Summary: Health insurance; cost-sharing; pharmacy benefits managers' compensation and duties: civil penalty. Amends provisions related to rebates provided by carriers and health benefit plans to health plan enrollees by defining "defined cost-sharing," "price protection rebates," and "pharmacy benefits management services." The bill requires that an enrollee's defined cost-sharing for each prescription drug be calculated at the point of sale based on a price that is reduced by an amount equal to at least 80 percent of all rebates received or expected to be received in connection with the dispensing or administration of the prescription drug.The bill prohibits a pharmacy benefits manager from deriving income from pharmacy benefits management services provided to a carrier or health benefit plan except for income derived from a pharmacy benefits management fee. The bill requires the amount of any pharmacy benefits management fees to be set forth in the agreement between the pharmacy benefits manager and the carrier or health benefit plan and that such fee not be based on the acquisition cost or any other price metric of a drug; the amount of savings, rebates, or other fees charged, realized, or collected by or generated based on the activity of the pharmacy benefits manager; or the amount of premiums, deductibles, or other cost-sharing or fees charged, realized, or collected by the pharmacy benefits manager from enrollees or other persons on behalf of an enrollee. The bill requires a pharmacy benefits manager to annually certify to the State Corporation Commission that it has met certain requirements.The bill establishes a pharmacy benefits manager duty, which includes the duties of care and good faith and fair dealing, owed to any enrollee, provider, or health benefit plan that receives pharmacy benefits management services from the pharmacy benefits manager or that furnishes, covers, receives, or is administered a unit of a prescription drug for which the pharmacy benefits manager has provided pharmacy benefits management services. The bill requires the Commission to define by regulation the scope of such duty and provides for a private cause of action for any person aggrieved by the breach of such duty.

Summary: Health insurance; health care provider panels; continuity of care. Requires a provider to continue to render health care services to any of the carrier's enrollees who have an existing provider-patient relationship with the provider for a period of at least 90 days from the date of a provider's termination from the carrier's provider panel, except when a provider is terminated for cause. The bill provides that for an enrollee who has an existing provider-patient relationship with a provider, and, at the time of the provider's termination, (i) has been medically confirmed to be pregnant, the provider is required to continue care through the postpartum period; (ii) is determined to be terminally ill, the provider is required to continue care for the remainder of the enrollee's life; (iii) has been determined by a medical professional to have a life-threatening condition, the provider is required to continue care for up to 180 days; and (iv) is admitted to and receiving treatment in an inpatient facility, the provider is required to continue care until the enrollee is discharged from the inpatient facility. Under current law, the carrier is required to permit the provider to provide such continuity of care. The bill provides that the continuity of care provisions also apply to plans administered by the Department of Medical Assistance Services that provide benefits pursuant to Title XIX or Title XXI of the Social Security Act.

Summary: Insurance; Fire Programs Fund; purposes. Provides that the portion of the Fire Programs Fund allocated to localities may be used for the additional purposes of (i) constructing, improving, or expanding fire station facilities, (ii) providing mental health resources, or (iii) hiring additional fire personnel and funding recruitment and retention programs. The bill also prohibits such funds from being used, except as provided, for the purposes of investments, operating expenses, debt repayment, taxes, or fees.

Summary: Health insurance; emergency services; mobile crisis response services. Provides that emergency services, with respect to an emergency medical condition, include, as it relates to any mental health services or substance abuse services rendered at a behavioral health crisis service provider, (i) a behavioral health assessment that is within the capability of a behavioral health crisis service provider, including ancillary services routinely available to evaluate such emergency medical condition, and (ii) such further examination and treatment, to the extent that they are within the capabilities of the staff and facilities available at the behavioral health crisis service provider, as are required so that the patient's condition does not deteriorate. This bill is identical to SB 543.

Summary: Statutory agents; service of process. Adds the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission to the definition of "statutory agent" when such Clerk is appointed for the purpose of service of process on any individual, corporation, or limited partnership. The bill further applies certain methods of service of process currently applicable to limited liability corporations to nonstock corporations and domestic stock corporations. The bill provides that domestic or foreign limited liability partnerships may be served by personal service on its registered agent as directed by applicable provisions of Title 50 (Partnerships). The bill further provides that whenever the Clerk of the State Corporation Commission is appointed as the statutory agent service shall be deemed sufficient upon the person or entity being served and shall be effective on the date when service is made on the Clerk, provided, however, that the time for such person or entity to respond to process sent by the Clerk shall run from the date when the certificate of compliance is filed. This bill is a recommendation of the Boyd-Graves Conference.

