Nonfamily adoption tax credit. Creates a $4,000 nonrefundable tax credit for taxable years 2024 through 2028 for an individual or married persons who, during the taxable year, finalize a legal nonfamily adoption as defined in the bill.

Elections; protection of electors and election officials; penalties. Adds to the list of protected voters any current or former elector for President and Vice President of the United States and any person who is or has been a member of the State Board of Elections, the Commissioner of Elections, an employee of the Department of Elections, a member of a local electoral board, a general registrar, a deputy registrar, an employee in the office of the general registrar, or an officer of election. Protected voters are permitted by law to provide on the application for voter registration, in addition to the voter's residence street address, a post office box address located within the Commonwealth, which would be the address included on (i) lists of registered voters and persons who voted, (ii) voter registration records made available for public inspection, and (iii) lists of absentee voter applicants. Elections; protection of electors and election officials; penalties. Adds to the list of protected voters any current or former elector for President and Vice President of the United States and any person who is or has been a member of the State Board of Elections, the Commissioner of Elections, an employee of the Department of Elections, a member of a local electoral board, a general registrar, a deputy registrar, an employee in the office of the general registrar, or an officer of election. Protected voters are permitted by law to provide on the application for voter registration, in addition to the voter's residence street address, a post office box address located within the Commonwealth, which would be the address included on (i) lists of registered voters and persons who voted, (ii) voter registration records made available for public inspection, and (iii) lists of absentee voter applicants. The bill makes it a Class 5 felony to, by bribery, intimidation, threats, coercion, or other means in violation of election laws, willfully and intentionally hinder or prevent an election official or employee of an election official from administering elections. Under current law, it is only a Class 5 felony to hinder or prevent an officer of election at a location being used for voting from holding an election. The bill also makes it a Class 5 felony to commit such acts against an elector for President and Vice President of the United States. The bill creates a civil action for any election official, employee of an election official, or elector who is intimidated, threatened, or coerced by another person who thereby willfully and intentionally hinders or prevents, or attempts to hinder or prevent, such official, employee, or elector from fulfilling his duty.

Maiming, killing, or poisoning companion animals; penalty. Makes it a Class 5 felony for any person to maliciously shoot, stab, or wound, or otherwise cause bodily injury to, or administer poison to or expose poison with intent that it be taken by, any companion animal of another, or do any of the foregoing acts to any companion animal of his own with intent to defraud any insurer of such animal. Under current law, such offenses are punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class 6 felony for a second or subsequent offense provided certain conditions are met. The bill also makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to do any of the foregoing acts with any of the aforesaid intents (i) to any companion animal unlawfully but not maliciously or (ii) to any fowl. Maiming, killing, or poisoning companion animals; penalty. Makes it a Class 5 felony for any person to maliciously shoot, stab, or wound, or otherwise cause bodily injury to, or administer poison to or expose poison with intent that it be taken by, any companion animal of another, or do any of the foregoing acts to any companion animal of his own with intent to defraud any insurer of such animal. Under current law, such offenses are punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class 6 felony for a second or subsequent offense provided certain conditions are met. The bill also makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to do any of the foregoing acts with any of the aforesaid intents (i) to any companion animal unlawfully but not maliciously or (ii) to any fowl.

Study; JLARC; effects of gun violence on communities; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the social, physical, emotional, and economic effects of gun violence on communities across the Commonwealth. Study; JLARC; effects of gun violence on communities; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the social, physical, emotional, and economic effects of gun violence on communities across the Commonwealth.

