to adopt emergency regulations to implement its provisions.