Retired state law-enforcement officers; retention of badge. Provides that on and after July 1, 2023, upon the retirement of a state law-enforcement officer who is not a State Police officer, the employing department or agency shall, upon request of the retiree, award the retiree his badge or other insignia of his office for permanent keeping, provided that the employing department or agency has the badge or insignia mounted in such a manner that it will be impossible for anyone to display such badge or insignia upon his person. Under current law, only a State Police officer may keep a mounted badge or insignia after his retirement.

Department of Education; uniform system of discipline for disruptive student behavior; report. Requires the Department of Education to establish, within its regulations governing student conduct, and each school board to adhere to, a uniform system of discipline for disruptive behavior and the removal of a student from a class that includes, among other things, criteria for teachers to remove disruptive students from their classes, including a requirement for a teacher to remove a disruptive student from a class if the disruptive behavior is violent. The bill also requires the Department of Education to establish and appoint members to a stakeholder work group to discuss and make recommendations to the Board of Education and the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2023, regarding the feasibility of implementing a uniform system of classroom discipline in public elementary and secondary schools in each local school division in the Commonwealth whereby a teacher is required to remove a student from a classroom if the student repeats or continues nonviolent disruptive behavior after the teacher provides two warnings to the student, giving due consideration to the need for appropriate exceptions for students with disabilities. Department of Education; uniform system of discipline for disruptive student behavior; report. Requires the Department of Education to establish, within its regulations governing student conduct, and each school board to adhere to, a uniform system of discipline for disruptive behavior and the removal of a student from a class that includes, among other things, criteria for teachers to remove disruptive students from their classes, including a requirement for a teacher to remove a disruptive student from a class if the disruptive behavior is violent. The bill also requires the Department of Education to establish and appoint members to a stakeholder work group to discuss and make recommendations to the Board of Education and the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2023, regarding the feasibility of implementing a uniform system of classroom discipline in public elementary and secondary schools in each local school division in the Commonwealth whereby a teacher is required to remove a student from a classroom if the student repeats or continues nonviolent disruptive behavior after the teacher provides two warnings to the student, giving due consideration to the need for appropriate exceptions for students with disabilities.

