Virginia Economic and Development Partnership Authority; Virginia Creative Economy Grant Fund and Program; established. Establishes the Virginia Creative Economy Grant Fund and Program, to be administered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority, for the purpose of awarding grants to independent content creators and creative entrepreneurs for the purpose of developing and expanding the creative economy in Virginia. The bill provides for the award of grants of no more than $20,000 to any recipient.

Child Care Subsidy Program; categorical eligibility for certain families. Provides that any family that receives public assistance through Medicaid or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children shall be deemed to categorically satisfy income eligibility requirements to receive assistance through the Child Care Subsidy Program. Child Care Subsidy Program; categorical eligibility for certain families. Provides that any family that receives public assistance through Medicaid or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children shall be deemed to categorically satisfy income eligibility requirements to receive assistance through the Child Care Subsidy Program.

Birth of dependent household member tax deduction. Allows an income tax deduction for the birth of a dependent member of a taxpayer's household that occurs during the taxable year, beginning in taxable year 2024. The bill provides that the deduction will be in the amount of (i) $1,000 for a married couple filing jointly or (ii) $500 for an individual.

Carrying a concealed handgun; permit not required. Allows any person who is otherwise eligible to obtain a concealed handgun permit to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywhere he may lawfully carry a handgun openly within the Commonwealth.

Charter; City of Virginia Beach. Amends the charter for the City of Virginia Beach to reflect the City's transition to a city council consisting solely of single-member districts and the mayor.

Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; real estate board; continuing education requirements for real estate brokers and salespersons. Increases from eight to 11 the number of hours of continuing education an applicant for relicensure as a real estate broker or salesperson shall complete in the topics of ethics and standards of conduct, fair housing, legal updates and emerging trends, real estate agency, and real estate contracts. The bill also decreases from eight to five the number of hours of general elective courses such applicants shall complete. The bill directs the Real Estate Board to adopt regulations to implement the provisions of the bill against current licensees beginning in such licensee's next full renewal cycle following the effective date of such regulations.

Child abuse; mandatory reporters. Adds to the list of persons who are required to report suspected child abuse or neglect employees of the Department of Labor and Industry whose duties include ensuring compliance with child labor laws.

Carrying concealed handguns; protective orders. Authorizes any person 21 years of age or older who is not prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm and is protected by an unexpired protective order to carry a concealed handgun for 45 days after the protective order was issued. The bill provides that if the person issued the protective order applies for a concealed handgun permit during such 45-day period, such person will be authorized to carry a concealed handgun for an additional 45 days and be given a copy of the certified application, which shall serve as a de facto concealed handgun permit. The bill requires such person to have the order or certified application and photo identification on his person when carrying a concealed handgun and to display them upon demand by a law-enforcement officer; failure to do so is punishable by a $25 civil penalty.

Elections; form of ballot; party identification of candidates; constitutional offices. Provides that any candidate for a constitutional office who is nominated by a political party or at a primary election shall be identified on the ballot by the name of his political party. Currently, only candidates for federal, statewide, and General Assembly offices are so identified. The constitutional offices are those of the treasurer, sheriff, attorney for the Commonwealth, clerk of court, and commissioner of the revenue.

Department of Environmental Quality; enforcement Department of Environmental Quality; enforcement of regulations; Clean Water Act; cooling water intakes at power plants. Requires the Department of Environmental Quality to promptly enforce federal regulations implementing a provision of the federal Clean Water Act for cooling water intakes at power plants to reduce negative impacts on fish populations in the waters of the Commonwealth.

Broadband access in farmland and rural areas; information and reporting. Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to create and maintain, in consultation with the Commonwealth Broadband Chief Advisor, the Broadband Advisory Council, and the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, an interactive tool or application to provide current information on connectivity and broadband access in rural areas of the Commonwealth and on farmland in the Commonwealth and permits such tool or application to be incorporated into the Department's website. The bill also directs the Department to, with the assistance of any necessary agencies of the Commonwealth, collect and incorporate information and data regarding connectivity and broadband access in rural areas and on farmland into such interactive tool or application and annually report to the Broadband Advisory Council any such information and data. Broadband access in farmland and rural areas; information and reporting. Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to create and maintain, in consultation with the Commonwealth Broadband Chief Advisor, the Broadband Advisory Council, and the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, an interactive tool or application to provide current information on connectivity and broadband access in rural areas of the Commonwealth and on farmland in the Commonwealth and permits such tool or application to be incorporated into the Department's website. The bill also directs the Department to, with the assistance of any necessary agencies of the Commonwealth, collect and incorporate information and data regarding connectivity and broadband access in rural areas and on farmland into such interactive tool or application and annually report to the Broadband Advisory Council any such information and data.

Enhanced concealed handgun permit. Provides that any person 21 years of age or older who applies for a concealed handgun permit may elect to apply for an enhanced concealed handgun permit. The bill provides that such permit would allow a person who has been issued an enhanced concealed handgun permit to carry a firearm any place a law-enforcement officer may carry a firearm. The bill provides that to obtain such enhanced concealed handgun permit, a person must demonstrate competence with a handgun and such demonstration shall include a live fire shooting exercise conducted on a range with the expenditure of a minimum of 100 rounds of ammunition.

Charter; City of Virginia Beach; board of equalization. Amends the charter for the City of Virginia Beach by expanding the board of equalization from four members to five members and an alternate.

Students who receive home instruction; participation in interscholastic and intramural extracurricular programs. Students who receive home instruction; participation in interscholastic and intramural extracurricular programs. Prohibits public schools from joining an organization governing interscholastic programs that does not deem eligible for participation a student who (i) receives home instruction; (ii) has demonstrated evidence of progress for two consecutive academic years; (iii) is in compliance with immunization requirements; (iv) is entitled to free tuition in a public school; (v) has not reached the age of 19 by August 1 of the current academic year; (vi) is an amateur who receives no compensation but participates solely for the educational, physical, mental, and social benefits of the activity; (vii) complies with all disciplinary rules and is subject to all codes of conduct applicable to all public high school athletes; and (viii) complies with all other rules governing awards, all-star games, maximum consecutive semesters of high school enrollment, parental consents, physical examinations, and transfers applicable to all high school athletes. The bill provides that no local school board is required to establish a policy to permit students who receive home instruction to participate in interscholastic programs. The bill permits reasonable fees to be charged to students who receive home instruction to cover the costs of participation in such interscholastic programs, including the costs of additional insurance, uniforms, and equipment. The bill also requires each school board to adopt a policy to permit any student who receives home instruction and who resides in the local school division to participate in any intramural extracurricular program that is offered to public school students in the same grade level, subject to any reasonable conditions that the school board may establish for such participation such as conditions relating to fees, prerequisites, or space availability.

City council salaries. Increases the statutory salary caps for members of city councils and requires a public hearing prior to adopting an ordinance to set city council salaries. The bill also provides that the maximum salaries may be adjusted in any year by an inflation factor not to exceed five percent. City council salaries. Increases the statutory salary caps for members of city councils and requires a public hearing prior to adopting an ordinance to set city council salaries. The bill also provides that the maximum salaries may be adjusted in any year by an inflation factor not to exceed five percent.