Summary: Health insurance for local employees. Permits any locality to allow participation in its group health insurance program by any non-benefitted employee, including members of governing bodies, if such non-benefitted employee or governing body member is not otherwise entitled to participate, provided that such non-benefitted employees reimburse the locality for the full cost of their participation. The bill provides that reimbursement may include forgoing all or a part of a local government salary.

Summary: Long-term care insurance; rate increases; notice requirements. Requires an insurer providing long-term care insurance policies to issue a written notice to each policyholder of the insurer's filing for a rate increase with the State Corporation Commission within 60 days of making such filing. Additionally, the bill requires the insurer to (i) if the Commission denies the rate increase, issue a written notice to each policyholder of the Commission's final decision to deny the rate increase within 90 days of such decision or (ii) if the Commission approves the rate increase, issue a written notice to each policyholder of the rate increase at least 90 days before its effective date that includes certain information listed in the bill. The bill requires the Commission, in reviewing requests to increase long-term care insurance rates, to consider, to the extent practicable, how the rate increase will impact policyholders.

Summary: Insurance; dental carriers; annual report. Requires each dental carrier, beginning in 2025, to annually, on or before April 30, file with the State Corporation Commission a report that includes the actual loss ratio, defined in the bill, for the preceding calendar year and any such other information as the Commission may require. The bill requires the Commission to post such reports on its website. The bill requires the Bureau of Insurance to evaluate the effectiveness of informing the public on the information being reported and to make recommendations, if any, on the continuation or modification of the obligation of dental carriers to report such information. The bill also requires the Commission to convene a work group of interested stakeholders to determine if any revisions are necessary to the Code of Virginia regarding ethics and fairness in dental carrier business practices and of health care providers of dental services. The work group is required to report its recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor on or before October 1, 2024. This bill is identical to SB 257.

Summary: Health insurance; prior authorization. Requires that any provider contract between a carrier and a participating health care provider contain specific provisions that require that if a prior authorization request is approved for prescription drugs and such prescription drugs have been scheduled, provided, or delivered to the patient consistent with the authorization, the carrier shall not revoke, limit, condition, modify, or restrict that authorization unless (i) there is evidence that the authorization was obtained based on fraud or misrepresentation; (ii) final actions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, other regulatory agencies, or the manufacturer remove the drug from the market, limit its use in a manner that affects the authorization, or communicate a patient safety issue that would affect the authorization alone or in combination with other authorizations; (iii) a combination of drugs prescribed would cause a drug interaction; or (iv) a generic or biosimilar is added to the prescription drug formulary. The bill provides that such provisions do not require a carrier to cover any benefit not otherwise covered or cover a prescription drug if the enrollee is no longer covered by a health plan on the date the prescription drug was scheduled, provided, or delivered. This bill is identical to SB 98.

Summary: Benefits consortium for localities. Authorizesthe governing bodies of three or more cities, counties, or schoolboards to form a benefits consortium for the purpose of establishinga self-funded employee welfare benefit plan. Under current law, suchgoverning bodies or school boards are authorized to form such a benefitsconsortium if they comprised the membership of a multiple employerwelfare arrangement as of December 31, 2014. Such a benefits consortiumis required to be a nonstock corporation established to operate abenefits plan. Each member of the benefits consortium is contractuallyliable for its allocated share of the consortium's liabilities, andthe benefits consortium is exempt from taxation and from insuranceregulations.

Summary: Health Insurance Reform Commission; assessment of certain legislation. Requires the Health Insurance Reform Commission, whenever the Chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce or the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor requests that the Commission assess a legislative measure containing a mandated health insurance benefit or provider, to complete its assessment and submit a report for each such request within 24 months. This bill is identical to SB 132.

Summary: State Corporation Commission; insurance coverage regulations. Requires the State Corporation Commission to amendregulations to reduce the mandatory limit of liability imposed uponinsurers for household and personal property coverage from at least50 percent of the dwelling limit of liability to at least 25 percent of the dwelling limit of liability.

