Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the Secretary of Health and Human Resources; work group; report. Directs the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a work group to study and make recommendations on procedures for requiring health care providers or facilities to report to a law-enforcement officer in order to initiate procedures for the issuance of a substantial risk order. The bill requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2024.

Commonwealth of Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority; board of directors; membership. Amends the membership of the board of directors of the Commonwealth of Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority by adding four nonlegislative citizen members to increase the total membership to 15 members and removing the position currently held by a director of a technology transfer office or equivalent position from a major research public institution of higher education. The bill (i) provides the Speaker of the House of Delegates the power to appoint four nonlegislative citizen members to the board of directors, (ii) provides the Senate Committee on Rules the power to appoint four nonlegislative citizen members to the board of directors, and (iii) removes such appointment power from the Joint Rules Committee. Finally, the bill prohibits any member of the board from investing personal funds in venture capital activities or grants, loans, or investment programs supported or administered by the Authority. Commonwealth of Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority; board of directors; membership. Amends the membership of the board of directors of the Commonwealth of Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority by adding four nonlegislative citizen members to increase the total membership to 15 members and removing the position currently held by a director of a technology transfer office or equivalent position from a major research public institution of higher education. The bill (i) provides the Speaker of the House of Delegates the power to appoint four nonlegislative citizen members to the board of directors, (ii) provides the Senate Committee on Rules the power to appoint four nonlegislative citizen members to the board of directors, and (iii) removes such appointment power from the Joint Rules Committee. Finally, the bill prohibits any member of the board from investing personal funds in venture capital activities or grants, loans, or investment programs supported or administered by the Authority.

Elections; conduct of election; ascertainment of results; random hand count audits. Requires the electoral board of each locality to randomly select one polling place within its jurisdiction in which votes were cast using a voting system for a full hand count audit.

Foreign adversaries; restrictions; civil penalty. Restricts any foreign adversary or foreign business, as those terms are defined in the bill, from acquiring any interest in land in the Commonwealth and requires registration with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The bill requires the Secretary to report annually by December 1 on the registrations and any penalties assessed for failure to register and to submit such report to the Governor and the General Assembly. The bill restricts foreign entities governed by a foreign adversary from transacting business in, forming an entity in, or becoming an entity of the Commonwealth. The bill also requires all real property tax bills to contain notice of such foreign property ownership restrictions and registration requirements.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; remote ultrasound procedures; remote fetal non-stress tests. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to modify the state plan for medical assistance services to include a provision allowing for payment under certain conditions for remote ultrasound procedures and remote fetal non-stress tests. Department of Medical Assistance Services; remote ultrasound procedures; remote fetal non-stress tests. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to modify the state plan for medical assistance services to include a provision allowing for payment under certain conditions for remote ultrasound procedures and remote fetal non-stress tests.

Department of Motor Vehicles; highway use fee; tiered flat rate system; work group; report. Directs the Department of Motor Vehicles to convene a work group to determine the feasibility of implementing a tiered flat rate system to accurately determine the correct amount of highway use fee to be charged at the point of sale of a motor vehicle. The bill directs the work group to complete its work and report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the Senate and House Committees on Transportation no later than November 15, 2024.

Guardians and conservators; order of appointment and certificate of qualification; annual report. Requires a petitioner to file with a petition for the appointment of a guardian, a conservator, or both a cover sheet on a form prepared by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia. The bill requires a guardian to file an initial annual report reflecting the first four months of guardianship since qualification within six months of the date of qualification and to file the second and each subsequent annual report for each succeeding 12-month period within four months from the last day of the last 12-month period covered by the previous annual report. The bill also specifies which documents the clerk shall forward to certain entities upon the qualification of a guardian or conservator.

