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EDAAgenda2024February1
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1ST | | 8:00 AM | COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING @ FIRST FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM 107 KENT STREET WINCHESTER, VA 1. Call to Order 2. Modification of up to $17,000,000 of revenue bonds for the benefit of the Legacy at North Augusta, INC. ||PUBLIC HEARING • Public hearing at the request of The Legacy at North Augusta, Inc. regarding certain modifications to the Authority's Residential Care Facility Revenue Bonds (The Legacy at North Augusta Project), Series 2011 (the "Bonds"), originally issued in an aggregate principal amount of $17,000,000. 3. Resolution for Modification of up to $17,000,000 of revenue bonds for the benefit of the Legacy at North Augusta, INC. || ACTION 4. Partner Showcase – Frederick County Planning Department • An overview of their operations and activities and how they interact with the EDA 5. Approval of Minutes – January 4, 2024|| ACTION 6. Treasurer’s Report || ACTION 7. Performance Agreements Virginia Business Ready Site Program || INFORMATION • Update to agreements related $7.23 million award for the Valley Innovation Park for sanitary sewer and electrical upgrades 8. Virginia Business Ready Site Program Application || INFORMATION • One Logistics Park’s pre application for 2024 round VBRSP Grant funding of $10,000,000 to support construction of an electric substation to enhance the site’s competitive nature for the targeted industry sectors of information technology, bioscience and advanced manufacturers. 9. Strategy Measurements Update || INFORMATION • Quarterly update on implementation of EDA Strategy 10. Grocery Store Attraction || INFORMATION • Update on progress of contacting grocery stores 11. Such other business as may come before this Authority DATE: January 26, 2024 TO: Board of Directors, Frederick County Economic Development Authority FROM: Patrick Barker, CEcD Executive Director CC: Jay Tibbs Deputy County Administrator RE: EDA Partner Showcase || Frederick County Planning and Development One outcome from the Strategy discussions was to provide an opportunity for EDA partners to present to the Board at a regular interval. The presentations would include an overview of their operations and activities and how they interact with the EDA. The first showcase will be Frederick County’s Planning and Development. Their mission is to lead in the development of policies and procedures pertaining to all aspects of community growth and development, as well as administer existing policies and procedures fairly and accurately. Wyatt Pearson, Director, and Tyler Klein, Senior Planner, will make the presentation. In addition to the operational overview, they will provide some information on Western Frederick Land Use Plan. Information on that effort is attached. 1/25/24, 9:39 AM Western Frederick Land Use Plan | Frederick County https://www.fcva.us/departments/planning-development/western-frederick-land-use-plan 1/2 Western Frederick Land Use Plan About the WFLUP The Western Frederick study area of the County provides a planned transition from the urban and suburban nature of the City of Winchester and the rural areas west of Route 37. The area of the County now collectively identified as “Western Frederick” includes new and old residences, businesses both big and small, highway commercial areas, institutional uses, rural areas with distinctive historic and natural features, and recreational amenities. The Western Frederick Land Use Plan incorporates three previously studied planning areas: Round Hill Community (last updated 2010), Western Jubal Early (2006), Route 37 West (1997) and includes the area between the City of Winchester and Route 37 and north/south of Route 522 known as “Sunnyside” (area not previously studied). WFLUP Study Area The study (planning) area encompasses approximately +/-6,118-acres of the County generally west of the City of Winchester, including areas inside and out of Route 37, north and south of Route 522 (North Frederick Pike), north and south of Route 50 (Northwestern Turnpike), and north from Cedar Creek Grade (Route 622). The western most sections of the study area extend along Route 50 to Poorhouse Road (Route 654) and just east Wardensville Grade (Route 608). Properties included in the study area are also within the Stonewall, Gainesboro, and Back Creek Magisterial Districts. Planning Process & Project Milestones The Comprehensive Plans and Programs Committee (CPPC), a subcommittee of the Frederick County Planning Commission, endorsed updating and consolidating the Round Hill Community (last updated 2010), Western Jubal Early (2006), Route 37 West (1997) at their March 13, 2023 meeting. Planning and Development staff are presently reviewing previous land use plans and other adopted planning documents and identifying potential text and map updates. Planning and Development staff also conducted a windshield (field) survey to confirm existing conditions on April 28, 2023. Public input is sought at the onset of the project to advise staff on potential land use plan updates and identify community priorities within the study area. Public input is a critical part of any land use planning effort. Additional updates and milestones will be posted here when available. Staff anticipates completing the project in 2024. Opportunities for Public Engagement Planning and Development staff are presently seeking public input on what the community envisions for this area of the County. The public is encouraged to complete an online preference survey that will be used to inform staff on potential text and map updates for the various planning areas. 1/25/24, 9:39 AM Western Frederick Land Use Plan | Frederick County https://www.fcva.us/departments/planning-development/western-frederick-land-use-plan 2/2 Upcoming opportunities for online and in-person public engagement will be posted here when available. Staff anticipates holding community meetings in the near future (TBD). Additional comments or concerns, or questions about the project may be emailed to staff directly at wflup@fcva.us. Join our e-mail list for notices about project updates and opportunities for public engagement. WFLUP Study Area Map with Land Uses & Eastern Road Plan Round Hill Community Land Use Plan & Map (2010) Route 37 West Land Use Plan & Map (1997) Western Jubal Early Land Use Plan & Map (2006) WFLUP STUDY AREA MAP City of Winchester Round HillRural CommunityCenter AlbinRural CommunityCenter §¨¦81 §¨¦81 §¨¦81 §¨¦81 §¨¦81 §¨¦81 £¤522 £¤50 £¤50 £¤11 £¤50 £¤522 £¤522 £¤50 £¤11 ¬«7 ¬«37 ¬«37 Copyright:© 2013 National Geographic Society, i-cubed µ Western FrederickExisting Land Use Plan Area Plan Eastern Road Pla n New Major Arterial Improved Major Arterial New Minor Arterial Improved Minor Arterial New Major Collector Improved Major Collector New Minor Collector Improved Minor Collector Ramp Roundabout Trails The Comprehensive PlanDraft Sensitive Natural Areas Urban Development Area Sewer and Water Service Area Land Use Legend Rural Community Center Residential Business Extractive Mining Institutional 0 0.5 10.25 Miles Commercial Recreation Natural Resources & Recreation MINUTES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY | THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 | A meeting of the Frederick County Economic Development Authority was held on Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 8:00 a.m. in the County Administration Building, First Floor Conference Room, 107 North Kent Street, Winchester, Virginia. PRESENT: Rick Till, Diane Kearns, Judy McCann-Slaughter, Stan Crockett, Karen Swecker, Bryan Fairbanks and Gary Lofton. STAFF: Patrick Barker, Shayla Rickard, Wendy May, and Donna McIlwee Frederick County Economic Development Authority; Michael Bryan, EDA Attorney; and Rod Williams, County Attorney. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER: Chairman Till called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. AGENDA MODIFICATION Chairman Till stated that, due to a previous commitment of the County Attorney, agenda item #7 (Performance Agreements with Virginia Business Ready Site Program) needed to be moved to follow the Annual Meeting agenda item. On motion of Mr. Lofton, seconded by Ms. McCann-Slaughter, the agenda modification was approved by the following recorded vote: J. Stanley Crockett Aye Bryan Fairbanks Aye Diane Kearns Aye Gary Lofton Aye Judy McCann-Slaughter Aye Karen Swecker Aye Rick Till Aye APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes from the October 24, 2023, meeting were presented. On motion duly made by Ms. McCann-Slaughter and seconded by Mr. Fairbanks, the minutes were approved by the following recorded vote: J. Stanley Crockett Aye Bryan Fairbanks Aye Page 2 of 5 Frederick County EDA Meeting Minutes | January 4, 2024 Diane Kearns Aye Gary Lofton Aye Judy McCann-Slaughter Aye Karen Swecker Aye Rick Till Aye TREASURER'S REPORTS Mr. Barker submitted the following reports: Checking Account - Bank of Clarke as of October 31, 2023 - $38,648.00 Intrafi Account – Bank of Clarke as of October 31, 2023 - $2,760,516.44 Checking Account - Bank of Clarke as of November 30, 2023 - $7,043.22 Intrafi Account – Bank of Clarke as of November 30, 2023 - $2,888.123.68 On motion of Ms. McCann-Slaughter, seconded by Ms. Diane Kearns, the Treasurer’s Reports were approved by the following recorded vote: J. Stanley Crockett Aye Bryan Fairbanks Aye Diane Kearns Aye Gary Lofton Aye Judy McCann-Slaughter Aye Karen Swecker Aye Rick Till Aye ANNUAL MEETING Mr. Bryan presided for this portion of the meeting. He announced the proposed slate of officers is Rick Till, Chairman; Stan Crockett, Vice Chairman; and Jay Tibbs, Secretary and Treasurer. There being no further nominations, he declared the officers, as presented, elected by acclimation. Following the election of officers, the first Thursday of each month at 8 a.m. at 107 N. Kent Street was established for regular monthly Board meetings. PERFORMANCE AGREEMENTS VIRGINIA BUSINESS READY SITE PROGRAM Mr. Barker stated the EDA Board approved the Agreements, with the inclusion of a proposed revision to Section 10 requested by the Board, at its October meeting. A representative agreement was provided to VEDP and the Peterson Companies for review and execution, if applicable. Recently, the Peterson Companies provided some additional suggested revisions. VEDP is aware of these revisions and they are currently undergoing legal review by the EDA Attorney and County Attorney. As a further update, he stated he had received word yesterday from the Peterson Companies that they will sign the Agreement as presented to them. He is Page 3 of 5 Frederick County EDA Meeting Minutes | January 4, 2024 now waiting to receive the executed document from them and, once received, he will work with VEDP to finalize. EDA STRATEGY Mr. Barker stated that, at the October meeting, an updated draft Strategy was provided and it was requested that any suggested revisions be sent to him prior to the December Board meeting. An updated draft copy was distributed to Board members prior to this meeting, which incorporated pertinent Board revisions as well as updated economic statistics and miscellaneous staff suggestions. So that Board members would be aware of those suggestions received after the October meeting, he reviewed them. On motion of Mr. Crockett, seconded by Mr. Fairbanks, the Board voted to approve the Strategy as presented with the additional changes by the following recorded vote: J. Stanley Crockett Aye Bryan Fairbanks Aye Diane Kearns Aye Gary Lofton Aye Judy McCann-Slaughter Aye Karen Swecker Aye Rick Till Aye EDA BUDGET FY 25 Mr. Barker reviewed the EDA’s draft budget for FY25. He stated approval of the budget request will permit the EDA to continue enhancing its role and staff is requesting the Authority’s comments and recommendation on forwarding the FY25 budget request, if appropriate. EDA’s FY25 request of Frederick County is $744,395 a decrease of 3.0% or $22,552. The balance of funds will come from the Frederick County Economic Development Authority and business sponsorships and partners. Ms. McCann-Slaughter commented that the $10,000 request for Social Media Management under the Career Pathway Programs and $10,000 requested for Social Media Management under the Talent Attraction/Retention section need to be carried over to the “Difference 24 & 25” column for each on page 1 since both are new budget requests. On motion of Mr. Lofton, seconded by Mr. Crockett, the Board voted to submit the draft budget, with the inclusion of Ms. McCann-Slaughter’s comment, by the following recorded vote: J. Stanley Crockett Aye Bryan Fairbanks Aye Diane Kearns Aye Page 4 of 5 Frederick County EDA Meeting Minutes | January 4, 2024 Gary Lofton Aye Judy McCann-Slaughter Aye Karen Swecker Aye Rick Till Aye VIRGINIA BUSINESS READY SITE PROGRAM APPLICATION Mr. Barker reported a pre-application for the 2024 round of the Virginia Business Ready Site Grant was submitted, and subsequently approved, for One Logistics Park’s Phase B. The application will assist in providing a Tier 5 site consisting of 122.96 acres, which is currently not available in the Northern Shenandoah Valley. The requested funding will be directed toward the construction of an electric substation to provide a project-ready site option for our targeted industry sectors. Additional private monies will fund major earthwork, infrastructure and utility improvements. Comparable to the process for the Valley Innovation Park, the property owner would provide the local match and complete the work, if the application is successful. The agreement between the property owner and the EDA would include assurances/guarantees related to any VBRSP funding, ensure the current zoning for 10 years, and focus efforts for 10 years on EDA industry targets. The Site Development Application is due January 11, 2024, and staff will work with representatives of One Logistics Park’s Phase B to complete. Mr. Lofton suggested that a call to our State legislators might be helpful in securing the Grant. Mr. Barker stated he will make them aware of the application. Ms. Kearns inquired what percentage of localities in Virginia actually apply for these Grants. Mr. Barker will obtain the requested information. WORLDS OF WORK Ms. Shayla Rickard, Existing