Summary: Insurance; coverage for the diminished value of personal property. Requires any insurer who issues or delivers a new or renewal homeowner's insurance policy or a stand-alone policy that covers scheduled personal property in the Commonwealth to offer in writing a provision providing coverage for the diminution in the value of any such scheduled personal property, if the schedule provides for the repair of such property. Under the bill, the diminution in value of the personal property is the amount, if any, by which the market value of the personal property immediately following the completion of repair of the damage to the personal property is less than the market value of the personal property immediately prior to the damage and the change in market value is a direct result of damage from the covered loss. The provisions of the bill shall apply to every such policy that is issued, delivered, or renewed by an insurer licensed in the Commonwealth on or after July 1, 2025.

Summary: Local government employee insurance programs. Authorizes any locality to include in its group life, accident, andhealth insurance programs any person to whom coverage could be extendedunder the provision of current law that sets out who may be coveredunder a private group accident and sickness insurance policy.

Summary: Siting of energy facilities; approval by State Corporation Commission. Establishes a procedure under which an electric utility or independent power provider (applicant) is able to obtain approval for a certificate from the State Corporation Commission for the siting of an energy facility rather than from the governing body of a locality. Under the bill, applicants are authorized to submit an application to the Commission if (i) the locality fails to timely approve or deny an application; (ii) the application complies with certain requirements for Commission approval, but a host locality denies the application; or (iii) the locality amends its zoning ordinance after it has notified the applicant that its requirements are compatible with the requirements for Commission approval, and the amendment imposes additional requirements that are more restrictive. The bill provides that an applicant who is issued a certificate by the Commission for an energy facility is exempt from obtaining approvals or permits, including any land use approvals or permits under the regulations and ordinances of the locality. The bill applies to any solar energy facility with a capacity of 50 megawatts or more, any wind energy facility with a capacity of 100 megawatts or more, and any energy storage facility with a nameplate capacity of 50 megawatts or more and an energy discharge capability of 200 megawatt hours or more.

Summary: Electric utilities; notice required for customer return to service. Decreases the required written notice period to 90 days for certain electric energy customers to return to service by an investor-owned utility after purchasing electric energy from other suppliers. Currently, such electric energy customers must provide five years' written notice to return to service by Dominion Energy Virginia or three years' written notice to return to service by Appalachian Power.

Summary: Electric utilities; State Corporation Commission;energy policy of the Commonwealth. Requires the State CorporationCommission to ensure that the Commonwealth implements the energypolicy of the Commonwealth, as defined by relevant law, at the lowestreasonable cost, taking into account all cost-effective demand-sidemanagement options and the security and reliability benefits of theregional transmission entity that each incumbent electric utilityhas joined. The bill establishes a rebuttable presumption that plans,petitions, or proposals from utilities that do not ensure such implementationat the lowest reasonable cost are not in the public interest.

Summary: Electric utilities; recovery of developmentcosts associated with small modular reactor. Permits AmericanElectric Power (Phase I Utility) and Dominion Energy Virginia (PhaseII Utility) to petition the State Corporation Commission at any timefor the approval of a rate adjustment clause for the recovery ofsmall modular reactor project development costs. The bill also permitsthe utility to petition the Commission for project development costrecovery along separate development phases.

Summary: Shared solar programs; Dominion Energy Virginia; minimum bill; capacity. Amends existing shared solar program provisions applicable to Dominion Energy Virginia. The bill provides that a customer's net bill for participation in the shared solar program means the resulting amount a customer must pay the utility after the bill credit, defined in relevant law, is deducted from the customer's monthly gross utility bill. The bill divides the shared solar program into two parts, the first of which has an aggregate capacity of 200 megawatts. The bill provides that upon a determination that at least 90 percent of the megawatts of the aggregate capacity of part one of such program has been subscribed, as defined in the bill, and that project construction is substantially complete, the State Corporation Commission shall approve up to an additional 150 megawatts of capacity as part two of such program, 75 megawatts of which shall serve no more than 51 percent low-income customers, as defined in relevant law. The bill directs the Commission to initiate a proceeding to recalculate the minimum bill within 30 days of a final order in a proceeding establishing the value of a solar renewable energy certificate as required by relevant law. The bill specifies that the Commission shall update its shared solar program consistent with the requirements of the bill by March 1, 2025, and shall require each utility to file any associated tariffs, agreements, or forms necessary for implementing the program by December 1, 2025. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Energy to convene a stakeholder work group to determine the amounts and forms of certain project incentives and to submit a written report to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor no later than November 30, 2024. This bill is identical to SB 253.

