2025 SESSION

INTRODUCED

25102674D

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 454

Offered January 13, 2025

Prefiled January 7, 2025

Directing the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the economic and workforce impacts of the automation of ports in the Commonwealth. Report.

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Patron—Anthony

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Referred to Committee on Rules

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WHEREAS, port operations and associated industries are vital to the economy of the Commonwealth and are responsible for substantial economic activity, job creation, and maintenance of supply chains throughout the Commonwealth and the nation; and

WHEREAS, advances in automation technology present opportunities for increased efficiency, productivity, and safety in port operations but also raise concerns regarding potential job displacement, changes in workforce requirements, and broader impacts on local economies and communities; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth has an interest in protecting its workforce and ensuring that technological advancements do not come at the expense of the economic stability and social well-being of its workforce; and

WHEREAS, a thorough study of the potential impacts of automation on port productivity, the workforce of the Commonwealth, and the broader economic landscape, and the inclusion of experts in modeling and simulation, engineering, political science, and social policy to provide an in-depth data-driven analysis of these complex issues in such study is necessary to inform legislative decisions and ensure that the Commonwealth can adapt to technological advancements in a way that protects both workers and communities; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission be directed to study the economic and workforce impacts of the automation of ports in the Commonwealth.

In conducting its study, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) shall work in collaboration with the Modeling and Simulation Advisory Board, the College of Engineering and Technology at Old Dominion University, and the Department of Political Science and School of Social Work at Norfolk State University to (i) assess the potential economic and social impacts of increased automation in port operations within the Commonwealth, including job displacement, workforce development needs, and community economic stability; (ii) determine the feasibility of adopting hybrid automation models that maintain human oversight while integrating advanced technology to improve efficiency and safety; (iii) assess workforce transition strategies, including the need for upskilling programs to prepare current and future port workers for roles in increasingly automated environments; (iv) identify best practices and policy recommendations from other states and countries that have navigated the integration of automation in critical industries without significant adverse effects on employment or communities; and (v) assess the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of ports in the Commonwealth in a more automated global supply chain.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission for this study, upon request.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2025, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2026 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall state whether the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summary and report shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.