Summary: Plastic bag tax; distribution to towns. Providesthat any town located within a county that has imposed a disposableplastic bag tax shall receive a distribution of revenues collectedby the county based on the local sales tax distribution formula forappropriations to towns. The bill requires that towns use such revenuesfor the same purposes allowable for a county or city.

Summary: Virginia Regional Industrial Facilities Act; Planning Districts 13 and 14. Adds Planning Districts 13 (Southside) and 14 (Commonwealth Regional Commission) to the list of areas where localities may create a regional industrial facility authority that contains a town and only one city or county rather than at least two cities or counties.

Summary: Charter; Town of Smithfield. Amends the charter for the Town of Smithfield in Isle of Wight County to reflect the town's shift from May to November municipal elections. The bill also updates or repeals outdated provisions of the town's charter. This bill is identical to SB 309.

Summary: Waiving of utility connection fees in certainareas; City of Staunton. Allows the City of Staunton to reduceor waive utility connection fees in certain designated areas.

Summary: Charter; City of Colonial Heights. Amends the charter of the City of Colonial Heights by updating language related to the duties of the City Manager and City Attorney, including elimination of the City Attorney's duties to the school board and school superintendent. The bill also includes the update or repeal of various outdated provisions related to appropriations, purchasing, and capital improvements. This bill is identical to SB 112.

Summary: Charter; City of Virginia Beach; board of equalization. Amends the charter for the City of Virginia Beach by expanding theboard of equalization from four members to five members and an alternate.

Summary: Charter; City of Richmond. Makes extensiveupdates to the charter for the City of Richmond. Many changes inthe bill have the effect of removing outdated or duplicative provisionsand more closely aligning the city's powers with those set out ingeneral law. Other changes include authorizing compensation to individualcouncil members as may be set by the city council by resolution ascompensation for attending meetings of standing committees or othermeetings of the city council, in addition to the sums permitted by general law. In addition, the bill authorizes the city council tofix an additional sum to be paid to the president and vice presidentof the city council, notwithstanding the limitations set out in generallaw. The bill makes the city's chief administrative officer, ratherthan the mayor, responsible for making certain recommendations tothe council concerning the personnel system. Further changes in thebill provide for additional protected classes to include all of theprotected classes recognized under general law. The bill also removesthe requirement that the mayor annually submit a capital budget programto the city council and authorizes the city's chief administrativeofficer, not the mayor, to make transfers between completed projectsand projects that are incomplete. The bill contains numerous technicalamendments.

Summary: Vacant buildings; registration. Permits any county, city, or town to require, by ordinance, the owner ofany building that has been vacant for at least 12 months and (i) thatmeets the definition of "derelict building" in relevant law, (ii)that meets the definition of "criminal blight" in relevant law, or(iii) in which a locality has determined a person is living withoutthe authority of the owner to register such building annually. Undercurrent law, any city and certain towns are permitted to requirethe owner of any building that has been vacant for at least 12 monthsand meets the definition of "derelict building" in relevant law toregister such building annually. This bill is a recommendation ofthe Virginia Housing Commission.

Summary: Home-based firearms dealers; prohibited nearschools; penalties. Provides that no home-based firearms dealer,as defined in the bill, shall be engaged in the business of selling,trading, or transferring firearms at wholesale or retail within 1.5miles of any elementary or middle school, including buildings andgrounds. The bill provides that any person who willfully violatessuch prohibition is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor for a first offenseand guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor for a second or subsequent offense.

Summary: Military centered community zones; local designation. Allows localities to establish, by ordinance, one or more military centered community zones, defined in the bill as a community that has a significant presence of military personnel living or working in the designated area and where such presence drives, or has the potential to drive, significant economic activity. The bill provides that a locality, or another political subdivision acting on behalf of the locality, may offer unique benefits to businesses looking to locate within a zone for the purpose of serving the needs of the military personnel, including reduction of certain fees and taxes. In addition, the bill provides that local governing bodies are authorized to enter into agreements for the payment of economic development incentive grants to such businesses. The bill also allows a governing body to provide for certain regulatory flexibility and incentives and provides that the establishment of a military centered community zone shall not preclude the area from also being designated as an enterprise zone or from receiving support under the Virginia Military Community Infrastructure Grant Program. This bill is identical to SB 343.

Summary: Assistant attorneys for the Commonwealth; Compensation Board. Provides that the Compensation Board shall provide foremploying at least one compensated assistant to the attorney forthe Commonwealth in every county and city where the attorney forthe Commonwealth devotes his full time to his duties and does notengage in the private practice of law. Under current law, the CompensationBoard has discretion in determining if a county or city needs toemploy any compensated assistants to the attorney for the Commonwealth.

Summary: Local historic districts; tax incentives. Allows a locality that establishes a local historic district to provide tax incentives for the conservation and renovation of historic structures in such district. The bill provides that such incentives may include tax rebates to the extent allowed by the Constitution of Virginia.

Summary: Maintenance of vegetative growth on certain property. Provides that a locality may require the owner of property that (i) was formerly used as a golf course but where such use has been discontinued and (ii) abuts an area zoned for residential purposes to maintain the vegetative growth on the former golf course property in a manner that (a) prevents such property from becoming a detriment to the health, safety, or welfare of the residents of the abutting residential area and (b) does not change the character of the former golf course property so as to be incompatible with the surrounding residential area. The bill further provides that whenever the locality deems it necessary, after reasonable notice as determined by the locality, the locality may have its agents or employees cut or maintain the vegetative growth, in which event the cost and expenses thereof shall be chargeable to and paid by the owner of such property and may be collected by the locality as taxes are collected. An enactment clause states that the provisions of the bill are declarative of existing law.

Summary: Charter; Town of Pulaski. Amends the charter for the Town of Pulaski in Pulaski County to reflect the town's shift from May to November municipal elections. The bill clarifies that the town council's membership consists of seven members, including the mayor, and provides that the mayor may vote in the council. The bill also changes the time of the election of the vice-mayor from even-numbered years to odd-numbered years at the first meeting of the council. This bill is identical to SB 475.

Summary: Planning districts; King George County.Moves King George County from Planning District 16 (George WashingtonRegional Commission) to Planning District 17 (Northern Neck PlanningDistrict Commission). The bill requires the Department of Housingand Community Development to assist with this transition.

Summary: Charter; Town of Rocky Mount. Amends thecharter for the Town of Rocky Mount in Franklin County to reflectthe town's transition from May to November for municipal elections.The bill also imposes term limits of three consecutive terms forthe mayor and members of the town council.

Summary: Charter; City of Martinsville. Amends thecharter for the City of Martinsville by (i) allowing notice of specialmeetings to council members to be given by electronic mail, textmessage, or telephone call; (ii) providing for compensation to membersof the city council to be in accordance with general law; (iii) providing for action by resolution of the city council to make appropriationsor contract indebtedness; and (iv) requiring the city manager tobecome a resident of the City or reside within a certain distanceof the City. The bill makes numerous technical changes and repealsseveral outdated sections.

Summary: Local zoning regulations related to mines; Planning District 8. Provides that localities in Planning District 8 (Northern Virginia) may establish standards and adopt zoning regulations related to mines and mineral mines that exceed standards and regulations adopted by the Director of the Department of Energy, including the prohibition of all mining and mineral mining activity in any area of the locality zoned for residential use.