Summary: Shared solar programs; American Electric Power; minimum bill; capacity. Requires the State Corporation Commission to establish by regulation a shared solar program, as defined in the bill, through which customers of American Electric Power may purchase electric power through a subscription in a shared solar facility, as defined in the bill. The bill requires the Commission to establish a minimum bill, which shall include the costs of all utility infrastructure and services used to provide electric service and administrative costs of the shared solar program, taking into account certain considerations. The bill directs the Commission to initiate a proceeding to recalculate such minimum bill within 30 days of its final order in a proceeding establishing the value of a solar renewable energy certificate as required by relevant law. The bill specifies that the Commission shall establish the shared solar program consistent with the requirements of the bill by January 1, 2025, and shall require each utility to file any associated tariffs, agreements, or forms necessary for implementing the program by July 1, 2025. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Energy to convene a stakeholder work group to determine the amounts and forms of certain project incentives and to submit a written report to the Chairs of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor no later than November 30, 2024. This bill is identical to SB 255.

Summary: Department of Environmental Quality; review and authorization of projects; hearing and appeal. Allows any person aggrieved by the final decision of the Department of Environmental Quality regarding the authorization of a project and who has participated in a proceeding for a permit to construct or operate a small renewable energy project under procedures adopted by the Department to seek judicial review of such action in accordance with the Administrative Process Act in the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond within 30 days of such decision. The bill requires the court to hear and decide such action as soon as practicable after the date of filing. This bill is identical to SB 580.

Summary: Electric utilities; energy efficiency programs; duty to implement the Energy Policy of the Commonwealth; RPS program requirements; competitive procurement. Provides that "in the public interest" for the purpose of assessing energy efficiency programs means that the State Corporation Commission determines that the program is cost-effective and directs the Commission to initiate a proceeding no later than December 31, 2025, to establish a single, consistent cost-effectiveness test for use in evaluating proposed energy efficiency programs.The bill provides (i) that "total electric energy" for purposes of the RPS Program requirements does not include energy sold to certain customers purchasing 100 percent renewable energy and (ii) that in any RPS program compliance year, any electric energy that was generated in the previous calendar year from certain nuclear generating plants, or any zero-carbon electric generating facilities, including small modular nuclear reactors and green hydrogen facilities, will reduce the utility's RPS Program requirements by an equivalent amount.The bill provides that the Commission and its staff have the affirmative duty to ensure the Commonwealth implements the Energy Policy of the Commonwealth at the lowest reasonable cost, taking into account all cost-effective demand-side management options and the security and reliability benefits of the regional transmission entity to which each incumbent electric utility has joined.The bill requires that for certain required petitions by Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy Virginia for approvals to construct, acquire, or purchase the generating capacity using energy derived from sunlight or onshore wind, at least 35 percent of such generating capacity is from the purchases of energy from solar or onshore wind facilities owned by persons other than such utilities. Current law requires 35 percent of such generating capacity to be from the purchases of energy from solar or onshore wind facilities owned by persons other than such utilities.

Summary: Energy efficiency programs; incremental annual savings. Provides that for the 2029 program year and all subsequent years, "in the public interest" for the purpose of assessing energy efficiency programs means that the State Corporation Commission determines that the program is cost-effective. The bill directs the Commission to promulgate regulations no later than September 30, 2025, establishing a single, consistent cost-effectiveness test for use in evaluating proposed energy efficiency programs. The bill requires Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power Company to track, quantify, and report to the Commission the incremental annual savings, as defined in the bill, achieved by such utility's energy efficiency programs. This bill is identical to SB 565.

