Board of Education; College and Career Readiness for English Language Learners Grant Program and Fund; established. Establishes the College and Career Readiness for English Language Learners Grant Program and Fund to support English language learner students in preparing for postsecondary opportunities by providing reimbursement grants to eligible school divisions for providing and expanding access to certain career, technical, apprenticeship, and college readiness and preparation programs and courses for high school students identified as having limited English proficiency. The bill provides that the total value of reimbursement grants awarded to any school division annually shall not exceed an amount equal to $500 times the number of English language learner students in grades nine through 12 enrolled in such school division. The bill directs the Board to establish such guidelines as it deems necessary for the administration of the Program and to establish procedures for determining amounts and prioritizing the award of such reimbursement grants in the event that the moneys in the Fund are not sufficient to provide each school division the full grant amount for which they are qualified. Finally, the bill provides that reimbursement grants shall be awarded to eligible school divisions beginning with the 2023–2024 school year. Board of Education; College and Career Readiness for English Language Learners Grant Program and Fund; established. Establishes the College and Career Readiness for English Language Learners Grant Program and Fund to support English language learner students in preparing for postsecondary opportunities by providing reimbursement grants to eligible school divisions for providing and expanding access to certain career, technical, apprenticeship, and college readiness and preparation programs and courses for high school students identified as having limited English proficiency. The bill provides that the total value of reimbursement grants awarded to any school division annually shall not exceed an amount equal to $500 times the number of English language learner students in grades nine through 12 enrolled in such school division. The bill directs the Board to establish such guidelines as it deems necessary for the administration of the Program and to establish procedures for determining amounts and prioritizing the award of such reimbursement grants in the event that the moneys in the Fund are not sufficient to provide each school division the full grant amount for which they are qualified. Finally, the bill provides that reimbursement grants shall be awarded to eligible school divisions beginning with the 2023–2024 school year.

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.

Opioid Abatement Authority; membership. Increases from 11 to 13 the membership of the Opioid Abatement Authority board of directors by adding two representatives of the addiction and recovery community.

Sale or transfer of firearms; microstamping-enabled firearms; penalties. Provides that it is unlawful for any licensed dealer in firearms to sell, offer for sale, exchange, give, transfer, or deliver any firearm manufactured on or after July 1, 2025, unless such firearm has been verified as a microstamping-enabled firearm, as defined in the bill. The bill also makes it unlawful for any person to modify such microstamping-enabled firearm or microstamping component with the intent to prevent the production of a microstamp. The bill makes a first violation punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor and a second or subsequent violation punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor and has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025.

Amendment of death certificates; county and city registrars. Requires a county or city registrar, upon receipt of an affidavit and supporting evidence testifying to corrected information on a death certificate within 45 days of the filing of a death certificate, to amend such death certificate to reflect the new information and evidence and to forward such affidavit and supporting evidence to the State Registrar.

Genetic data privacy; civil penalty. Establishes requirements for direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies, defined in the bill, including requirements related to information to be provided to consumers, express consent requirements, requirements related to security of and consumer access to genetic data, requirements for contracts between direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies and service providers, and prohibitions on disclosure of genetic data by direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies. The bill also prohibits discrimination against a consumer based on exercise of rights related to genetic data privacy and imposes civil penalties for violations of the provisions of the bill.

Land preservation tax credits. Provides that for conveyances made on or after January 1, 2017, the deadlines for filing a complete application for land preservation tax credit shall be extended for any number of days exceeding 90 during which the application is being reviewed for verification of conservation value by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, provided that the application is otherwise complete.

Health insurance; tobacco surcharge. Eliminates the authority of a health carrier to vary its premium rates based on tobacco use. Under current law, a health carrier may charge premium rates up to 1.5 times higher for a tobacco user than for a nonuser. The provisions of the bill apply to health benefit plans providing individual or small group health insurance coverage entered into, amended, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024. The bill directs the State Corporation Commission to submit an annual report summarizing the reductions in premiums related to the elimination of the tobacco surcharge. The provisions of the bill expire on January 1, 2026.

Study; Department of Health and Department of Education; medical forms and medical information collection by summer camps and similar programs; report. Requests the Department of Health and the Department of Education to study medical forms and medical information collection by summer camps and similar programs and to determine the viability of a standardized medical information form for summer camps and similar programs, explore possibilities for streamlining the collection of medical information for such programs, and create a draft universal form for potential use by such programs. The Department of Health and the Department of Education shall complete their meetings by November 30, 2023, and submit their findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Economic development; Virginia Business Ready Sites Acquisition Fund and Program. Creates the Virginia Business Ready Sites Acquisition Program for the purposes of (i) acquiring sites for the purpose of creating and maintaining a portfolio of project-ready sites to promote economic development in the Commonwealth, (ii) developing such sites to increase their marketability, and (iii) entering into development agreements with private employers for large-scale economic development projects. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority shall administer the Program, in consultation with the Department of General Services. Economic development; Virginia Business Ready Sites Acquisition Fund and Program. Creates the Virginia Business Ready Sites Acquisition Program for the purposes of (i) acquiring sites for the purpose of creating and maintaining a portfolio of project-ready sites to promote economic development in the Commonwealth, (ii) developing such sites to increase their marketability, and (iii) entering into development agreements with private employers for large-scale economic development projects. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority shall administer the Program, in consultation with the Department of General Services. The bill requires Program activities to be reviewed by the MEI Project Approval Commission (the Commission), who shall review proposals for site acquisitions, site development activities, and development agreements with private employers and determine whether the proposals are consistent with the objective of the Program. If the Commission issues a negative finding, it shall communicate such finding to the Governor and to the General Assembly, and the Authority shall not implement the proposal unless the proposal, either in its original or revised form, is authorized by the General Assembly at its next session and enacted into law.

School Resource Officer Grants Program and Fund. Provides that matching grants from the School Resource Officer Incentive Grants Fund may be awarded to local law-enforcement agencies and local school boards for the expenses related to the equipment necessary for uniformed school resource officers, school security officers, and other relevant school safety personnel and the enhancement of the school-law enforcement partnership through training and programming as determined by the Department; provided, however, that such grants shall not be used for any expense related to the purchase of firearms, handcuffs or other wrist restraints, or any stun weapon.

Disposition of unclaimed bodies; how disposition expenses paid; seizure of assets. Permits seizure of a decedent's nonprobate assets to cover the costs of disposition of such decedent's unclaimed body. Currently, seizure is limited to estate assets out of which disposition costs may be paid.

Virginia Museum of Transportation; established. Establishes the Virginia Museum of Transportation as a public entity and educational institution under the Commonwealth governed by a 15-member board of trustees. The provisions of this bill are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act.

Mandatory reporting of all offenders released from a state correctional facility before the completion of the offender's sentence. Requires the Department of Corrections to provide the Virginia State Crime Commission with the name, last known address, criminal history information, length of sentence incarcerated, reason for early release, and remaining time on such length of sentence for each offender in the custody of the Department. The bill requires the Commission to publish the names of such offenders along with the reason for early release on its website and provide an annual report by November 15 to the General Assembly concerning the release of such offenders and any future criminal charges and convictions for such offenders.

Capital outlay plan. Updates the six-year capital outlay plan for projects to be funded entirely or partially from general fund-supported resources.