Board of Medical Assistance Services; investigate violence prevention services benefit programs. Requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) to (i) investigate violence prevention services benefits in other states, including evidence-based, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive preventative services provided to reduce the incidence of violent injury or reinjury, trauma, and related harms and to promote trauma recovery, stabilization, and improved health outcomes; (ii) evaluate best practices for the establishment and application of such a program, considering the costs and effectiveness of such programs in other states; and (iii) consider the practicalities of amending the state plan for medical assistance services to include a provision for payment of medical assistance for such violence prevention services. DMAS shall report its findings to the General Assembly by November 1, 2024. Board of Medical Assistance Services; investigate violence prevention services benefit programs. Requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) to (i) investigate violence prevention services benefits in other states, including evidence-based, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive preventative services provided to reduce the incidence of violent injury or reinjury, trauma, and related harms and to promote trauma recovery, stabilization, and improved health outcomes; (ii) evaluate best practices for the establishment and application of such a program, considering the costs and effectiveness of such programs in other states; and (iii) consider the practicalities of amending the state plan for medical assistance services to include a provision for payment of medical assistance for such violence prevention services. DMAS shall report its findings to the General Assembly by November 1, 2024.

Energy upgrade programs; Phase I and Phase II Utilities; State Corporation Commission to study feasibility; work group; report. Directs the State Corporation Commission to convene a work group to study the feasibility of the implementation of an energy upgrade program for eligible customers opting to participate by each Phase I and Phase II Utility, which program would permit such utility to (i) install one or more energy projects, as defined in the bill, at a participant's location and (ii) collect a special rate, as defined in the bill, to repay the costs of such installation. The bill requires the Commission to report the findings and recommendations of the work group to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce, the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor, and the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation by January 1, 2025. Energy upgrade programs; Phase I and Phase II Utilities; State Corporation Commission to study feasibility; work group; report. Directs the State Corporation Commission to convene a work group to study the feasibility of the implementation of an energy upgrade program for eligible customers opting to participate by each Phase I and Phase II Utility, which program would permit such utility to (i) install one or more energy projects, as defined in the bill, at a participant's location and (ii) collect a special rate, as defined in the bill, to repay the costs of such installation. The bill requires the Commission to report the findings and recommendations of the work group to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce, the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor, and the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation by January 1, 2025.

Social Work Licensure Compact. Authorizes Virginia to become a signatory to the Social Work Licensure Compact. The Compact allows social workers who have or are eligible for an active, unencumbered license in the compact member state where they reside to apply for a multistate license. After verifying eligibility, the social worker is granted a multistate license that authorizes practice in all other compact member states. The Compact takes effect when it is enacted by a seventh member state.

Health insurance; coverage for contraceptive drugs and devices. Requires health insurance carriers to provide coverage, under any health insurance contract, policy, or plan that includes coverage for prescription drugs on an outpatient basis, for contraceptive drugs and contraceptive devices, as defined in the bill, including those available over-the-counter. The bill prohibits a health insurance carrier from imposing upon any person receiving contraceptive benefits pursuant to the provisions of the bill any copayment, coinsurance payment, or fee, except in certain circumstances.

