SR53 - Celebrating the life of T.K. Weiler.

2 Co-Sponsors

SJR14 - Artificial intelligence; Joint Commission on Technology and Science to study advancements.

1 Co-Sponsor

Joint Commission on Technology and Science; study; advancements in artificial intelligence; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Technology and Science to study advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), including assessing (i) the impacts of deep fakes, data privacy implications, and misinformation; (ii) measures to ensure these technologies do not indirectly or directly lead to discrimination; (iii) strategies to promote equity in AI algorithms; and (iv) ways in which AI can be utilized to improve government operations and services, and to make recommendations on any appropriate legislation for consideration by the General Assembly.

SR70 - Celebrating the life of Mary Clyde James Carruth.

2 Co-Sponsors

SB141 - Organizations, certain; State Department of Health's regulation on sale of food.

2 Co-Sponsors

State Department of Health; regulation of certain organizations; sale of food. Expands a current exemption to allow churches, fraternal or school organizations, organizations that are exempt from taxation under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and volunteer fire departments and volunteer emergency medical services agencies that not only hold, as provided for in current law, but also participate in occasional dinners, bazaars, and other fundraisers of one or two days' duration, at which food (i) prepared in the homes of members; (ii) prepared in the kitchen of the church, school, or organization; or (iii) purchased or donated from a licensed restaurant is offered for sale to the public, to conduct such activities without applying for any permits or licensure from the State Department of Health. State Department of Health; regulation of certain organizations; sale of food. Expands a current exemption to allow churches, fraternal or school organizations, organizations that are exempt from taxation under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and volunteer fire departments and volunteer emergency medical services agencies that not only hold, as provided for in current law, but also participate in occasional dinners, bazaars, and other fundraisers of one or two days' duration, at which food (i) prepared in the homes of members; (ii) prepared in the kitchen of the church, school, or organization; or (iii) purchased or donated from a licensed restaurant is offered for sale to the public, to conduct such activities without applying for any permits or licensure from the State Department of Health.

SB559 - Commercial sex trafficking, prostitution, etc.; increases penalties.

1 Co-Sponsor

Commercial sex trafficking, prostitution, etc.; penalties. Increases from a Class 4 felony to a Class 3 felony the penalties for the following crimes if a minor is not involved: (i) human trafficking; (ii) receiving money or other valuable thing for or on account of causing any person to engage in forced labor or services, concubinage, prostitution, or the manufacture of any obscene material or child pornography; (iii) receiving any money or other valuable thing from the earnings of any male or female engaged in prostitution; and (iv) commercial sex trafficking through the use of force, intimidation, or deception. The bill also increases from a Class 3 felony to a Class 2 felony the penalties for the following crimes if a minor is involved: (a) human trafficking; (b) receiving money or other valuable thing for or on account of causing any person to engage in forced labor or services, concubinage, prostitution, or the manufacture of any obscene material or child pornography; (c) receiving any money or other valuable thing from the earnings of any male or female engaged in prostitution; and (d) commercial sex trafficking.

SB284 - Siting of data centers; impacts on resources and historically significant sites.

1 Co-Sponsor

Siting of data centers; impacts on resources and historically significant sites. Provides that any local government land use application required for the siting of a data center shall only be approved in areas where the data center will (i) have a minimal impact on historic, agricultural, and cultural resources and (ii) not be within one mile of a national park, state park, or other historically significant site.

SB485 - Employee protections; employer-sponsored meetings on political matters, civil action.

1 Co-Sponsor

Employee protections; employer-sponsored meetings on political matters; civil action. Prohibits an employer from retaliating against an employee (i) because such employee declines to attend or participate in an employer-sponsored meeting or receive an employer's communications conveying an opinion about political matters, as defined in the bill; (ii) as a means of inducing an employee's attendance at such meeting or receipt of such communications; or (iii) because the employee reports a suspected violation of the bill's provisions. The bill permits an employee alleging a violation of the bill's provisions to bring an action in civil court within 90 days after such violation occurs for appropriate relief, including injunctive relief, reinstatement, compensation for lost wages, benefits, and other remuneration, interest, and reasonable attorney fees and costs.

SJR25 - Groundwater supply in the Commonwealth; Department of Environmental Quality to study.

1 Co-Sponsor

Study; Department of Environmental Quality; groundwater supply in the Commonwealth; report. Requests that the Department of Environmental Quality complete a one-year study of the groundwater supply in the Commonwealth with technical assistance provided by the State Water Control Board. The Department shall complete its meetings by November 30, 2024, and submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an executive summary and a report of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

SB324 - Virginia Freedom of Information Act; charges for production of public records.

