Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council; powers and duties; complaints; penalties. Authorizes the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council to investigate alleged violations of the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act and the General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act. The Council may initiate an investigation upon its own motion or in response to a complaint filed by a resident of the Commonwealth who has firsthand knowledge of an alleged violation. The bill directs the Council to review the disclosure forms filed by members of the General Assembly for compliance with applicable disclosure requirements and limitations on gifts and the accuracy of all information disclosed and authorizes the Council to initiate an investigation based on the findings of this review. The bill increases from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony the penalty for any knowing violation of the General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act. Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council; powers and duties; complaints; penalties. Authorizes the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council to investigate alleged violations of the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act and the General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act. The Council may initiate an investigation upon its own motion or in response to a complaint filed by a resident of the Commonwealth who has firsthand knowledge of an alleged violation. The bill directs the Council to review the disclosure forms filed by members of the General Assembly for compliance with applicable disclosure requirements and limitations on gifts and the accuracy of all information disclosed and authorizes the Council to initiate an investigation based on the findings of this review. The bill increases from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony the penalty for any knowing violation of the General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act.

Local parks; walking trails; liability; property owners. Authorizes a locality or park authority to establish, conduct, and regulate a system of walking trails and releases from certain civil liability the owner of any property leased, licensed, or provided by easement for such use in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Department of Veterans Services; disclosure of services provided. Requires all attorneys who hold accreditation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans with VA-related claims and appeals processes to provide a written disclosure informing all clients of the free services provided by the Department of Veterans Services for service members, veterans, and their families.

Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. Adds Virginia to the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact to create a process for expedited issuance of a license to practice medicine in the Commonwealth for qualifying physicians to enhance the portability of medical licenses while protecting patient safety. The Compact establishes requirements for coordination of information systems among member states and procedures for investigation and discipline of physicians alleged to have engaged in unprofessional conduct. Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. Adds Virginia to the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact to create a process for expedited issuance of a license to practice medicine in the Commonwealth for qualifying physicians to enhance the portability of medical licenses while protecting patient safety. The Compact establishes requirements for coordination of information systems among member states and procedures for investigation and discipline of physicians alleged to have engaged in unprofessional conduct.

School counselors; staff time. Defines the terms "direct counseling" and "program planning and school support" for the purpose of the provision of law that requires each school counselor to spend at least 80 percent of his staff time during normal school hours in the direct counseling of individual students or groups of students and clarifies that each school counselor may also spend up to 20 percent of his staff time during normal school hours on program planning and support. This bill is a recommendation of the Behavioral Health Commission and the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission. School counselors; staff time. Defines the terms "direct counseling" and "program planning and school support" for the purpose of the provision of law that requires each school counselor to spend at least 80 percent of his staff time during normal school hours in the direct counseling of individual students or groups of students and clarifies that each school counselor may also spend up to 20 percent of his staff time during normal school hours on program planning and support. This bill is a recommendation of the Behavioral Health Commission and the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission.

Dairy Producer Margin Coverage Premium Assistance Program; Fund; sunset. Creates in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Dairy Producer Margin Coverage Premium Assistance Program Fund. The bill extends the expiration date of the provisions of the Dairy Producer Margin Coverage Premium Assistance Program from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2028.

Income tax; business interest; qualified business income deduction; corporate rate reduction. Increases from 30 percent to 50 percent the Virginia individual and corporate income tax deduction for business interest disallowed as a deduction under § 163(j) of the Internal Revenue Code beginning in taxable year 2024. The bill allows an individual income tax deduction in an amount equal to 50 percent of certain federal qualified business income deductions, excluding qualified real estate investment trust dividends. The bill also reduces from six percent to five percent the corporate income tax rate beginning in taxable year 2023.

Constitutional amendment (first reference); fundamental right to reproductive freedom. Provides that every individual has the fundamental right to reproductive freedom and that the right to make and effectuate one's own decisions about all matters related to one's pregnancy cannot be denied, burdened, or otherwise infringed upon by the Commonwealth, unless justified by a compelling state interest and achieved by the least restrictive means. The amendment prohibits the Commonwealth from penalizing, prosecuting, or otherwise taking adverse action against an individual for exercising the individual's right to reproductive freedom or for aiding another individual in the exercise of such right, unless justified by a compelling state interest.