Summary: Public service companies; pole attachments;cable television systems and telecommunications service providers. Requires a public utility, as defined in the bill, to establish and adhere to pole attachment practices and procedures that comply with certain requirements, including determining whether an attachment request is complete before reviewing such request on its merits, complying with certain timelines, and providing notice of a rearrangement to affected existing attachers. The bill provides that a public utility shall not apportion to a telecommunications service provider or cable television system the cost of replacing a red-tagged pole, as defined in the bill, provided that such utility may apportion to such provider or system the incremental cost of a taller or stronger pole that is necessitated solely by the new facilities of such provider or system. The bill authorizes the State Corporation Commission to enforce its provisions and requires the Commission to resolve disputes involving pole access within 90 days and concerning certain other matters within 120 days. This bill is identical to SB 713.

Summary: Phase I Utility; recovery of development costs associated with small modular nuclear facility. Permits American Electric Power, prior to the filing of an application for a certificate to construct a small modular nuclear facility, to request the State Corporation Commission to review such utility's decision to incur project development costs, as defined in the bill. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2034.

Summary: Virginia Petroleum Products Franchise Act; agreements between jobber/distributors and dealers; market valuation study. Provides that a term of an initial agreement between a jobber/distributor and a dealer relating to specific marketing premises shall not be less than one year and that the term of all subsequent agreements between the jobber/distributor and the dealer relating to the same marketing premises shall not be for less than three years. The bill provides that rental provisions in any such agreement or franchise shall be based on commercially fair and reasonable standards at a fair market value of the leased marketing premises under an objectively reasonable analysis, uniformly applied to all similarly situated dealers of the same jobber/distributor in the same geographic area. If a dealer believes the terms of the agreement offered do not meet a fair market value, such dealer may hire, at his expense, an independent third-party appraisal company from a list of appraisal companies provided by the jobber/distributor to provide a market valuation study. The bill provides that such study shall (i) be for informational purposes only, (ii) not require either party to disclose confidential business information, and (iii) not bind either party. The provisions of the bill apply to Planning District 8 and to initial franchise agreements and renewals of franchise agreements entered into after July 1, 2024. This bill is identical to SB 248.

Summary: Building service employees; public contracting. Permits any county, city, or town in the Commonwealth to provide for certain requirements concerning incumbent and successor service employers, defined in the bill, by local ordinance or resolution. For example, such local ordinance or resolution may require that successor service employers retain incumbent service employees during a transition period of 90 days. Under the bill, service employees are those who perform work in connection with the care or maintenance of property, services at an airport, or food preparation services at schools. The bill provides that a employer that violates the provisions of a local ordinance or resolution enacted pursuant to the bill may be subject to a civil action and monetary damages.

Summary: Virginia Employment Commission; provision ofcertain confidential information to the Virginia Port Authority.Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to provide certain employmentinformation to the Virginia Port Authority as may be necessary tofacilitate the administration and enforcement by the Authority ofperformance agreements with businesses that have received incentiveawards. The bill provides that any information provided to the Authorityis confidential, requires that the information only be disclosedto members of the Authority who are public officials or employeesof the Authority for the performance of their official duties, andprohibits redisclosure of any such confidential information to nonlegislativecitizen members of the Authority or to the public.

Summary: Department of Labor and Industry; asbestos andlead project permit; usage of licensing fees. Provides that feescollected by the Department of Labor and Industry paid by licensedasbestos and certified lead contractors for obtaining asbestos andlead project permits are to be used by the Department in carryingout its mission under the Virginia Asbestos NESHAP Act.

Summary: Consumer protection; failure to honor servicewarranty. Prohibits a supplier in connection with a consumertransaction from failing to honor a service warranty of another supplierafter acquiring the business of such other supplier. A violationof the provisions of the bill constitutes a violation of the VirginiaConsumer Protection Act.