Towing violations; enforcement; fuel surcharge fee. Authorizes localities in Planning Districts 8 and 16 to require written authorization of the owner of the property from which the vehicle is towed at the time the vehicle is being towed and regulate the monitoring practices that may be used by towing and recovery operators. Current law authorizes localities other than those in Planning Districts 8 and 16 to require written authorization of the owner of the property from which the vehicle is towed at the time the vehicle is being towed. The bill changes the penalty for certain trespass towing offenses in Planning District 8 from $150 per violation paid to the Literary Fund to 10 times the total amount charged for such removal, towing, and storage to be paid to the victim of the unlawful towing. The bill also changes the expiration date of the authorization for towing and recovery operators to charge a fuel surcharge fee of no more than $20 for each vehicle towed or removed from private property without the consent of its owner and the prohibition on local governing bodies limiting or prohibiting such fee from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025. Towing violations; enforcement; fuel surcharge fee. Authorizes localities in Planning Districts 8 and 16 to require written authorization of the owner of the property from which the vehicle is towed at the time the vehicle is being towed and regulate the monitoring practices that may be used by towing and recovery operators. Current law authorizes localities other than those in Planning Districts 8 and 16 to require written authorization of the owner of the property from which the vehicle is towed at the time the vehicle is being towed. The bill changes the penalty for certain trespass towing offenses in Planning District 8 from $150 per violation paid to the Literary Fund to 10 times the total amount charged for such removal, towing, and storage to be paid to the victim of the unlawful towing. The bill also changes the expiration date of the authorization for towing and recovery operators to charge a fuel surcharge fee of no more than $20 for each vehicle towed or removed from private property without the consent of its owner and the prohibition on local governing bodies limiting or prohibiting such fee from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025.

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.

Vehicle exhaust systems; operation in certain locations. Expands the locations for which operation of a motor vehicle, moped, or motorized skateboard or foot-scooter that does not comply with requirements for mufflers and a vehicle that does not comply with the requirements for exhaust systems is prohibited to include any driveway or premises of a church, school, recreational facility, or business; any governmental property open to the public; any industrial establishment providing parking space for customers, patrons, or employees; and any highway under construction or not yet open to the public.

Tax exempt property; energy storage systems. Clarifies the tax treatment of energy storage systems. The bill strikes language that overrides the provision requiring the amount of tax exemption for energy storage systems to be 100 percent if the taxing locality has implemented a revenue share for such systems.

Building service employees; public contracting. Permits any county, city, or town in the Commonwealth to provide for certain requirements concerning incumbent and successor service employers, defined in the bill, by local ordinance or resolution. For example, such local ordinance or resolution may require that successor service employers retain incumbent service employees during a transition period of 90 days. Under the bill, service employees are those who perform work in connection with the care or maintenance of property, services at an airport, or food preparation services at schools. The bill provides that a employer that violates the provisions of a local ordinance or resolution enacted pursuant to the bill may be subject to a civil action and monetary damages.

Virginia Green Infrastructure Bank; created. Creates the Virginia Green Infrastructure Bank, an authority to promote and catalyze investment in qualified projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, assist climate-impacted communities, and promote environmental justice. The bill requires the Bank to be governed by a board of directors with the authority to hire a president and create a nonstock corporation to carry out the powers and duties of the bank.

Virginia Commission for the Arts; membership. Reduces the membership of the Virginia Commission for the Arts from 13 to nine members and requires at least one member to be appointed from each of the eight superintendent's regions. Current law requires at least one but no more than two members to be appointed from each congressional district in the Commonwealth.

State parks; First Responder and Veteran Passport; discounted entry and parking. Establishes a First Responder and Veteran Passport that entitles a first responder or a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States or other military service to receive a 50 percent discount on parking and admission fees at state parks in the Commonwealth.

