Carrying loaded firearms in public areas prohibited; certain localities; repeal. Repeals the prohibition on carrying certain loaded shotguns and semi-automatic center-fire rifles and pistols in certain localities in the Commonwealth.

Emergency relief payments; automatic exemption from creditor process; repeal. Repeals the provision allowing an exemption from the creditor process for emergency relief payments, defined as a 2020 recovery rebate for individuals and qualifying children provided pursuant to § 2201 of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (P.L. 116-136) or any future federal payments or rebates provided directly to individuals for economic relief or stimulus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Budget Bill. Amends items of and adds items to Chapter 2 of the Acts of Assembly of 2022, Special Session I. Budget Bill. Amends items of and adds items to Chapter 2 of the Acts of Assembly of 2022, Special Session I.

Appeal of interlocutory orders. Restores the Court of Appeals' jurisdiction over appeals of orders granting or denying a plea of sovereign, absolute, or qualified immunity. Under current law, such orders are appealable to the Supreme Court of Virginia. The bill also directs the Supreme Court of Virginia to promulgate rules consistent with the provisions of the bill by July 1, 2023. Appeal of interlocutory orders. Restores the Court of Appeals' jurisdiction over appeals of orders granting or denying a plea of sovereign, absolute, or qualified immunity. Under current law, such orders are appealable to the Supreme Court of Virginia. The bill also directs the Supreme Court of Virginia to promulgate rules consistent with the provisions of the bill by July 1, 2023.

Supplementing compensation of public defender. Requires the governing body of any county or city that elects to supplement the compensation of the attorney for the Commonwealth, or any of his deputies or employees, above the salary set by the Compensation Board to proportionally supplement the compensation of the public defender, or any of his deputies or employees, commensurate with the compensation of the attorney for the Commonwealth, or any of his deputies or employees, and to pay for such additional compensation from the funds of the county or city.

Celebrating the life of Viviana Oxlaj P&eacuterez.

Contributory negligence bar; abolished. Provides that the negligence of a plaintiff shall not automatically bar plaintiff's recovery in any action for injury, wrongful death, or property damage unless the plaintiff's negligence is (i) a proximate cause of the plaintiff's injury and (ii) greater than the aggregated total amount of negligence of all the defendants that proximately caused the plaintiff's injury. The bill further provides that any damages recoverable by the plaintiff shall be diminished by an amount that is proportionately equal to the percentage of negligent conduct of the plaintiff.

Student records; name change; court order required. Prohibits any school board member or school board employee from changing the name of a student enrolled in the local school division on any education record relating to such student unless the member or employee receives a change of name order for such student that was issued in accordance with relevant law.

Virginia Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act; definitions. Expands the definition of "motor vehicle" in the Virginia Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act to include a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight under 10,000 pounds that is bought or used primarily for business purposes by a person or certain legal business entities to which not more than five motor vehicles are registered. The bill expands the definition of "consumer" to include the purchaser, other than for purposes of resale, or the lessee, of a motor vehicle used primarily for business purposes if the purchaser or lessee is a person, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, association, or other legal entity to which not more than five motor vehicles are registered. The bill also adds electronic mail communications to the definition of "notify" or "notification" in the Act. Virginia Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act; definitions. Expands the definition of "motor vehicle" in the Virginia Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act to include a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight under 10,000 pounds that is bought or used primarily for business purposes by a person or certain legal business entities to which not more than five motor vehicles are registered. The bill expands the definition of "consumer" to include the purchaser, other than for purposes of resale, or the lessee, of a motor vehicle used primarily for business purposes if the purchaser or lessee is a person, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, association, or other legal entity to which not more than five motor vehicles are registered. The bill also adds electronic mail communications to the definition of "notify" or "notification" in the Act.

Trespass; service of process. Provides immunity from criminal trespass for any person who goes on or remains on the property of another after having been forbidden to do so by a sign or signs posted by or at the direction of a person lawfully in charge of such property, provided that the person going on or remaining on the property is authorized to serve process and is engaged in the lawful service of process.

Revocation of suspension of sentence and probation; hearing; sentencing. Requires that if an alleged violation of the terms and conditions of a suspended sentence of probation is based on a criminal offense that was committed after the date of suspension, the hearing to revoke the suspension of sentence shall be held as soon as practicable after the accused has been convicted of the criminal offense. The bill also requires that if the court revokes the suspension and imposes any or all of the period previously suspended for a violation based on a new conviction, the court shall order such sentence to run concurrently with any sentence imposed for the new criminal conviction.

