NORFOLK, Va. — On July 1, a multitude of new laws will go into effect in Virginia, stemming from the legislative actions taken during the 2024 General Assembly session.
These bills, having successfully navigated the Senate and the House, were signed into law by Governor Glenn Youngkin. Covering a broad spectrum of issues, many of these new regulations enhance protections for children, reflecting an effort to address the welfare and safety of the state's youngest residents.
Gov. Youngkin also made some significant vetoes of legislation that came to his desk during this year's session. Here are a few of the bills that did not become law:
Here are some notable laws that will go into effect on July 1, 2024.
Unregistered farm-use vehicles
Unregistered farm-use panel trucks, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles must display a DMV-issued permanent farm-use placard. Previously a tag not issued by the DMV was sufficient. The placard only costs $15. Getting a title costs another $15.
Firearm trigger switches, auto sears allowing semi-automatic firearms to become fully automatic banned
This bill signed by Youngkin on March 26 prohibits manufacturing, importing, selling, and possessing trigger activators, auto sears, trigger switches, etc. The devices can turn semi-automatic weapons into firearms that can shoot more than one bullet per trigger pull, or a machine gun.
Violating the new bill is punishable as a Class 6 felony.
Virginia will become 1st state in the South to end child marriage
Under the new law, minors — even those legally emancipated — will not be allowed to marry. This closes a legal loophole that previously allowed minors aged 16 or older to marry if a court declared them legal adults through emancipation.
In April, Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed into law House Bill 994 which prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from being wed, including teenagers seeking emancipation.
This comes eight years after the Commonwealth raised the minimum age to marry to 18, except for emancipated minors who a judge determined were voluntarily entering the marriage.
Prioritizing placing children in foster care with relatives
On May 21, Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed House Bill 27 and Senate Bill 39, creating the Parental Child Safety Placement Program.
"It's an effort by the state of Virginia to have kids who are either at risk of foster care or in foster care be placed with a family member", said Ronnie Gehring, the executive director of Embrace Treatment Foster Care.
The measures come as the Commonwealth works to prioritize kinship care. Only 16% of Virginia's children in foster care are placed with relatives, which is well below the national average of 35%.
Legacy, donor status affecting higher education admissions banned in Virginia
Public institutions of higher education are prohibited starting July 1st from giving preferential treatment to student applicants due to legacy status or relationships to any donations.
Virginia cities can reduce speed limits on some highways to 15 mph
The bill introduced by Delegate Betsy Carr allows cities to reduce the speed limit to less than 25 miles per hour but not less than 15 miles per hour on state highways in either business or residence districts.
The bill also authorizes localities to restore a speed limit that was reduced under the new law. Localities are required to notify the Commissioner of Highways of a change in speed limit.
During an interview with the Virginia Mercury, Del. Carr explained that the bill is meant to help reduce pedestrian deaths.
Child exploitation and increased penalties for predators and rapid response for missing children
Gov. Youngkin signed SB 731, HB 1427, and SB 201 on child exploitation, increased penalties for predators, and rapid response for missing children.
"There is nothing more important than the health and well-being of our children," said First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin. "I am proud of the steps our legislature has taken to ensure our most precious Virginians are kept safe and secure."
There have been a number of convictions for child pornography and child sex abuse across the Commonwealth since the start of 2024.
Bill SB 731 amends the definition of child pornography, production, and publication.
Bill HB 1427 allows the court to fix the period of suspension of sentence for a period not to exceed three years for the offenses of sexual battery and sexual abuse of a child 13 years old or older but under 15 years old.
“All of these bills will have a measurable impact on the safety of our kids, HB1427 directly works to ensure that those convicted of heinous crimes against children will not be able to so easily reoffend,” said Delegate Michael Webert.
The bill also requires the Virginia State Police to develop policies for the creation of Codi Alert Programs throughout the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to HB 1388.
Declawing cats for cosmetic, aesthetic, or reasons of convenience banned in Virginia
In April, Gov. Youngkin signed a bill that would prohibit any procedure that removes a cat's paw, limb, tendon, or digit of a cat that is for "cosmetic or aesthetic reasons or reasons of convenience in the keeping or handling of a cat."
Animal rights activists have called the practice inhumane for years and celebrated the decision.
"It's like cutting off the digit of your finger," said Tammy Linquist, spokesperson for Norfolk's SPCA. "How would you like that if it happened to you?"
This new bill declares that anyone who has collided with a deer or bear keep the animal for their own use if the collision causes the animal's death. The person must immediately report the accident to a conservation police officer or other officer of the locality.
After assessing if the collision killed the deer or bear, the officer will award the person a certificate giving them a claim to the deceased animal.
The new bill specifies that all firefighters, including volunteer firefighters, will complete a training program on the risks of fires in electric vehicles and how to safely and effectively manage them.
Among the legislation is newly-signed “Irvo’s Law,” named for Irvo Otieno, 28, who died in custody last March after a mental health crisis.
Otieno’s mother, Caroline Ouko joined the ceremony Thursday, saying Gov. Youngkin “kept his promise” in establishing legislation after her son’s death.
Senate Bill 546 passed through the general assembly unanimously. It allows family members to be with their loved ones under an emergency custody order during a mental health crisis unless the patient objects or the family member’s presence would pose a safety risk.
Other bill passages include Senate Bill 403 which establishes behavioral health technicians as professionals supervised by the Board of Counseling. “We need more hands and feet,” said the Governor. “And this means more hands and feet.”
House Bill 823 and Senate Bill 497 together aim to alleviate stress on law enforcement, often required to entrancemental health patients under temporary detention orders. The Governor said about the pairing, “we want to further decriminalize someone’s moment where they are having a mental health crisis.”
Fund created to help those incarcerated with substance use disorders be treated, transition support
The Department of Criminal Justice Services will oversee the new fund and set rules, with input from the Virginia Sheriffs' Association and the Virginia Association of Regional Jails, to provide money to local and regional jails.
This money will be used for substance use disorder treatment and transition services for inmates. The rules will ensure funds go to programs like medication-assisted treatment, addiction recovery, and reentry support.