Nonresident concealed handgun permits. Provides that if the Department of State Police has not issued a nonresident concealed handgun permit nor determined that the applicant for such permit is disqualified within 90 days of receipt of the completed application for such permit, the Department shall immediately issue the permit. Current law does not specify a time limit for issuance of such permit or determination of disqualification. The bill retains the current requirement that if after issuance of the permit the permittee is found by the Department to be disqualified, the permit shall be revoked and the person shall return the permit after being so notified by the Department. Nonresident concealed handgun permits. Provides that if the Department of State Police has not issued a nonresident concealed handgun permit nor determined that the applicant for such permit is disqualified within 90 days of receipt of the completed application for such permit, the Department shall immediately issue the permit. Current law does not specify a time limit for issuance of such permit or determination of disqualification. The bill retains the current requirement that if after issuance of the permit the permittee is found by the Department to be disqualified, the permit shall be revoked and the person shall return the permit after being so notified by the Department.

Smyth-Washington Regional Industrial Facilities Authority; dissolution. Dissolves the Smyth-Washington Regional Industrial Facilities Authority upon the request of the Authority's board of directors and satisfaction of the statutory requirements for the dissolution of regional industrial facilities authorities.

Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy; protocol; information; training. Requires the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to take certain actions upon the finding that an individual died from Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). The bill directs the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to publish information on SUDEP and a SUDEP death investigation form on its website. Additionally, the bill requires the Chief Medical Examiner and local medical examiners to complete training provided by the Epilepsy Foundation of Virginia. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2024.

New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Program; eligible institutions; maximum reimbursement per completed noncredit workforce training program. Increases from $3,000 to $4,000 the maximum amount that the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia is permitted to reimburse an eligible institution per completed noncredit workforce training program per eligible student pursuant to the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Program.

Attorney fees; emergency custody and voluntary and involuntary civil admissions. Increases the fee that a court-appointed attorney receives for representation during emergency custody and voluntary and involuntary civil admissions from $75 to $120 for each hearing and from $43.25 to $70 for each certification hearing. Attorney fees; emergency custody and voluntary and involuntary civil admissions. Increases the fee that a court-appointed attorney receives for representation during emergency custody and voluntary and involuntary civil admissions from $75 to $120 for each hearing and from $43.25 to $70 for each certification hearing.

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.

Interpreters for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. Provides that if the Department for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing cannot procure a qualified interpreter to assist a party or witness in a civil proceeding who is speech-impaired or who is deaf or hard of hearing, then the court may appoint a readily available interpreter with full certification from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc., or an equivalent national certification.

Department of Workforce Development and Advancement created; consolidation of the Commonwealth's workforce development policies and programs; report. Creates the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement (the Department) to administer workforce development programs. The bill consolidates statewide workforce program evaluation and data sharing under the Department and provides protections against improper disclosure of data. The bill provides for the Virginia Board of Workforce Development to conduct an independent evaluation of the operations and program objectives of the Department on a biennial basis with the first report due on December 1, 2025. The bill also (i) transfers administration of apprenticeship programs from the Department of Labor and Industry to the Department, (ii) directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to collaborate with the Department to grow and expand the Innovative Internship Fund and Program, and (iii) directs the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary) to conduct a comprehensive review of the Commonwealth's workforce development programs and make recommendations to address a wide range of subjects relating to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of such programs. The Secretary is also required to convene a stakeholder work group to advise the Secretary during the transition period. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Small Business Commission and is identical to

Campaign finance; prohibited personal use of campaign funds; complaints, hearings, civil penalty. Prohibits any person from converting contributions to a candidate or his campaign committee for personal use. Current law only prohibits such conversion of contributions with regard to disbursement of surplus funds at the dissolution of a campaign or political committee. The bill provides that a contribution is considered to have been converted to personal use if the contribution, in whole or in part, is used to fulfill any commitment, obligation, or expense that would exist irrespective of the person's seeking, holding, or maintaining public office but allows a contribution to be used for the ordinary and accepted expenses related to campaigning for or holding elective office, including the use of campaign funds to pay for the candidate's dependent care expenses that are incurred as a direct result of campaign activity. The bill provides that any person subject to the personal use ban may request an advisory opinion from the State Board of Elections on such matters. The bill directs the State Board of Elections to adopt emergency regulations similar to those promulgated by the Federal Election Commission to implement the provisions of the bill and to provide an updated summary of Virginia campaign finance law that reflects the State Board of Elections' and Attorney General's guidance on the provisions of such law that prohibit the personal use of campaign funds and any new regulations promulgated by the State Board of Elections. Campaign finance; prohibited personal use of campaign funds; complaints, hearings, civil penalty. Prohibits any person from converting contributions to a candidate or his campaign committee for personal use. Current law only prohibits such conversion of contributions with regard to disbursement of surplus funds at the dissolution of a campaign or political committee. The bill provides that a contribution is considered to have been converted to personal use if the contribution, in whole or in part, is used to fulfill any commitment, obligation, or expense that would exist irrespective of the person's seeking, holding, or maintaining public office but allows a contribution to be used for the ordinary and accepted expenses related to campaigning for or holding elective office, including the use of campaign funds to pay for the candidate's dependent care expenses that are incurred as a direct result of campaign activity. The bill provides that any person subject to the personal use ban may request an advisory opinion from the State Board of Elections on such matters. The bill directs the State Board of Elections to adopt emergency regulations similar to those promulgated by the Federal Election Commission to implement the provisions of the bill and to provide an updated summary of Virginia campaign finance law that reflects the State Board of Elections' and Attorney General's guidance on the provisions of such law that prohibit the personal use of campaign funds and any new regulations promulgated by the State Board of Elections.

