Virginia Employment Commission; appeals proceedings; appeal tribunals and Board of Review; repeal. Specifies that any determination made by the Virginia Employment Commission in regard to any amount required to be deducted and withheld from unemployment compensation for purposes of child support obligations is final. The bill contains a number of technical amendments related to the Commission's appeals proceedings. The bill also repeals provisions related to appeal tribunals and the Commission-appointed Board of Review and contains technical amendments.

Confirming Governor's appointments; October 1. Confirms appointments of certain persons made by Governor Glenn Youngkin and communicated to the General Assembly October 1, 2023. Confirming Governor's appointments; October 1. Confirms appointments of certain persons made by Governor Glenn Youngkin and communicated to the General Assembly October 1, 2023.

Law-Enforcement Officers Procedural Guarantee Act; hearing panel decisions. Provides that for the purposes of the Law-Enforcement Officers Procedural Guarantee Act a majority decision of a hearing panel shall be binding on the employing agency. Under current law, such decisions are advisory recommendations only. The bill also provides that a hearing panel's decision may be appealed to the circuit court in the jurisdiction where the grievance arose. Lastly, the bill provides that the third member of the hearing panel shall not be from within the employing law-enforcement agency.

In-state tuition eligibility; certain members of National Guard or Reserves of the Armed Forces of the United States units in the Commonwealth. Declares eligible for in-state tuition charges at public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth regardless of domicile any member of the National Guard or the Reserves of the Armed Forces of the United States who is not a resident of the Commonwealth but who is an active member of a unit of the National Guard or the Reserves of the Armed Forces of the United States in the Commonwealth.

Health insurance; pharmacy benefits managers; reporting requirements; civil penalty. Provides that a person that violates the existing requirement to obtain a license prior to providing pharmacy benefits management services or otherwise acting as a pharmacy benefits manager may be subject to a civil penalty of $5,000 for each day on which such violation occurs. The bill adds additional requirements to existing reporting requirements for insurance carriers relating to pharmacy benefits managers. Such additional requirements include (i) the aggregate amount of a pharmacy benefits manager's retained rebates, as defined in the bill; (ii) a pharmacy benefits manager's aggregate retained rebate percentage, as defined in the bill; and (iii) the aggregate amount of administrative fees received by a pharmacy benefits manager.

Alcoholic beverage control; annual mixed beverage performing arts facility licenses; on-and-off premises wine and beer licenses. Defines performing arts facility and sports facility and standardizes the eligibility criteria for annual mixed beverage performing arts facility licenses and on-and-off-premises wine and beer licenses for performing arts food concessionaires. Under current law, the eligibility criteria for such licenses varies by location and includes inconsistent ownership, lease, capacity, and seating requirements. The bill also removes provisions that allow the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to grant annual mixed beverage motor sports facility licenses and motor car sporting event facility licenses and creates an annual mixed beverage sports facility license, which may be granted to persons operating a sports facility or food concessions at a sports facility and would authorize the licensee to sell mixed beverages during any event and immediately subsequent thereto to patrons within all seating areas, concourses, walkways, concession areas, and additional locations designated by the Board (i) in closed containers for off-premises consumption or (ii) in paper, plastic, or similar disposable containers or in single original metal cans for on-premises consumption.

Law-Enforcement Officers Procedural Guarantee Act; hearing panel decisions. Provides that for the purposes of the Law-Enforcement Officers Procedural Guarantee Act a majority decision of a hearing panel shall be binding on the employing agency. Under current law, such decisions are advisory recommendations only. The bill also provides that a hearing panel's decision may be appealed to the circuit court in the jurisdiction where the grievance arose. Lastly, the bill provides that the third member of the hearing panel shall not be from within the employing law-enforcement agency.

Notarial acts; knowledge-based authentication assessment; requirements. Adds a knowledge-based authentication assessment to the methods by which a notary public may obtain satisfactory evidence of identity of an individual. As defined in the bill, a knowledge-based authentication assessment requires a principal to take a quiz composed of at least five questions related to the principal's personal history or identity and to score at least 80 percent on such quiz. The bill provides that if the principal fails to achieve a score of at least 80 percent, he may attempt up to two additional quizzes within 48 hours following the first failed quiz. The bill also provides that no notarial act shall be invalidated solely based on the failure of a notary public to perform a duty or meet a requirement as required by law; however, the validity of a notarial act shall not prohibit an aggrieved person from invalidating a record or transaction or from seeking other remedies as allowed by law. The bill provides that these provisions shall apply retroactively to any notarial act that was performed before July 1, 2024. Notarial acts; knowledge-based authentication assessment; requirements. Adds a knowledge-based authentication assessment to the methods by which a notary public may obtain satisfactory evidence of identity of an individual. As defined in the bill, a knowledge-based authentication assessment requires a principal to take a quiz composed of at least five questions related to the principal's personal history or identity and to score at least 80 percent on such quiz. The bill provides that if the principal fails to achieve a score of at least 80 percent, he may attempt up to two additional quizzes within 48 hours following the first failed quiz. The bill also provides that no notarial act shall be invalidated solely based on the failure of a notary public to perform a duty or meet a requirement as required by law; however, the validity of a notarial act shall not prohibit an aggrieved person from invalidating a record or transaction or from seeking other remedies as allowed by law. The bill provides that these provisions shall apply retroactively to any notarial act that was performed before July 1, 2024.

