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SPONSORED LEGISLATION
HB1287 - Towing companies; provision of existing law authorizing localities in Planning District 8.
Adele Y. McClure, Alfonso H. Lopez, Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker
Last updated 6 months ago
10 Co-Sponsors
Towing companies; local authority. Clarifies that the provisions of existing law authorizing localities in Planning District 8 to require towing companies that tow from the county, city, or town to a storage or release location outside of the locality to obtain a permit to do so do not restrict or modify the authority of the locality to require that towing companies that tow and store or release vehicles within the county, city, or town to obtain from the locality a permit to do so. Towing companies; local authority. Clarifies that the provisions of existing law authorizing localities in Planning District 8 to require towing companies that tow from the county, city, or town to a storage or release location outside of the locality to obtain a permit to do so do not restrict or modify the authority of the locality to require that towing companies that tow and store or release vehicles within the county, city, or town to obtain from the locality a permit to do so.
STATUS
Passed
HB895 - Protective orders; venue.
Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker, Rozia A. Henson
Last updated 6 months ago
2 Co-Sponsors
Violation of protective orders; venue. Allows a person to be prosecuted for a violation of a protective order charge in the jurisdiction where the party protected by the protective order resided at the time of such violation.
STATUS
Passed
HB764 - Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; early termination of rental agreement.
Karrie K. Delaney, Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker, Joshua E. Thomas
Last updated 6 months ago
6 Co-Sponsors
Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; early termination of rental agreement; victims of sexual abuse or criminal sexual assault. Provides that a tenant who is a victim of family abuse, sexual abuse, or other criminal sexual assault may terminate such tenant's obligations under a rental agreement if the tenant has obtained a permanent protective order and has given proper written notice of termination. Under current law, there must be a family abuse protective order or a conviction before the tenant may terminate such obligations under a rental agreement. Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; early termination of rental agreement; victims of sexual abuse or criminal sexual assault. Provides that a tenant who is a victim of family abuse, sexual abuse, or other criminal sexual assault may terminate such tenant's obligations under a rental agreement if the tenant has obtained a permanent protective order and has given proper written notice of termination. Under current law, there must be a family abuse protective order or a conviction before the tenant may terminate such obligations under a rental agreement.
STATUS
Passed
HB893 - Attorneys appointed to represent parents or guardians; qualifications and performance.
Adele Y. McClure, Betsy B. Carr, Sam Rasoul
Last updated 6 months ago
35 Co-Sponsors
Standards for attorneys appointed to represent parents or guardians; child dependency cases; compensation; multidisciplinary law offices or programs; report. Requires the Judicial Council of Virginia, in conjunction with the Virginia State Bar, beginning July 1, 2026, to adopt standards for the qualification and performance of attorneys appointed to represent a parent or guardian of a child when such child is the subject of a child dependency case, as defined in the bill. The bill also requires the Judicial Council of Virginia, beginning July 1, 2026, to maintain a list of attorneys admitted to practice law in Virginia who are qualified to be appointed to represent indigent parents involved in a child dependency case. Prior to July 1, 2026, counsel must be appointed from the list of attorneys qualified to serve as guardians ad litem. The bill provides that beginning January 1, 2025, court-appointed counsel for a parent, guardian, or other adult in a child dependency case will be compensated in an amount no greater than $330, or in a case for the termination of residual parental rights, $680. Standards for attorneys appointed to represent parents or guardians; child dependency cases; compensation; multidisciplinary law offices or programs; report. Requires the Judicial Council of Virginia, in conjunction with the Virginia State Bar, beginning July 1, 2026, to adopt standards for the qualification and performance of attorneys appointed to represent a parent or guardian of a child when such child is the subject of a child dependency case, as defined in the bill. The bill also requires the Judicial Council of Virginia, beginning July 1, 2026, to maintain a list of attorneys admitted to practice law in Virginia who are qualified to be appointed to represent indigent parents involved in a child dependency case. Prior to July 1, 2026, counsel must be appointed from the list of attorneys qualified to serve as guardians ad litem. The bill provides that beginning January 1, 2025, court-appointed counsel for a parent, guardian, or other adult in a child dependency case will be compensated in an amount no greater than $330, or in a case for the termination of residual parental rights, $680. The bill authorizes the establishment of up to two multidisciplinary law offices or programs in localities, jurisdictions, or judicial districts that affirm they have met specified criteria for the purpose of representing parents in a child dependency court proceeding or in a child protective services assessment or investigation prior to such proceeding. During any calendar year that such an office or program is in effect for at least six months, the office or program must submit a report on program outcomes, expenses, recommendations, and other pertinent information to the Office of the Children's Ombudsman and the Chairmen of the House Committees for Courts of Justice and on Health and Human Services and Appropriations and the Senate Committees for Courts of Justice and on Education and Health and Finance and Appropriations by November 1.
STATUS
Passed
HB878 - Affordable housing; purchase of development rights.
David L. Bulova, Alfonso H. Lopez, Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker
Last updated 8 months ago
3 Co-Sponsors
Purchase of development rights for affordable housing. Permits any local government to purchase development rights or accept the donation of development rights in an effort to preserve and provide affordable housing. The bill grants local governments the powers necessary to carry out the purchase of such development rights. The bill prohibits the conversion or diversion of such affordable housing once the development rights are purchased unless the local government determines that such diversion is essential to the development and growth of the locality and in accordance with the locality's comprehensive plan.
