Grooming and boarding establishments; inspections by animal control officers. Allows an animal control officer to inspect a grooming or boarding establishment that is not regulated by the Board of Veterinary Medicine with the consent of the owner or person in charge or pursuant to a warrant upon a receipt of a complaint or twice annually upon their own motion to ensure compliance with state animal care laws and regulations. The bill requires an animal control officer, a law-enforcement officer, or the State Veterinarian to obtain the consent of the owner or person in charge of any business premises of any dealer, pet shop, groomer, or boarding establishment to investigate allegations of a complaint of a suspected violation of state or local animal care laws. Current law does not require such consent to investigate allegations of a complaint. The bill allows an animal control officer to search a building or place pursuant to a warrant after making a sworn statement regarding any potential violations of the cruelty to animals laws. Current law only allows a sheriff, deputy sheriff, or police officer to conduct such a search. The bill also directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to, in consultation with the State Veterinarian, convene a work group to consider whether to propose a state license and other regulatory requirements for animal boarding establishments similar to the current licensing requirements for animal shelters and submit its report of such findings and recommendations by December 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 1051.

Elections; absentee voting in person; availability and affirmation statement in lieu of identification. Limits the availability of absentee voting in person to beginning 14 days prior to any election. Under current law, absentee voting in person is available beginning 45 days prior to any election. The bill also removes the ability of a voter voting by absentee ballot in person to sign a statement that he is the named registered voter he claims to be in lieu of showing one of the permitted forms of identification.

Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; international licensure and certification; regulations. Directs the regulatory boards within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to promulgate regulations allowing the issuance of a license or certification to any applicant who holds a comparable international license or certification issued by another country. This bill was incorporated into HB 1940.

Public schools; student discipline; Restorative Schools in Virginia Pilot Program; established. Establishes the Restorative Schools in Virginia Pilot Program (the Program), to be administered by the Department of Education (the Department), for the purpose of addressing school discipline issues and promoting evidence-based restorative practices, as that term is defined in the bill, in public schools in the Commonwealth by awarding grants to a school division in each superintendent's region in the Commonwealth to be used in developing and implementing a comprehensive plan to integrate evidence-based restorative practices in such school divisions in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill directs the Department to (i) develop the application process by which a school board may apply to receive funds pursuant to the Program; (ii) establish criteria for the selection and award of grants pursuant to the Program; and (iii) develop a process for evaluating the progress and performance of each school division selected to receive a grant pursuant to the Program in implementing such evidence-based restorative practices and satisfying the Program requirements set forth in the bill. The bill requires any such school division to (a) establish a learning collaborative for the purpose of developing a comprehensive plan for implementing evidence-based restorative practices in accordance with the provisions of the bill and (b) submit to the Department by July 1 of each year immediately following any year for which it receives a grant a report on its progress in implementing such evidence-based restorative practices for the preceding school year. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

Decreasing probation period; criteria for mandatory reduction. Establishes criteria for which a defendant's supervised probation period shall be reduced, including completing qualifying educational activities, maintaining verifiable employment, complying with or completing any state-certified or state-approved mental health or substance abuse treatment program, securing and maintaining qualifying health insurance or a qualifying health care plan, and obtaining housing and establishing residence. The bill provides that a court may decrease a defendant's probation period if warranted by the defendant's conduct and in the interests of justice and may do so without a hearing, unless the defendant poses an imminent threat to the health and safety of himself or others. The bill requires the Department of Corrections to meet with all relevant stakeholders and report to the General Assembly on (i) current practices for community supervision as it relates to monitoring engagement and attainment in education, employment, treatment, and other programs and making recommendations to the court for modification of time served on probation; (ii) how such practices compare to the processes and practices that would be established pursuant to the bill; and (iii) a plan for such implementation by November 1, 2025. Except for this provision requiring the Department of Corrections to meet with all relevant stakeholders and report to the General Assembly, the provisions of the bill do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2026 Session of the General Assembly. This bill is identical to SB 936.

Public school employees; suspension; conditions for continued receipt of salary. Clarifies that no school board employee shall be suspended without notice and, if applicable, an opportunity to be heard and that any individual who is so suspended, regardless of the length of such suspension, shall continue to receive his then applicable salary unless and until the school board, after a hearing, determines otherwise.