Submetering or energy allocation equipment; billing requirements; unit owners. Provides that for the purposes of rules promulgated by the State Corporation Commission related to billing requirements and all other rules related to submetering or energy allocation equipment, those rules applicable to tenants will be applicable to residential and nonresidential unit owners.

Real property tax; assessment of real property used for affordable housing. Requires the duly authorized real estate assessor of a locality to appraise affordable rental housing in accordance with the income approach, as described by the bill. The bill provides that, should the duly authorized real estate assessor fail to follow generally accepted appraisal practices, the assessment will not be entitled to a presumption of correctness, and if the owner then successfully appeals such assessment, the locality shall reimburse the owner for attorney fees and costs incurred.

Department of Environmental Quality reports; consolidation. Consolidates varying due dates for certain reports relating to the Department of Environmental Quality to the Governor and the General Assembly to October 1 and requires such reports be submitted as part of one annual report. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025. Department of Environmental Quality reports; consolidation. Consolidates varying due dates for certain reports relating to the Department of Environmental Quality to the Governor and the General Assembly to October 1 and requires such reports be submitted as part of one annual report. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025.

Early childhood care and education; publicly funded providers. Provides that any locality wishing to participate in the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) must submit a proposal by May 15 of each year identifying a lead VPI agency responsible for developing a local plan for the delivery of preschool services to at-risk children. A local match based on the composite index of local ability to pay is required to fund such a proposal. The proposal must include the number of at-risk four-year-olds and three-year-olds to be served and eligibility criteria for participation. Upon acceptance, the Department will disburse state VPI funds to the lead VPI agency in such localities, which may be used with local matching funds to provide preschool education, health services, social services, parental involvement services, and transportation. The Department must establish academic standards for VPI programs that prepare students to successfully enter kindergarten. Full day VPI programs must operate for a minimum of five and a half instructional hours per day, while half day VPI programs operate for a minimum of three instructional hours per day. The bill requires the Department of Education to collect information from VPI and the Mixed Delivery Grant Program to compile a comprehensive report on the use of state funds, including the number of slots and funding allocated to each local program or provider and the number of slots that have been filled. Early childhood care and education; publicly funded providers. Provides that any locality wishing to participate in the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) must submit a proposal by May 15 of each year identifying a lead VPI agency responsible for developing a local plan for the delivery of preschool services to at-risk children. A local match based on the composite index of local ability to pay is required to fund such a proposal. The proposal must include the number of at-risk four-year-olds and three-year-olds to be served and eligibility criteria for participation. Upon acceptance, the Department will disburse state VPI funds to the lead VPI agency in such localities, which may be used with local matching funds to provide preschool education, health services, social services, parental involvement services, and transportation. The Department must establish academic standards for VPI programs that prepare students to successfully enter kindergarten. Full day VPI programs must operate for a minimum of five and a half instructional hours per day, while half day VPI programs operate for a minimum of three instructional hours per day. The bill requires the Department of Education to collect information from VPI and the Mixed Delivery Grant Program to compile a comprehensive report on the use of state funds, including the number of slots and funding allocated to each local program or provider and the number of slots that have been filled. The bill codifies the Child Care Subsidy Program, which is currently established pursuant to regulations of the Board of Education, for the purpose of assisting families who meet certain eligibility criteria with the cost of child care provided by approved vendors. The bill requires the Child Care Subsidy Program to be overseen by the Department of Education and permits the Department to contract with state and local agencies to administer the Program. The bill requires the Department and Board of Education, as applicable, to establish rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and standards for the Program. The bill also codifies the Mixed Delivery Grant Program, which is currently established pursuant to the general appropriation act, for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to local public entities that enter into partnerships with local private early childhood care and education entities and other community organizations, as applicable, to provide, under the direction and leadership of a lead agency identified in the grant proposal, high-quality care and education, either part time or full time, for at-risk infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children who reside in the locality. The bill requires the Mixed Delivery Grant Program to be administered by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation in partnership with the Department of Education and, consistent with any provisions relating to the Program in the general appropriation act, requires the Foundation and the Department to establish policies, procedures, and standards for the Program.

Fines, costs, forfeitures, penalties, and restitution; collection fees; assessment against incarcerated defendant; deferred payment agreement. Extends from 90 days without payment to 180 days without payment the period of delinquency necessary for an account to be included on the required monthly report of delinquent accounts made by the clerk of the circuit court and district court. Fines, costs, forfeitures, penalties, and restitution; collection fees; assessment against incarcerated defendant; deferred payment agreement. Extends from 90 days without payment to 180 days without payment the period of delinquency necessary for an account to be included on the required monthly report of delinquent accounts made by the clerk of the circuit court and district court. The bill also provides that for any defendant sentenced to an active term of incarceration and ordered to pay any fine, cost, forfeiture, or penalty related to the charge that such defendant is incarcerated for, or any other charge for which such defendant was sentenced on the same day, the court shall enter such defendant into a deferred payment agreement for such fines, costs, forfeitures, or penalties. The bill requires the due date for such deferred payment agreement to be set no earlier than the defendant's scheduled release from incarceration on the charge for which such defendant received the longest period of active incarceration. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025.

State psychiatric hospitals; temporary detention orders; delayed admission to determine medical needs. Allows state psychiatric hospitals to delay admission of an individual under a temporary detention order until the state psychiatric hospital has determined that the individual does not have potentially life-threatening medical needs that require immediate evaluation and treatment that the state psychiatric hospital is incapable of providing. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission and the Behavioral Health Commission.

Celebrating the life of Julius L. Branscome.