Virginia local journalism sustainability tax credits. Creates a nonrefundable income tax credit for eligible local newspaper publishers, defined in the bill, for compensation paid to local news journalists. The credit is equal to (i) for the first taxable year in which the credit is claimed, the lesser of 10 percent of the actual amounts paid in wages to local news journalists during such taxable year or $5,000 and (ii) in subsequent taxable years, the lesser of five percent of the actual amounts paid in wages to local news journalists during such taxable year or $2,500. The credit includes an aggregate cap of $5 million per taxable year. The bill also creates a nonrefundable income tax credit for eligible small businesses with fewer than 50 employees for certain expenses incurred for local media advertising in a local newspaper or in a broadcast of a local radio or television station. The credit is equal to (i) for the first taxable year in which the credit is claimed, the lesser of 80 percent of the actual amounts paid or incurred for qualified local media advertising expenses or $4,000 and (ii) in subsequent taxable years, the lesser of 50 percent of the actual amounts paid or incurred for qualified local media advertising expenses during such taxable year or $2,000. The credit includes an aggregate cap of $10 million per taxable year. Each of the credits may be claimed in taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2024, but before January 1, 2029.

Common interest communities; foreclosure remedy. Prohibits certain bills to enforce a lien from being entertained if the real estate is the judgment debtor's primary residence and the judgment is for assessments levied by certain common interest community associations if the amount secured by one or more judgments exclusive of interest and costs does not exceed $5,000. The bill also requires such common interest community associations to maintain individual assessment account records. Finally, the bill requires such associations to maintain records of any recorded lien during the effective duration of such lien. As introduced, the bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Housing Commission.

Study; Joint Commission on Health Care; policy solutions to the Commonwealth's fentanyl crisis; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC) to study policy solutions to the Commonwealth's fentanyl crisis. The resolution directs JCHC to (i) study the causes of the rise in fentanyl prevalence and fentanyl overdoses in the Commonwealth, (ii) study the impact of the rise in fentanyl prevalence and fentanyl overdoses in the Commonwealth on Virginians and the Commonwealth's health care system, (iii) study and provide insight into the fentanyl crisis within the context of other drug crises and addiction trends in recent history, and (iv) establish and make policy recommendations related to reducing the prevalence of fentanyl in the Commonwealth and reducing the number of fentanyl overdoses in the Commonwealth. The resolution requires JCHC to complete its meetings by November 30, 2025, and to submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly for each year. Study; Joint Commission on Health Care; policy solutions to the Commonwealth's fentanyl crisis; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC) to study policy solutions to the Commonwealth's fentanyl crisis. The resolution directs JCHC to (i) study the causes of the rise in fentanyl prevalence and fentanyl overdoses in the Commonwealth, (ii) study the impact of the rise in fentanyl prevalence and fentanyl overdoses in the Commonwealth on Virginians and the Commonwealth's health care system, (iii) study and provide insight into the fentanyl crisis within the context of other drug crises and addiction trends in recent history, and (iv) establish and make policy recommendations related to reducing the prevalence of fentanyl in the Commonwealth and reducing the number of fentanyl overdoses in the Commonwealth. The resolution requires JCHC to complete its meetings by November 30, 2025, and to submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly for each year.

First offense drug program; previous misdemeanor marijuana conviction. Allows any person to participate in the first offender drug program even if such person was previously convicted of an offense related to misdemeanor possession of marijuana or who has had a previous dismissal of a misdemeanor offense for possession of marijuana pursuant to the program. Current law prohibits any person with a previous marijuana conviction from participating in the program.

MEI Project Approval Commission; board-level gender and diversity requirements. Requires the MEI Project Approval Commission to consider, prior to recommending approval of any major employment and investment (MEI) project, a board diversity disclosure statement submitted by the business seeking incentives. The Commission is required to consider (i) whether such statement specifies the number and percentage of diverse directors who identify as female or as representing a national, racial, ethnic, indigenous, or cultural minority in the country of the business's principal executive offices and (ii) whether the business commits to annually updating and submitting such statement.

Expungement of police and court records. Provides that for the purposes of expungement of police and court records the term "otherwise dismissed" means to render a legal action out of consideration in a different way or manner than a nolle prosequi or formal dismissal by the trial court. The bill specifies that the term "otherwise dismissed" also includes those circumstances when a person is charged with the commission of a crime, a civil offense, or any offense defined in relevant law and the initial charge is reduced or amended to another offense, including a lesser included offense or the same offense with a lesser gradient of punishment, so that such person is not convicted of the initial charge and may file a petition requesting expungement of the police and court records relating to the initial charge. The bill also provides that if a court finds that the continued existence and possible dissemination of information relating to an arrest may cause circumstances that constitute manifest injustice, including any hindrance to obtain employment, an education, or credit, it shall enter an order requiring the expungement of the police and court records. Under current law, a court shall enter an order of expungement when information relating to an arrest causes or may cause circumstances that constitute a manifest injustice to the petitioner. Expungement of police and court records. Provides that for the purposes of expungement of police and court records the term "otherwise dismissed" means to render a legal action out of consideration in a different way or manner than a nolle prosequi or formal dismissal by the trial court. The bill specifies that the term "otherwise dismissed" also includes those circumstances when a person is charged with the commission of a crime, a civil offense, or any offense defined in relevant law and the initial charge is reduced or amended to another offense, including a lesser included offense or the same offense with a lesser gradient of punishment, so that such person is not convicted of the initial charge and may file a petition requesting expungement of the police and court records relating to the initial charge. The bill also provides that if a court finds that the continued existence and possible dissemination of information relating to an arrest may cause circumstances that constitute manifest injustice, including any hindrance to obtain employment, an education, or credit, it shall enter an order requiring the expungement of the police and court records. Under current law, a court shall enter an order of expungement when information relating to an arrest causes or may cause circumstances that constitute a manifest injustice to the petitioner. The bill also provides that when an initial charge has been reduced or amended to another offense for which reporting to the Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE) is still required pursuant to relevant law and an order of expungement is granted for the initial charge, the CCRE shall amend the original arrest but maintain the fingerprints collected from the original arrest. Except for the provisions regarding the circumstances that constitute manifest injustice, the bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; membership. Requires the membership of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to include at least one nonlegislative citizen member who has served as a chief executive officer of an accredited nonprofit private institution of higher education whose primary purpose is to provide collegiate, graduate, or professional education and not to provide religious training or theological education. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026, and is identical to

