Affordable housing; local zoning ordinance authority; comprehensive plan. Authorizes any locality in the Commonwealth to provide for an affordable housing dwelling unit program by amending the zoning ordinance of such locality. Current law restricts such authorization to counties with an urban county executive form of government or county manager plan of government and certain other localities. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

Board of Pharmacy; emergency medical services providers; work group. Directs the Board of Pharmacy to convene a work group to advise the Board on issues related to emergency medical services providers. The bill requires the Board to staff the work group and directs the work group to meet at least quarterly. The bill has an expiration date of June 30, 2027.

Public institutions of higher education; presence of or material aid or support to terrorist activities, organizations, and states prohibited. Prohibits from accessing, occupying, or otherwise having a physical presence on any campus of a public institution of higher education any (i) terrorist organization, state or non-state sponsor of terrorism, or representative of a terrorist organization, as those terms are defined by the bill, or (ii) individual who, knowingly and with the intent set forth in the bill, solicits or attempts to solicit any individual to engage in terrorist activity, become a member of a terrorist organization, or provide funds or other material support or resources, as that term is defined by the bill, to support, facilitate, or aid or abet terrorist activity or a terrorist organization. The bill prohibits any public institution of higher education from (a) granting access to campus, (b) providing or facilitating the provision of funds or other material supports or resources, (c) making or facilitating the donation of material support or resources, or (d) entering into any contract providing for the exchange of services or material support or resources to any of the individuals or organizations described in clauses (i) and (ii). Finally, the bill sets forth certain exceptions for individuals that lack the requisite intent and knowledge, as set forth in the bill, to be subject to the prohibitions.

Regional emergency medical services councils. Provides that 55 percent of certain funds distributed to the Department of Health from motor vehicle registration fees shall be distributed to the designated regional emergency medical services councils for their operational support. The bill also specifies that there shall be 11 designated regional emergency medical services councils. Under current law, there is no specified number.

Zoning; enhanced civil penalties; certain residential violations. Allows enhanced civil penalties for zoning violations involving property that is zoned or used for multifamily residential purposes. The bill also requires that for any violation involving property that is zoned or used for multifamily residential purposes, a person who admits liability shall be required to abate or remedy the violation within a period of time specified by the locality that is no less than 30 days but no more than 24 months from the date of admission of liability.

Virginia Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for 911 dispatchers. Allows local governments to provide enhanced retirement benefits for hazardous duty service to full-time salaried 911 dispatchers. The bill provides that such enhanced retirement benefits apply only to service earned as a full-time salaried 911 dispatcher on or after July 1, 2026, but allows an employer, as that term is defined in relevant law, to provide such enhanced retirement benefits for service earned as a full-time salaried 911 dispatcher before July 1, 2026, in addition to service earned on or after that date. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

Water and sewer connection fees; new residential development. Allows a locality to provide for the full or partial reimbursement of water and sewer connection fees, capital recovery charges, and availability fees remitted by an applicant in connection with any new residential development.

Fire insurance; assignment of claims prohibited. Prohibits a fire insurance policy or a fire insurance policy in combination with other coverages from assigning or otherwise transferring, in whole or in part, to any other person the duties, rights, or benefits of the insured under the policy arising from a claim or covered loss without written consent of the insurer. Any such contract provision is void and unenforceable under the bill. This bill is identical to HB 1628.

Real property tax; high exemption locality reimbursements. Provides that in tax year 2025 and all tax years thereafter, a high exemption locality, defined in the bill, shall be reimbursed by the Commonwealth for 50 percent of the exemption value, also defined in the bill, multiplied by the 2022 effective real property tax rate in such locality.

Workers' compensation benefits; post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder incurred by law-enforcement officers and firefighters. Increases from 52 weeks to 104 weeks the maximum duration after the date of diagnosis that workers' compensation benefits are payable for anxiety disorder or depressive disorder incurred by law-enforcement officers and firefighters acting in the line of duty. The bill also increases from 52 weeks to 500 weeks the maximum duration after the date of diagnosis that workers' compensation benefits are payable for post-traumatic stress disorder incurred by law-enforcement officers and firefighters acting in the line of duty.

Virginia Emergency Management Preparedness and Capabilities Grant Program and Fund established; work group; report. Establishes the Virginia Emergency Management Preparedness and Capabilities Grant Program and Fund for the purpose of awarding grants to political subdivisions to assist with the cost of emergency management and preparedness. The bill states that the Program will be administered by the Department of Emergency Management, which shall establish guidelines for (i) the administration of the Program and (ii) awarding grants to political subdivisions from the Fund. A political subdivision awarded a grant must use such funds for certain purposes to advance the emergency preparedness of such subdivision, and must provide a 50 percent match of local or federal funds for the award. The bill requires the Department, beginning on or before December 1, 2025, and each year thereafter, to submit a report to the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, the Governor, and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Public Safety and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations summarizing the activities of the Program. The bill directs the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to establish a work group to study existing emergency management needs and analyze sustainability of current funding, among other things, and to report the work group's findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on General Laws and the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology on or before October 1, 2025.

Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council; disclosure of digital assets. Directs the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council to require the disclosure of digital assets on the Statement of Economic Interests form. The bill defines "digital assets" to mean any digital representation of value recorded on a cryptographically secured distributed ledger or similar technology.

Motor vehicle dealers; recall and warranty costs; right of first refusal. Clarifies various requirements for the reimbursement of motor vehicle dealers for costs related to vehicle recalls and warranties. The bill also clarifies the timeline for a manufacturer or distributor to notify a dealer that it is exercising its right of first refusal related to the sale or transfer of a dealership. This bill is identical to HB 1683.

School board employees; professional development and continuing education; optional programs; children with autism spectrum disorder. Directs the Board of Education to provide guidance on and each school board to provide each year an optional program of high-quality professional development for instructional personnel and school board employees whose duties include regular contact with students on communicating with and supporting students with autism spectrum disorder. The bill provides that any instructional personnel or school board employee who completes such professional development shall be eligible for professional development points toward renewal of his license.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; solar photovoltaic equipment and facilities. Prohibits state and local agencies from including a provision in any request for proposal, procurement agreement, contract, ordinance, policy, permit, or accompanying document that directs the exclusion from use of any materials contained in or products associated with solar photovoltaic equipment and facilities that are manufactured in the United States. This bill is identical to HB 2024.