New Virginia Laws in Effect July 1, 2023

Many new laws went into effect on July 1, 2023, here is a quick summary of a few that may impact you:

Domestic: House Bill 2290: Judgment or order for pregnancy and delivery expenses. Provides that in the event that the initial petition for the establishment of parentage is commenced within six months of the live birth of a child, the judgment or order shall, except for good cause shown or as otherwise agreed to by the parties, apportion between the legal parents, in proportion to the legal parents’ gross incomes, as used for calculating the monthly child support obligation, (i) the mother’s unreimbursed pregnancy and delivery expenses and (ii) those reasonable expenses incurred by either parent for the benefit of the child prior to the birth of the child.

Consumer Protection Law: House Bill 1517: Virginia Consumer Protection Act; automatic renewal or continuous service offers; cancellation reminders; prohibited practices. Requires suppliers of automatic renewals or continuous service offers that include a free trial that lasts more than 30 days to, within 30 days of the end of any such free trial, notify the consumer of his or her option to cancel the free trial before the end of the trial period to avoid an obligation to pay for the goods or services. The bill provides that failure to notify a consumer of such option is a violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill also makes it a violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act for a supplier to fail to disclose the total cost of a good or continuous service to a consumer, including any mandatory fees or charges, prior to entering into an agreement for the sale of any such good or provision of any such service. Amending §§ 59.1-200 and 59.1-207.46

Senate Bill 1040: Employer use of employee’s social security number; prohibited; civil penalty. Prohibits an employer from using an employee’s social security number or any derivative thereof as such employee’s identification number or including an employee’s social security number or any number derived thereof on any identification card or badge, any access card or badge, or any other similar card or

badge issued to such employee. The bill imposes a civil penalty of up to $100 for any knowing violation of the prohibition.

Other: House Bill 1592: Public schools; codes of student conduct; policies and procedures prohibiting bullying; parental notification. Requires each local school board to require the principal of each public school or his/her designee to notify the parent of any student who is involved in an alleged bullying incident of the alleged incident within 24 hours of learning of such allegation. Current law only requires the principal to notify any such parent of the status of any investigation into an alleged incident of bullying within five school days of when such allegation was made. Amending § 22.1-279.6

House Bill 1932: Yielding or reducing speed for stationary vehicles; vehicles displaying hazard lights, caution signs, or road flares. Requires drivers to make a lane change or reduce speed when passing stationary vehicles that have activated the vehicular hazard warning signal flashers, displayed caution signs, or been marked with properly lit flares or torches on certain highways when safe and reasonable to do so and makes a violation of this requirement a traffic infraction.

House Bill 2317: Jury duty; allowance increase. Increases the jury duty allowance from $30 to $50 per day.

Senate Bill 855: Headlights; aftermarket modifications, blue lights. Prohibits the use of headlights that make the light appear blue.

Senate Bill 1478: Chincoteague Pony. Designates as the official pony of the Commonwealth.