Certain public elementary schools; parent liaison position. Certain public elementary schools; parent liaison position. Requires a local school board to employ, in any public elementary or secondary school in which at least 20 percent of enrolled students are identified as members of a single racial or ethnic group that constitutes a minority of the total population of the United States, at least one full-time parent liaison who is also a member of such racial or ethnic group per the first 200 students who are identified as members of such group and at least one such additional full-time parent liaison per each additional 300 students who are identified as members of such group beyond the first 200 such students. The bill requires each such parent liaison to serve as a liaison between the guardians of such students and the school principal and staff and to provide guardians, particularly of minority students, with a variety of information about school programs, requirements, resources, events, and activities and perform related work as required. The bill requires these positions to be included in the Standards of Quality and funded by the Commonwealth at a rate equivalent to the school division's prevailing average secondary teacher cost and provides that these positions shall not be considered support services positions. The bill also provides that the General Assembly recognizes the necessity for and encourages each school board to employ parent liaisons in schools in the local school division with impacted attendance rates and lower enrollment rates because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; data collection and analysis; claims submitted to managed care organizations; report. Requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services to collect data for each fiscal year from fiscal year 2018 through fiscal year 2022 regarding (i) the number and percentage of claims submitted to managed care organizations that were denied and the reasons for such denials and (ii) the number and percentage of claims submitted to managed care organizations that required resubmission prior to payment and the reasons for such resubmissions and to examine such data and identify barriers that providers encounter when accepting and treating patients enrolled in the state plan for medical assistance services. Under the bill, the Department shall report such data and analysis by November 1, 2023, to the Joint Commission on Health Care and the Joint Subcommittee for Health and Human Resources Oversight. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care.

Firearms; National Rifle Association. Removes references to the National Rifle Association (the NRA) from the Code and repealing authority for special license plates in support of the NRA.

Special license plate; women veterans. Authorizes the issuance of special license plates for supporters of women veterans bearing the legend SUPPORT WOMEN VETERANS.

Department of Health Professions; Virginia Healthcare Workforce Data Center; provision of certain information related to health care providers to the public. Directs the Department of Health Professions, through its Virginia Healthcare Workforce Data Center, to make available to the public by request any existing data on health care providers by locality, including certification type and demographic information for each provider. The bill requires that if the Department is unable to provide such information upon request, the Department must provide an explanation to the requestor as to why the information cannot be provided. Department of Health Professions; Virginia Healthcare Workforce Data Center; provision of certain information related to health care providers to the public. Directs the Department of Health Professions, through its Virginia Healthcare Workforce Data Center, to make available to the public by request any existing data on health care providers by locality, including certification type and demographic information for each provider. The bill requires that if the Department is unable to provide such information upon request, the Department must provide an explanation to the requestor as to why the information cannot be provided.

Control of firearms by localities. Removes a locality's authority to prohibit the possession or carrying of firearms, ammunition, or components or any combination thereof in (i) any public park owned or operated by the locality; (ii) any recreation or community center facility operated by the locality; or (iii) any public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or public right-of-way or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted event or an event that would otherwise require a permit. Control of firearms by localities. Removes a locality's authority to prohibit the possession or carrying of firearms, ammunition, or components or any combination thereof in (i) any public park owned or operated by the locality; (ii) any recreation or community center facility operated by the locality; or (iii) any public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or public right-of-way or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted event or an event that would otherwise require a permit.

Sales and use tax; agricultural exemptions. Provides a sales and use tax exemption for property used to produce agricultural products for market in an indoor, closed, controlled-environment commercial agricultural facility. The property exempted includes (i) internal structural components required to create the necessary growing environment for plants, including watering systems, towers for growing plants, and lighting and air systems, and (ii) transparent elements of external structural components of such facilities, including windows, walls, and roofs, that allow sunlight in for the commercial production of agricultural products. The exemption shall not apply to property used in producing cannabis. The bill allows contractors working on behalf of owners of facilities exempt under these new provisions to use the exemption when purchasing materials that would otherwise qualify for the exemption.

Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security; fire service needs, sustainability of funding, and alternative funding models work group; report. Directs the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security (the Secretary) to establish a work group to study existing fire service needs, analyze sustainability of current funding, and review alternative funding models from other states. In conducting its study, the work group may hire an outside consultant and shall create a needs assessment survey that analyzes existing fire service needs, the sustainability of current funding, any gaps in current funding, how other states fund fire and EMS services, and best practices from other states. The Secretary shall report the work group's findings and any recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on General Laws and the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology on or before October 1, 2023.

