HB 61 – Small SWaM Business Procurement Enhancement Program; established, report.
Status:
Passed Senate
SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE
Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity; Small SWaM Business Procurement Enhancement Program established. Establishes the Small SWaM Business Procurement Enhancement Program with a statewide goal of 42 percent of certified small SWaM business, as such term is defined in the bill, utilization in all discretionary spending by executive branch agencies and covered institutions in procurement orders, prime contracts, and subcontracts, as well as a target goal of 50 percent subcontracting to small SWaM businesses in instances where the prime contractor is not a small SWaM business for all new capital outlay construction solicitations that are issued. The bill provides that executive branch agencies and covered institutions are required to increase their small SWaM business utilization rates by three percent per year until reaching the 42-percent target or, if unable to do so, to implement achievable goals to increase their utilization rates. In addition, the bill provides for a small SWaM business set-aside for executive branch agency and covered institution purchases of goods, services, and construction, requiring that purchases up to $100,000 be set aside for award to certified small SWaM businesses.
The bill creates the Division of Procurement Enhancement within the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity for purposes of collaborating with the Department of General Services, the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, the Department of Transportation, and covered institutions to further the Commonwealth’s efforts to meet the goals established under the Small SWaM Business Procurement Enhancement Program, as well as implementing initiatives to enhance the development of small businesses, microbusinesses, women-owned businesses, minority-owned businesses, and service disabled veteran-owned businesses in the Commonwealth.
Finally, the bill requires the Director of the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity to conduct, or contract with an independent entity to conduct, a disparity study every five years, with the next disparity study due no later than January 1, 2031. The bill specifies that such study shall evaluate the need for enhancement and remedial measures to address the disparity between the availability and the utilization of women-owned and minority-owned businesses.
HB 256 – Comprehensive plan; environmental justice strategy.
Status:
Passed Senate
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED
Comprehensive plan; environmental justice strategy. Requires cities with populations greater than 20,000 and counties with populations greater than 100,000 to consider, at the next and all subsequent reviews of the comprehensive plan, adopting an environmental justice strategy. The bill provides that the locality’s strategy shall be to identify environmental justice and fenceline communities within the jurisdiction of the local planning commission and identify objectives and policies to reduce health risks, to promote civic engagement, and to prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of environmental justice and fenceline communities, as those terms are defined in the bill.
HB 590 – Smart Solar Permitting Platform; established, residential solar energy systems.
Status:
In Committee
SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE
Smart Solar Permitting Platform established; residential solar energy systems; report. Creates the Smart Solar Permitting Platform (the Platform) to serve as a tool for (i) contractors to obtain permits for the construction of streamline-eligible residential solar energy systems and (ii) localities to process applications for such permits. The bill requires the Department of Energy to establish, launch, and administer an internet-based platform that automates plan review and instantly releases a permit or a permit revision to construct certain residential solar energy systems that comply with any applicable building codes and state laws. The bill requires localities to allow contractors to submit an application to construct a residential solar energy system through the Platform or through an alternative automated solar permitting platform by July 1, 2028. The bill requires any locality that chooses to use an alternative automated solar permitting platform to submit an annual report to the Department no later than March 1 of each year. The bill directs the Department of Energy to establish, launch, and administer the Platform by July 1, 2028.
HB 594 – Affordable housing developments, certain; expedited approval.
Status:
Passed Senate
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED
Expedited approval for certain affordable housing developments. Allows a locality, by ordinance, to authorize a zoning administrator to use an administrative process to approve rezoning applications for affordable housing developments. The bill requires that the affordable housing development comply with the Virginia Fair Housing Law, connect to a public or community water supply or sewage system, and be located within or adjacent to an area identified by the locality that could support increased density development and provide access to services. The bill also requires the locality, prior to the adoption of such ordinance, to advertise its intention to propose such ordinance within a certain period of time in a newspaper having a general circulation in the locality. The bill allows the Department of Housing and Community Development to give a locality priority for any grants or loans administered by the Department if such locality demonstrates to the Department’s satisfaction that its ordinance has met the provisions of the bill. Finally, the bill requires certain localities that adopt such ordinance to include in their annual local housing policy report to the Department a summary of the ordinance.
HB 728 – Health, State Board of; permanent pump and haul of sewage, agritourism
Status:
Passed
SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE
State Board of Health; permanent pump and haul of sewage; agritourism. Requires the State Board of Health to amend regulations to exempt the pumping and hauling of sewage associated with an agritourism activity from the prohibition on pumping and hauling sewage on a permanent basis unless done under the auspices and supervision of a government entity when the agritourism activity is unable to establish and maintain a connection to an existing sewer or onsite sewage system.
HB 735 – Agritourism purposes; Bd. of HCD to review regulations for temporary tents.
Status:
Awaiting Signature
SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE
Board of Housing and Community Development; Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code; temporary tents used for agritourism purposes. Directs the Board of Housing and Community Development to review the relevant regulations of the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code and consider amending such regulations to allow temporary tents used for agritourism purposes to remain in place for up to 12 months on a single site.
HB 820 – Virginia Housing Revolving Loan Fund; established, report, delayed effective date.
Status:
In Senate
SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE
Virginia Housing Revolving Loan Fund; mixed-income development; report. Establishes the Virginia Housing Revolving Fund for the purpose of making lower-interest loans to eligible entities that incur costs in the acquisition, construction, or improvement of mixed-income housing projects or for infrastructure needed for site development and readiness for housing projects, (ii) loan origination and servicing costs, and (iii) administration costs. The bill requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (the Department) to work in collaboration with the Housing Development Authority (the HDA) to provide loan origination and servicing activities.