Certified nursing facilities; administrative sanctions; facilities subject to minimum standards. Amends the administrative sanctions that may be imposed on certified nursing facilities in relation to compliance with staffing requirements. The bill directs the State Health Commissioner, in determining whether or not to impose sanctions, to make the determination of whether a certified nursing facility was located in a medically underserved area that severely limited the ability of the certified nursing facility to recruit and retain direct care staff. The bill requires nursing facilities subject to a corrective action plan to demonstrate compliance with the corrective action plan on a quarterly basis. Under the bill, in determining whether a corrective action plan is needed, the Commissioner shall consider certain evidence of direct care staff hours, unless the facility has had a change in ownership. The bill changes from three to two the number of corrective action plans after which, if a a certified nursing facility fails to show compliance or improvement, the Commissioner may place the facility on probation. The bill also includes all nursing homes eligible to receive Medicaid reimbursement for residents in the list of facilities subject to minimum standards for (i) construction and maintenance; (ii) operation, staffing, and equipping; and (iii) the qualifications and training of staff. The bill changes the effective date of certain provisions passed in the 2023 Session of the General Assembly relating to staffing requirements for certified nursing facilities from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2024. Certified nursing facilities; administrative sanctions; facilities subject to minimum standards. Amends the administrative sanctions that may be imposed on certified nursing facilities in relation to compliance with staffing requirements. The bill directs the State Health Commissioner, in determining whether or not to impose sanctions, to make the determination of whether a certified nursing facility was located in a medically underserved area that severely limited the ability of the certified nursing facility to recruit and retain direct care staff. The bill requires nursing facilities subject to a corrective action plan to demonstrate compliance with the corrective action plan on a quarterly basis. Under the bill, in determining whether a corrective action plan is needed, the Commissioner shall consider certain evidence of direct care staff hours, unless the facility has had a change in ownership. The bill changes from three to two the number of corrective action plans after which, if a a certified nursing facility fails to show compliance or improvement, the Commissioner may place the facility on probation. The bill also includes all nursing homes eligible to receive Medicaid reimbursement for residents in the list of facilities subject to minimum standards for (i) construction and maintenance; (ii) operation, staffing, and equipping; and (iii) the qualifications and training of staff. The bill changes the effective date of certain provisions passed in the 2023 Session of the General Assembly relating to staffing requirements for certified nursing facilities from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2024.

Resale Disclosure Act; delivery of resale certificate; remedies. Provides that failure to deliver a resale certificate within 14 days, as required by the Resale Disclosure Act, deems the resale certificate unavailable. The bill grants a purchaser three days from the date of ratification of the contract or the date of receipt of the resale certificate or notice that such certificate is unavailable, as applicable, to cancel the contract. Additionally, the bill (i) excludes from the resale certificate requirements of the Act an initial disposition of a lot to a person who is not acquiring the lot for his own residence and (ii) allows a resale certificate to be delivered to a purchaser's agent. Current law excludes the resale certificate requirements of the Act for any initial disposition, regardless of its intended use, and only allows a resale certificate to be delivered to a purchaser. Finally, the bill mandates the seller to be responsible for all fees associated with the preparation and delivery of the financial update but allows the settlement agent or other requesting party to pay such fees up front, regardless of whether such settlement agent or other requesting party requests to be reimbursed for such fees from the seller. Resale Disclosure Act; delivery of resale certificate; remedies. Provides that failure to deliver a resale certificate within 14 days, as required by the Resale Disclosure Act, deems the resale certificate unavailable. The bill grants a purchaser three days from the date of ratification of the contract or the date of receipt of the resale certificate or notice that such certificate is unavailable, as applicable, to cancel the contract. Additionally, the bill (i) excludes from the resale certificate requirements of the Act an initial disposition of a lot to a person who is not acquiring the lot for his own residence and (ii) allows a resale certificate to be delivered to a purchaser's agent. Current law excludes the resale certificate requirements of the Act for any initial disposition, regardless of its intended use, and only allows a resale certificate to be delivered to a purchaser. Finally, the bill mandates the seller to be responsible for all fees associated with the preparation and delivery of the financial update but allows the settlement agent or other requesting party to pay such fees up front, regardless of whether such settlement agent or other requesting party requests to be reimbursed for such fees from the seller.

License plate reader systems; civil penalty. Provides requirements for the use of license plate reader systems, defined in the bill, by law-enforcement agencies. The bill limits the use of such systems to scanning, detecting, and recording data about vehicles and license plate numbers for the purpose of identifying a vehicle that is (i) associated with a wanted, missing, or endangered person or human trafficking; (ii) stolen; (iii) involved in an active law-enforcement investigation; or (iv) in the vicinity of a recent crime and may be connected to that crime. The bill authorizes and requires the Commonwealth Transportation Board to establish a permitting process for installing and using such systems in state highway rights-of-way.