STATUS
Engrossed
HB828 - Public schools; staffing ratios of teachers for English language learner students.
Rae C. Cousins, Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker, Nadarius E. Clark
Last updated 9 months ago
6 Co-Sponsors
Public school staffing ratios; teachers; English language learner students. Requires state funding to be provided pursuant to the general appropriation act to support divisionwide ratios of English language learner students in average daily membership to full-time equivalent teaching positions as follows: (i) for each English language learner identified as proficiency level one, one position per 25 students; (ii) for each English language learner identified as proficiency level two, one position per 30 students; (iii) for each English language learner identified as proficiency level three, one position per 40 students; and (iv) for all other English language learners, one position per 50 students. Current law requires state funding to be provided pursuant to the general appropriation act to support one such teaching position per 50 English language learner students, regardless of the identified English proficiency level of such students.
STATUS
Introduced
HB502 - Nonbinary sex or gender; all forms or applications to offer any applicant the option to designate.
Laura Jane Cohen, Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker, Rozia A. Henson
Last updated 9 months ago
3 Co-Sponsors
Nonbinary sex or gender designation option. Requires all forms or applications to offer any applicant the option of "male," "female," or "nonbinary" when designating the applicant's sex or gender. The bill contains technical amendments.
STATUS
Introduced
HB831 - Maternal Mortality Review Team, et al.; expanding composition and scope of work.
Rae C. Cousins, Charniele L. Herring, Karen A. Keys-Gamarra
Last updated 6 months ago
8 Co-Sponsors
Chief Medical Examiner; Maternal Mortality Review Team; work group; expansion plan; report. Directs the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the Maternal Mortality Review Team to convene a work group to expand the work of the Maternal Mortality Review Team. The bill directs the work group to develop criteria and procedures related to the collection of maternal morbidity data. The bill specifies that the Maternal Mortality Review Team's expansion plan shall include certain plans for data collection, data review, and development and implementation of policies and recommendations. The work group is required to report its findings and provide its plan to the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Health and Human Services and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Education and Health by July 1, 2026. Chief Medical Examiner; Maternal Mortality Review Team; work group; expansion plan; report. Directs the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the Maternal Mortality Review Team to convene a work group to expand the work of the Maternal Mortality Review Team. The bill directs the work group to develop criteria and procedures related to the collection of maternal morbidity data. The bill specifies that the Maternal Mortality Review Team's expansion plan shall include certain plans for data collection, data review, and development and implementation of policies and recommendations. The work group is required to report its findings and provide its plan to the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Health and Human Services and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Education and Health by July 1, 2026.
STATUS
Passed
HB603 - Public elementary and secondary schools; programs of instruction on mental health education.
Marcia S. Price, Destiny LeVere Bolling, Candi Mundon King
Last updated 5 months ago
24 Co-Sponsors
Public elementary and secondary schools; health instruction, certain topics relating to mental health. Requires health instruction provided to elementary and secondary school students to include certain topics relating to mental health that are enumerated in the bill, including (i) general themes of social and emotional learning, including self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, relationship skills, and social awareness; (ii) signs and symptoms of common mental health challenges; and (iii) mental health wellness and healthy strategies for coping with stress and negative feelings, including conflict resolution skills. Public elementary and secondary schools; health instruction, certain topics relating to mental health. Requires health instruction provided to elementary and secondary school students to include certain topics relating to mental health that are enumerated in the bill, including (i) general themes of social and emotional learning, including self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, relationship skills, and social awareness; (ii) signs and symptoms of common mental health challenges; and (iii) mental health wellness and healthy strategies for coping with stress and negative feelings, including conflict resolution skills.
STATUS
Passed
HB441 - Polling place; assistance for certain voters, clarifies definition of "person with a disability."
Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker, Michelle E. Lopes-Maldonado, Adele Y. McClure
Last updated 6 months ago
10 Co-Sponsors
Assistance for certain voters outside of the polling place; definition of "person with a disability"; training. Amends the definition of "person with a disability" for purposes of the Elections title to mean any person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of his major life activities or who has a record of such impairment. The bill provides that any qualified voter who is a person with a disability shall be eligible for assistance outside of the polling place and makes technical amendments for consistency. The bill requires the training required for all officers of election to include specific training on voting outside of a polling place and directs the Department of Elections to incorporate into guidance documents for election officials the processes and procedures for voting outside of the polling place, including best practices for providing assistance for voters with disabilities.
STATUS
Passed
BIOGRAPHY
INCUMBENT
Representative from Virginia district HD-045
COMMITTEES
Virginia House
BIRTH
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ABOUT
Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker is Vice Chair of the Nassau County Legislature. She represents the 15th Legislative District. Bennett-Parker was an elementary school teacher in New York. She has served on the Westbury Board of Education and other local civic organizations. Bennett-Parker earned her B.S. from New York Institute of Technology. She and her husband live in Westbury and have two adult children.read less
OFFICES HELD
Virginia House from Virginia
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