Noncitizens of the United States; terminology. Removes the term "alien" as it pertains to persons who are not citizens or nationals of the United States and replaces it with synonymous language, as appropriate, throughout the Code of Virginia.

Additional local sales and use tax to support schools; referendum. Authorizes all counties and cities to impose an additional local sales and use tax at a rate not to exceed one percent with the revenue used only for capital projects for the construction or renovation of schools if such levy is approved in a voter referendum. The bill removes the requirement that such a tax must have an expiration date on either (i) the date of the repayment of any bonds or loans used for such capital projects or (ii) a date chosen by the governing body. Under current law, only Charlotte, Gloucester, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Northampton, Patrick, and Pittsylvania Counties and the City of Danville are authorized to impose such a tax.

Permissible venue; personal injury and wrongful death actions; appointment of administrator on behalf of estate of decedent. Provides that in a personal injury or wrongful death action in which an administrator is appointed on behalf of the estate of a decedent, permissible venue shall lie only in a county or city in which venue would have been properly laid if the person for whom such appointment is made had survived.

Local government employees; expression of certain opinions protected. Provides that an employee of a locality shall not be penalized by his employer for expressing his opinion regarding a current or proposed regulation, rule, policy, position, or other action or purpose of a public body at an open meeting of such public body when such employee is speaking on his own behalf. The bill excludes any speech that is unprotected under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, including speech that (i) incites violence; (ii) is obscene, defamatory, or fraudulent; or (iii) discloses privileged and confidential information. The bill specifies that for purposes of this provision an employee of a locality does not include any person appointed to a position in a locality by an elected official or by a government body composed in whole or in part of elected officials.

Schools boards; pupil transportation; alternatives. Expands the availability of allowable alternatives to traditional school bus transportation services relating to the transportation of students to and from school or school-related activities, including permitting any school board of a school division for which providing transportation by school bus is not cost effective to use a portion of its transportation funding to provide a grant to any parent of a student who provides student transportation to and from school, subject to certain conditions enumerated in the bill. Schools boards; pupil transportation; alternatives. Expands the availability of allowable alternatives to traditional school bus transportation services relating to the transportation of students to and from school or school-related activities, including permitting any school board of a school division for which providing transportation by school bus is not cost effective to use a portion of its transportation funding to provide a grant to any parent of a student who provides student transportation to and from school, subject to certain conditions enumerated in the bill.

Charitable gaming. Amends charitable gaming law to allow, as a condition of receiving a charitable gaming permit or authorization to conduct electronic gaming, certain organizations to use a predetermined percentage of its receipts for expenses related to the rental of real property where such real property is involved in the operation of the organization and used for lawful religious, charitable, community, or educational purposes. The bill prohibits the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services from promulgating electronic gaming regulations that prohibit (i) devices that display spinning, rotating, or rolling reels or animations or flashing lights; (ii) devices that accept vouchers; or (iii) the purchase and play of an electronic pull tab with a single press or touch of a button.

Medical cannabis program; product expiration; confidentiality; penalty. Increases from six months to 12 months the maximum expiration date allowable for a cannabis product after registration absent stability testing. The bill allows pharmaceutical processors to employ as pharmacy technician trainees individuals who have less than one year of experience and allows pharmaceutical processors to employ persons with less than one year of experience to perform certain other supervised duties for which current law requires two years of experience. The bill also provides for the confidentiality of certain records and other information of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority, including the exemption of certain information from the mandatory disclosure provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Medical cannabis program; product expiration; confidentiality; penalty. Increases from six months to 12 months the maximum expiration date allowable for a cannabis product after registration absent stability testing. The bill allows pharmaceutical processors to employ as pharmacy technician trainees individuals who have less than one year of experience and allows pharmaceutical processors to employ persons with less than one year of experience to perform certain other supervised duties for which current law requires two years of experience. The bill also provides for the confidentiality of certain records and other information of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority, including the exemption of certain information from the mandatory disclosure provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

Department of Criminal Justice Services; certification and regulation of charitable bail organizations. Provides for certification and regulation by the Department of Criminal Justice Services of charitable bail organizations, defined in the bill as any entity or nonprofit organization that exists for the purpose of providing or posting bond for another person and does not include a person that pays bail for (i) three or fewer defendants in any 180-day period or (ii) a defendant's family or household member.