Tetrahydrocannabinol; hemp products; packaging, labeling, and testing; penalties. Limits the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that can be included in a hemp product or industrial hemp extract to 0.3 percent and two milligrams per package. The bill limits the application of such THC limits to retail sales and allows a hemp product or industrial hemp extract to contain more than two milligrams of THC if the product or extract contains an amount of cannabidiol (CBD) that is at least 25 times greater than the amount of THC; however, the bill prohibits hemp processors from selling industrial hemp or a substance containing an industrial hemp extract to a person if the processor knows or has reason to know that such person will use the industrial hemp or substance in a substance that violates the aforementioned THC limits. Tetrahydrocannabinol; hemp products; packaging, labeling, and testing; penalties. Limits the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that can be included in a hemp product or industrial hemp extract to 0.3 percent and two milligrams per package. The bill limits the application of such THC limits to retail sales and allows a hemp product or industrial hemp extract to contain more than two milligrams of THC if the product or extract contains an amount of cannabidiol (CBD) that is at least 25 times greater than the amount of THC; however, the bill prohibits hemp processors from selling industrial hemp or a substance containing an industrial hemp extract to a person if the processor knows or has reason to know that such person will use the industrial hemp or substance in a substance that violates the aforementioned THC limits. The bill creates a regulated hemp product retail facility registration, which carries an annual fee of $1,000, and requires persons to obtain such registration from the Commissioner (the Commissioner) of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (the Department) prior to offering for sale or selling regulated hemp products, as defined in the bill, or any substance intended for consumption that is advertised or labeled as containing an industrial hemp-derived cannabinoid. The bill creates certain packaging, labeling, and testing requirements for regulated hemp products and requires that topical hemp products bear a label stating that the product is not intended for human consumption. The bill provides the Commissioner with the authority to access registered regulated hemp product retail facilities and any business that offers for sale or sells at retail a substance intended for human consumption that is advertised or labeled as containing a cannabinoid for the purpose of inspections and securing samples. The bill also imposes a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per day for the following violations: (i) offering for sale or selling at retail without a regulated hemp product retail facility registration a regulated hemp product or a substance intended for human consumption, orally or by inhalation, that is advertised or labeled as containing an industrial hemp-derived cannabinoid, (ii) continuing to offer for sale or selling at retail a regulated hemp product after revocation or suspension of such registration, (iii) offering for sale or selling at retail a substance intended for human consumption, orally or by inhalation, that contains THC in excess of the applicable limits, or (iv) offering for sale or selling at retail a regulated hemp product that does not meet the applicable packaging, labeling, and testing requirements. The bill (i) clarifies that persons who manufacture, store, sell, or offer for sale an industrial hemp extract or food containing an industrial hemp extract are subject to the existing food and drink permit requirement and (ii) requires such persons to indicate their intent to manufacture, store, sell, or offer for sale an industrial hemp extract or food containing an industrial hemp extract on such permit application. The bill also creates labeling, packaging, and testing requirements for industrial hemp extracts and foods containing an industrial hemp extract. The bill creates a civil penalty of $10,000 for the following: (a) manufacturing, selling, or offering for sale an industrial hemp extract or food containing an industrial hemp extract without a permit; (b) continuing to manufacture, sell, or offer for sale an industrial hemp extract or food containing an industrial hemp extract after revocation or suspension of such permit; (c) failing to disclose on a form prescribed by the Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services that he intends to manufacture, sell, or offer for sale a substance intended to be consumed orally that contains an industrial hemp-derived cannabinoid; (d) manufacturing, selling, or offering for sale a food that contains more than 0.3 percent of THC or more than two milligrams of THC per package; (e) manufacturing, offering for sale, or selling in violation of food and drink laws or regulations a substance intended to be consumed orally that is advertised or labeled as containing an industrial hemp-derived cannabinoid; or (f) otherwise violating any provision of the Commonwealth's food and drink laws or regulations. The bill also makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to engage in such actions, except for those set forth in clause (d). The bill makes it unlawful under the Consumer Protection Act to (1) sell or offer for sale any substance intended for human consumption that contains a synthetic derivative of THC or (2) sell or offer for sale a topical hemp product that does not include a label stating that the product is not intended for human consumption. The bill also increases existing civil penalties for certain hemp-related violations. The bill provides that certain regulated hemp product provisions related to retail facility registrations, packaging, labeling, and testing and associated civil penalty provisions shall become effective when the Commissioner provides notice to the Virginia Code Commission that the Department has established the registration process. The bill removes tetrahydrocannabinol from the list of Schedule I controlled substances and contains other technical amendments.

Practice of physical therapy. Eliminates the requirement that treatment by a licensed physical therapist for more than 60 consecutive days after evaluation of the patient occurs only upon the referral and direction of a licensed doctor of medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic, podiatry, or dental surgery, a licensed nurse practitioner, or a licensed physician assistant acting under the supervision of a licensed physician. The bill also allows licensed physical therapists to practice dry needling without a referral if they are licensed to practice dry needling. Additionally, the bill clarifies that a licensed physical therapist may provide, without referral or supervision, physical therapy services to infants and toddlers who require physical therapy services to fulfill the provisions of their individualized services plans and students with disabilities who require physical therapy services to fulfill the provisions of their individualized education plans or physical therapy services provided under § 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The bill directs the Board of Physical Therapy to report, by December 1, 2024, to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions a summary of disciplinary actions taken against physical therapists whose conduct resulted in physical harm to a patient when such patient received dry needling treatment or more than 60 consecutive days of physical therapy treatment without a physician referral.

Localities; business improvement and recruitment districts. Authorizes any locality to create a local business improvement and recruitment district plan, consisting of fees charged to businesses and used to fund business improvements, business promotions, and business recruitment activities. Localities; business improvement and recruitment districts. Authorizes any locality to create a local business improvement and recruitment district plan, consisting of fees charged to businesses and used to fund business improvements, business promotions, and business recruitment activities.

Kinship as Foster Care Prevention Program. Establishes the Kinship as Foster Care Prevention Program (the Program) to promote and support placements of children with relatives by local boards of social services (local boards) in order to avoid foster care. The bill provides that a child is eligible to participate in the Program if the local board determines that (i) the child is at imminent risk of being removed from his home and a preliminary protective order is insufficient to address the child's immediate safety concerns and (ii) the child's parent or guardian consents to the placement of the child with a relative pursuant to an agreement with the local board developed in accordance with the provisions of the bill.