Summary: Uniform Commercial Code; amendments. Makes a number of amendments to the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) as adopted in Virginia. The bill amends the definitions of "money" and "conspicuous" for purposes of the UCC and makes extensive amendments throughout provisions related to UCC Article 9 to accommodate emerging technologies. Such amendments include updating the traditional rules for attachment and perfection to apply to digital assets, such as controllable electronic records, and changes to several definitions, including "chattel paper," which is reconfigured to reflect the concept that chattel paper is a secured party's or lessor's right to payment that is secured by specific goods or owned by a lessee under an agreement that includes specific goods, if evidenced by a tangible or electronic record. Under current law, UCC Article 9 provides that perfection of money is through possession; however, since the definition of "money" is amended by this bill to include intangible assets, the amended provisions related to UCC Article 9 describe perfection by control, requiring the electronic money to either be in a deposit account or evidenced through a controllable electronic record. Further amendments to provisions related to UCC Article 9 include updates to governing law provisions for perfection and priority of security interests in chattel paper and in controllable electronic records, controllable accounts, and controllable payment intangibles.The bill includes amendments to provisions governing sales and leases to provide clarification regarding hybrid or bundled transactions and adds definitions for "hybrid transaction" and "hybrid lease." The bill provides the following approach to the application of provisions related to sales or leases in hybrid or bundled transactions: if the goods aspect of the hybrid transaction predominates, then the provisions that relate to sales or leases apply, but if other aspects predominate, then the provisions that relate primarily to the goods but not the transaction as a whole apply.The bill also adds a new title that parallels UCC Article 12, relating to controllable electronic records, as defined in the bill, and explaining the payment rights of a purchaser of an electronic record when such record is transferred. To fall within the scope of these provisions, the bill specifies that an electronic record must be controllable. The bill provides that to transfer the economic value associated with the controllable electronic record, or to receive the benefits associated with the controllable electronic record free of competing property interests, a person must have control of the controllable electronic record, which depends on requirements as described in the bill. The new title that parallels UCC Article 12 also describes qualifying purchasers of controllable electronic records, debtor security interests in relation to the person identified as in control of the controllable electronic record, and how to demonstrate control for purposes of priority and order of payment rights. These new provisions also include choice of law provisions to determine jurisdiction of a controllable electronic record.The bill includes a number of transition provisions to address perfection and priority issues that may arise after the effective date of the bill. Under the transition provisions of the bill, the Commonwealth may provide an adjustment date of one year after the effective date of the bill to allow persons with established perfection or priority to perfect their interests that may otherwise be affected or lost after the adjustment date based on the UCC amendments in the bill. Finally, the bill makes technical amendments throughout the UCC.As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Commissioners to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025.

Summary: Virginia Post-Disaster Anti-Price Gouging Act;definitions. Provides that for the purposes of the Virginia Post-Disaster Anti-Price Gouging Act, "consumer transaction" includes transactions involving the advertisement, sale, lease, license, or offering for sale, lease, or license of goods or services to be used for business purposes and the advertisement, sale, lease, license, or contract of employment services to be provided or procured for business purposes. The bill also amends the definition of "time of disaster" to mean the longer of (i) the period of time when a state of emergency declared by the Governor or the President of the United States as the result of a disaster, emergency, or major disaster is in effect or (ii) 30 days after the occurrence of the disaster, emergency, or major disaster that resulted in the declaration of the state of emergency. Under current law, the definition of "time of disaster" means the shorter of the time periods specified in clauses (i) and (ii).

Summary: Virginia Consumer Protection Act; prohibitedpractices; mandatory fees disclosure. Prohibits a supplier in connection with a consumer transaction from advertising, displaying,or offering any pricing information for goods or services withoutprominently displaying the total price, which shall include all mandatoryfees or charges other than taxes imposed.

Summary: Employee protection; prohibited retaliation; prohibited nondisclosure and nondisparagement provisions; civil action. Prohibits the inclusion of a provision in any employment contract that has the purpose or effect of concealing illegal activity or activity an employee believes to be unlawful, including unlawful sexual harassment, discrimination, wage theft, and protected whistleblowing, as those terms are described in existing law. Under the bill's provisions, no employer shall discharge or otherwise retaliate against an employee, prospective employee, or independent contractor for disclosing or discussing conduct that such employee reasonably believes to be discrimination, including harassment, retaliation, a wage or hour violation, sexual assault, fraud against taxpayers, shareholders, the government, consumers, or other employees, or other conduct that is against a clear mandate of public policy. An employer that violates the provisions of the bill shall be liable for the greater of actual damages or statutory damages of $10,000, as well as reasonable attorney fees and costs. The bill also requires employers to include in any settlement agreement or employment agreement with an employee a disclaimer that such agreement does not prohibit an employee from disclosing conduct as protected under the bill. The provisions of the bill apply to contracts entered into, renewed, modified, or amended on or after July 1, 2024.

