Study; Virginia State Crime Commission; hate crimes and bias-motivated acts directed toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; report. Directs the Virginia State Crime Commission to study the increase in hate crimes and bias-motivated acts directed toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the Commonwealth.

Department of Housing and Community Development; statewide housing needs assessment and plan; annual reports by certain localities. Adds to the powers and duties of the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development the responsibility to conduct a comprehensive statewide housing needs assessment at least every five years, to develop a statewide housing plan and update such plan at least every five years, and to provide annual updates to the General Assembly regarding meeting the goals of such plan. The bill requires Virginia localities with a population greater than 3,500 to submit annual reports summarizing any local housing policies, ordinances, or processes affecting the development and construction of housing during the preceding fiscal year to the Department by September 1 for publication on the Department's website.

Income tax; standard deduction. Increases the standard deduction, starting with taxable year 2023, from $8,000 to $12,500 for single filers and from $16,000 to $25,000 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.

Public utilities; customer consent to install smart meter. Prohibits a public utility from installing a smart meter, defined in the bill, on the premises of a customer without first obtaining such customer's consent to such installation. The bill requires a public utility, for any smart meter installed by a public utility prior to July 1, 2023, to provide the customer an opportunity to consent to the previous installation. The bill requires a public utility to offer to remove a smart meter without cost to the customer that was installed without obtaining the customer's consent. The bill prohibits a public utility from (i) discontinuing service to a customer who does not consent to the installation of a smart meter; (ii) charging a fee, assessment, or higher rate to a customer who does not consent to the installation of a smart meter; or (iii) providing or offering to provide discounted rates to a customer in exchange for obtaining the customer's consent to install a smart meter. Public utilities; customer consent to install smart meter. Prohibits a public utility from installing a smart meter, defined in the bill, on the premises of a customer without first obtaining such customer's consent to such installation. The bill requires a public utility, for any smart meter installed by a public utility prior to July 1, 2023, to provide the customer an opportunity to consent to the previous installation. The bill requires a public utility to offer to remove a smart meter without cost to the customer that was installed without obtaining the customer's consent. The bill prohibits a public utility from (i) discontinuing service to a customer who does not consent to the installation of a smart meter; (ii) charging a fee, assessment, or higher rate to a customer who does not consent to the installation of a smart meter; or (iii) providing or offering to provide discounted rates to a customer in exchange for obtaining the customer's consent to install a smart meter.

Immunity of persons; tort actions; assertion of immunity; attorney fees and costs. Provides that a person shall be immune from tort liability if the tort claim is based solely on statements (i) regarding matters of public concern that would be protected under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States made by that person that are communicated to a third party; (ii) made at a public hearing before the governing body of any locality or other political subdivision, or the boards, commissions, agencies, and authorities thereof, and other governing bodies of any local governmental entity concerning matters properly before such body; or (iii) made by an employee against his employer and where retaliatory action against an employee by such employer is otherwise prohibited by law. The bill also provides that any person who prevails in such a legal action may be awarded reasonable attorney fees and costs.

Background checks; peer recovery specialists; barrier crime exceptions. Permits the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, direct care service providers, and community boards to hire peer recovery specialists who have been convicted of certain barrier crimes where a history of such offense does not pose a risk in the work of a peer recovery specialist.

Headlights; aftermarket modifications; blue lights. Prohibits the use of headlights on motor vehicles, motorcycles, autocycles, bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, personal delivery devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, mopeds, and motorized skateboards or scooters with aftermarket modifications that make such headlights appear as a blue light. Headlights; aftermarket modifications; blue lights. Prohibits the use of headlights on motor vehicles, motorcycles, autocycles, bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, personal delivery devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, mopeds, and motorized skateboards or scooters with aftermarket modifications that make such headlights appear as a blue light.

School Security Officer Day. Designates the first Monday in October, in 2023 and in each succeeding year, as School Security Officer Day in Virginia.