Business Manager, gave an overview of this event held in September 2023. There were 79 exhibitors with over 2000 students in attendance. A date for the 2024 event has not been established yet. Mr. Lofton asked how heavily local schools were involved with this event. Mr. Till stated that all have representatives serving on the Planning Committee. RESTAURANT WEEK & CULTIVATE YOUR AGRIBUSINESS CONFERENCE Ms. Wendy May, Marketing Manager, provided an update on these two upcoming events. The 3rd FredCo Eats Restaurant Week will be held January 29 through February 4, 2024. The agribusiness conference will be held on February 21, 2024, and the featured speaker will be Virginia’s Secretary of Agriculture. Mr. Lofton asked if we try to connect restaurants with local agriculture sources. Ms. May stated that is being worked on. Page 5 of 5 Frederick County EDA Meeting Minutes | January 4, 2024 ADJOURN There being no further business to come before this Authority, the meeting was adjourned at 8:40 a.m. ________________________________ ____________________________ Richard Till Jay Tibbs Chairman Secretary DATE: January 26, 2024 TO: Board of Directors, Frederick County Economic Development Authority FROM: Patrick Barker, CEcD Executive Director CC: Jay Tibbs Deputy County Administrator RE: Performance Agreements for the Virginia Business Ready Site Program As reported at the last EDA Board meeting, the Peterson Companies and EDA have come to terms on their performance agreement. The VEDP and EDA agreement is going through final review by the EDA Attorney and County Attorney. Once completed, the draft agreement will be sent to VEDP for their review. The goal is to seek action, if appropriate, by the EDA Board on the EDA/VEDP agreement at March’s meeting. As background, in January 2023, the EDA was awarded $7.23 million for the Valley Innovation Park from the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program. The award will fund a $2.23 sanitary sewer upgrade and start the construction of a 30 MW substation at a cost of $5 million. These upgrades will make Valley Innovation Park more business ready for EDA Industry Targets. The Virginia Business Ready Sites Program, administered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, seeks to increase the readiness status on industrial sites in Virginia. A performance agreement is required between VEDP and the EDA. DATE: January 25, 2024 TO: Board of Directors, Frederick County Economic Development Authority FROM: Patrick Barker, CEcD Executive Director CC: Jay Tibbs Deputy County Administrator RE: Application for Virginia Business Ready Site Program 2024 The Site Development application creating a Tier 5 site of 122.96 acres at One Logistics Park’s Phase B was submitted by the deadline. As the next step in the application process, staff and One Logistics Park Phase B representatives will be hosting the project team virtually to orient the team to the site and the project. The virtual tour will be 20 minutes, consisting of 15 minutes for content and 5 minutes for additional questions. In the next few weeks, we will receive questions from the review committee to guide some of the presentation. As refresher, the requested funding of $10,000,000 will be directed toward the construction of an electric substation to provide a project ready site option for the targeted industry sectors of information technology, bioscience and advanced manufacturers. Additional private monies will fund major earthwork, infrastructure and utility improvements. This includes mass grading, extension of a public road (Pendleton Drive), and both public and private below-grade utility connections. Process Description Date Application review Each application will be reviewed for completeness. The applicant will have time to respond to comments. Applications will be reviewed by the Project Review Committee and competitively ranked against all projects considered for the Round. Top applications will be selected for a virtual site tour January & February 2024 Virtual Site Tours A virtual site tour will be used for the Project Review Committee to learn more about the proposed project, business case, return on investment, and ask any questions about the project. The call will be 15-20 minutes in length and will require a prepared slide deck February 26 – March 13, 2024 Virtual Site Tour Review After the virtual site tours, the Project Review Committee will select projects that will move onto the in-person site tour round March 2024 Site Tours The site tour expectation is that the tour will be treated as a real site selection project. This tour will aid in determining funding recommendations April 8 – April 26, 2024 Award Offers When an award is accepted, the recipient is required to enter into a performance agreement May – June 2024 PROGRAM TIMELINE (PAGE 2 OF 2) 21 DATE: January 26, 2024 TO: Board of Directors, Frederick County Economic Development Authority FROM: Patrick Barker, CEcD Executive Director CC: Jay Tibbs Deputy County Administrator RE: Strategy Measurements Update The EDA Strategy, as approved by the EDA Board, helps guide staff as they pursue Frederick County’s economic development activities. Annually, the EDA Board reviews and adopts the Strategy to reaffirm and/or modify the overall goals and objectives. To ensure proper implementation, the staff will provide regular updates on the plan’s performance measures. Please review the enclosure. Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 1 of 15 Talent Engagement Goal • Address current and projected workforce needs by engaging the talent in Frederick County and greater community encouraging their retention and attraction Objectives/strategies • Maintain awareness of current and projected workforce needs Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Acquire bi-annually from JobsEQ County workforce 10 years projections Identify top occupational needs bi- annually Wendy June & December Data Pulled – June 2023 ☒ Data Pulled – Dec. 2023 ☒ Disseminate top occupational needs to partners Distribute bi-annually Wendy June & December Distributed – June 2023 ☒ Distributed – Dec. 2023 ☐ Participate in seminars/presentations/meetings on top occupational needs Attendance at the Winchester Area Society for Human Resource Management meetings Attendance at the Frederick County Public School’s CTE Advisory Committee Shayla & Patrick Ongoing 5-SHRM meetings 3-CTE Advisory Meetings 1-FCPS 101 meeting Organize an annual meeting with business and education partners to discuss workforce needs Number of participants Number of potential solutions Shayla & Patrick Sept/Oct (tentative) Discussion at WI committee was to collect necessary feedback existing events like WOW!. Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 2 of 15 • Partner with appropriate local and regional partners to create and execute short-term workforce solutions, those that have strong potential to produce talent in 12 month or less) Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Facilitate work groups, as necessary and appropriate, on short term projects resulting from the Business and Education Summit Attendance at work groups Action plan for projects Shayla & Patrick Nov (tentative) __# Workgroup Mtgs. __Findings Perform internet review for best-in-class workforce solutions Number of discovered solutions with applicability Shayla & Patrick ongoing 3 Findings • Childcare Des Moines • Family Forward NC • Re-Entry San Diego Showcase talent from area public school’s career and technical programs (through The Widget Cup) Number of participants Competitor survey results Number of internships/hires Shayla April 38 of Students 40 Volunteers /representing 17 Businesses 20 Educators Create and promote marketing tools and programs that help employers sell location to candidates and existing employees. Website analytics of regional talent website Social media analytics Video created NSV April Amplify existing efforts to host career fairs/regional hiring events (i.e. Employer Expo) Number of participants Number of hires Survey of participants Shayla May 79-Employers 595-Attendees (including students) Build perceptions of community as a great place for careers with local young talent (i.e. Regional Internship Fair) Number of participants Number of internships resulting Conversion of internships to careers NSV Talent Nov/Dec Likely to be pushed until 2024. feasibility conversations understand https://virginiatop.org/ Create a regional tour resource for employers and their candidates Number of participants Number of tours Tour downloads NSV Talent June Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 3 of 15 • Partner with appropriate local and regional partners to create and execute long term workforce solutions, those that have strong potential to produce talent in 12 month or more) Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Facilitate work groups, as necessary and appropriate, on short term projects resulting from the Business and Education Summit Attendance at work groups Action plan for projects Shayla & Patrick August September __# of meetings __# of projects Provide an in-person career exploration event for middle school students (i.e. Worlds of Work) Number of participants Survey of participants Shayla & Patrick Sept 2023 3000 Students (expected) 81-Exhibitors (registered) Enhance awareness of students, educators and school staff to the many rewarding local careers available (i.e. student and teacher tours) Number of participants Survey of participants Shayla On request 80 - students 20 - tours 8 - educators Build pathways from post-secondary and K-12 schools, allowing entry into these industries Number of Workforce Models built Number of participants Number of hires Workforce Investment Board 98 of CTE courses 5591 MS students enrolled 6272 HS students enrolled Conduct regular messaging on all career pathways (post high school to college) Social media analytics Website analytic of relevant page Workforce Investment Board TBD Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 4 of 15 Business Retention Goal • Enhance Frederick County’s business environment to encourage the expansion and retention of existing business • Objectives 1. Understand the overall health of existing industry sectors, recognize changing industry trends, and ensure consistent, personal contact with businesses. Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Perform business call visits Number of business call visits Number of follow-up business call visits Number of business expansion considerations Number of business expansions Value of capital investment from expansions Number of retained and new jobs from expansions Shayla ongoing 32-of visits 4- number of follow up visits __# number of business expansions __# of new jobs retained Analyze business call team visit for industry trends Results from aggregate analysis of call team visits using Bludot Number of action-oriented responses Shayla June, Dec 9 - of action responses Visit, as appropriate, in conjunction with VEDP to headquarters of businesses Number of visits Number of expansion considerations Shayla On request 4 of visits __# of expansions considered Organize topic specific forums, as appropriate Number of business participants Percentage of business participants to invited participants Shayla June/Dec 20 of Business Partnerships 10 % of businesses invited to participate Participate in meetings/workshops with relevant business/industry groups Number of actionable intelligence gained Shayla June 2023 3 of actionable intelligence gained - Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 5 of 15 2. Showcase the operations, careers, and economic contributions of Frederick County businesses. Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Highlight employers and industry sectors Employer Features – goal: six annually (bi-monthly) Wendy bi-monthly • Website Views: 1,579 662 page views January 1 – March 28, 2023 (Google Analytics transition 2Q2023) July 1 – November 29: 917 views • Facebook Reach: 44,349 accounts (January 1 – November 30) • LinkedIn Impressions: 26,454 (January 1 – November 30) Industry Features – goal: four annually (quarterly) Wendy quarterly TBD (Launched 4Q 2023) • Website Views: • Facebook Reach: • LinkedIn Impressions: FredCo Eats - Cultivate and elevate the full scope of Frederick County’s food economy FredCo Eats Restaurant Week 2023 January 30 – February 5 Wendy April Number of restaurants: 18 • Satisfaction rate: 100% • Website Views: 8,674 page views January 1 – March 28, 2023 • Facebook Reach: 50,585 accounts Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 6 of 15 3. Offer existing businesses key operational and loan assistance Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Provide financial management, marketing and operational analysis for existing businesses through the Laurel Ridge Small Business Development Center Number of Frederick County business clients consulted Number of jobs created or retained Value of investments/loans obtained SBDC March June September December 253 | Clients 41| New Jobs $534,200 Investments/Loans obtained 4. Provide awareness of local conditions, resources and assistance opportunities Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Provide real time job posting information Report created and posted to website Wendy Bi-monthly Report Posted– 1/23 ☒ Report Posted – 3/23 ☒ Report Posted– 5/23 ☒ Report Posted– 7/23 ☒ Report Posted– 9/23 ☒ Report Posted– 11/23 ☒ Distribute targeted information on assistance programs and other pertinent business conditions Existing Business Update distributed Wendy Bi-monthly Distributed – 2/23 ☒ Distributed – 4/23 ☒ Distributed – 6/23 ☒ Distributed – 8/23 ☒ Distributed – 10/23 ☒ Distributed – 12/23 ☒ Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 7 of 15 Business Attraction Goal • Conduct strategic and measured business attraction efforts to expand the commercial and industrial base and create quality jobs for all citizens. Objectives 1. Identify targeted business sectors for attraction purposes Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Review regularly project announcements in targeted geographic areas Report to EDA Board Patrick June December Distributed – 7/23 ☒ Distributed – 2/24 ☐ Discover business sectors through employment data for sectors with positive long-term growth and wages that match or exceed the County’s average wage Identification of target business sectors EDA Board acceptance of target business sectors Patrick August (revised to October) Develop, as appropriate, an enhancement plan for targeted business sectors Report to EDA Board Execution of plan Patrick October (revised to December) Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 8 of 15 2. Collect and leverage market intelligence related to targeted business sectors Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Participate in meetings/workshops with relevant business/industry groups Number of actionable intelligence gained Patrick Ongoing Acquire and review relevant industry reports Number of actionable intelligence gained Patrick Ongoing 3. Maintain and grow relationships with new business lead generators. Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Engage with site consultants and corporate real estate brokers at appropriate meetings, office visits and client activity Number of new relationships Number of refresh relationships Number of project considerations Number of best practices examples acquired Number of new business locations Number of new jobs Value of capital investment Patrick On-going 17 | New relationships 36 | refresh relationships 5 | project considerations 7 | best practices 0 | new business locations 0 | new jobs 0 | capital investment Interact with business attraction managers at VEDP at appropriate meetings, office visits and client activity Number of new relationships Number of refresh relationships Number of project considerations Number of new business locations Number of new jobs Value of capital investment Patrick On-going 5| new relationships 13 | refresh relationships 3 | project considerations 0 | new business locations 0 | new jobs $0 | capital investment Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 9 of 15 4. Recruit additional grocery stores to Frederick County Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Conduct an outreach effort to strategic grocery stores Interest level of grocery stores Number of grocery store locations Patrick On-going 2 | Moderate interest 4 | Long term interest 0 | grocery store locations 5. Offer new businesses with key operational and loan assistance Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Provide financial management, marketing and operational analysis for new businesses through the Laurel Ridge Small Business Development Center Number of new business clients consulted Number of jobs created Value of inv SBDC March, June September, December 216 | Clients 27 | New Jobs $1.7M| Investment/Loans 6. Educate the community on the benefit of a proactive business development presence and the need for its consistency and commitment. Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Speak with appropriate community groups Number of speaking engagements Wendy Quarterly 13 Create awareness about the EDA and its programs Incorporate post in social media content calendar focusing on EDA strategy areas Wendy Quarterly Posted 5/23 ☒ Posted – 8/23 ☒ Posted – 11/23 ☒ Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 10 of 15 Business Climate Goal • Foster and maintain a pro-business climate by enhancing critical assets and employing business friendly policies and procedures. Objectives 1. Encourage development of “ready to go” business properties. Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Manage online property database and regularly survey real estate listing services for new/revised properties Monthly update on online database Total SF available and vacancy rates for office and industrial Patrick Bi-Monthly 22.3 M | Industrial SF Total 1.7% | Industrial Vacancy 3.5 M | Office SF Total 4.1% | Office Vacancy Tier sites, as appropriate, according to the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program Number of Tiered sites Acreage of Tiered sites Patrick Bi-Monthly 4 487.35 Collaborate with property owners to secure at least Tier 4 of the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program Number of Tier 4 or above sites Acreage of Tier 4 or above sites Number of Business Ready Sites Loan Program Agreements Applications to the Virginia Site Development Grant Program Patrick Bi-Monthly 3 341.51 0 1 Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 11 of 15 2. Encourage processes and policies that are attractive to businesses Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Suggest new/revised local policies, as appropriate Number of EDA-introduced policy suggestions Patrick As necessary 3, OM Zoning, Zoning Ordinance Rework, NELUP Plan Respond, as appropriate, to Federal and State legislative actions impacting County businesses Number of responses to proposed legislative actions Patrick As necessary 3. Assist the Winchester Regional Airport implementing their strategic plan, as appropriate. Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Assist with improving the site readiness of Airport’s northern acreage Partner with efforts to enhance business opportunities with advanced air mobility Tier status improvement Number of activities Patrick Patrick As necessary As necessary Go Virginia Funding for site readiness Support relevant initiatives Varies dependent on activity Patrick As necessary 2, Unmanned conference, Ground breaking Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 12 of 15 4. Support the implementation of transportation projects with an economic development nexus Action Measurement Person Assigned Completion Date (Est) Results Provide letters of support as requested Number of letters submitted Patrick As necessary Participate in the MPO’s technical review committee Attendance at meetings Patrick Quarterly 3 Perform internet review for best-in-class workforce on solutions short-term workforce solutions, those that have strong potential to produce talent in 12 month or less) Encouraging family-friendly policies case study: Family Forward NC Family Forward NC is a business-led initiative to promote research-based, family-friendly, industry-appropriate employer practices. Housed within the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation, its aim is to improve workplace productivity, recruitment, and retention while supporting the healthy development of children. Family Forward NC does this by helping companies develop policies that are good for both business and for workers with family responsibilities, because studies show that working parents increasingly consider family-friendly offerings when determining their employment. Through partnerships with workforce and economic development organizations, the initiative works to generate awareness among businesses of the opportunities, benefits and methods around providing family-friendly benefits. It divides policies that can encourage workforce participation into five categories: wages and paid leave, scheduling, accommodations and support, childcare, and health and wellness. Examples of these policies include parental leave, job-sharing models, and childcare referrals. The pandemic highlighted and heightened the need for workplaces to reevaluate policies around family care. In response, Family Forward NC launched a Rapid Response Program, which provided HR experts to help employers identify family-friendly workplace benefits that would help retain workers. Businesses can receive a Family-Friendly NC Certification to use as a tool in employee recruitment. To be certified, employers with more than five employees must offer best-practice policies in one or more of the five categories listed above. Through the initiative, the organization has engaged with more than 7,000 employers across the state. It also has produced a playbook of materials customizable to other states, and has consulted for Minnesota, Montana, Florida, and Pennsylvania. Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 13 of 15 Re-entry case study: San Diego Workforce Partnership In 2015, the San Diego Workforce Partnership received $1 million from the Department of Labor's Reentry Employment Opportunity funding to establish a program called Reentry Works. By preparing formerly incarcerated people for reentry into the workforce, the program aimed to decrease recidivism rates, grow the labor force and support labor market equity. Reentry Works and its partners provide the justice-involved population with pre-release support in employment and training services, links to jobs, and post-release support via wrap-around services such as transportation, housing and technology, employment services, and connections. An important aspect of the program's model is to develop long-term relationships with individuals that help will them build a career past the first job placement. Reentry Works works closely with San Diego sheriff's department to establish program cohorts in regional jails. Thousands of former and current inmates have been served through mentorship or workshop services through the program. While the state of California has a recidivism rate of around 60 percent, the recidivism rate following one year of Reentry Works services was measured at just 10 percent. Childcare case study: Workforce Solutions Borderplex, El Paso, Texas In many ways, Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB), a workforce development board in El Paso, Texas, is like a typical workforce board – focused on connecting job seekers with employment opportunities and training, and employers with qualified candidates. WSB, like Texas’s 27 other regional workforce development boards, also is tasked with providing state-funded childcare subsidies to qualified families in its six-county region near the Texas-Mexico border. But unlike many workforce boards, WSB has doubled down on building childcare capacity, seeing it as one of the most significant barriers to growing the region’s workforce and as a substantial driver for economic development. Since the beginning of the pandemic, WSB expanded eligibility guidelines to allow more families to access subsidies, but has taken many additional steps over the past several years to grow childcare capacity. It began by analyzing data on the regional childcare landscape – who was using the subsidies, the occupations and industries of the parents, their employers and annual incomes. With the goal of helping employers understand the barriers that childcare presents to their current and potential workforce, WSB had conversations with businesses that highlighted the steep cost of childcare in relation to employee wages, as well as the lack of regional childcare providers. WSB also focuses on the business side of running a childcare facility, trying to improve quality and technological capability. Childcare is a tough business model, with many rules and regulations to meet on top of a thin margin between the cost of care and what families can afford. Pay for childcare workers is extremely low – often at or just above minimum wage. “[Childcare providers] see themselves as providing personal services,” said Leila Melendez, the organization’s CEO. “We approach them as businesses and educators. You have payroll, P&L, etcetera, and you need to teach children.” Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 14 of 15 WSB provides mentoring, coaching and resources to providers to help them raise the quality of care and accelerate credentialing among staff. They also help providers apply for state grants (from American Rescue Plan funds) specifically designed to boost the capacity of childcare businesses via staff training and equipment purchases, for example. Actionable intelligence gained from meetings/workshops from relevant business/industry groups related to existing business • Augmented/Virtual reality Engineering and plant design stand to benefit from the advances in AR/VR as well, with the technology capable of replicating a processing line and helping engineers determine the types of equipment and how it all will fit together in the best possible way. In addition, Egan says, today’s programs can suggest solutions to users while they’re designing the plant or line within the 3-D world. Actionable intelligence gained from meetings/workshops from relevant business/industry groups related to targeted business • Battery Materials Projects The Bilateral Infrastructure Law is expected to invest $7B+ in the battery supply chain over the next 5 years. Office Market Transition Be aware of large employer return to office messaging and trends by industry sector. This does not include 50% private match required as part of the grant process or spinoff/supplier activity. • Office Market Transition Know which buildings and owners are most exposed to the office rightsizing and flight to quality trend Actionable intelligence gained from relevant industry reports from relevant business/industry groups related to targeted business • Energy Costs Come to the Forefront The shift away from carbon-emitting fuels and the unexpected spikes in natural gas pricing in 2022 have made industrial customers increasingly sensitive to energy costs in their location decisions. • Labor Challenges in the Industrial and Manufacturing Sectors Persist Despite an improving economy, businesses are continuing to face obstacles in finding, training, and retaining enough qualified workers Best practices from engagement with site consultants and corporate real estate brokers • Predications for future of site selection, 1) As industrial real estate tightens even further –will communities regret the way they grow?, 2) Projects continue to increase in capex and utility consumption –the grid is drained. 3) Utility capacity and utility costs change the way the site selection process flows. 4) AI and technology advances –changes site selection and manufacturing processes. 5) Slowing wage inflation to stabilize labor costs and rise in unemployment may soften labor conditions. 