Constitutional amendment (first reference); qualifications of voters; right to vote; persons not entitled to vote. Provides that every person who meets the qualifications of voters set forth in the Constitution of Virginia shall have the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth and that such right shall not be abridged by law, except for persons who have been convicted of a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting. The amendment provides that a person who has been convicted of a felony shall not be entitled to vote during any period of incarceration for such felony conviction, but upon release from incarceration for that felony conviction and without further action required of him, such person shall be invested with all political rights, including the right to vote. Currently, in order to be qualified to vote a person convicted of a felony must have his civil rights restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority. The amendment also provides that a person adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction as lacking the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote during this period of incapacity until his capacity has been reestablished as prescribed by law. Currently, the Constitution of Virginia provides that a person who has been adjudicated to be mentally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competency is reestablished.

Vehicle operation; unlicensed minor; penalty. Prohibits any person from knowingly authorizing the operation of a motor vehicle by (i) any person who he knows has no legal right to do so or (ii) a minor who he knows has no operator's license or who has a learner's permit but who he knows would operate such motor vehicle in violation of certain limitations on operating a motor vehicle with a learner's permit. The bill provides that any person who violates such provisions is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor if such violation results in a motor vehicle accident that causes death or injury to any person, provided that such violation does not otherwise constitute a felony. Existing law prohibits any person from knowingly authorizing the operation of a motor vehicle by any person who the authorizing person knows (a) has had his operator's license or permit suspended or revoked or (b) has no operator's license or permit and has been previously convicted of driving without a license.

Board of Pharmacy; therapeutic interchange; work group; report. Directs the Board of Pharmacy to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to review the current authority of pharmacists to initiate therapeutic interchange and make recommendations to streamline and modernize the therapeutic interchange process in the Commonwealth. The bill also directs the work group to submit a report to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 15, 2025.

Commending the Christiansburg High School softball team.

Virginia Real Estate Time-Share Act; recordkeeping by resellers. Removes the requirement under the Virginia Real Estate Time-Share Act that, if contact information has been obtained by a reseller of a time-share from any source, such reseller and the lead dealer of such time-share maintain a copy of a current government-issued photographic identification of the lead dealer who provided the contact information.

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; recovery residences; certification required; penalty; work group. Changes the existing civil penalty for a violation of law related to the operation of recovery residences to a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill allows the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to issue provisional certification to certain recovery residences. The bill also directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a work group to (i) make recommendations related to oversight and transparency for recovery residences and (ii) develop credentialing guidelines for recovery residences. The bill directs the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by November 1, 2025.

Commending the Alexandria Archaeological Commission.

Higher education; financial assistance; Virginia National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program; eligibility criteria. Makes several changes to the Virginia National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program, including (i) making the provisions relating to the requirements and conditions for eligibility for and award of grants under the Program subject to regulations as prescribed by the Adjutant General, (ii) eliminating the requirement to satisfy financial obligations with the institution of higher education at the beginning of each semester, (iii) simplifying the requirements relating to academic performance and good standing, and (iv) providing that, upon acceptance of an application for a grant, grant funds are to be disbursed to the applicable institution of higher education for credit against the recipient student's account. This bill is identical to SB 1106.

Dismissal of certain traffic violations for proof of compliance with law. Provides that a court may, in its discretion, dismiss a violation for driving without a license if such person can prove to the court compliance with the law on or before the court date and payment of court fees, unless such person was operating a commercial motor vehicle, defined in relevant law. The bill also provides that a court may, in its discretion and where there have been no prior violations or convictions within the past 10 years, dismiss a person's violation for driving while his driver's license, learner's permit, or privilege to drive is suspended or revoked if such person can prove to the court compliance with the law on or before the court date and payment of court fees, unless such person (i) possesses a commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit, as those terms are defined in relevant law, or (ii) was operating a commercial motor vehicle. If there has been a prior violation or violations, the court, in its discretion, may dismiss or amend the summons or warrant, where proof of substantial compliance has been provided to the court.

Public elementary and secondary school teachers; certain training activities; requirements and limitations. Prohibits any public elementary or secondary school teacher from being required to participate in any non-academic training activity, as that term is defined in the bill, more frequently than once within six months of employment with the applicable school board and once every five years thereafter, except in the case of certain training relating to secure mandatory test violations upon determination by the school board or division superintendent that additional training is necessary. The bill also provides that the total frequency and duration of non-academic training activities in which each such teacher is required to participate pursuant to state law or regulation or policy or regulation of the applicable school board shall not exceed 25 hours every five years. This bill is identical to SB 822.

Real Estate Board; regulations related to fees charged to a licensee. Prohibits the Real Estate Board from charging a fee to a real estate licensee for the transfer of such licensee between offices within a licensed real estate firm, including from such firm's primary place of business to one of its branch offices or from a branch office to another branch office under the same primary place of business. This bill is identical to SB 785.

Charter; City of Chesapeake. Amends the charter for the City of Chesapeake to clarify the dates for (i) the election and terms of members of council and the mayor, (ii) when a sitting council member must resign when running for mayor, and (iii) the election of a successor in the event of a vacancy in office. This bill is identical to SB 935.

Transportation infrastructure and projects; noise analysis. Requires the Commonwealth Transportation Board or the Department of Transportation to begin a noise analysis within one year of receipt of a valid petition for a noise analysis. The bill also requires a noise analysis for any retrofit noise abatement project undertaken or considered by the Board or the Department.

Study; JLARC; non-federal sponsor contributions by localities to conduct coastal storm risk management studies; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to study the methodology for determining the monetary contributions by localities or other non-federal sponsors to the total cost of coastal storm risk management studies. The study also directs JLARC to determine whether a separate fund should be established to support and manage cost-share requests from non-federal sponsors for such studies.

Office of Data Governance and Analytics; oversight; Chief Data Officer; duties. Changes oversight of the Office of Data Governance and Analytics from the Office of the Secretary of Administration to the Virginia Information Technologies Agency. The bill directs the Chief Data Officer to obtain from VITA the office space and human resources, procurement, fiscal, and other administrative support and resources that are necessary to support the operations of ODGA. This bill is identical to SB 1137.