Sales tax; exemption for food purchased for human consumption and essential personal hygiene products. Provides an exemption from local sales and use tax beginning July 1, 2023, for food purchased for human consumption and essential personal hygiene products. The bill also provides an allocation of state revenues to fund the distribution to localities for funding that would have been distributed to them absent the exemption created by the bill. Under current law, such products are exempt from state sales and use tax but are subject to the standard local rate of one percent.

Pedestrian control signals; applicability to persons riding bicycles and other devices. Allows persons riding a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, or motorized skateboard or scooter to follow the pedestrian control signal at an intersection when traveling in the direction of the signal, provided that they yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk traveling in the same direction. The bill specifies that such persons shall not start to cross the highway in the direction of such signal while the signal is solid, that pedestrians shall not start to cross the highway when such signal is solid or flashing, and that any person who has partially crossed the highway shall proceed to a sidewalk or safety island when the solid Don't Walk signal begins. Pedestrian control signals; applicability to persons riding bicycles and other devices. Allows persons riding a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, or motorized skateboard or scooter to follow the pedestrian control signal at an intersection when traveling in the direction of the signal, provided that they yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk traveling in the same direction. The bill specifies that such persons shall not start to cross the highway in the direction of such signal while the signal is solid, that pedestrians shall not start to cross the highway when such signal is solid or flashing, and that any person who has partially crossed the highway shall proceed to a sidewalk or safety island when the solid Don't Walk signal begins.

Petition for modification of sentence; eligibility; procedures. Provides a petition process for a person serving a sentence for any conviction or a combination of any convictions who remains incarcerated in a state or local correctional facility and meets certain criteria to petition the circuit court that entered the original judgment or order to (i) suspend the unserved portion of such sentence or run the unserved portion of such sentence concurrently with another sentence, (ii) place such person on probation for such time as the court shall determine, or (iii) otherwise modify the sentence imposed. Petition for modification of sentence; eligibility; procedures. Provides a petition process for a person serving a sentence for any conviction or a combination of any convictions who remains incarcerated in a state or local correctional facility and meets certain criteria to petition the circuit court that entered the original judgment or order to (i) suspend the unserved portion of such sentence or run the unserved portion of such sentence concurrently with another sentence, (ii) place such person on probation for such time as the court shall determine, or (iii) otherwise modify the sentence imposed.

Public elementary and secondary schools; comprehensive school counseling program; development and implementation. Requires each local school board to develop and implement a written plan for a comprehensive school counseling program for the purpose of providing support that meets the mental and emotional health needs of all students and guiding students in academic progress, postsecondary planning, and social-emotional learning. The bill requires each local school board to develop and implement such written plan by the beginning of the 2024–2025 school year. Public elementary and secondary schools; comprehensive school counseling program; development and implementation. Requires each local school board to develop and implement a written plan for a comprehensive school counseling program for the purpose of providing support that meets the mental and emotional health needs of all students and guiding students in academic progress, postsecondary planning, and social-emotional learning. The bill requires each local school board to develop and implement such written plan by the beginning of the 2024–2025 school year.

Constitutional amendment (first reference); right to farm. Provides that all individuals have a right to save and exchange seeds and a right to grow, raise, harvest, produce, exchange, barter, and consume the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health, and well-being.

Search warrants; menstrual health data prohibited; definition. Prohibits the issuance of a search warrant for the search and seizure of menstrual health data, as defined in the bill, stored on a computer, computer network, or other device containing electronic or digital information. Search warrants; menstrual health data prohibited; definition. Prohibits the issuance of a search warrant for the search and seizure of menstrual health data, as defined in the bill, stored on a computer, computer network, or other device containing electronic or digital information.

Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children program; additional funding. Provides that in each fiscal year, at least $2.5 million shall be appropriated to the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children program for investigating and prosecuting Internet crimes against children. The bill provides that moneys that are disbursed from the Internet Crimes Against Children Fund to the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children program shall count toward this appropriation and if the moneys disbursed from the Internet Crimes Against Children Fund to the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children program total less than $2.5 million, the general fund shall disburse any additional moneys as necessary.