Summary: Fees for electronic fund transfers; prohibited. Provides that charging any transaction or processing fee or similar surcharge for the purchase of a good or service through the use of an electronic fund transfer is a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill also prohibits landlords subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act from charging a transaction or processing fee for the payment of a security deposit, rent, or any other amounts payable.

Summary: State Air Pollution Control Board; motor vehicleemissions standards. Repeals the requirement that the State AirPollution Control Board implement a low-emissions and zero-emissionsvehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 andlater. The bill prohibits the Board from adopting or enforcing anymodel year standards related to control of emissions from new motorvehicles or new motor vehicle engines, including low-emission vehicleand zero-emission vehicle standards pursuant to the federal CleanAir Act and prohibits the Commonwealth from requiring any new motorvehicle or new motor vehicle engine to be certified as compliantwith model year standards related to the control of emissions adoptedby California for which a waiver has been granted pursuant to thefederal Clean Air Act.

Summary: Unemployment compensation; maximum durationof benefits. Provides that the maximum duration for which a claimantmay receive unemployment compensation benefits shall be calculatedbased on the average, seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in theCommonwealth for the three months preceding the month in which suchclaimant files his first claim in a benefit year.

Summary: Regulation of electric utilities; developmentof renewable energy facilities; powers of State Air Pollution ControlBoard; powers of State Corporation Commission. Repeals provisions(i) requiring the State Air Pollution Control Board to adopt regulationsto reduce carbon dioxide emissions from any electricity generatingunit in the Commonwealth and authorizing the Board to establish anauction program for energy allowances; (ii) prohibiting the StateCorporation Commission from approving any new utility-owned generation facilities that emit carbon dioxide as a by-product of energy generation,in certain circumstances; (iii) declaring that statutory allowancesfor energy derived from sunlight, onshore wind, offshore wind, andstorage facilities are in the public interest; and (iv) relatingto the development of solar and wind generation and energy storagecapacity, development of offshore wind capacity, and generation ofelectricity from renewable and zero carbon sources. The bill provides that planning and development activities for new nuclear generationfacilities are in the public interest.

Summary: State Air Pollution Control Board; motor vehicleemissions standards. Repeals the requirement that the State AirPollution Control Board implement a low-emissions and zero-emissionsvehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 andlater. The bill prohibits the Board from adopting or enforcing anymodel year standards related to control of emissions from new motorvehicles or new motor vehicle engines, including low-emission vehicleand zero-emission vehicle standards pursuant to the federal CleanAir Act and prohibits the Commonwealth from requiring any new motorvehicle or new motor vehicle engine to be certified as compliantwith model year standards related to the control of emissions adoptedby California for which a waiver has been granted pursuant to thefederal Clean Air Act. The bill has a delayed effective date thatis contingent upon the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association certifyingto the Virginia Code Commission that total annual sales of zero-emissionvehicles have not met the annual standards adopted by regulation by the California Air Resources Board.

Summary: Energy policy of the Commonwealth; state authority;legislative declaration. Declares that affordable, reliable,and secure energy resources are important to the health, safety,and welfare of the Commonwealth's citizens and provides that theCommonwealth has a duty to defend the production and supply of affordable, reliable, and secure energy from external regulatory interference.Under the bill, if the State Corporation Commission or an electricutility, as defined in the bill, receives notice of any federal regulationthat may threaten the production or supply of affordable, reliable,and secure energy within the Commonwealth, the Commission or suchelectric utility shall inform the Office of the Attorney Generalof such regulation within 30 days of the receipt of such notice.The bill requires the Office of the Attorney General to take anyaction necessary to defend the Commonwealth's interest in the productionand supply of affordable, reliable, and secure energy, includingfiling an action in court or participating in administrative proceedings.

Summary: Department of Workforce Development and Advancement;Director. Changes the title of the Director of the Departmentof Workforce Development and Advancement to the Commissioner of Workforce Development and Advancement. The bill directs the Department of WorkforceDevelopment and Advancement to examine the feasibility or need ofany new workforce development program prior to its creation and providea report to the Governor and the General Assembly. The bill changesthe minimum level of fiscal support from WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker funds to training and job placement services from 40 to 50percent. The bill also makes the Department responsible for providing a list of high-demand occupations to eligible educational institutions.