House committee advances 12 bills, including FOIA enforcement changes and gaming rule updates

Unidentified Speaker opened the House committee meeting and said the panel had 12 bills before it; the clerk confirmed a quorum and the committee proceeded with administrative referrals and subcommittee reports.

The committee re-referred three bills at the speaker’s request: House Bill 448 (Delegate Simon) to the Committee on Courts of Justice; House Bill 970 (Delegate Price) to the Committee on Health and Human Services; and House Bill 924 (Delegate Rasul) to the Committee on Education. Each referral was approved by the committee.

Chairman Torian presented recommendations from the ABC Gaming subcommittee and summarized several bills the subcommittee reported favorably. House Bill 49 (Delegate Rees) clarifies percentages retained from historical horse-racing wagering pools and directs portions of the distribution to local agricultural and racing foundations; the subcommittee sent the bill to Appropriations and the full committee approved it on a roll vote of 20–0.

House Bill 367 (chair-sponsored) adds duties for an ombudsman to facilitate consultation between federally recognized tribes and state and local agencies on environmental, cultural and historical permits. The subcommittee reported the bill with an amendment and the full committee passed the amended bill 20–0.

House Bill 368 (chair-sponsored) affirms acknowledgment of the inherent sovereignty of federally recognized tribes within the commonwealth’s boundaries; the committee reported and passed the bill 20–0.

The panel also moved an ABC-related bill, House Bill 385 (Bennett Parker), to allow Alcoholic Beverage Control employees to conduct tastings at ABC stores and clarify that ABC stores may sell certain items associated with distilled spirits (for example, garnishes). The subcommittee recommended amendments; the committee adopted the amendments and reported the bill with a roll vote of 19–1.

House Bill 396 (chair-sponsored) updates charitable gaming rules for Texas Hold’em tournaments, including raising the minimum participant age from 18 to 21 and restricting where qualified organizations may hold such tournaments. The committee accepted a substitute and passed the bill as substituted, 19–1.

House Bill 399 (Delegate Askew) permits certain organizations established before Dec. 31, 1977, that hold charitable gaming authorizations to use a predetermined percentage of receipts for expenses related to rental real property used for lawful, religious, charitable, community or educational purposes; the bill was reported out 18–1.

House Bill 515 (Delegate Martinez) would prohibit the director of the Virginia Lottery from approving the use of credit cards as a funding method for sports betting accounts; the subcommittee recommended the bill 9–0 and the committee reported it 19–0.

From the procurement and open government subcommittee, Chair McClure reported House Bill 159 (Delegate Simon), which would tighten FOIA enforcement by mandating expedited hearings on petitions for writs of mandamus or injunctions and removing certain service-of-process and notice barriers in open meetings cases. The subcommittee reported the bill with amendments (10–0); the committee adopted the amendments and passed the amended bill 19–0.

House Bill 160, described as a Boyd-Graves conference bill, was continued to 2027 at the patron’s request; the committee also approved sending a letter to the FOIA Council.

The committee completed its business and adjourned after a motion to adjourn was moved and seconded.

Actions at a glance: House Bill 448 — re-referred to Committee on Courts of Justice (voice vote); House Bill 970 — re-referred to Committee on Health and Human Services (voice vote); House Bill 924 — re-referred to Committee on Education (voice vote); House Bill 49 — reported to Appropriations and approved by committee, 20–0; House Bill 367 — amended and passed, 20–0; House Bill 368 — passed, 20–0; House Bill 385 — amended and passed, 19–1; House Bill 396 — substituted and passed, 19–1; House Bill 399 — reported, 18–1; House Bill 515 — passed, 19–0; House Bill 159 — amended and passed, 19–0; House Bill 160 — continued to 2027 with a letter to the FOIA Council.