Behavior analysts; assistant behavior analysts; licensure criteria; certifying entities. Provides in the criteria for licensure as a behavior analyst or assistant behavior analyst established by the Board of Medicine that certain documentation must be provided by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board or its successor. Under current law, such documentation must be provided by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board or any other entity that is nationally accredited to certify practitioners of behavior analysis.

Local regulation of materials recovery facilities. Provides that an ordinance adopted by a locality that would prevent or prohibit the disposal of garbage, trash, or refuse does not include any facility-generated waste residue from a materials recovery facility, as defined in the bill, that has been issued a permit by the Department of Environmental Quality. Local regulation of materials recovery facilities. Provides that an ordinance adopted by a locality that would prevent or prohibit the disposal of garbage, trash, or refuse does not include any facility-generated waste residue from a materials recovery facility, as defined in the bill, that has been issued a permit by the Department of Environmental Quality.

Minimum staffing standards for certified nursing facilities; administrative sanctions. Sets nursing staffing requirements for certified nursing facilities, imposes administrative sanctions on a certified nursing facility if it does not comply with the staffing requirements, provides for exemptions to the administrative sanctions under certain circumstances, and directs the promulgation of regulations consistent with the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025.

Local gas road improvement and Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority tax; Coal and Gas Road Improvement Fund uses; sunset. Provides that funds in the Coal and Gas Road Improvement Fund may be used to construct flood mitigation measures that would reduce or prevent flooding of allowable infrastructure and extends from January 1, 2024, to January 1, 2026, the expiration of the local gas road improvement and Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority tax. Local gas road improvement and Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority tax; Coal and Gas Road Improvement Fund uses; sunset. Provides that funds in the Coal and Gas Road Improvement Fund may be used to construct flood mitigation measures that would reduce or prevent flooding of allowable infrastructure and extends from January 1, 2024, to January 1, 2026, the expiration of the local gas road improvement and Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority tax.

Community services boards; behavioral health authorities; purpose; performance contracts. Provides that the purpose of behavioral health services provided by community services boards and behavioral health authorities is to enable individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities, or substance use disorder that significantly impair their functioning to access effective, timely, and cost-efficient services that help them (i) overcome or manage functional impairments caused by the mental illness, or substance use disorder and (ii) remain in the community to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the individual's well-being and public safety. The bill also requires that performance contracts entered into by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services with community services boards and behavioral health authorities include certain information, as specified in the bill. The bill reorganizes certain other provisions related to community services boards and behavioral health authorities. Certain provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025. Community services boards; behavioral health authorities; purpose; performance contracts. Provides that the purpose of behavioral health services provided by community services boards and behavioral health authorities is to enable individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities, or substance use disorder that significantly impair their functioning to access effective, timely, and cost-efficient services that help them (i) overcome or manage functional impairments caused by the mental illness, or substance use disorder and (ii) remain in the community to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the individual's well-being and public safety. The bill also requires that performance contracts entered into by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services with community services boards and behavioral health authorities include certain information, as specified in the bill. The bill reorganizes certain other provisions related to community services boards and behavioral health authorities. Certain provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025.

Virginia Power Innovation Fund and Program; created. Creates the Virginia Power Innovation Fund with funding to be used solely for the purposes of research and development of innovative energy technologies, including nuclear, hydrogen, carbon capture and utilization, and energy storage. The bill also creates the Virginia Power Innovation Program to use moneys from the Fund to (i) establish a Virginia nuclear innovation hub and (ii) award competitive grants to support energy innovation.