6) Pressure from increased eyes on economic development will increase need for transparency • Recruit the Recruits . With quality of life being at the top of the 2023 list of things people are looking for in a new city. Make sure your community has a visual (think reel or very short trendy clip) that entices a look at your city! • Make Connections Create direct pipelines to connect graduates of both 2-year and 4-year colleges directly with internship opportunities and open positions at employers. Understand what roles a person entering the workforce for the first time may be a good candidate for. Strategy Tracking Frederick County EDA Page 15 of 15 • Up skill your Community Connect candidates seeking jobs in your community to resources to help build stronger resumes and encourage mentor opportunities with leaders. DATE: January 26, 2024 TO: Board of Directors, Frederick County Economic Development Authority FROM: Patrick Barker, CEcD Executive Director CC: Jay Tibbs Deputy County Administrator RE: Grocery Store Attraction | Update Staff is providing a regular update on its progress regarding efforts to encourage grocery stores to locate in Frederick County. GROCERY STORES • Aldi • Amazon Fresh • Harris Teeter • Kroger • MOM's Organic Market • Publix • Safeway • Sprouts Farmers Market • Trader Joe’s • Wegmans • Weis Markets • Whole Foods CONNECTION STATUS • Successful | 8 • Awaiting | 4 For those with whom we have connected, they receive an update quarterly on relevant information with a soft ask for an update. Those still awaiting connection receive a follow-up email and two phone calls each month. Calls typically placed on Wednesday and Thursday between 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm. These times are considered best practices. INTEREST LEVEL • Moderate (12-24 months) | 2 o Actively looking for locations in a larger geographic area, which includes Frederick County with 2 having recent interest • Long Term (Greater than24 months) | 4 o No current plans to enter the market, but our area is part of their long-term market consideration • None | 2 DATE: January 26, 2024 TO: Board of Directors, Frederick County Economic Development Authority FROM: Patrick Barker, CEcD Executive Director CC: Jay Tibbs Deputy County Administrator RE: Economic Development Bills – General Assembly 2024 Through its membership with the Virginia Economic Developers Association, EDA staff gets notice on legislative bills related to economic development through each General Assembly session. Staff wanted to provide a recap of the key bills for information and a full list of bills that VEDA is tracking is enclosed. No action/support on any bill is required at this time. • SB 217 (Locke) o Establishes the Virginia Business Ready Expedited Permitting Program and directs the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority to designate up to three sites and seven projects for participation in the Program, passed the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee unanimously on Wednesday. It has been referred to the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee. • SB 496 o Makes changes to the process for awarding Virginia Investment Performance Grants. Under the bill, beginning July 1, 2024, (i) the aggregate amount of Grants payable to all Grant recipients in any fiscal year shall not exceed $8 million; (ii) Grants shall be payable in five equal, annual installments of up to $1 million; (iii) no Grant recipient shall receive more than $5 million across all fiscal years; and (iv) Grants shall begin in the first year after verification of capital investment and job creation requirements. The bill contains an enactment clause clarifying that no existing agreement entered into prior to the effective date of the bill shall be impacted by the bill. Bill Legislation/Patron Summary Status Notes HB 1 HB 1 - Ward - Minimum wage; increases wage to $13.50 per hour effective January 1, 2025. Minimum wage. Increases the minimum wage from the current rate of $12.00 per hour to $13.50 per hour effective January 1, 2025, and to $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2026. The bill satisfies a reenactment clause included in Chapters 1204 and 1242 of the Acts of Assembly of 2020. (H) Committee on Appropriations HB 58 HB 58 - Wright - Industrial development authorities; disclosure statements. Industrial development authorities; disclosure statements. Eliminates the requirement for industrial development authority and economic development authority board members representing towns with populations of 3,500 or less to file a disclosure statement of certain personal interests and other information. (H) Committee on General Laws HB 59 HB 59 - Wright - Virginia Regional Industrial Facilities Act; Planning Districts 13 and 14. Virginia Regional Industrial Facilities Act; Planning Districts 13 and 14. Adds Planning Districts 13 (Southside) and 14 (Commonwealth Regional Council) 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. The bill also includes a technical change. (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns HB 61 HB 61 - Wright - Enterprise zones; renewal periods. Enterprise zones; renewal periods. Authorizes the Governor, upon the recommendation of the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development, to renew enterprise zones for up to four five-year renewal periods for zones designated on or after July 1, 2005, and for up to two five-year renewal periods for zones designated before July 1, 2005. Under current law, zones designated on or after July 1, 2005, may be renewed for up to three such periods and zones designated before July 1, 2005, may be renew for up to one such period. (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns HB 83 HB 83 - Scott, P.A. - Comprehensive community colleges and school boards; dual enrollment agreements, parameters. Comprehensive community colleges and school boards; dual enrollment agreements; parameters. Requires dual enrollment agreements between comprehensive community colleges and school boards to permit any student to complete an associate degree, the Passport Program, or a one-year Uniform Certificate of General Studies from a comprehensive community college concurrent with a high school diploma or high school equivalency program. Current law requires such agreements to specify options for students to complete an associate degree, the Passport Program, or a one-year Uniform Certificate of General Studies from a comprehensive community college concurrent with a high school diploma. (H) Committee on Education HB 107 HB 107 - Sullivan - Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund; established and created. Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund created. Creates the Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund to assist private developers with non-utility costs associated with the installation of electric vehicle charging stations in certain localities. The bill provides that a private developer is eligible to receive grants of 70 percent of such non-utility costs for electric vehicle charging stations installed in a city or county that meets the criteria of a distressed locality, as defined in the bill, and caps the total amount of grants awarded in any fiscal year at $25 million. (H) Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources HB 132 HB 132 - Convirs-Fowler - Virginia Minority Business Commission; established, report, sunset clause. Virginia Minority Business Commission; report; sunset. Establishes the 13-member Virginia Minority Business Commission in the legislative branch of government for the purpose of promoting the growth and competitiveness of Virginia minority-owned businesses. The bill provides that the Commission sunsets on July 1, 2026. (H) Committee on Rules VEDA LEGISLATIVE TRACKER - 01.22.24 HB 151 HB 151 - Helmer - Energy, Department of; building standards for certain local buildings. Department of Energy; building standards for certain local buildings. Requires the Department of Energy to provide technical assistance to localities, subject to available budgetary resources, as localities implement mandates related to energy and resilience standards for construction or renovation of certain public buildings. The bill also requires the Department to conduct an annual survey of localities to obtain information on related activities and to identify the needs of localities with respect to technical assistance and training. The bill also makes several technical and clarifying changes to the existing statute, in part by defining or redefining existing terms found in the statute. (H) Committee on General Laws HB 199 HB 199 - Krizek - Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program; allocation of funds. Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program; allocation of funds. Removes the prohibition on the allocation of funds to the Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program unless federal funds are available in an amount that would cover the entire cost of such an allocation. (H) Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources HB 212 HB 212 - Watts - MEI Project Approval Commission; board-level gender and diversity requirements. MEI Project Approval Commission; board-level gender and diversity requirements. Requires that the MEI Project Approval Commission considers, prior to recommending approval of any major employment and investment (MEI) project, (i) whether a business has and commits to maintaining a balanced board of directors based upon gender and racial diversity, such that at least 30 percent of such board of directors consists of women and historically underrepresented groups, and (ii) whether a business seeking approval of a project submits a board diversity disclosure and commits to updating such disclosure annually, specifying the number and percentage of diverse directors on the board of such business who self-identify as female or represent a national, racial, ethnic, indigenous, or cultural minority in the country of the business's principal executive offices. (H) Committee on Rules HB 233 HB 233 - Campbell - Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority; eligible site for site development grant. Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority; eligible site for site development grant; minimum acreage requirement. Reduces from 100 acres to 50 acres the minimum number of contiguous acres required for a site that is not a brownfield to satisfy the acreage requirement to be considered eligible to receive a site development grant from the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program Fund by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority. The bill also exempts from the minimum acreage requirement any site that exists in a locality that has three or fewer eligible sites that are at least 100 acres. (H) Committee on Appropriations HB 237 HB 237 - Austin - Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board; increases membership. Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board. Modifies aspects of the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board by adding a fourth Secretary to the Board's membership, to be appointed by the Governor, and providing that the Secretary of Labor may be one of the Secretaries appointed to the Board. The bill also reduces the amount of matching funds required for any grant awarded from the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Fund by requiring such funds to be equal to at least half of the grant awarded. (H) Committee on Appropriations Support HB 297 HB 297 - Ballard - Tobacco Indemnification & Community Revitalization & VA Tobacco Region Revolving Funds; eligibility. Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Fund; Tobacco Region Revolving Fund; eligible localities; Planning District 4. Adds Planning District 4 (New River Valley Region) to a group of localities that is eligible to receive funds from the Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Fund and the Virginia Tobacco Region Revolving Fund (H) Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Support HB 333 HB 333 - Jones - Environmental Justice, Virginia Council on; appointments to fill vacancies, timeliness. Virginia Council on Environmental Justice; appointments to fill vacancies; timeliness. Requires vacancies in the membership of the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice to be filled within 60 days of the vacancy occurring. Appointments made following the expiration of a term are also required to be made within 60 days of the expiration of the term. The bill further directs any vacancy in existence on the date the bill's provisions take effect to be filled no later than July 31, 2024, and the appointment to fill such vacancy to be included in the Secretary of the Commonwealth's interim appointments communication to the (H) Committee on General Laws HB 337 HB 337 - Thomas - Siting of data centers; impacts on resources and historically significant sites. Siting of data centers; impacts on resources and historically significant sites. Provides that any local government land use application required for the siting of a data center shall only be approved in areas where the data center will (i) have a minimal impact on historic, agricultural, and cultural resources and (ii) not be within one-half mile of a national park, state park, or other historically significant site. (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns Oppose HB 338 HB 338 - Thomas - Siting of data centers; locality to perform site assessment before approval. Siting of data centers; site assessment. Requires a locality, prior to any approval for the siting of a data center, to perform a site assessment to examine the effect of the data center on water usage and carbon emissions as well as any impacts on agricultural resources within the locality. (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns Oppose HB 340 HB 340 - Thomas - Electric utilities; underground transmission lines. Electric utilities; underground transmission lines. Provides that the construction and reconstruction of any underground, in whole or in part, electrical transmission lines of at least 69 kilovolts and less than 500 kilovolts along a highway right-of-way under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation in Planning District 8 where a data center proposal is under construction in an area located within a half mile of a National Battlefield Park and within one mile of a state forest is in the public interest. (H) Committee on Labor and Commerce Oppose HB 365 HB 365 - Martinez - Regional workforce development and child care initiative; implementation in Southwest Va. Department of Education and Department of Workforce Development and Advancement; work group; regional workforce development and child care initiative in Southwest Virginia; report.(H) Committee on Rules HB 382 HB 382 - Feggans - Broadband access in farmland and rural areas; information and reporting. Broadband access in farmland and rural areas; information and reporting. Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to create and maintain, in consultation with the Commonwealth Broadband Chief Advisor, the Broadband Advisory Council, and the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, an interactive tool or application to provide current information on connectivity and broadband access in rural areas of the Commonwealth and on farmland in the Commonwealth, and permits such tool or application to be incorporated into the Department's website. (H) Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation HB 384 HB 384 - Ware - Tangible personal property tax; exemption for indoor agriculture equipment and machinery. Tangible personal property tax; indoor agriculture equipment and machinery. Specifies that farm machinery, farm equipment, and farm implements used by an indoor, closed, controlled-environment commercial agricultural facility are a class of farm machinery and farm implements that a locality may exempt from personal property taxation. (H) Committee on Finance HB 412 HB 412 - Convirs-Fowler - Virginia Creative Economy Grant Fund and Program; established. Virginia Economic and Development Partnership Authority; Virginia Creative Economy Grant Fund and Program; established. Establishes the Virginia Creative Economy Grant Fund and Program, to be administered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority, for the purpose of awarding grants to independent content creators and creative entrepreneurs for the purpose of developing and expanding the creative economy in Virginia. The bill provides for the award of grants of no more than $20,000 to any recipient. (H) Committee on General Laws HB 476 HB 476 - Coyner - Vacant buildings; registration. Vacant buildings; registration. Permits any county, city, or town to require, by ordinance, the owner of any building that has been vacant for at least 12 months and (i) that meets 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 without the authority of the owner to register such building annually. Under current law, any city and certain towns are permitted to require the owner of any building that has been vacant for at least 12 months and meets the definition of "derelict building" in relevant law to register such building annually. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Housing Commission. (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns HB 478 HB 478 - Coyner - Community revitalization fund; expanding use for all localities. Community revitalization fund; expanding use for all localities. Expands the current provisions of law allowing for the establishment of a community revitalization fund for the purpose of preventing neighborhood deterioration to apply to all localities. Currently, only the City of Richmond is authorized to establish such a fund. (H) Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns HB 544 HB 544 - Walker - Workforce Development and Advancement, Department of; changes title of Director to Commissioner. Department of Workforce Development and Advancement; Director. Changes the title of the Director of the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement to the Commissioner of Workforce Development and Advancement. The bill directs the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement to examine the feasibility or need of any new workforce development program prior to its creation and provide a report to the Governor and the General Assembly. The bill changes the minimum level of fiscal support from WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker funds to training and job placement services from 40 to 50 percent. The bill also makes the Department responsible for providing a list of high-demand occupations to eligible educational institutions. (H) Committee on Labor and Commerce HB 590 HB 590 - Hayes - Virginia Small Business Economic Development Act; established. Virginia Small Business Economic Development Act established; regulation of skill games; registration; penalties. Establishes the Virginia Small Business Economic Development Act for the purpose of providing a regulatory and registration scheme for skill game machines in the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill and directs the Department of Taxation to collect a monthly tax of 15 percent from the gross revenue of each skill game machine from each skill game distributor. (H) Referral Pending HB 642 HB 642 - Glass - Virginia Creative Economy Grant Program; established. Virginia Creative Economy Grant Program. Establishes the Virginia Creative Economy Grant Program, to be administered by the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, for the purpose of awarding grants to independent content creators and creative economy entrepreneurs, as those terms are defined in the bill, for the purpose of developing and expanding the creative economy, as defined in the bill, in the Commonwealth. The bill provides for the award of grants of no more than $20,000 to any recipient. (H) Committee on Labor and Commerce HB 814 HB 814 - Mundon King - Virginia Tourism Authority; powers, historically accurate advertising. Virginia Tourism Authority; powers; historically accurate advertising. Requires the Virginia Tourism Authority, in consultation with the Library of Virginia and the Virginia African American Advisory Board, to (i) create standards for the Authority's publications and advertising material to ensure all such materials accurately identify parcels of real property in the Commonwealth with a history linked to slave ownership and accurately depict the contributions of Black Virginians to any such parcel of real property; and (ii) acknowledge the horrors of slavery in the Commonwealth by publishing a list of slave- owning properties in the Commonwealth. (H) Committee on General Laws HB 889 HB 889 - Watts - Retail Sales and Use tax; levies tax on following services: admissions, charges for recreation, etc. Sales and use tax on services. Levies the retail sales and use tax on the following services: admissions; charges for recreation, fitness, or sports facilities; nonmedical personal services or counseling; dry cleaning and laundry services; companion animal care; residential home repair or maintenance, landscaping, or cleaning services when paid for directly by a resident or homeowner; vehicle and engine repair; repairs or alterations to tangible personal property; storage of tangible personal property; delivery or shipping services; travel, event, and aesthetic planning services; and communications services that are not subject to the communications sales and use tax and are not digital personal property. (H) Committee on Finance HB 897 HB 897 - Kent - Small Business and Supplier Diversity, Department of; guidance to small businesses. Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity; guidance to small businesses; identification of enforcement actions; work group; report. Requires the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity to develop and provide guidance to businesses with newly approved permits and established businesses regarding responsibilities and requirements for maintaining such business that includes information identifying any regularly occurring required report to a state agency and any associated fees, penalties, or waivers. (H) Committee on Rules HB 968 HB 968 - Lopez - Virginia Green Infrastructure Bank; created, report. Virginia Green Infrastructure Bank; created. Creates the Virginia Green Infrastructure Bank, an authority to promote and catalyze investment in qualified projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, assist climate-impacted communities, and promote environmental justice. The bill requires the Bank to be governed by a board of directors with the authority to hire a president and create a nonstock corporation to carry out the powers and duties of the bank. (H) Committee on Labor and Commerce HB 1000 HB 1000 - Anthony - Environmental Justice Task Force; establishes, report. Environmental Justice Task Force; report. Establishes the Environmental Justice Task Force for the purpose of furthering environmental justice in the Commonwealth, consisting of the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources, the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Secretary of Transportation, or their designees. The bill requires the Task Force to advise the Governor and state agencies of the Commonwealth on environmental justice issues, particularly as such issues relate to minority and low-income communities. The bill directs the Task Force to report its findings and conclusions to the Governor and General Assembly by November 1, 2024, regarding its activities. (H) Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources HB 1083 HB 1083 - Coyner - VA Education & Workforce Longitudinal Data System; renames VA Longitudinal Data System, report. Office of Education Economics; administration of the Virginia Education and Workforce Longitudinal Data System; report. Renames the Virginia Longitudinal Data System as the Virginia Education and Workforce Longitudinal Data System (the System), shifts the duty to administer the System from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to the Office of Education Economics (the Office) of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, and establishes several duties for the Office relating to the administration of the System, including collaborating with the Office of Data Governance and Analytics, developing a strategic plan, overseeing compliance regarding the protection of data shared with the System, and establishing the research agenda for the System. The bill requires the Virginia Information Technologies Agency to provide technical assistance to the Office relating to the administration of the System. (H) Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation HB 1087 HB 1087 - Coyner - College and Career Ready Virginia Program and Fund; established, report. Department of Education and Virginia Community College System; College and Career Ready Virginia Program and Fund established. Establishes the College and Career Ready Virginia Fund and requires the Department of Education and the Virginia Community College System to establish the College and Career Ready Virginia Program whereby each school board is required to offer each qualified high school student in the local school division access at the high school to the dual enrollment courses that are sufficient to complete the Passport Program and the former Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program, renamed in the bill as the Passport Plus Program, at a public institution of higher education at no cost to such students. The bill establishes several enumerated duties for the Department and the System in the administration of the College and Career Ready Virginia Program, including the establishment of a work group to make recommendations no later than November 1, 2024, on the incorporation of a career and technical education program of coursework into the College and Career Ready Virginia Program. (H) Committee on Appropriations HB 1091 HB 1091 - Oates - Public elementary schools; incorporation of career & technical education into curricula. Virginia Advisory Committee for Career and Technical Education; recommendations, guidelines, and best practices for incorporation of career and technical education into public elementary school curricula; report. Requires the Virginia Advisory Committee for Career and Technical Education established by the Board of Education to develop and submit to the Board of Education, the Governor, and the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2024, recommendations, guidelines, and best practices for the incorporation of career and technical education into public elementary school curricula. (H) Committee on Rules HB 10196 HB 1096 - Thomas - Housing opportunity; increases tax credit. Housing opportunity tax credit. Increases, for calendar years 2023 through 2025, the amount of housing opportunity tax credits that may be claimed from $60 million per calendar year to $100 million per calendar year. (H) Committee on Finance HB 1103 HB 1103 - Wyatt - VA Employment Commission; provision of certain confidential information to VA Port Authority. Virginia Employment Commission; provision of certain confidential information to the Virginia Port Authority. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to provide certain employment information to the Virginia Port Authority as may be necessary to facilitate the administration and enforcement by the Authority of performance agreements with businesses that have received incentive awards. The bill provides that any information provided to the Authority is confidential, requires that the information only be disclosed to members of the Authority who are public officials or employees of the Authority for the performance of their official duties, and prohibits redisclosure of any such confidential information to nonlegislative citizen members of the Authority or to the public. (H) Committee on Labor and Commerce HB 1105 HB 1105 - Carr - Zoning for Housing Production Fund; created, affordable dwelling unit policy incentives, report. Housing; Zoning for Housing Production Fund created; affordable dwelling unit policy incentives; report. Creates the Zoning for Housing Production Fund to be administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development. The bill requires moneys from the Fund to be awarded as grants to localities by application to the Department for the purpose of creating and maintaining affordable housing in mixed- income communities, as defined in the bill. To be eligible for a grant from the Fund, a locality is required to make a change to its zoning ordinance in accordance with the requirements of the bill. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2029. (H) Committee on General Laws HB 1125 HB 1125 - Carr - Virginia Business Ready Expedited Permitting Program; created. Virginia Business Ready Expedited Permitting Program; established. Establishes the Virginia Business Ready Expedited Permitting Program and directs the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority to designate up to three sites and seven projects for participation in the Program. Such sites shall be either (i) sites eligible for a site development grant as part of the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program or (ii) projects with significant local, regional, or statewide economic impact that have been approved by the local governing body following a public hearing or submitted by resolution to be considered for the Program. No more than two such sites may be designated within one locality per year. The Authority shall complete a review process within 45 days of designating a site to reduce permitting conflicts and provide relevant guidance to applicants. Any application for a permit or request for approval associated with a designated site shall be evaluated within 180 days. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025. (H) Committee on General Laws Support HB 1178 HB 1178 - Sickles - Commonwealth of Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority; amends membership of board of directors. Commonwealth of Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority; board of directors; membership. Amends the membership of the board of directors of the Commonwealth of Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority by adding a nonlegislative citizen member to increase the total membership to 12 members and removing the position currently held by a director of a technology transfer office or equivalent position from a major research public institution of higher education. The bill also (i) provides the Speaker of the House of Delegates and the Senate Committee on Rules the power to appoint four nonlegislative citizen members each to the board of directors, (ii) reduces from six to three the number of nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor to the board of directors, and (iii) removes such appointment power from the Joint Rules Committee. (H) Committee on General Laws HB 1196 HB 1196 - Hodges - Virginia Waterway Maintenance Grant Program; grant funding. Virginia Port Authority; Virginia Waterway Maintenance Grant Program; grant funding; projects. Clarifies the circumstances under which the Virginia Port Authority may award grant funding from the Virginia Waterway Maintenance Grant Program for the construction and management of dredged material. The bill provides that such funding may be used for the lease, purchase, or development of upland containment areas where dredged material can be selectively excavated and used beneficially for environmental restoration or for mitigation of coastal erosion. The bill also amends an existing provision allowing funding for the mitigation of coastal erosion or flooding of dredged materials to require such dredged materials be from an approved waterway dredging project conducted by the Commonwealth. (H) Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources HB 1262 HB 1262 - Milde - Local sales tax entitlement; blighted retail district. Local sales tax entitlement; blighted retail district. Entitles a blighted retail district in Stafford County that undergoes a major reconstruction or renovation involving a capital investment of at least $15 million to the one percent local sales tax revenue generated on the premises of the project to be used towards debt service to bridge the gap between available debt and equity and the expected costs of the project. The bill states that in order to qualify for the entitlement, the project must have at least 70 percent of the funding for the project in place. The bill specifies that the blighted retail project must provide a match for the one percent local sales tax revenue. (H) Committee on Finance HB 1267 HB 1267 - Willett - Governor's Major Entertainment Opportunity Fund; renames Governor's Motion Picture Opportunity Fund. Virginia Tourism Authority; Governor's Major Entertainment Opportunity Fund. Renames the Governor's Motion Picture Opportunity Fund under the Virginia Tourism Authority as the Governor's Major Entertainment Opportunity Fund and changes its purpose from supporting the film and video industries in Virginia to supporting major entertainment events not regularly scheduled in Virginia by providing the means for attracting entertainment operations and projects with spectators or participants in the Commonwealth using Virginia employees, goods, and services. (H) Committee on Appropriations HB 1334 HB 1334 - Webert - Energy Innovation Program; established. Energy Innovation Program; established. Establishes the Energy Innovation Program to foster the development of innovative energy projects by allowing Program participants to provide grid services or other beneficial energy measures. Under the Program, a participant, after obtaining State Corporation Commission approval, is not required to comply with specific state statutes and regulations pertaining to the generation, transmission, or distribution of electric energy for sale, except for those laws and regulations that are required for worker safety, public safety, or environmental protection, for a period of five years. The bill includes provisions for application requirements, an approval process, Program exit procedures, a test period extension process, suspension or revocation of Commission approval, consumer protections, Commission investigations, and recordkeeping and reporting requirements. (H) Committee on Labor and Commerce HB 1357 HB 1357 - Marshall - Institute for Advanced Learning and Research; board of trustees; powers and duties. Institute for Advanced Learning and Research; board of trustees; powers and duties; specialized noncredit workforce training. Requires the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research to encourage and coordinate the development and delivery of noncredit courses with a focus on statewide and regional critical shortage areas and the needs of industry that include needed adult education and workforce training. The bill requires the board of trustees of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research to seek opportunities to collaborate with local comprehensive community colleges to meet specialized noncredit workforce training needs identified by industry but provides that if local comprehensive community colleges are unable to meet identified industry needs, then the board of trustees may seek to collaborate with other education providers or other public or private organizations to provide, or itself may provide, specialized noncredit workforce training independent of local comprehensive community colleges. (H) Referral Pending HB 1381 HB 1381 - Runion - Center for Rural Virginia; name change. Center for Rural Virginia; name change. Renames the Center for Rural Virginia as the Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr. Center for Rural Virginia (H) Referral Pending HB 1400 HB 1400 - Morefield - Retail sales and use tax; commercial and industrial exemptions; sunset. Retail sales and use tax; commercial and industrial exemptions; sunset. Extends the sunset from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, for the retail sales and use tax exemption of certain materials and equipment used in the drilling, extraction, or processing of natural gas or oil and the reclamation of the well area. (H) Referral Pending HB 1410 HB 1410 - O'Quinn - Russell County Industrial Development Authority; appointments. Russell County Industrial Development Authority; appointments. Clarifies that the board of supervisors of Russell County may appoint nine members to its industrial development authority, which shall consist of two members from the governing body of each town that has used its borrowing capacity to borrow $2 million or more for industrial development and such other members as the board of supervisors shall agree upon. Under current law, two of the members must come from a town that has used its borrowing capacity to borrow $2 million or more for industrial development. (H) Referral Pending HB 1421 HB 1421 - Morefield - Virginia Housing Trust Fund; eligibility. Virginia Housing Trust Fund; eligibility. Expands eligibility for loans from the Housing Trust Fund to include low, moderate, or middle income persons and families and requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to (i) include definitions for such income levels in program guidelines for administering the Fund and (ii) prioritize funding for low income and middle income housing projects in program guidelines for administering the Fund. Under current law, such loans may be provided only to low or moderate income citizens of Virginia. (H) Referral Pending HB 1495 HB 1495 - Cousins - Television and Film Production Development Grant Program and Fund established; report. Television and Film Production Development Grant Program and Fund established; report. Establishes the Television and Film Production Development Grant Program and Fund that allows the Virginia Tourism Authority, with assistance from the Virginia Film Office, to award competitive grants to businesses in the television or film industry for filming or investing in television or film production or television or film production-related infrastructure projects in the Commonwealth. The bill provides that the Office and the Authority shall submit a report every two years detailing television and film industries and related infrastructure spending in the Commonwealth and information related to the issuance of such grants through the Program from the Fund. (H) Referral Pending HB 1514 HB 1514 - Torian - Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority and Financing Fund established; report. Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority and Financing Fund established; report. Establishes the Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority as a political subdivision charged with financing the construction of a sports and entertainment campus. The Authority is composed of nine members, six of whom are appointed by the Governor and three of whom are appointed by the governing body of the City of Alexandria. Each appointed member is subject to specific criteria for appointment. The bill authorizes the Authority to hire independent contractors, enter contracts, acquire property, borrow money, and exercise other similar powers and exempts it from the Personnel Act and the Public Procurement Act. Under the bill, the Authority may issue bonds with a maximum maturity date of 40 years. (H) Referral Pending Support HB 1518 HB 1518 - Glass - Research and development expenses tax credits. Research and development expenses tax credits.(H) Referral Pending HJ 12 HJ 12 - Orrock - Agriculture, forestry, and environment; JLARC to study impact of utility-scale solar development. Study; JLARC; solar development; agriculture, forestry, and environment; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the impact of utility-scale solar development in the Commonwealth on agriculture, forestry, and the environment. (H) Referral Pending HJ 29 HJ 29 - Simonds - Study; Board of Workforce Development; adequacy of the funding model for noncredit workforce. Study; Board of Workforce Development; adequacy of the funding model for noncredit workforce credential programs; work group; report. Requests the Virginia Board of Workforce Development to study the current funding model for noncredit workforce credential programs offered at comprehensive community colleges in order to identify areas of inadequacy and make recommendations on options for reforming the funding model to address those inadequacies and improve the sustainability of offering and providing noncredit workforce credential programs to ensure that the Virginia Community College System as a whole is capable of continuing to meet the increasing demand for highly skilled credentialed workers in the Commonwealth. (H) Referral Pending HJ 32 HJ 32 - O'Quinn - Study; JLARC; creation of Secretariat of Rural Affairs; report. Study; JLARC; creation of Secretariat of Rural Affairs; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the need for and feasibility of creating a Secretariat of Rural Affairs in the Commonwealth. (H) Referral Pending HJ 58 HJ 58 - Carr - Constitutional amendment (first reference); tax and finance; exempt property; affordable housing. Constitutional amendment (first reference); tax and finance; exempt property; affordable housing tax exemption. Provides that the General Assembly may by general law authorize the governing body of any county, city, town, or regional government to provide for the exemption from local real property taxation, or a portion thereof, within such restrictions and upon such conditions as may be prescribed, of real estate owned and occupied by persons of low income. Such general law must require that (i) the real property is a single family habitation and has been owned and continuously occupied as the sole dwelling of the owner of such real property for a prescribed minimum number of years, (ii) the assessment on the property has increased by a prescribed percentage or more from the previous year or over a number of previous years, (iii) the taxes on such property are current or the owner of such property has entered into a plan for payment of any delinquent taxes, and (iv) establish the annual household income limits to qualify for such exemption. (H) Referral Pending SB 1 SB 1 - Lucas - Minimum wage; increases wage to $13.50 per hour effective January 1, 2025. Minimum wage. Increases the minimum wage from the current rate of $12.00 per hour to $13.50 per hour effective January 1, 2025, and to $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2026. The bill satisfies a reenactment clause included in Chapters 1204 and 1242 of the Acts of Assembly of 2020. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 25 SB 25 - Hackworth - Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program; allocation of funds. Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program; allocation of funds. Removes the prohibition on the allocation of funds to the Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program unless federal funds are available in an amount that would cover the entire cost of such an allocation. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 48 SB 48 - Locke - Vacant buildings; registration. Vacant buildings; registration. Permits any county, city, or town to require, by ordinance, the owner of any building that has been vacant for at least 12 months and (i) that meets 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 without the authority of the owner to register such building annually. Under current law, any city and certain towns are permitted to require the owner of any building that has been vacant for at least 12 months and meets the definition of "derelict building" in relevant law to register such building annually. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Housing Commission. (S) Committee on Local Government SB 49 SB 49 - Locke - Community revitalization fund; expanding use for all localities. Community revitalization fund; expanding use for all localities.Expands the current provisions of law allowing for the establishment of a community revitalization fund for the purpose of preventing neighborhood deterioration to apply to all localities. Currently, only the City of Richmond is authorized to establish such a fund. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Housing Commission.> (S) Committee on Local Government SB 54 SB 54 - Locke - Early childhood care and education system; publicly funded providers, funding formula. Early childhood care and education system; publicly funded providers; funding formula; educator incentive; nonreverting fund to capture unspent Virginia Preschool Initiative balances. Requires the Department of Education to (i) establish and maintain a funding formula for publicly funded early childhood care and education providers that establishes the minimum funding and number of slots per biennium for such providers based on a cost of quality rate per child, actual data from the prior year, unserved waitlists, and a growth rate differential based on growth in prior biennia; (ii) administer an early childhood educator incentive program to be known as RecognizeB5 whereby a monetary incentive is provided to teachers who work directly with children for at least 30 hours per week at publicly funded providers that participate in the uniform measurement and improvement system known as VQB5, with the exception of teachers who are employed by local school boards; and (iii) administer and make distributions, for the purpose of providing early childhood care and education services, from the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund established in the bill, to which all unspent balances from the Virginia Preschool Initiative at the end of each fiscal year are required to be credited instead of reverting to the general fund. 01/10/24 Senate: Assigned Education sub: Public Education Support- request of VA early childhood foundation SB 62 SB 62 - Stanley - New College Institute; duties. New College Institute; duties. Requires the New College Institute to design and implement, in collaboration with the Department of Education, the Virginia Community College System, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the Virginia Board of Workforce Development, and other relevant agencies and organizations, any workforce development programs necessary to support the initiatives of the Office of the Governor, including adult education and workforce training programs. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 134 SB 134 - Head - Economic Development Authority; board of supervisors of Craig Co to appoint one member to Authority. Economic development authorities; Craig County. Allows the board of supervisors of Craig County to appoint one of its members to the Economic Development Authority of the County of Craig. (S) Committee on Local Government SB 135 SB 135 - Head - Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority; eligible site for site development grant. Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority; eligible site for site development grant; minimum acreage requirement. Reduces from 100 acres to 50 acres the minimum number of contiguous acres required for a site that is not a brownfield to satisfy the acreage requirement to be considered eligible to receive a site development grant from the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program Fund by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority. The bill also exempts from the minimum acreage requirement any site that exists in a locality that has three or fewer eligible sites that are at least 100 acres. (S) Committee on Local Government SB 151 SB 151 - Suetterlein - Special identification card; reduces fee for issuance, etc. Department of Motor Vehicles; fees. Reduces the fee for the issuance of an original, duplicate, reissue, or renewal special identification card without a photograph; authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to negotiate with the Department of Health to retain a portion of the $12 fee for each copy of a vital record that the Department of Motor Vehicles issues in lieu of collecting the $2 processing fee required by current law; and removes fees specific to transportation network companies for certificates issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles and provides that such companies are subject to the same fees that apply to all applicants for original licenses, permits, or certificates and transfer of a license or certificate. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 156 SB 156 - Head - Financial Services Expansion Grant Fund; established. Financial Services Expansion Grant Fund. Creates the Financial Services Expansion Grant Fund to make grant payments to an eligible financial services company that makes a capital investment of at least $87 million at a facility in Roanoke County and creates at least 1,100 new full-time jobs at the facility. The eligible financial services company would be eligible for an aggregate of $15 million in grants paid out over a 10- year period if it meets such performance parameters. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 191 SB 191 - Subramanyam - Electric utilities; data center demand, allocation of costs among customer classes. Electric utilities; data center demand; allocation of costs among customer classes. Directs the State Corporation Commission to ensure that any plan, petition, or proposal from a utility to meet demand associated with data centers considers generation, transmission, and distribution system costs so as to meet such demand at the lowest aggregate reasonable cost. The bill also directs the Commission to initiate a proceeding, on or before December 31, 2024, (i) to determine if the current allocation of costs among customers and the different classifications of customers of electric utilities results in customers that are data centers receiving unreasonable subsidies from other customers or classifications of customers and (ii) if it determines unreasonable subsidies exist, to amend such allocation of costs. (S) Committee on Rules Oppose SB 212 SB 212 - Rouse - Virginia Small Business Economic Development Act; established. Virginia Small Business Economic Development Act established; regulation of skill games; registration; penalties. Establishes the Virginia Small Business Economic Development Act for the purpose of providing a regulatory and registration scheme for skill game machines in the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill and directs the Department of Taxation to collect a monthly tax of 15 percent from the gross revenue of each skill game machine from each skill game distributor. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 217 SB 217 - Locke - Virginia Business Ready Expedited Permitting Program; created. Virginia Business Ready Expedited Permitting Program; established. Establishes the Virginia Business Ready Expedited Permitting Program and directs the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority to designate up to three sites and seven projects for participation in the Program. Such sites shall be either (i) sites eligible for a site development grant as part of the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program or (ii) projects with significant local, regional, or statewide economic impact that have been approved by the local governing body following a public hearing or submitted by resolution to be considered for the Program. No more than two such sites may be designated within one locality per year. The Authority shall complete a review process within 45 days of designating a site to reduce permitting conflicts and provide relevant guidance to applicants. Any application for a permit or request for approval associated with a designated site shall be evaluated within 180 days. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations Support SB 251 SB 251 - Hashmi - Content manufacturing tax credit; removes sunset for the motion picture credit, redesignates credit. Content manufacturing tax credit. Removes the sunset for the motion picture tax credit, which currently is set to expire after taxable year 2026, and expands and redesignates the tax credit as the content manufacturing tax credit. The bill increases the total amount of credits that can be allocated to taxpayers to $46.5 million beginning in fiscal year 2024; however, should less than $100 million worth of certain new investments, as described by the bill, occur in Virginia by January 1, 2027, the cap will be reduced to $10 million per fiscal year. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 284 SB 284 - Roem - Siting of data centers; impacts on resources and historically significant sites. Siting of data centers; impacts on resources and historically significant sites. Provides that any local government land use application required for the siting of a data center shall only be approved in areas where the data center will (i) have a minimal impact on historic, agricultural, and cultural resources and (ii) not be within one mile of a national park, state park, or other historically significant site. (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology Oppose SB 285 SB 285 - Roem - Siting of data centers; site assessment. Siting of data centers; site assessment. Requires a locality, prior to any approval for the siting of a data center, to require disclosure of water and power usage at full build- out and perform a site assessment to examine the effect of the data center on water usage, the regional electric grid, and carbon emissions as well as any impacts on agricultural, historic, and cultural resources within the locality. (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology Oppose SB 288 SB 288 - Roem - Data centers; noise abatement. Data centers; noise abatement. Provides that any local government land use application required for the siting of a data center shall be approved only in accordance with certain notice and noise abatement requirements. The bill provides that residents within a half-mile radius of the parcel shall receive notice of the proposed data center and that the data center operator shall hold two neighborhood meetings. The bill requires a data center operator to design and build the data center to incorporate sound mitigation methods sufficient to prevent the sound levels emanating from the data center from exceeding the ambient noise levels that were observed in a baseline study, as determined by a third-party acoustic engineer. The bill also provides that upon issuance of a certificate of occupancy, and for five years thereafter, the data center operator shall conduct a noise study performed by a third-party acoustical engineer to document noise levels emanating from the data center measured at the property line of the nearest property to the data center property that is planned or zoned for residential land uses, or other noise sensitive use as reasonably determined by the locality, during peak operation of the data center mechanical equipment. The bill also provides that if the data center operator intends to use backup power generators on the parcel, the operator shall maintain a public website announcing the times when the generators will be in operation. (S) Committee on Local Government Oppose SB 295 SB 295 - Sturtevant - Foreign adversaries; restrictions, civil penalty. Foreign adversaries; restrictions; civil penalty. Restricts any foreign adversary or foreign business, as those terms are defined in the bill, from acquiring any interest in land in the Commonwealth and requires registration with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The bill requires the Secretary to report annually by December 1 on the registrations and any penalties assessed for failure to register and to submit such report to the Governor and the General Assembly. The bill restricts foreign entities governed by a foreign adversary from transacting business in, forming an entity in, or becoming an entity of the Commonwealth. The bill also requires all real property tax bills to contain notice of such foreign property ownership restrictions and registration requirements. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 302 SB 302 - DeSteph - Virginia First Manufacturing Incentive Program and Fund; created. Virginia First Manufacturing Incentive Program and Fund; creation. Creates the Virginia First Manufacturing Incentive Program and Fund to facilitate the growth of existing manufacturing industries by creating a reshoring, nearshoring, and inshoring program focused on expanding and recruiting manufacturing operations that produce products identified as critical infrastructure by providing discretionary incentive funding for trade assistance. (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology SB 393 SB 393 - Pekarsky - MEI Project Approval Commission; board-level gender and diversity requirements. MEI Project Approval Commission; board-level gender and diversity requirements. Requires that the MEI Project Approval Commission considers, prior to recommending approval of any major employment and investment (MEI) project, (i) whether a business has and commits to maintaining a balanced board of directors based upon gender and racial diversity, such that at least 30 percent of such board of directors consists of women and historically underrepresented groups, and (ii) whether a business seeking approval of a project submits a board diversity disclosure and commits to updating such disclosure annually, specifying the number and percentage of diverse directors on the board of such business who self-identify as female or represent a national, racial, ethnic, indigenous, or cultural minority in the country of the business's principal executive offices. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 410 SB 410 - Head - Governor's Major Entertainment Opportunity Fund; renames Governor's Motion Picture Opportunity Fund. Virginia Tourism Authority; Governor's Major Entertainment Opportunity Fund. Renames the Governor's Motion Picture Opportunity Fund under the Virginia Tourism Authority as the Governor's Major Entertainment Opportunity Fund and changes its purpose from supporting the film and video industries in Virginia to supporting major entertainment events not regularly scheduled in Virginia by providing the means for attracting entertainment operations and projects with spectators or participants in the Commonwealth using Virginia employees, goods, and services. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 436 SB 436 - Suetterlein - Workforce Development and Advancement, Department of; changes title of Director to Commissioner. Department of Workforce Development and Advancement; Director. Changes the title of the Director of the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement to the Commissioner of Workforce Development and Advancement. The bill directs the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement to examine the feasibility or need of any new workforce development program prior to its creation and provide a report to the Governor and the General Assembly. The bill changes the minimum level of fiscal support from WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker funds to training and job placement services from 40 to 50 percent. The bill also makes the Department responsible for providing a list of high-demand occupations to eligible educational institutions. (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology SB 454 SB 454 - Marsden - Electric utilities; recovery of development costs associated with small modular reactor. Electric utilities; recovery of development costs associated with small modular reactor. Permits American Electric Power (Phase I Utility) and Dominion Energy Virginia (Phase II Utility) to petition the State Corporation Commission at any time for the approval of a rate adjustment clause for the recovery of small modular reactor project development costs. The bill also permits the utility to petition the Commission for project development cost recovery along separate development phases. (S) Committee on Commerce and Labor SB 477 SB 477 - Aird - Blighted and derelict properties in certain localities; rate of tax. Blighted and derelict properties in certain localities; rate of tax. Allows the governing body of a locality with a score of 100 or higher on the fiscal stress index to levy a real property tax on blighted and derelict properties at any rate exceeding the rate applicable to the general class of real property. Under current law, the local rate of tax imposed on blighted properties may exceed the rate applicable to the general class of real property by up to five percent and the local rate of tax imposed on derelict properties may exceed the rate applicable to the general class of real property by up to 10 percent. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 483 SB 483 - Aird - Tangible personal property tax; exemption for indoor agriculture equipment and machinery. Tangible personal property tax; indoor agriculture equipment and machinery. Specifies that farm machinery, farm equipment, and farm implements used by an indoor, closed, controlled-environment commercial agricultural facility are a class of farm machinery and farm implements that a locality may exempt from personal property taxation. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 486 SB 486 - Aird - Certain natural gas pipeline expansion unlawful; Planning District 19. Certain natural gas pipeline expansion unlawful; Planning District 19. Prohibits the increase or expansion of any natural gas pipeline capacity in Planning District 19 (Crater Region), whether in new or existing pipelines, that uses existing compressors powered by natural gas-fired combustion turbines, diesel motors, or other technology using fossil fuels. Such prohibition shall apply to all proposed or existing compressors in Planning District 19 associated with natural gas pipelines, including those serving interstate and intrastate pipelines, regardless of size for the purpose of air pollution reduction. The bill requires the State Air Pollution Control Board to ensure that the provisions of the bill are incorporated into the Commonwealth's state implementation plan enacted pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act. (S) Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Oppose SB 489 SB 489 - Carroll Foy - Department of Housing and Community Development; residential development infrastructure fund. Department of Housing and Community Development; Virginia residential development infrastructure fund; report. Directs the Department of Housing and Community Development to convene a technical advisory committee to develop draft legislation establishing a Virginia residential development infrastructure fund with a report to be submitted to the General Assembly no later than the first day of the 2025 Regular Session. (S) Committee on Rules SB 496 SB 496 - Carroll Foy - Virginia Growth and Opportunity Act; Virginia investment performance grants; Virginia economic dev. Virginia Growth and Opportunity Act; Virginia investment performance grants; Virginia economic development incentive grants. Reduces the local funding match requirement for GO Virginia grants from being equal to the grant amount to being at least equal to half of the grant amount. The bill also allows payouts for the Virginia investment performance grant and the Virginia economic development incentive grant programs to begin in the first year after reaching performance targets. Under current law, payouts for such grant programs generally cannot begin until the third year after projects achieve their performance targets. The bill also requires projects seeking grants from the Virginia investment performance grant program to pay at least the prevailing average wage if job creation is included in a grant award determination. (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology Support SB 512 SB 512 - Williams Graves - Income tax credit; adaptive repurposing of underutilized structures. Income tax credit; adaptive repurposing of underutilized structures. Creates a nonrefundable income tax credit in taxable years 2024 through 2028 for eligible expenses, defined in the bill, incurred in converting office buildings to residential uses. The credit may be claimed only in the year during which a qualified converted building, defined in the bill, is placed into service and is equal to (i) 20 percent or (ii) 30 percent in an at-risk locality, defined in the bill, of the amount of eligible expenses incurred. No single taxpayer may claim more than $2.5 million in credits in any single taxable year and the credit is subject to an aggregate annual cap of $30 million. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 556 SB 556 - Williams Graves - Historic rehabilitation tax credit; increase. Historic rehabilitation tax credit; increase. Increases from $5 million to $10 million, beginning in taxable year 2024, the maximum amount of the historic rehabilitation tax credit, including amounts carried over from prior taxable years, that may be claimed by a taxpayer in any taxable year. In addition, should the taxpayer incur expenses toward the rehabilitation of a certified historic structure in a locality that has a designated enterprise zone, as defined in relevant law, the taxpayer may claim up to an additional $10 million in any taxable year. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 564 SB 564 - Hackworth - Individual income tax subtraction; income earned in certain localities. Individual income tax subtraction; income earned in certain localities. Provides an income tax subtraction beginning in taxable year 2024 of up to $36,450 for income earned in a double distressed Virginia locality that experienced an aggregate population loss of at least eight percent since January 1, 2020. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 617 SB 617 - Obenshain - Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; budget, operating assistance. Commonwealth Mass Transit Fund; Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; budget; operating assistance. Provides that payments and obligations arising from or related to any contract pertaining to employee compensation and work conditions under the normal operation of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) may be included in the calculation of a WMATA budget increase for purposes of the cap of such budget increase. Current law provides that any payment or obligation of any kind arising from or related to legal disputes or proceedings between or among WMATA and any other person or entity shall not be used in calculating a WMATA budget increase. (S) Committee on Transportation SB 634 SB 634 - Rouse - State Corporation Commission; powers and duties. State Corporation Commission; powers and duties. Provides that in proceedings before the State Corporation Commission, the Commission shall consider public safety, the economy of the Commonwealth, the promotion of workforce development for residents of the Commonwealth, and the maintenance of fair labor standards for workers employed by public service companies and their contractors. (S) Committee on Commerce and Labor SB 640 SB 640 - Durant - Energy storage systems; clarifies the tax treatment of systems. Tax exempt property; energy storage systems. Clarifies the tax treatment of energy storage systems. The bill strikes language that overrides the provision requiring the amount of tax exemption for energy storage systems to be 100 percent if the taxing locality has implemented a revenue share for such systems. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations SB 667 SB 667 - Stuart - Cloud Computing Cluster Infrastructure Grant Fund; performance agreement. Cloud Computing Cluster Infrastructure Grant Fund; performance agreement. Removes the authority to make commitments related to accelerated permitting, property tax classifications, and other such issues in an agreement between a qualified company and a locality for purposes of the Cloud Computing Cluster Infrastructure Grant Fund. (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology Oppose SB 669 SB 669 - Stuart - Local economic development commitments. Local economic development commitments. Provides that any economic development commitments that are affirmatively stated in a public meeting shall be binding, reflected in any agreement with the locality, and enforceable through a judicial relief action. (S) Committee on Local Government Oppose SB 679 SB 679 - Head - Enterprise zones; extension. Enterprise zones; extension. Provides that any enterprise zone in existence as of June 30, 2024, shall be extended for a period of four years in addition to any renewal periods currently authorized by law. (S) Committee on Local Government SB 681 SB 681 - Durant - Virginia Housing Trust Fund; eligibility. Virginia Housing Trust Fund; eligibility. Expands eligibility for loans from the Housing Trust Fund to include low, moderate, or middle income persons and families and requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to (i) include definitions for such income levels in program guidelines for administering the Fund and (ii) prioritize funding for low income and middle income housing projects in program guidelines for administering the Fund. Under current law, such loans may be provided only to low or moderate income citizens of Virginia. (S) Committee on General Laws and Technology SB 718 SB 718 - Surovell - Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority and Financing Fund established; report. Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority and Financing Fund established; report. Establishes the Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority as a political subdivision charged with financing the construction of a sports and entertainment campus. The Authority is composed of nine members, six of whom are appointed by the Governor and three of whom are appointed by the governing body of the City of Alexandria. Each appointed member is subject to specific criteria for appointment. The bill authorizes the Authority to hire independent contractors, enter contracts, acquire property, borrow money, and exercise other similar powers and exempts it from the Personnel Act and the Public Procurement Act. Under the bill, the Authority may issue bonds with a maximum maturity date of 40 years. (S) Committee on Finance and Appropriations Support SB 722 SB 722 - Mulchi - Enterprise zones; renewal periods. Enterprise zones; renewal periods. Authorizes the Governor, upon the recommendation of the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development, to renew enterprise zones for up to four five-year renewal periods for zones designated on or after July 1, 2005, and for up to two five-year renewal periods for zones designated before July 1, 2005. Under current law, zones designated on or after July 1, 2005, may be renewed for up to three such periods and zones designated before July 1, 2005, may be renew for up to one such period. (S) Committee on Local Government SJ 20 SJ 20 - Aird - Study; Board of Workforce Development; adequacy of the funding model for noncredit workforce. Study; Board of Workforce Development; adequacy of the funding model for noncredit workforce credential programs; work group; report. Requests the Virginia Board of Workforce Development to study the current funding model for noncredit workforce credential programs offered at comprehensive community colleges in order to identify areas of inadequacy and make recommendations on options for reforming the funding model to address those inadequacies and improve the sustainability of offering and providing noncredit workforce credential programs to ensure that the Virginia Community College System as a whole is capable of continuing to meet the increasing demand for highly skilled credentialed workers in the Commonwealth. (S) Committee on Rules SJ 21 SJ 21 - Aird - Study; JLARC; creation of Secretariat of Rural Affairs; report. Study; JLARC; creation of Secretariat of Rural Affairs; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the need for and feasibility of creating a Secretariat of Rural Affairs in the Commonwealth. (S) Committee on Rules