Stalking; penalty. Clarifies that the term "electronically transmitted communication" as used in the offense of stalking includes the use or monitoring of location services through an application or a device to remotely determine or track the position and movement of another person, regardless if such person has previously given consent for the accused to use or monitor such location services. The bill contains technical amendments.

Grandparent; petition for visitation. Provides that in any case or proceeding in which a grandparent has petitioned the court for visitation with a minor grandchild, the court may consider whether (i) the marriage of the parents of such child has been dissolved, (ii) a parent of the child has abandoned such child, (iii) the child was born while the parents were not married, or (iv) a parent of the child has prevented the grandparent from visitation at any hearing in such a case or proceeding held to determine the best interest of the child.

Abortion; born alive infant; treatment and care; penalty. Requires every health care provider licensed by the Board of Medicine who attempts to terminate a pregnancy to (i) exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of a human infant who has been born alive following such attempt as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health care practitioner would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age and (ii) take all reasonable steps to ensure the immediate transfer of the human infant who has been born alive to a hospital for further medical care. A health care provider who fails to comply with the requirements of the bill is guilty of a Class 4 felony and may be subject to disciplinary action by the Board. The bill also requires every hospital licensed by the Department of Health to establish a protocol for the treatment and care of a human infant who has been born alive following an attempt to terminate a pregnancy and for the immediate reporting to law enforcement of any failure to provide such required treatment and care.

Violations of protective orders; preliminary child protective order; penalties. Changes the punishment and sentencing requirements for a violation of a preliminary child protective order to the same penalties as violations of preliminary, emergency, and permanent family abuse protective orders, including enhanced penalties for certain violations. Under current law, (i) the maximum penalty for violations of child protective orders constitutes contempt of court; however, if the violation involves an act or acts of commission or omission that endanger the child's life or health, or results in bodily injury to the child, it is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor and (ii) the court is not required to enter a permanent family abuse protective order (i.e., a protective order with a maximum duration of two years) upon a conviction of a violation of a preliminary child protective order.

Elections; voter identification; identification containing a photograph required. Requires presentation of a form of identification containing a photograph in order to vote. The bill repeals the provisions of law permitting a voter who does not have one of the required forms of identification to vote after signing a statement, subject to felony penalties for false statements, that he is the named registered voter he claims to be. Instead, the bill provides that such voter is entitled to cast a provisional ballot.

Study; Department of Conservation and Recreation; state park in Washington County; report. Requests the Department of Conservation and Recreation to study the feasibility of establishing a state park in Washington County at the Mendota Trail and Abrams Falls located within the Holston River watershed.

Prevailing wage rate; apprenticeship requirements; RPS-eligible source work; penalties. Requires each public service company, including its contractors and subcontractors, or third-party developer to ensure payment at the prevailing wage rate set by the Department of Labor and Industry for any mechanic, laborer, or worker employed, retained, or otherwise hired to perform construction, maintenance, or repair work for certain electricity generating sources. The bill requires each public service company to (i) ensure that 15 percent of the total labor hours of such work is performed by qualified apprentices and (ii) employ at least one qualified apprentice if four or more individuals are employed to perform such work. Under the bill, a public service company that fails to meet the requirements of its provisions is required to make penalty payments to the Commissioner of Labor and Industry. This bill is identical to SB 853.

Procurement; local budget. Provides that a locality may make an Invitation to Bid, a Request for Proposal, and any other solicitation prior to budgeting an anticipated expenditure for such proposal and may include a statement in an Invitation to Bid, a Request for Proposal, or any other solicitation of an intention to cancel any such invitation, request, or solicitation if all bids exceed the anticipated expenditure.

Behavioral health services; exchange of medical and mental health information and records; correctional facilities. Permits the Department of Medical Assistance Services, the Department of Social Services, and any local department of social services to access medical and mental health information and records for persons committed to any correctional facility for the purposes of providing pre-release services, reentry planning, and post-incarceration placement and services. The bill also authorizes the Department of Medical Assistance Services to access a juvenile's social, medical, psychiatric, and psychological reports and records during pre-release and up to 30 days following such juvenile's release from commitment for the purposes of providing pre-release services, reentry planning, and post-incarceration placement and services.