Workplace violence; violence in certain public places; penalty. Makes it a Class 3 felony for any person to commit an act of violence at (i) such person's place of employment or former place of employment, or at any other workplace of the same employer, whether on or off duty and whether during or outside of normal business hours; (ii) a place of worship, including any education building or community center owned or leased by a place of worship; (iii) a courthouse; or (iv) a hospital. The bill provides that such offense is a separate and distinct offense, punishment for which shall be consecutive to any punishment received for the act of violence. Workplace violence; violence in certain public places; penalty. Makes it a Class 3 felony for any person to commit an act of violence at (i) such person's place of employment or former place of employment, or at any other workplace of the same employer, whether on or off duty and whether during or outside of normal business hours; (ii) a place of worship, including any education building or community center owned or leased by a place of worship; (iii) a courthouse; or (iv) a hospital. The bill provides that such offense is a separate and distinct offense, punishment for which shall be consecutive to any punishment received for the act of violence.

Filling, refilling, or otherwise delivering liquefied petroleum gas during a qualifying emergency. Provides that when a qualifying emergency, as defined in the bill, is in effect, a residential customer who can demonstrate that he has less than a 24-hour supply of petroleum gas in his liquefied petroleum gas container shall make a good faith effort to procure delivery of liquefied petroleum gas from the owner of the container. If the owner is unable to fulfill the customer's good faith request within 24 hours, the bill allows the customer to have an emergency supplier fill, refill, or otherwise deliver liquefied petroleum gas into the customer's container. Under current law, it is a Class 3 misdemeanor for any person except the owner or other person authorized by the owner to fill or refill a liquefied petroleum gas container with liquefied petroleum gas.

Emergency Services and Disaster Law; religious freedom; executive orders. Provides that no rule, regulation, or order issued by the Governor or other governmental entity pursuant to the Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Services and Disaster Law shall impose restrictions on the operation of a place of worship that are more restrictive than the restrictions imposed on any other business, organization, or activity. Emergency Services and Disaster Law; religious freedom; executive orders. Provides that no rule, regulation, or order issued by the Governor or other governmental entity pursuant to the Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Services and Disaster Law shall impose restrictions on the operation of a place of worship that are more restrictive than the restrictions imposed on any other business, organization, or activity.

Fort Monroe Authority; fees; security. Grants the Fort Monroe Authority the ability to (i) charge certain fees for services within Fort Monroe and (ii) utilize security enhancement devices to enhance the safety of persons or property within Fort Monroe.

Marijuana; advertising restrictions; penalties. Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to advertise in or send any advertising matter into the Commonwealth regarding marijuana, marijuana products, or any substance containing a synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol or synthetic derivative of tetrahydrocannabinol other than those that may be legally sold in the Commonwealth. The bill provides that for violations of certain distance and zoning restrictions on outdoor advertising, as set forth in the bill, the Board of Directors of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority must give the advertiser written notice to take corrective action and that, if such corrective action is not taken within 30 days, the advertiser is guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. The bill establishes numerous restrictions on marijuana advertisements, including provisions that prohibit advertisements from (i) targeting minors; (ii) being placed near schools, playgrounds, and certain other places; (iii) being displayed at a sporting event or on a billboard; (iv) being misleading, deceptive, or false; (v) referencing the intoxicating effects of marijuana; or (vi) promoting overconsumption or consumption by minors.

State parks; master planning requirements. Increases from $500,000 to $2 million the value of physical improvements and structures in state parks that are considered substantial improvements, as defined in the bill. The bill also stipulates that the master planning process shall not be considered an impediment to the acquisition of inholdings, adjacent properties to be incorporated into an existing park, or properties acquired for the development of a new park. Such properties, when acquired, shall be incorporated into a park's existing master plan as part of that plan's next scheduled 10-year review and update, or for new parks, a master plan shall be initiated within five years of finalizing the acquisition.

Accessory dwelling units. Establishes authority and requirements for localities in the development and use of accessory dwelling units (ADUs). An ADU is defined in the bill as an independent dwelling unit on a single-family dwelling (SFD) lot with its own living, bathroom, and kitchen space. An ADU may be within or attached to an SFD or in a detached structure on a lot containing an SFD. An ADU may include, but is not limited to, basements, attics, flats, guest houses, cottages, and converted structures such as garages and sheds. The bill specifies that an ADU is not permitted in cases where it would violate historic preservation rules, deed restrictions, or property owners' association rules.