Review of injunctions; petitions for review. Removes permanent injunctions from the current provision that when a circuit court (i) grants a preliminary or permanent injunction, (ii) refuses such an injunction, or (iii) having granted such an injunction, dissolves or refuses to enlarge it, an aggrieved party may file a petition for review with the clerk of the Supreme Court of Virginia. The bill increases from seven days to 15 days the period after the date of service of a copy of such petition during which an opposing party may file a response. The bill contains technical amendments. The bill contains an emergency clause. Review of injunctions; petitions for review. Removes permanent injunctions from the current provision that when a circuit court (i) grants a preliminary or permanent injunction, (ii) refuses such an injunction, or (iii) having granted such an injunction, dissolves or refuses to enlarge it, an aggrieved party may file a petition for review with the clerk of the Supreme Court of Virginia. The bill increases from seven days to 15 days the period after the date of service of a copy of such petition during which an opposing party may file a response. The bill contains technical amendments. The bill contains an emergency clause.

Virginia STEM Education Advisory Board; comprehensive review of labor statistics categories; report. Directs the Virginia Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Advisory Board (the Board) to perform a comprehensive review of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics categories within the standard occupational classification system and assess deficit areas that do not capture Virginia's existing STEM+C (Computing) workforce profile for the purpose of better aligning K-12 and higher education priorities. The Board shall report its findings to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority Office of Education and Labor Market Alignment and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation and the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology no later than October 1, 2022.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord's noncompliance as defense to action for possession for nonpayment of rent. Removes the requirement that a tenant, if in possession of a dwelling unit, must pay for the court to hold the amount of rent found to be due and unpaid pending the issuance of an order pursuant to an action by the landlord for possession based upon nonpayment of rent where the tenant has asserted a defense that there exists upon the leased premises a condition that constitutes, or will constitute, a fire hazard or a serious threat to the life, health, or safety of the occupant of the dwelling unit. The bill provides that (i) a tenant may assert such a defense if, prior to the commencement of the action for rent or possession, the landlord or his agent had notice of the condition, was given a reasonable opportunity to remedy the condition, and failed to do so and (ii) while the period of time that is deemed to be a unreasonable delay is left to the court, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that a period in excess of 14 days, changed from 30 days in current law, from receipt of the notification by the landlord is reasonable. Finally, the bill clarifies that not only may the court issue an order that reduces rent by an equitable amount in consideration of the existence of an allowable condition asserted by the tenant, but the court may also refer any matter before it to the proper state or local agency for investigation and report and continue the action or complaint pending completion of such investigation and receipt of the report. Current law allows the court to terminate the rental agreement or order the surrender of the premises to the landlord or require the tenant to deposit with the court any rents that will become due during the period of continuance while the state or local agency investigates. Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord's noncompliance as defense to action for possession for nonpayment of rent. Removes the requirement that a tenant, if in possession of a dwelling unit, must pay for the court to hold the amount of rent found to be due and unpaid pending the issuance of an order pursuant to an action by the landlord for possession based upon nonpayment of rent where the tenant has asserted a defense that there exists upon the leased premises a condition that constitutes, or will constitute, a fire hazard or a serious threat to the life, health, or safety of the occupant of the dwelling unit. The bill provides that (i) a tenant may assert such a defense if, prior to the commencement of the action for rent or possession, the landlord or his agent had notice of the condition, was given a reasonable opportunity to remedy the condition, and failed to do so and (ii) while the period of time that is deemed to be a unreasonable delay is left to the court, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that a period in excess of 14 days, changed from 30 days in current law, from receipt of the notification by the landlord is reasonable. Finally, the bill clarifies that not only may the court issue an order that reduces rent by an equitable amount in consideration of the existence of an allowable condition asserted by the tenant, but the court may also refer any matter before it to the proper state or local agency for investigation and report and continue the action or complaint pending completion of such investigation and receipt of the report. Current law allows the court to terminate the rental agreement or order the surrender of the premises to the landlord or require the tenant to deposit with the court any rents that will become due during the period of continuance while the state or local agency investigates.

Noxious weeds. Amends the definition of "noxious weeds" to exclude plants that are commercially significant, directs the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services (the Board) to implement a phase out period when a new plant is listed as a noxious weed, directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to provide signs to nurseries and retail plant outlets listing invasive plants sold in the Commonwealth, and authorizes the Board to adopt regulations for permits required to move noxious weeds, or a part thereof, into or within the Commonwealth. The bill also directs the Department of Conservation and Recreation to update its invasive species list by January 1, 2024, and every four years thereafter.