Motor vehicle insurance claims; bad faith. Provides that if an insurance company licensed in the Commonwealth to write motor vehicle insurance (i) denies, refuses, fails to pay, or fails to make a timely and reasonable settlement offer to its insured under the provisions of any uninsured or underinsured motorist benefits coverage in a policy of motor vehicle insurance applicable to the insured after the insured has become legally entitled to recover or (ii) after all applicable liability policy limits and underlying uninsured and underinsured motorists benefits have been tendered or paid, rejects a reasonable settlement demand made by the insured within the policy's coverage limits for uninsured or underinsured motorist benefits or fails to respond within a reasonable time after being presented with such demand after the insured has become legally entitled to recover, and it is subsequently found by a court of proper jurisdiction that such denial, refusal, or failure to timely pay or failure to make a timely and reasonable settlement offer, rejection of a reasonable settlement demand, or failure to timely accept a reasonable settlement demand was not made in good faith, in addition to the amount due and owing by the insurance company to its insured on the judgment against the tortfeasor, the insurance company shall also be liable to the insured in an amount up to double the amount of the judgment obtained against the underinsured motorist, uninsured motorist, immune motorist, unknown owner or operator, or released defendant in the underlying personal injury or wrongful death action, not to exceed $500,000, together with reasonable attorney fees for bringing the claim, and all costs and expenses incurred by the insured to secure a judgment against the tortfeasor, and interest from 30 days after the date of such denial or failure or the date the reasonable settlement demand. Under the bill, the insured or the insured's representative may seek adjudication of a claim that the insurance company did not act in good faith as a posttrial motion before the court in which the underlying personal injury or wrongful death judgment was obtained or as a separate action against the company. If the insured or the insured's representative seeks adjudication as a separate action and the underlying judgment is appealed, any action filed under this subsection shall be stayed by the court pending final resolution of the appeal of the underlying judgment. Motor vehicle insurance claims; bad faith. Provides that if an insurance company licensed in the Commonwealth to write motor vehicle insurance (i) denies, refuses, fails to pay, or fails to make a timely and reasonable settlement offer to its insured under the provisions of any uninsured or underinsured motorist benefits coverage in a policy of motor vehicle insurance applicable to the insured after the insured has become legally entitled to recover or (ii) after all applicable liability policy limits and underlying uninsured and underinsured motorists benefits have been tendered or paid, rejects a reasonable settlement demand made by the insured within the policy's coverage limits for uninsured or underinsured motorist benefits or fails to respond within a reasonable time after being presented with such demand after the insured has become legally entitled to recover, and it is subsequently found by a court of proper jurisdiction that such denial, refusal, or failure to timely pay or failure to make a timely and reasonable settlement offer, rejection of a reasonable settlement demand, or failure to timely accept a reasonable settlement demand was not made in good faith, in addition to the amount due and owing by the insurance company to its insured on the judgment against the tortfeasor, the insurance company shall also be liable to the insured in an amount up to double the amount of the judgment obtained against the underinsured motorist, uninsured motorist, immune motorist, unknown owner or operator, or released defendant in the underlying personal injury or wrongful death action, not to exceed $500,000, together with reasonable attorney fees for bringing the claim, and all costs and expenses incurred by the insured to secure a judgment against the tortfeasor, and interest from 30 days after the date of such denial or failure or the date the reasonable settlement demand. Under the bill, the insured or the insured's representative may seek adjudication of a claim that the insurance company did not act in good faith as a posttrial motion before the court in which the underlying personal injury or wrongful death judgment was obtained or as a separate action against the company. If the insured or the insured's representative seeks adjudication as a separate action and the underlying judgment is appealed, any action filed under this subsection shall be stayed by the court pending final resolution of the appeal of the underlying judgment.

Local tax; penalties and interest. Requires localities to apply voluntary payments made by a taxpayer to the tax return that accompanies such payment. The bill provides that no interest will accrue on any unpaid balances 90 days after the date on which a taxpayer files an application for correction by the locality, an administrative appeal, or an application to court for meals taxes, until such appeal is resolved. The bill creates notice procedures prior to a locality making a levy on property due to delinquent tax payments.

Law-enforcement officers; protected personal information. Provides that any full-time or part-time law-enforcement officer who provides information relative to a criminal investigation or in proceedings preliminary to a criminal prosecution may refuse, unless ordered by a court, to disclose his residence address, home telephone number, or any personal information concerning his family. The bill also provides that any full-time or part-time law-enforcement officer who testifies as a witness in a criminal case may refuse to disclose personal information concerning his family unless it is determined by the court that such evidence is relevant to the case.

Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services; Office of the Independent Living Community Ombudsman established. Establishes the Office of the Independent Living Community Ombudsman, with the purpose of receiving, recording, and responding to concerns related to independent living communities. The bill directs the Office to operate a complaint line to receive, record, and respond to such concerns.