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; survey on campus food insecurity; report. Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to (i) survey each public institution of higher education to determine how each such institution is addressing on-campus food insecurity, including specific methods, programs, sources of funding, expenditures, communications strategies, and staffing; (ii) compile and make available to each such institution a guidance document containing best practices for leveraging all available resources and opportunities, including public benefits programs and donation programs, to ensure that students do not face food insecurity on campus; and (iii) report its findings and any recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations no later than November 1, 2024. State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; survey on campus food insecurity; report. Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to (i) survey each public institution of higher education to determine how each such institution is addressing on-campus food insecurity, including specific methods, programs, sources of funding, expenditures, communications strategies, and staffing; (ii) compile and make available to each such institution a guidance document containing best practices for leveraging all available resources and opportunities, including public benefits programs and donation programs, to ensure that students do not face food insecurity on campus; and (iii) report its findings and any recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations no later than November 1, 2024.

Demonstrated competence for a concealed handgun permit; firearms instructors and safety programs. Requires that any course, class, or training to demonstrate competence with a handgun as required to obtain a concealed handgun permit must include a live fire shooting exercise conducted on a range, including the expenditure of a minimum of 10 rounds of ammunition, and provides that no course, class, or training that does not include such live fire shooting exercise meets the requirements to obtain a concealed handgun permit. The bill removes references to the National Rifle Association (the NRA) and the United States Concealed Carry Association from the Code that allow the organizations to certify ranges and instructors and for courses offered by them to serve as proof of demonstrated competence in firearms safety and training for the purpose of obtaining a concealed handgun permit or receiving training as a minor in the use of pneumatic guns. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025. Demonstrated competence for a concealed handgun permit; firearms instructors and safety programs. Requires that any course, class, or training to demonstrate competence with a handgun as required to obtain a concealed handgun permit must include a live fire shooting exercise conducted on a range, including the expenditure of a minimum of 10 rounds of ammunition, and provides that no course, class, or training that does not include such live fire shooting exercise meets the requirements to obtain a concealed handgun permit. The bill removes references to the National Rifle Association (the NRA) and the United States Concealed Carry Association from the Code that allow the organizations to certify ranges and instructors and for courses offered by them to serve as proof of demonstrated competence in firearms safety and training for the purpose of obtaining a concealed handgun permit or receiving training as a minor in the use of pneumatic guns. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025.

Health insurance; cost-sharing payments for insulin and diabetes equipment and supplies; limit. Decreases the cap on the cost-sharing payment that a covered person is required to pay for a covered prescription insulin drug from $50 to $35 for a 30-day supply of the prescription insulin drug and provides such cap is an aggregate cap that applies in situations where the covered person is prescribed more than one insulin drug. The bill also establishes such an aggregate cap of $35 for a 30-day supply of diabetes equipment and supplies.

Maximum number of judges in each judicial district. Increases from five to six the maximum number of authorized juvenile and domestic relations district court judges in the Thirty-first Judicial District.

Cannabis control; retail market; penalties. Establishes a framework for the creation of a retail marijuana market in the Commonwealth, to be administered by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. The bill allows the Authority to begin issuing all marijuana licenses on September 1, 2024, but provides that no retail sales may occur prior to May 1, 2025.

Faith in Housing for the Commonwealth Act. Permits a religious organization, defined in the bill, to construct affordable housing on real estate owned by such religious organization (i) on or before January 1, 2024, or for a period of not less than five years, and (ii) for which the religious organization retains a majority ownership interest.

Towed vehicles; stolen or misused vehicle; police report. Requires the owner of a vehicle that was stolen, illegally used, or used without his permission and subsequently subject to a law-enforcement initiated tow to provide the report number and the name of the law-enforcement agency receiving the report that the motor vehicle was stolen, illegally used, or used without his permission to the towing facility where the vehicle is being stored in order to remove the vehicle without paying towing and storage fees. Towed vehicles; stolen or misused vehicle; police report. Requires the owner of a vehicle that was stolen, illegally used, or used without his permission and subsequently subject to a law-enforcement initiated tow to provide the report number and the name of the law-enforcement agency receiving the report that the motor vehicle was stolen, illegally used, or used without his permission to the towing facility where the vehicle is being stored in order to remove the vehicle without paying towing and storage fees.

Regulation of electronic gaming devices; penalties. Authorizes and specifies the licensing requirements for the manufacture, distribution, operation, servicing, hosting, and play of electronic gaming devices, as defined in the bill. The bill provides that electronic gaming devices are regulated by the Virginia Lottery Board and requires employees of such licensees to be registered with the Virginia Lottery. The bill imposes criminal and civil penalties for violations of the law and regulations related to electronic gaming devices. The bill imposes a 34 percent tax on all gross profits from the play of such gaming devices and provides for the use of such tax proceeds, with most being deposited into the general fund.