Licensure and practice of associate physicians. Authorizes the Board of Medicine to issue a two-year license to practice as an associate physician to an applicant who (i) is 18 years of age or older; (ii) is of good moral character; (iii) has graduated from an accredited medical school; (iv) has successfully completed Step 1 and Step 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination within the two-year period immediately preceding application for licensure or has successfully completed Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination, regardless of the date of completion of each step; and (v) has not completed a medical internship or residency program. The bill requires all associate physicians to practice in accordance with a written practice agreement entered into between the associate physician and a physician licensed by the Board and provides for prescriptive authority of associate physicians in accordance with regulations of the Board.

Issuing citations; certain traffic offenses. Removes the provisions that provide that no law-enforcement officer may lawfully stop a motor vehicle for operating (i) without a light illuminating a license plate, (ii) with defective and unsafe equipment, (iii) without brake lights or a high mount stop light, (iv) without an exhaust system that prevents excessive or unusual levels of noise, (v) with certain sun-shading materials and tinting films, and (vi) with certain objects suspended in the vehicle and removes the accompanying the exclusionary provisions. Issuing citations; certain traffic offenses. Removes the provisions that provide that no law-enforcement officer may lawfully stop a motor vehicle for operating (i) without a light illuminating a license plate, (ii) with defective and unsafe equipment, (iii) without brake lights or a high mount stop light, (iv) without an exhaust system that prevents excessive or unusual levels of noise, (v) with certain sun-shading materials and tinting films, and (vi) with certain objects suspended in the vehicle and removes the accompanying the exclusionary provisions.

Tax on cigars. Modifies the statutory tax rate imposed on selling or distributing cigars by a distributor or remote retail seller by setting such rate at 10 percent of the manufacturer's sales price or $0.30 per cigar, whichever is less. Under current law, the effective rate is 20 percent of the manufacturer's sales price due to language in the Appropriation Act which doubles the statutory rate.

Burial fees for military spouses. Provides that, from such funds as may be appropriated or otherwise received for such purpose, the Commonwealth shall pay any burial fee for (i) a member of the National Guard and Reserve or (ii) a deceased spouse of a member or veteran of the United States Armed Forces or of the National Guard and Reserve, regardless of whether such spouse's death precedes or succeeds the death of the member or veteran.

Flashing red and white warning lights; emergency vehicle exemptions; WMATA Response and Recovery Coordination Branch vehicles. Authorizes vehicles operated by the Response and Recovery Coordination Branch of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's Office of Emergency Preparedness to (i) be equipped with flashing, blinking, or alternating red or red and white combination warning lights and (ii) disregard certain regulations regarding the operation of vehicles without being subject to criminal prosecution while responding to an emergency, provided that the operator of such vehicle has received certain training and recertifies every two years. The bill adds responding to metropolitan transit-related incidents to the list of circumstances in which such lighted warning lights shall be displayed.

Compensation of local jails for cost of incarceration. Requires the Department of Corrections to compensate local jails for the actual cost, based on the rate calculated in the Compensation Board's annual jail cost report, of incarcerating felons who should otherwise be confined in a state correctional facility. Current law provides for local jails to be compensated at the rate set forth in the general appropriation act.

Nutrient credit calculations outside the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Establishes that nutrient credits generated through stream restoration projects that are certified or recertified by the Department of Environmental Quality and located in tributaries outside of the Chesapeake Bay watershed may be calculated using a delivery factor deemed by the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality to be based on the best available scientific and technical information appropriate for the tributaries outside of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Nutrient credit calculations outside the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Establishes that nutrient credits generated through stream restoration projects that are certified or recertified by the Department of Environmental Quality and located in tributaries outside of the Chesapeake Bay watershed may be calculated using a delivery factor deemed by the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality to be based on the best available scientific and technical information appropriate for the tributaries outside of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Local sales and use tax; exemptions. Authorizes the governing board of a city or county to, by ordinance, exempt food purchased for human consumption and essential personal hygiene products from local sales and use tax.

Misdemeanor; maximum term of confinement. Reduces from 12 months to 364 days the maximum term of confinement in jail for a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill contains technical amendments.