The Department, in consultation with the HDA shall be submit a report to the General Assembly annually by November 1 on (i) the total number of awards, including funding amounts, made from the Fund; (ii) the purpose for which each loan was made; (iii) the financing for each housing project by source; (iv) the number of units created by income by housing project; (v) the number of units created by rent by housing project; (vi) the occupancy rate by housing project; and (vii) any other such information deemed appropriate by the Department and the HDA.
HB 870 – Accountancy, Board of; licensing requirements, inactive and emeritus status.
Status:
Pending Governor’s Communication
SUMMARY AS PASSED
Board of Accountancy; licensing requirements; inactive and emeritus status. Directs the Board of Accountancy to establish “Inactive” and “Emeritus” CPA license statuses for licensees who no longer provide services to the public or services to or on behalf of an employer. The bill requires the Board to develop guidelines to provide active and inactive licensees additional clarity governing the manner in which such licensees should reference autobiographical and biographical information with respect to their CPA licensure to remain historically accurate and compliant with the law and relevant regulations. The bill directs the Board of Accountancy to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. This bill incorporates HB 228 and is identical to SB 605.
HB 951 – Housing and Community Development, Board of; ad hoc committees.
Status:
In Senate
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED
Board of Housing and Community Development; ad hoc committees. Requires the Board of Housing and Community Development to evaluate and vote on all proposals brought forth in an ad hoc committee convened by the Board to advise on proposed changes to statewide building and fire regulations during a regular meeting of the Board, including proposals for which the ad hoc committee did not reach a consensus.
HB 1289 – Geologists; added to definition of “professional services,” continuing education.
Status:
Pending Governor’s Communication
SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE
Professions and occupations; regulation of geologists. Adds geology to the definition of “professional services” as used in the Virginia Public Procurement Act. The bill also eliminates the option for the Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists to waive the examination requirement for licensure as a professional geologist for an applicant who has at least 12 years of geological work. The bill also requires the Board to promulgate regulations governing continuing education requirements for geologists licensed by the Board that shall require the completion of eight hours annually in continuing education for any license renewal or reinstatement.
HB 1291 – Geologists; regulations, exemptions.
Status:
In Senate
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED
Professions and occupations; regulation of geologists; exemptions. Exempts the practice of geology by any officer, employee, agent, or contractor of the United States of America when practicing solely as such from the licensing requirements for professional geologists.
SB 49 – “Appointed and qualified;” definition, reference to term of office of person appointed by Governor.
Status:
In Committee
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED
Rules of construction and definitions; “appointed and qualified.” Defines “appointed and qualified,” whenever used in reference to the term of office of any person appointed by the Governor for which confirmation by the General Assembly is required, to mean that the appointee has satisfied all statutory requirements, taken the oath of office, and been confirmed by the General Assembly. The bill adds this definition to Title 1, giving it applicability throughout the Code of Virginia.
SB 132 – Agritourism purposes; Bd. of HCD to review regulations for temporary tents.
Status:
Pending Governor’s Communication
SUMMARY AS PASSED
Board of Housing and Community Development; Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code; temporary tents used for agritourism purposes. Directs the Board of Housing and Community Development to review the relevant regulations of the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code and consider amending such regulations to allow temporary tents used for agritourism purposes to remain in place for up to 12 months on a single site.
SB 388 – Affordable housing; religious organizations and other nonprofit tax-exempt properties.
Status:
In Conference
SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE
Affordable housing; religious organizations and other nonprofit tax-exempt properties. Allows for the administrative approval of development and construction of housing on land owned by property tax-exempt religious organizations or certain property tax-exempt nonprofit organizations and provides that zoning ordinances shall allow the by-right development and construction of housing on real property owned by such organizations, subject to various conditions and limitations. The bill provides that the review of such developments be completed pursuant to general law and states that localities shall not require a special exception, special use permit, conditional use permit, rezoning, or any discretionary review or approval process. The bill requires that at least 60 percent of the housing development’s total units be for affordable housing and that the housing development remain affordable for at least 30 years. The bill also provides that all such housing is subject to local real property taxation following completion, unless explicitly exempted by the locality. This bill incorporates SB 367 and has a delayed effective date of September 1, 2026.
SB 492 – Geologists; added to definition of “professional services,” continuing education.
Status:
Pending Governor’s Communication
SUMMARY AS PASSED
Professions and occupations; regulation of geologists. Adds geology to the definition of “professional services” as used in the Virginia Public Procurement Act. The bill also eliminates the option for the Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists to waive the examination requirement for licensure as a professional geologist for an applicant who has at least 12 years of geological work. The bill also requires the Board to promulgate regulations governing continuing education requirements for geologists licensed by the Board that require the completion of eight hours annually in continuing education for any license renewal or reinstatement.
SB 575 – Virginia Public Procurement Act; joint and cooperative procurement, construction exception.
Status:
In House
SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE
Virginia Public Procurement Act; joint and cooperative procurement; construction exception. Excludes certain intergovernmental support agreements pursuant to federal law from provisions of law under the Virginia Public Procurement Act that provide an exception for construction where a public body may purchase from another public body’s contract if the request for proposal or invitation to bid specified that the procurement was a cooperative procurement being conducted on behalf of other public bodies.
Counts: HB: 11 HJ: 0 SB: 5 SJ: 0