1 Co-Sponsor

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; charges for production of public records; report. Prohibits a public body from charging a requester for any costs incurred during the first hour spent accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for records requested in conjunction with the requester's first request. The bill provides that for any additional time spent accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for such records, or for any additional record requests, the public body shall not charge an hourly rate for accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for the records exceeding the lesser of the hourly rate of pay of the lowest-paid individual capable of fulfilling the request or $40 per hour. The bill allows a public body to petition the appropriate court for relief from the $40-per-hour fee cap upon showing by a preponderance of the evidence that there is no qualified individual capable of fulfilling the request for $40 per hour or less and requires such petition to be heard within seven days of when the petition is made, provided that the public body has sent and the requester has received a copy of the petition at least three working days prior to filing. The bill also provides that in certain instances a hearing on any petition shall be given precedence on a circuit court's docket over all cases that are not otherwise given precedence by law and that the time period the public body has to respond to a record request shall be tolled between the requester's receipt of the petition and the final disposition of the court. The bill prohibits a public body from charging a requester for any court costs or fees resulting from a petition. The bill directs the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council to study whether public bodies should charge requesters pursuant to the bill and report on its findings by December 2024. The provisions of the bill amending the Code of Virginia do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2025 Session of the General Assembly. Virginia Freedom of Information Act; charges for production of public records; report. Prohibits a public body from charging a requester for any costs incurred during the first hour spent accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for records requested in conjunction with the requester's first request. The bill provides that for any additional time spent accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for such records, or for any additional record requests, the public body shall not charge an hourly rate for accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for the records exceeding the lesser of the hourly rate of pay of the lowest-paid individual capable of fulfilling the request or $40 per hour. The bill allows a public body to petition the appropriate court for relief from the $40-per-hour fee cap upon showing by a preponderance of the evidence that there is no qualified individual capable of fulfilling the request for $40 per hour or less and requires such petition to be heard within seven days of when the petition is made, provided that the public body has sent and the requester has received a copy of the petition at least three working days prior to filing. The bill also provides that in certain instances a hearing on any petition shall be given precedence on a circuit court's docket over all cases that are not otherwise given precedence by law and that the time period the public body has to respond to a record request shall be tolled between the requester's receipt of the petition and the final disposition of the court. The bill prohibits a public body from charging a requester for any court costs or fees resulting from a petition. The bill directs the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council to study whether public bodies should charge requesters pursuant to the bill and report on its findings by December 2024. The provisions of the bill amending the Code of Virginia do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2025 Session of the General Assembly.

SJR23 - Black Maternal Health Week; designating as April 11-17, 2024, and each succeeding year thereafter.

2 Co-Sponsors

Black Maternal Health Week. Designates April 11 through April 17, in 2024 and in each succeeding year, as Black Maternal Health Week in Virginia.

SB106 - Portsmouth, City of; amending charter, aligning dates for nomination of candidates.

2 Co-Sponsors

Charter; City of Portsmouth; emergency. Amends the charter for the City of Portsmouth by aligning dates for nomination of candidates and the filling of city council vacancies with state law. The bill also updates a Code of Virginia reference and contains an emergency clause.

SR69 - Celebrating the life of Helen V. Davis.

1 Co-Sponsor

SB476 - Earned sentence credits; inchoate offenses, concurrent and consecutive sentences.

1 Co-Sponsor

Earned sentence credits; inchoate offenses; concurrent and consecutive sentences. Provides that a person who is convicted of an inchoate offense will earn sentence credits at the same rate as someone who is convicted of the completed offense for certain enumerated offenses. The bill also specifies that the provision in current law providing that a person who has been convicted of certain enumerated offenses may earn a maximum of 4.5 sentence credits for each 30 days served on any sentence for such offenses also applies to any other sentence that is to be served concurrent with or consecutive to any such sentence. The bill also clarifies that the provisions regarding the earning of credits for concurrent and consecutive sentences apply retroactively.

SJR152 - Celebrating the life of the Honorable Robison Brown James.

2 Co-Sponsors

SB182 - Alcoholic beverage control; advertisements.

1 Co-Sponsor

Alcoholic beverage control; advertisements. Directs the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to promulgate regulations that prescribe the terms and conditions under which manufacturers, brokers, importers, and wholesalers may advertise and promote alcoholic beverages via the Internet, social media, direct-to-consumer electronic communication, or other electronic means.