Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System; conservation officer eligibility. Adds conservation officers of the Department of Conservation and Recreation to the definition of "employee" as it relates to the Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System.

Capitol Square Preservation Council; powers and duties; review and approval of plans for changes to artifacts contained within the Capitol Building. Grants the Capitol Square Preservation Council the authority to review and approve all plans or proposals for alterations, improvements, additions, or renovations to, or other disposition of, any monuments, statuary, artwork, or other historical artifacts contained within the Capitol Building, including within the Rotunda, the old Senate chamber, and the old hall of the House of Delegates, and excluding the new Senate chamber and the new hall of the House of Delegates, office space, and any other area designated as legislative space that is not open to the public. Capitol Square Preservation Council; powers and duties; review and approval of plans for changes to artifacts contained within the Capitol Building. Grants the Capitol Square Preservation Council the authority to review and approve all plans or proposals for alterations, improvements, additions, or renovations to, or other disposition of, any monuments, statuary, artwork, or other historical artifacts contained within the Capitol Building, including within the Rotunda, the old Senate chamber, and the old hall of the House of Delegates, and excluding the new Senate chamber and the new hall of the House of Delegates, office space, and any other area designated as legislative space that is not open to the public.

Extension of land use approvals for solar photovoltaic projects. Extends to July 1, 2026, the sunset date for various local land use approvals for solar photovoltaic projects that were valid and outstanding as of July 1, 2023.

Department of Social Services; assisted living facility regulations; facilities with fewer than 25 residents. Requires the Department of Social Services to amend regulations affecting assisted living facilities with fewer than 25 residents to meet adjusted requirements for staff training and for the minimum age for staff employment.

Study; Department of Energy; eliminating waste coal piles in Southwest Virginia; report. Requests the Department of Energy to study the economic and environmental impacts of eliminating waste coal piles in Southwest Virginia. Study; Department of Energy; eliminating waste coal piles in Southwest Virginia; report. Requests the Department of Energy to study the economic and environmental impacts of eliminating waste coal piles in Southwest Virginia.

Conduct of elections; electoral board to meet to ascertain results; permitted period of adjournment. Permits local electoral boards, when meeting after an election to ascertain the results of such election, to adjourn as needed for a period not to exceed seven calendar days from the deadline for timely postmarked absentee ballots to be returned in order to be counted. Under current law, the local electoral boards are permitted to adjourn for a period not to exceed seven calendar days from the date of the election. The bill contains technical amendments for organizational purposes.

Electric utilities; retail competition; renewable energy. Allows individual retail customers of an electric utility to purchase electric energy provided 100 percent from renewable energy from any licensed supplier. The measure eliminates (i) provisions that prohibit such a purchase from a licensed supplier that is an incumbent electric utility that is not the incumbent electric utility serving the exclusive service territory in which the customer is located and (ii) a condition that permits such purchases only if the electric utility serving the applicable exclusive service territory does not offer a tariff for 100 percent renewable energy.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; application limitations. Prohibits a landlord from performing background, credit, or other pre-occupancy checks on an applicant without first (i) establishing a written rental application policy that includes a disclosure of the amount of all nonrefundable application fees and deposits and (ii) providing the applicant either (a) a copy of the landlord's written application policy or (b) an electronic communication stating where the landlord's written application policy may be accessed and providing a hyperlink or other electronic access to such policy. The written application policy may be provided through posting on a website available to the public.

Use, display, or concealment of firearm in committing certain felonies; penalty. Provides that a person is guilty of a separate felony if he carries about his person any pistol, shotgun, rifle, or other firearm that is hidden from common observation while committing or attempting to commit certain other felonies. The bill also increases from three to five years for a first offense and from five to 10 years for a second or subsequent offense the mandatory minimum sentences for use or display of a firearm during the commission of certain felonies.

Income tax; rates and deductions for businesses. Provides an individual income tax deduction for 50 percent of the amount of qualified business income deductible for federal income tax purposes, but excluding the amount of qualified REIT dividends deductible under the same provision of the Internal Revenue Code. The bill also reduces the corporate income tax rate from six percent to five percent for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2023.