Compost and other products containing organic soil amendments infrastructure; civil penalty. Allows a locality by ordinance to require certain generators, as defined in the bill, of large quantities of organic waste to separate the organic waste from other solid waste and ensure that the organic waste is diverted from final disposal in a refuse disposal system. The bill allows a locality to establish civil penalties for violations of such ordinance but requires the locality to issue a warning to a generator that violates the ordinance prior to collecting such a civil penalty. Finally, the bill expresses that it is the intent of the General Assembly that new public school buildings and facilities and improvements and renovations to existing public school buildings and facilities include waste disposal infrastructure, as defined in the bill. Compost and other products containing organic soil amendments infrastructure; civil penalty. Allows a locality by ordinance to require certain generators, as defined in the bill, of large quantities of organic waste to separate the organic waste from other solid waste and ensure that the organic waste is diverted from final disposal in a refuse disposal system. The bill allows a locality to establish civil penalties for violations of such ordinance but requires the locality to issue a warning to a generator that violates the ordinance prior to collecting such a civil penalty. Finally, the bill expresses that it is the intent of the General Assembly that new public school buildings and facilities and improvements and renovations to existing public school buildings and facilities include waste disposal infrastructure, as defined in the bill.

Elections administration; change to location of polling place, additional notice requirement. Requires notice of a change in the location of a polling place to be posted, to the extent practicable, at the location last used for such polling place on the day of the first primary election and first general election conducted in the new location. This notice is required to include information on how voters may find their polling place. Elections administration; change to location of polling place, additional notice requirement. Requires notice of a change in the location of a polling place to be posted, to the extent practicable, at the location last used for such polling place on the day of the first primary election and first general election conducted in the new location. This notice is required to include information on how voters may find their polling place.

Gaming; posting of illegal gaming tip line information. Requires those legally authorized to sell Virginia lottery tickets or conduct charitable gaming, horse racing with pari-mutuel wagering, and casino gaming in the Commonwealth to post in a conspicuous place on their premises a sign that bears the toll-free telephone number and website of the illegal gaming tip line established and administered by the Office of the Gaming Enforcement Coordinator in the Department of State Police for members of the public to report concerns about, or suspected instances of, illegal gaming activities.

Small claims court; representation of certain entities. Adds limited liability companies and other legal or commercial entities to those parties that may have representation by an owner, a general partner, an officer, a member, or an employee of such company or entity in small claims court. This bill is a recommendation of the Boyd-Graves Conference.

Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act; flood-related disclosures. Requires the Real Estate Board to include on its repetitive risk loss disclosure form for owners of residential real property space for the disclosure of historical flood damages, flood insurance claims, and costs to such residential real property along with other related information. The bill also requires the owner of residential real property within the Commonwealth to disclose to any purchaser or renter of such property certain facts related to the flood history and risk of such property.

Local Environmental Impact Fund. Allows localities to create a permanent and perpetual fund to be known as the Local Environmental Impact Fund. The bill provides that the Fund shall consist exclusively of appropriated local moneys and any gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds received on its behalf and that the Fund is to be created for the purpose of granting funds to residents or locally owned businesses for the mitigation of environmental impacts. Such grants from the Fund shall be used only for the purchase of energy efficient (i) lawn care and landscaping equipment, (ii) home appliances, (iii) HVAC equipment, or (iv) micromobility devices. The Fund shall be administered and managed by the locality. Local Environmental Impact Fund. Allows localities to create a permanent and perpetual fund to be known as the Local Environmental Impact Fund. The bill provides that the Fund shall consist exclusively of appropriated local moneys and any gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds received on its behalf and that the Fund is to be created for the purpose of granting funds to residents or locally owned businesses for the mitigation of environmental impacts. Such grants from the Fund shall be used only for the purchase of energy efficient (i) lawn care and landscaping equipment, (ii) home appliances, (iii) HVAC equipment, or (iv) micromobility devices. The Fund shall be administered and managed by the locality.

Claiming a deer, bear, turkey, or elk struck by motor vehicle. Allows any deer, bear, turkey, or elk that appears to have been killed in a collision with a motor vehicle to be claimed by and awarded to any person. Current law allows a deer or bear to only be claimed by and awarded to the driver of a motor vehicle who collides with such animal.