Consultation with federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth; permits and reviews with potential impacts on environmental, cultural, and historic resources. Requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Historic Resources, and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to establish policies and procedures for consulting with federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth when evaluating certain permits and reviews relating to environmental, cultural, or historic resources that potentially impact those federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Secretary of the Commonwealth to designate an Ombudsman for Tribal Consultation to facilitate communication and consultation with federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth. The bill codifies Executive Order 82 (2021). Consultation with federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth; permits and reviews with potential impacts on environmental, cultural, and historic resources. Requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Historic Resources, and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to establish policies and procedures for consulting with federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth when evaluating certain permits and reviews relating to environmental, cultural, or historic resources that potentially impact those federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Secretary of the Commonwealth to designate an Ombudsman for Tribal Consultation to facilitate communication and consultation with federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth. The bill codifies Executive Order 82 (2021).

Stormwater management and erosion and sediment control; agreement in lieu of plan; farm buildings and agritourism activities; small construction activity. Includes farm buildings, any building or structure used for agritourism activity, and any related impervious surface, including roads, driveways, and parking areas, in the respective definitions of an agreement in lieu of a plan in the stormwater management and erosion and sediment control laws. Current laws define an agreement in lieu of a plan to cover only single-family residences. The bill also requires the State Water Control Board to establish by regulation a procedure by which a registration statement shall not be required for coverage under the General Permit for Discharges of Stormwater from Construction Activities for a small construction activity, defined in the bill, involving a single-family detached residential structure.

General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act; prohibited ownership interests; casino gaming establishments and retail marijuana stores; penalty. Prohibits any member of the General Assembly or any member of his immediate family from holding a direct or indirect ownership interest in a casino gaming establishment or retail marijuana store or in any entity that sells or distributes on the premises of such establishment or store any goods or services that are incidental or ancillary to the principal business of the establishment or store. Such prohibition shall apply during the legislator's service as a legislator and for the five years immediately following the termination of such service. The bill provides that any person who violates the prohibition is guilty of a Class 6 felony and that any money or thing of value derived by the legislator from such violation is forfeited to the Commonwealth.

Public elementary and secondary schools; threat assessment team members; training requirement. Requires new threat assessment team members at each public elementary and secondary school to complete initial threat assessment training and all threat assessment team members to complete refresher training every three years.

Health insurance; catastrophic plans. Authorizes health carriers to offer catastrophic plans on the individual market and to offer such plans to all individuals. The measure provides that a catastrophic plan is deemed to provide an essential health benefits package and to meet certain requirements of federal law. A catastrophic plan is a high-deductible health care plan that provides essential health benefits and coverage for at least three primary care visits per policy year. Under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148), as amended, catastrophic plans satisfy requirements that health benefit plans provide minimum levels of coverage only if they cover individuals who are younger than 30 years of age or who qualify for a hardship exemption or affordability exemption. The measure requires the Commissioner of Insurance to apply to the federal government for a State Innovation Waiver allowing the implementation of the provision allowing catastrophic plans to be offered on the individual market to all individuals. The provision will become effective 30 days after the Commissioner notifies certain persons that the request has been approved.

Abortion prohibited; exceptions; penalty. Provides that life begins at conception and no abortion is authorized or shall be performed on an unborn child except when (i) a physician determines, in reasonable medical judgment, that a medical emergency exists, defined in the bill such that the abortion is performed to save the life of the mother, or (ii) the probable gestational age of the unborn child is 20 weeks or less and the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest in which an official police report has been filed alleging the offense of rape or incest and such abortion is performed by a licensed physician in a hospital. The bill provides that any person who performs an unlawful abortion is guilty of a Class 4 felony.

Public institutions of higher education; admissions; Virginia Promise to Veterans Act; report. Establishes the Virginia Promise to Veterans Act for the purpose of removing barriers to higher education for veterans of the uniformed services, as defined in the bill, and assisting such veterans in making the transition to civilian life in the Commonwealth. In furtherance of this purpose, the bill directs the governing board of each public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth to provide for the guaranteed acceptance of any eligible veteran applicant, defined in the bill as any applicant who served as a member of the uniformed services and (i) graduated from a high school in the Commonwealth or (ii) served in the uniformed services while assigned to a location in the Commonwealth and who otherwise meets the admissions requirements to enroll as an undergraduate student at such institution. The bill requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, in collaboration with the Virginia Community College System, to develop guidelines relating to the administration of the provisions of the chapter for the governing board of each public institution of higher education and to develop guidelines for potential eligible veteran applicants, including any additional resources available to eligible veterans applying under the Act.