Bill > HB141

This bill exempts the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) from certain state requirements, including specific procurement and technology procedures, and expands its existing exemptions from fees and charges. The Virginia Personnel Act and the Virginia Public Procurement Act, which govern state employee hiring and purchasing, will no longer apply to the VPRA, though the Authority must establish its own procurement rules, with higher thresholds for professional services requiring consistency with state law. The VPRA is also exempted from regulations of the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, which oversees state technology. Additionally, the bill clarifies that the VPRA is exempt from fees for remote access to land records and from certain fees, rents, and royalties related to the use of state-owned submerged lands, and it exempts the Authority from charges assessed by a locality for services like water or sewer. These changes aim to streamline the VPRA's operations and facilitate its mission of improving passenger rail service in Virginia.

Budget and Finance, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB141