SB704 - Rural Virginia, Center for; renames Center the Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr. Center for Rural Virginia.

40 Co-Sponsors

Center for Rural Virginia; name change. Renames the Center for Rural Virginia as the Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr. Center for Rural Virginia.

SR65 - Celebrating the life of John Benjamin Graham, Jr.

2 Co-Sponsors

SB603 - Incarcerated women who are pregnant, etc.; DCJS, et al., to make recommendations for treatment.

1 Co-Sponsor

Department of Criminal Justice Services; priority treatment for incarcerated women who are pregnant and in need of substance abuse treatment; work group; report. Directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services, in collaboration with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Department of Health, to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to study and make recommendations related to prioritizing treatment for incarcerated women who are pregnant and in need of substance abuse treatment. The bill requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2024.

SJR51 - Celebrating the life of James Marlin Patton.

1 Co-Sponsor

SB21 - Students with disabilities; SCHEV to study process used to determine eligibility for accommodations.

2 Co-Sponsors

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; public institutions of higher education; policies for establishing eligibility for accommodations; report. Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, in consultation with representatives of public institutions of higher education, disability advocacy organizations, students enrolled at public institutions of higher education, higher education disability accommodation professionals, and a subject matter expert, to (i) study the processes by which each public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth determines the eligibility for accommodations of an admitted or enrolled student with a temporary or permanent disability, (ii) identify in such processes any potential barriers to establishing eligibility, and (iii) make recommendations on reducing any such barriers and on the development and establishment of a uniform accommodations eligibility determination in the Commonwealth.

SB451 - Income tax, corporate; distribution of revenues to state parks.

2 Co-Sponsors

Corporate income tax; distribution of revenues; state parks. Requires five percent beginning July 1, 2024, of all corporate income tax revenues to be distributed to the State Park Conservation Resources Fund to provide (i) free entry to Virginia state parks and (ii) the conservation, development, maintenance, and operations of state parks acquired or held by the Department of Conservation and Recreation as provided in the appropriation act. The bill provides that such distribution shall not reduce the total amount of annual appropriations for the Department and the Fund below the total amounts appropriated for the most recent fiscal year ending before July 1, 2024, except as provided by a subsequent appropriation act.

SB144 - Nolle prosequi or dismissal without prejudice prior to preliminary hearing; subsequent indictment.

1 Co-Sponsor

Nolle prosequi or dismissal prior to preliminary hearing; subsequent indictment. Provides that no person who was arrested on a warrant charging him with a felony offense shall be denied a preliminary hearing upon the question of whether there is probable cause to believe that he committed that offense and no indictment shall be returned in a court of record against any such person for such felony offense or any other offense arising out of the same facts and circumstances prior to such hearing unless such hearing is waived in writing by the accused. Nolle prosequi or dismissal prior to preliminary hearing; subsequent indictment. Provides that no person who was arrested on a warrant charging him with a felony offense shall be denied a preliminary hearing upon the question of whether there is probable cause to believe that he committed that offense and no indictment shall be returned in a court of record against any such person for such felony offense or any other offense arising out of the same facts and circumstances prior to such hearing unless such hearing is waived in writing by the accused. The bill provides that, on motion of the defendant made within 21 days of service of any such indictment upon such defendant that is returned without a preliminary hearing, the court shall stay prosecution in that court and remand the case to district court for a preliminary hearing. Upon conducting the preliminary hearing, the district court shall either (i) on a finding of probable cause, certify such indictment to the circuit court for further proceedings or (ii) if no probable cause is found, certify such finding to the circuit court, which shall dismiss such indictment with or without prejudice. Lastly, the bill tolls the time period to try an accused upon remand of an indictment to the district court for a preliminary hearing and restarts such time period upon a finding of probable cause by the district court.

SB317 - Alcoholic beverage control; farm winery licenses, requirements and privileges.

1 Co-Sponsor

Alcoholic beverage control; farm winery licenses; requirements and privileges. Exempts from certain requirements imposed on farm winery licensees by prior legislation persons that hold a farm winery license that was granted on or before July 1, 2020, and has continuously remained valid and active subsequent to its issuance if requested by such licensee. Such requirements relate to the characteristics of and tasks to be performed on the licensed premises, license qualifications, manufacturing and sale requirements and limitations, and utilization of contract winemaking services.

SB594 - Emergency medical personnel; EMS Advisory Board to examine requirements to join program.

1 Co-Sponsor

Department of Health; Office of Emergency Medical Services EMS Advisory Board; emergency medical personnel; career fatigue and wellness program. Directs the Department of Health's Office of Emergency Medical Services EMS Advisory Board to examine the eligibility requirements for emergency medical personnel to join a professional program addressing career fatigue and wellness. The bill requires the Board to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by October 1, 2024. Department of Health; Office of Emergency Medical Services EMS Advisory Board; emergency medical personnel; career fatigue and wellness program. Directs the Department of Health's Office of Emergency Medical Services EMS Advisory Board to examine the eligibility requirements for emergency medical personnel to join a professional program addressing career fatigue and wellness. The bill requires the Board to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by October 1, 2024.

SB427 - Petition for modification of a sentence; eligibility, procedures.

3 Co-Sponsors

Petition for modification of a sentence; eligibility; procedures. Provides procedures for individuals serving a sentence for certain felony convictions or a combination of such convictions who remain incarcerated in a state or local correctional facility or secure facility and meet certain criteria to petition the circuit court that entered the original judgment or order to (i) suspend the unserved portion of such sentence or run the unserved portion of such sentence concurrently with another sentence, (ii) place such person on probation for such time as the court shall determine, or (iii) otherwise modify the sentence imposed. Depending on the type of conviction, the bill allows the court to grant a hearing on such petition after an individual has served at least 25 years for certain offenses, after 20 years for certain other offenses, and after 15 years for any other felony conviction not specified. The bill does not allow an individual convicted of a Class 1 felony to petition for modification of his sentence. The bill requires the attorney for the Commonwealth and the victim to agree to hearing the petition in order for a court to conduct the hearing. Petition for modification of a sentence; eligibility; procedures. Provides procedures for individuals serving a sentence for certain felony convictions or a combination of such convictions who remain incarcerated in a state or local correctional facility or secure facility and meet certain criteria to petition the circuit court that entered the original judgment or order to (i) suspend the unserved portion of such sentence or run the unserved portion of such sentence concurrently with another sentence, (ii) place such person on probation for such time as the court shall determine, or (iii) otherwise modify the sentence imposed. Depending on the type of conviction, the bill allows the court to grant a hearing on such petition after an individual has served at least 25 years for certain offenses, after 20 years for certain other offenses, and after 15 years for any other felony conviction not specified. The bill does not allow an individual convicted of a Class 1 felony to petition for modification of his sentence. The bill requires the attorney for the Commonwealth and the victim to agree to hearing the petition in order for a court to conduct the hearing.

SB414 - Tire stewardship program; established, report.

1 Co-Sponsor

Tire stewardship program established; report. Requires producers of tires sold in the Commonwealth to join a tire stewardship organization on or before January 1, 2026, which must submit a plan to the Department of Environmental Quality for the establishment of an approved tire stewardship program. Such tire stewardship program shall establish a statewide collection system for discarded tires to facilitate higher rates of recycling and resale for such tires. The bill establishes reporting requirements for tire stewardship organizations and provides that the Office of the Attorney General may, at the request of the Department, enforce the provisions of the bill.

SB161 - High school graduation; alternative pathway to advanced studies diploma & associated diploma seal.

1 Co-Sponsor

Board of Education; high school graduation; alternative pathway to advanced studies diploma and associated diploma seal; career and technical education. Directs the Board of Education to establish an alternative pathway to the advanced studies high school diploma and an associated diploma seal for students who successfully follow and demonstrate excellence on such pathway, that requires advanced coursework in a career and technical education field but does not require coursework in laboratory science. Under current law, one computer science course credit may count as one of the laboratory science course credits required for an advanced studies high school diploma but there is no pathway to an advanced studies diploma that does not require any laboratory science coursework. The bill requires such pathway and associated diploma seal to become effective for the 2025-2026 school year and to be available to any student, regardless of the school year during which the student enters ninth grade.

SB506 - Higher educational institutions, public; duties and powers of governing board.

1 Co-Sponsor

Public institutions of higher education; governing boards; powers and duties; legal counsel; scope of employment. Provides that the governing board of each public institution of higher education shall have authority over the employment of all legal counsel for the institution, including decision-making authority in the commencement or termination of any legal counsel, the employment of outside legal counsel, the oversight and management of any legal counsel, and the appointment of a general counsel to serve as the chief legal officer of the institution. The bill provides that the chief legal officer and the vice president or similarly situated executive officer of such institution shall, under the direction of the governing board of such institution, conduct the legal affairs of and provide legal advice and representation for such institution on any matter that the governing board determines to be in the interest of the institution. The bill clarifies the scope of the involvement of the Attorney General in the legal affairs of public institutions of higher education, providing that the Attorney General may only provide legal service to a public institution of higher education upon request of the governing board of such institution or upon the governing board's decision to delegate all authority in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill permits the governing board of any public institution of higher education with less than 7,500 full-time students to delegate all authority over legal counsel conferred pursuant to the provisions of the bill. The bill also provides that the approval of the Attorney General shall be required for any legal settlement involving consideration in excess of $5 million. The bill also clarifies the duties of the governing board of each public institution of higher education in its collective capacity and of the members of such governing board in their individual capacities. Public institutions of higher education; governing boards; powers and duties; legal counsel; scope of employment. Provides that the governing board of each public institution of higher education shall have authority over the employment of all legal counsel for the institution, including decision-making authority in the commencement or termination of any legal counsel, the employment of outside legal counsel, the oversight and management of any legal counsel, and the appointment of a general counsel to serve as the chief legal officer of the institution. The bill provides that the chief legal officer and the vice president or similarly situated executive officer of such institution shall, under the direction of the governing board of such institution, conduct the legal affairs of and provide legal advice and representation for such institution on any matter that the governing board determines to be in the interest of the institution. The bill clarifies the scope of the involvement of the Attorney General in the legal affairs of public institutions of higher education, providing that the Attorney General may only provide legal service to a public institution of higher education upon request of the governing board of such institution or upon the governing board's decision to delegate all authority in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill permits the governing board of any public institution of higher education with less than 7,500 full-time students to delegate all authority over legal counsel conferred pursuant to the provisions of the bill. The bill also provides that the approval of the Attorney General shall be required for any legal settlement involving consideration in excess of $5 million. The bill also clarifies the duties of the governing board of each public institution of higher education in its collective capacity and of the members of such governing board in their individual capacities.

SJR141 - Celebrating the life of the Honorable George James Kostel.

13 Co-Sponsors

SB604 - Virginia Public Procurement Act; prohibition on boycotting Israel.

1 Co-Sponsor

Virginia Public Procurement Act; prohibition on boycotting Israel. Requires all public bodies to include in every contract in excess of $100,000 with a business that employs more than 10 employees and in every subcontract or purchase order in excess of $10,000 a provision that states that during the performance of the contract, neither the contracting business nor any of its affiliates shall engage in a boycott of Israel.