How to turn off password on sleeping mac?

I'm not 100% sure this is what you mean, but...

go into System Settings > Lock Screen and set "Require password after screen saver begins or display is turned off" to "Never"

no, that setting was there pre-venture. but it was in a different location. give me a minute to go to a pre-venture boot drive. I'll find it and come back with that location. (because I cannot remember it without checking, lol)

I found it. it's in System Preferences > Security & Privacy in the "General" tab.

Is this something unique to Ventura?

I can't believe that I misspelled Ventura, not once, but twice. :)