Celebrating the life of Commander Edward S. Stolle, Jr., USN, Ret.

High school graduation requirements; passing score on select questions from the U.S. Naturalization Test. Requires the Board of Education, in establishing high school graduation requirements, to require, except in the case of a high school student whose individualized education program indicates otherwise, each high school student to take and correctly answer at least 70 percent of the questions on a test composed of at least 50 but not more than 60 of the questions on the civics portion of the U.S. Naturalization Test in order to graduate high school with a standard or advanced studies diploma, provided that such student may take such test at any time during grades nine through 12 and as many times during such period as necessary to achieve the minimum 70 percent passing score.

Carrying concealed weapons; knives. Clarifies the types of knives that are prohibited from being carried in a concealed manner.

High school graduation requirements; passing score on select questions from U.S. Naturalization Test. Requires the Board of Education, in establishing high school graduation requirements, to require, except in the case of a high school student whose individualized education program indicates otherwise, each high school student to take and correctly answer at least 70 percent of the questions on a test composed of at least 25 but not more than 50 of the questions on the civics portion of the U.S. Naturalization Test in order to graduate high school with a standard or advanced studies diploma, provided that such student may take such test at any time during grades nine through 12 and as many times during such period as necessary to achieve the minimum 70 percent passing score.

Animal control officers; additional training. Increases the number of hours of required additional training in animal control and protection from 15 to 24 every three years for all animal control officers and deputy animal control officers employed by a locality.

Celebrating the life of James Anderson Wood.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable Thomas Frank Betz, Jr.

Motor sports facilities; local incentives. Allows a locality that is home to a motor sports facility, as defined in relevant law, in the Commonwealth to propose local incentives that address the economic conditions within such locality and will help stimulate real property improvements and new job creation. The bill allows a locality to establish eligibility criteria for local incentives that are different from the current criteria required by relevant law. Motor sports facilities; local incentives. Allows a locality that is home to a motor sports facility, as defined in relevant law, in the Commonwealth to propose local incentives that address the economic conditions within such locality and will help stimulate real property improvements and new job creation. The bill allows a locality to establish eligibility criteria for local incentives that are different from the current criteria required by relevant law.

Cruelty to animals; possession and ownership of animals. Provides that any person convicted of felony cruelty to animals may be prohibited by the court from possession or ownership of companion or equine animals for life and any person convicted of misdemeanor cruelty to animals may be prohibited by the court from possession or ownership of such animals for a period of up to five years. Under current law, such prohibition is limited to companion animals and a period equal to the statutory maximum period of incarceration. The bill also specifies that a court may order that any animal possessed or owned by such person may be disposed of by a local governing body or delivered to another person with a right of property in the animal. Cruelty to animals; possession and ownership of animals. Provides that any person convicted of felony cruelty to animals may be prohibited by the court from possession or ownership of companion or equine animals for life and any person convicted of misdemeanor cruelty to animals may be prohibited by the court from possession or ownership of such animals for a period of up to five years. Under current law, such prohibition is limited to companion animals and a period equal to the statutory maximum period of incarceration. The bill also specifies that a court may order that any animal possessed or owned by such person may be disposed of by a local governing body or delivered to another person with a right of property in the animal. The bill further provides that any person who has his rights to possession or ownership of companion or equine animals prohibited pursuant to a felony conviction may petition the court where such conviction occurred for a restoration of his rights after five years from the date of conviction.

Notary public or electronic notary public; application for recommission. Removes the requirement that a person applying for recommission as a notary public or electronic notary public include in his application an applicant oath, provided that such person is in good standing as a notary public or electronic notary public, is not subject to any investigation or proceeding, and has never been removed from office. Under current law, persons applying for recommission are required to include such oath. Notary public or electronic notary public; application for recommission. Removes the requirement that a person applying for recommission as a notary public or electronic notary public include in his application an applicant oath, provided that such person is in good standing as a notary public or electronic notary public, is not subject to any investigation or proceeding, and has never been removed from office. Under current law, persons applying for recommission are required to include such oath.

Decertification of law-enforcement officers and jail officers. Makes various changes to the provisions related to decertification of law-enforcement officers and jail officers. The bill provides that the Department of Criminal Justice Services may conduct decertification review hearings in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Process Act. The bill provides that the findings and decision of the Department may be appealed to the Board and that the final administrative decision of the Board may be then appealed and reviewed by a court. The bill also provides that records provided to the Board or Department for the purposes of decertification of an identifiable law-enforcement officer or jail officer may be withheld from the public in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and those meetings concerning the decertification of an identifiable law-enforcement or jail officer may be closed. The bill also allows the Department to grant a continuance of any informal fact-finding conference or formal hearing upon motion by the decertified officer or his counsel or the Attorney General for good cause shown. The bill requires an officer to remain decertified during a period of continuance of any informal fact-finding conference or formal hearing for a pending criminal charge unless the Department finds the officer's continued decertification may cause circumstances that constitute a manifest injustice to the officer, in which case the officer's certification may be reinstated during the period of continuance until the conviction becomes final. Current law allows the Board, when an officer's conviction has not become final, to decline to decertify such officer after considering the likelihood of irreparable damage to the officer if such officer is decertified during the pendency of an ultimately successful appeal, the likelihood of injury or damage to the public if the officer is not decertified, and the seriousness of the offense. Additionally, the bill allows for the decertification of an officer who is terminated or resigns for an act committed while in the performance of his duties that compromises an officer's credibility, integrity, or honesty or that constitutes exculpatory or impeachment evidence in a criminal case. The bill also provides that persons who are currently in a recruit or field training status and have committed an act that would be any basis for decertification are ineligible for certification. The bill also specifies that the required notification to the Department related to an officer being terminated or resigning (i) for engaging in serious misconduct; (ii) while such officer is the subject of a pending internal investigation involving serious misconduct; or (iii) for an act committed while in the performance of his duties that compromises an officer's credibility, integrity, or honesty or constitutes exculpatory or impeachment evidence in a criminal case shall be within 48 hours of completion of an internal investigation. Under current law, such notification is required to be within 48 hours of the termination or resignation. The bill also requires the Department to establish standards and procedures for when the Department may grant a petition for reinstatement of certification of a decertified officer. The bill directs the Department to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. Decertification of law-enforcement officers and jail officers. Makes various changes to the provisions related to decertification of law-enforcement officers and jail officers. The bill provides that the Department of Criminal Justice Services may conduct decertification review hearings in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Process Act. The bill provides that the findings and decision of the Department may be appealed to the Board and that the final administrative decision of the Board may be then appealed and reviewed by a court. The bill also provides that records provided to the Board or Department for the purposes of decertification of an identifiable law-enforcement officer or jail officer may be withheld from the public in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and those meetings concerning the decertification of an identifiable law-enforcement or jail officer may be closed. The bill also allows the Department to grant a continuance of any informal fact-finding conference or formal hearing upon motion by the decertified officer or his counsel or the Attorney General for good cause shown. The bill requires an officer to remain decertified during a period of continuance of any informal fact-finding conference or formal hearing for a pending criminal charge unless the Department finds the officer's continued decertification may cause circumstances that constitute a manifest injustice to the officer, in which case the officer's certification may be reinstated during the period of continuance until the conviction becomes final. Current law allows the Board, when an officer's conviction has not become final, to decline to decertify such officer after considering the likelihood of irreparable damage to the officer if such officer is decertified during the pendency of an ultimately successful appeal, the likelihood of injury or damage to the public if the officer is not decertified, and the seriousness of the offense. Additionally, the bill allows for the decertification of an officer who is terminated or resigns for an act committed while in the performance of his duties that compromises an officer's credibility, integrity, or honesty or that constitutes exculpatory or impeachment evidence in a criminal case. The bill also provides that persons who are currently in a recruit or field training status and have committed an act that would be any basis for decertification are ineligible for certification. The bill also specifies that the required notification to the Department related to an officer being terminated or resigning (i) for engaging in serious misconduct; (ii) while such officer is the subject of a pending internal investigation involving serious misconduct; or (iii) for an act committed while in the performance of his duties that compromises an officer's credibility, integrity, or honesty or constitutes exculpatory or impeachment evidence in a criminal case shall be within 48 hours of completion of an internal investigation. Under current law, such notification is required to be within 48 hours of the termination or resignation. The bill also requires the Department to establish standards and procedures for when the Department may grant a petition for reinstatement of certification of a decertified officer. The bill directs the Department to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.

Students who receive home instruction; participation in interscholastic programs. Prohibits public schools from joining an organization governing interscholastic programs that does not deem eligible for participation a student who (i) receives home instruction; (ii) has demonstrated evidence of progress for two consecutive academic years; (iii) is in compliance with immunization requirements; (iv) is entitled to free tuition in a public school; (v) has not reached the age of 19 by August 1 of the current academic year; (vi) is an amateur who receives no compensation but participates solely for the educational, physical, mental, and social benefits of the activity; (vii) complies with all disciplinary rules and is subject to all codes of conduct applicable to all public high school athletes; and (viii) complies with all other rules governing awards, all-star games, maximum consecutive semesters of high school enrollment, parental consents, physical examinations, and transfers applicable to all high school athletes. The bill provides that no local school board is required to establish a policy to permit students who receive home instruction to participate in interscholastic programs. The bill permits reasonable fees to be charged to students who receive home instruction to cover the costs of participation in such interscholastic programs, including the costs of additional insurance, uniforms, and equipment. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2029.

Average teacher salary in the Commonwealth; national average. Requires the Governor's introduced budget bills for the 2025, 2026, and 2027 Regular Sessions of the General Assembly to propose funding for, and state funding to be provided pursuant to the general appropriation act enacted during any regular or special session of the General Assembly during 2025, 2026, or 2027 to fund, the Commonwealth's share of compensation supplement incentives for Standards of Quality-funded instructional and support positions sufficient to increase the average teacher salary in the Commonwealth to at least the national average teacher salary by the end of the 2026–2028 biennium and establishes a detailed timeline and process for satisfying such requirement.

Fort Monroe Authority; land and utility ownership. Removes the number of acres and the instrument number of the quitclaim deed recorded in the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court of the City of Hampton on June 14, 2013, in reference to the area that is known as Fort Monroe and redefines such area to be what is shown in the land records of the City of Hampton as being owned by the Commonwealth, whether in the name of the Commonwealth or the Fort Monroe Authority.

Leave for officers of elections. Requires state and private employers to allow officers or employees who are appointed as officers of election to take leaves of absence from their respective duties without loss of seniority, accrued leave, benefits, or efficiency rating on all days during which any such officer or employee has been assigned to work as an officer of election in a polling place.