Child abuse or neglect; definition; independent activities. Clarifies that no child whose parent or other person responsible for his care allows the child to engage in independent activities without adult supervision shall for that reason alone be considered to be an abused or neglected child, provided that (i) such independent activities are appropriate based on the child's age, maturity, and physical and mental abilities and (ii) such lack of supervision does not constitute conduct that is so grossly negligent as to endanger the health or safety of the child. The bill provides that such independent activities include traveling to or from school or nearby locations by bicycle or on foot, playing outdoors, or remaining at home for a reasonable period of time. Child abuse or neglect; definition; independent activities. Clarifies that no child whose parent or other person responsible for his care allows the child to engage in independent activities without adult supervision shall for that reason alone be considered to be an abused or neglected child, provided that (i) such independent activities are appropriate based on the child's age, maturity, and physical and mental abilities and (ii) such lack of supervision does not constitute conduct that is so grossly negligent as to endanger the health or safety of the child. The bill provides that such independent activities include traveling to or from school or nearby locations by bicycle or on foot, playing outdoors, or remaining at home for a reasonable period of time.

Pregnant inmates; facilitation of coverage through state plan for medical assistance services. Requires the Department of Medical Assistances Services and the Department of Corrections to coordinate to identify pregnant incarcerated persons in the custody of state correctional facilities who are currently enrolled in the Commonwealth's program of medical assistance services or who may be eligible for services under the state plan for medical assistance services and ensure that those persons released on medical furlough for the purpose of giving birth or other pregnancy-related care understand the steps necessary to obtain coverage for such care prior to the medical furlough. Pregnant inmates; facilitation of coverage through state plan for medical assistance services. Requires the Department of Medical Assistances Services and the Department of Corrections to coordinate to identify pregnant incarcerated persons in the custody of state correctional facilities who are currently enrolled in the Commonwealth's program of medical assistance services or who may be eligible for services under the state plan for medical assistance services and ensure that those persons released on medical furlough for the purpose of giving birth or other pregnancy-related care understand the steps necessary to obtain coverage for such care prior to the medical furlough.

Warrior Call Day. Designates the first Sunday after Veterans Day, in 2023 and in each succeeding year, as Warrior Call Day in Virginia.

Criminal appeals; duties of the Attorney General and attorney for the Commonwealth. Provides that in all criminal cases before the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court of Virginia in which the Commonwealth is a party or is directly interested, the Attorney General shall appear and represent the Commonwealth upon receipt of the record in the appellate court. The bill provides that the attorney for the Commonwealth shall continue to represent the Commonwealth in any appeal regarding bail, bond, or recognizance before the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court for which he was the prosecuting attorney. Under current law, the Attorney General assumes representation of the Commonwealth upon the filing of the notice of appeal. Criminal appeals; duties of the Attorney General and attorney for the Commonwealth. Provides that in all criminal cases before the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court of Virginia in which the Commonwealth is a party or is directly interested, the Attorney General shall appear and represent the Commonwealth upon receipt of the record in the appellate court. The bill provides that the attorney for the Commonwealth shall continue to represent the Commonwealth in any appeal regarding bail, bond, or recognizance before the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court for which he was the prosecuting attorney. Under current law, the Attorney General assumes representation of the Commonwealth upon the filing of the notice of appeal. The bill provides that the attorney for the Commonwealth shall represent the Commonwealth before the appellate courts on criminal pretrial petitions for appeal. The bill also provides that any appeal from any action collaterally attacking a criminal conviction lies directly to the Supreme Court. The bill eliminates the requirement that four copies of each brief shall be filed and three copies shall be mailed or delivered to opposing counsel on or before the date of filing in criminal pretrial appeals.

Virginia Fusion Intelligence Center; Mental Health Crisis Intervention Hotline; creation. Directs the Virginia Fusion Intelligence Center to (i) establish a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week toll-free Mental Health Crisis Intervention Hotline to receive anonymous tips regarding individuals suspected to be in need of mental health treatment in order to facilitate mental health treatment, crisis intervention, and the prevention of tragedies and (ii) develop and implement policies and procedures for referring tips received through the Hotline to state or local law enforcement, as may be appropriate, in a timely manner for follow-up and investigation.