New laws in Virginia as of July, 2023

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A quick look at a few of the Virginia state laws that took effect July 1.  New law categories include curfews, swatting, gun safety, blue headlights, black history, and housing.

CHILD PROTECTION

Age Verification for adult websites - This law requires adult websites to implement an age verification system to access content.  This law paves the way for civil lawsuits against websites “that knowingly or intentionally publishes or distributes on the Internet material harmful to minors” and don’t establish a way for age verification.

Tougher laws for crimes against children - This law will bring harsher penalties for abducting a child, changing the crime from a Class 5 felony (up to 10 years in prison) to a Class 2 felony (a minimum 20-year prison sentence).    

COURTS

Jury duty rate increase – The jury duty allowance has been increased from $30 to $50 per day. 

EDUCATION

Bullying – A new law will require public school principals to inform parents if their child is involved in a bullying incident within a day. Currently, principals are required to notify parents “of the status of any investigation within five school days.”

HUMAN SERVICES

Tenant rights - Landlords who own four or more units must provide written notice of a rent increase to tenants at least 60 days in advance. 

Housing -  A new law requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to conduct a housing needs assessment for the state every five years, along with a housing plan. This new law also requires localities to submit annual reports listing changes to housing policies.

Human trafficking awareness - A new  law requires hotel managers and staff to complete online training within six months of being employed by a hotel, repeated once every two years.

ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES

Fentanyl penalties - Fentanyl is now considered a "weapon of terrorism," and knowingly manufacturing or distributing it is a Class 4 felony.

LAW ENFORCEMENT & EMERGENCY SERVICES

Curfew power - A new law allows local law enforcement chiefs to impose curfews for up to 24 hours if there is “an imminent threat of any civil commotion or disturbance in the nature of a riot which constitutes a clear and present danger.”

Swatting – A new law will impose penalties for placing false 911 calls to emergency personnel. Violating this law will result in a class 1 misdemeanor, which includes  a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

MILITARY

National Guard Recreation pass – A new law has created the “Virginia National Guard Passport,” which provides active Virginia National Guard members (and their immediate family members traveling in the same vehicle) free entry to all 41 state parks.

BLACK HISTORY

Brown v. Board of Education scholarship program – This new law extends eligibility for the scholarship  to the descendants of people who lived in Virginia jurisdictions where public schools were closed to avoid desegregation between 1954 and 1964 and whose educations were affected by the school closings.

Remembrance markers  - Historical signs can be placed at any location that appeared in the "Green Book," a safe travel guide for black people in the Jim Crow-era.

PRISONS

Drone use - Anyone using the devices to capture video or images of those incarcerated could face a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Solitary confinement changes – State prisons will have to provide those incarcerated in solitary confinement at least four hours “of out-of-cell programmatic interventions or other congregate activities per day.”

TRANSPORTATION

Pedestrian Safety - This law requires that drivers must stop for pedestrians at clearly marked crosswalks or any intersections where the speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less.

Move-over Law expanded - Drivers must move over (or slow down, if possible) for vehicles on the side of a four-lane highway if these vehicles have their hazard lights on, displaying caution signs or marked with properly lit hazard torches. This expands the existing law that requires drivers to move over or reduce speed for emergency vehicles such as police vehicles, fire trucks or ambulances. Violators will now face a reckless driving charge.

Blue headlights ban - A new state law bans all “aftermarket modifications that cause the headlights to appear as a blue light” on cars, motorcycles, bicycles or mopeds.

Towing company policy – A new law requires towing and recovery operators to allow the owner of a towed vehicle to retrieve personal items – without paying a fee.

WEAPONS

Gun safety - A new law offers a $300 tax credit to those who purchase a gun safe or other lockable device to store firearms.

Concealed items – The new law removes switchblade knives from the list of items considered concealed weapons. Stiletto knives have been added.

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To view details about all of the new Virginia laws and related information, (including minutes, bills, resolutions and calendars), visit www.lis.virginia.gov.