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SPONSORED LEGISLATION
HJR36 - Clean energy; Dept. of Energy to study barriers for local governments to purchase.
Briana D. Sewell, Joshua E. Thomas
Last updated 11 months ago
2 Co-Sponsors
Study; Department of Energy; local governments; purchases of clean energy; report. Requests the Department of Energy to study the barriers for local governments to directly purchase clean energy or to facilitate the purchase of clean energy by their constituents. In conducting its study, the Department shall consider existing ways for local governments to purchase clean energy and promote access to clean energy for their constituents, evaluate barriers and develop recommendations relating to reducing such barriers for local governments to purchase clean energy and encouraging the purchase of and access to clean energy by local governments and their constituents, and consult with relevant stakeholders as needed.
STATUS
Introduced
HB734 - Delivery network companies; portable benefit accounts.
Joshua E. Thomas
Last updated 11 months ago
1 Co-Sponsor
Delivery network companies; portable benefit accounts. Requires a delivery network company, defined in the bill as a business entity that maintains an online-enabled application or platform used to facilitate delivery services, to contribute an amount equal to four percent of an eligible driver's earnings in the immediately preceding quarter earned through that delivery network company. Additionally, the eligible driver may make voluntary contributions to the portable benefit account. The bill provides that a delivery driver is eligible for the portable benefit account if the driver earned $1,000 delivering in a quarter. Under the bill, funds in a portable benefit account may be used to (i) compensate for lost income due to (a) an illness or accident, (b) the birth or adoption of a child of the driver, (c) a state of emergency, or (d) an earnings loss; (ii) transfer funds to an individual retirement account; or (iii) cover expenses incurred for premiums for health insurance coverage in the individual market. The bill provides that a portable benefit account is exempt from taxation, and contributions to the portable benefit account are not included in the driver's gross income. The bill requires the delivery network company to purchase insurance to cover medical expenses and lost income resulting from injuries suffered while the driver was engaged on a delivery network company's online-enabled application or platform. Additionally, the bill prohibits a delivery network company from discriminating against drivers based on certain classes. The bill provides that delivery drivers are classified as independent contractors, notwithstanding the provision of benefits required by the bill. The bill also provides that jurisdiction in all matters concerning delivery network companies and app-based delivery drivers shall be exclusively vested in the state. Finally the bill provides that its provisions regarding the classification of delivery drivers as independent contractors are not severable. Delivery network companies; portable benefit accounts. Requires a delivery network company, defined in the bill as a business entity that maintains an online-enabled application or platform used to facilitate delivery services, to contribute an amount equal to four percent of an eligible driver's earnings in the immediately preceding quarter earned through that delivery network company. Additionally, the eligible driver may make voluntary contributions to the portable benefit account. The bill provides that a delivery driver is eligible for the portable benefit account if the driver earned $1,000 delivering in a quarter. Under the bill, funds in a portable benefit account may be used to (i) compensate for lost income due to (a) an illness or accident, (b) the birth or adoption of a child of the driver, (c) a state of emergency, or (d) an earnings loss; (ii) transfer funds to an individual retirement account; or (iii) cover expenses incurred for premiums for health insurance coverage in the individual market. The bill provides that a portable benefit account is exempt from taxation, and contributions to the portable benefit account are not included in the driver's gross income. The bill requires the delivery network company to purchase insurance to cover medical expenses and lost income resulting from injuries suffered while the driver was engaged on a delivery network company's online-enabled application or platform. Additionally, the bill prohibits a delivery network company from discriminating against drivers based on certain classes. The bill provides that delivery drivers are classified as independent contractors, notwithstanding the provision of benefits required by the bill. The bill also provides that jurisdiction in all matters concerning delivery network companies and app-based delivery drivers shall be exclusively vested in the state. Finally the bill provides that its provisions regarding the classification of delivery drivers as independent contractors are not severable.
STATUS
Introduced
HB341 - Virginia Public Procurement Act; consideration of employment of older Virginia residents.
Joshua E. Thomas
Last updated 11 months ago
1 Co-Sponsor
Virginia Public Procurement Act; consideration of employment of older Virginia residents. Allows public bodies to include as a factor that will be used in evaluating a Request for Proposal the proposer's participation in programs that employ Virginia residents age 55 or older. The bill also provides that in the case of a tie bid between two or more bidders-both of which are eligible for a preference as a bidder for goods produced in Virginia or goods, services, or construction provided by Virginia persons, firms, or corporations-an additional preference shall be given to any bidder that participates in such programs.
STATUS
Introduced
HB177 - Federal Early Intervention Program for Infants & Toddlers w/Disabilities; reimbursement rates.
Debra D. Gardner, Bonita Grace Anthony, Alex Q. Askew
Last updated 11 months ago
20 Co-Sponsors
Department of Medical Assistance Services; reimbursement rates for Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities; work group; report. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to assess and make recommendations related to reimbursement rates for the federal Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities. The bill requires the work group to report its 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.
STATUS
Introduced
HB736 - Veterans; examining practice of persons receiving compensation for providing certain services, etc.
Briana D. Sewell, Jackie H. Glass, Dan I. Helmer
Last updated 8 months ago
30 Co-Sponsors
Department of Law; compensation for veterans' benefits matters; work group; report. Directs the Department of Law's Division of Consumer Counsel to convene a work group to examine and make recommendations regarding the practice of persons receiving compensation for preparing, presenting, prosecuting, advising, consulting, or assisting any individual regarding any veterans' benefits matter, as defined in the bill. Department of Law; compensation for veterans' benefits matters; work group; report. Directs the Department of Law's Division of Consumer Counsel to convene a work group to examine and make recommendations regarding the practice of persons receiving compensation for preparing, presenting, prosecuting, advising, consulting, or assisting any individual regarding any veterans' benefits matter, as defined in the bill.
STATUS
Passed
HB737 - Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements, civil action.
Briana D. Sewell, Charniele L. Herring, Kathy K.L. Tran
Last updated 11 months ago
26 Co-Sponsors
Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements; civil action. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning January 1, 2027. Under the program, benefits are paid to covered individuals, as defined in the bill, for family and medical leave. Funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning January 1, 2026. The bill provides that the amount of a benefit is 80 percent of the employee's average weekly wage, not to exceed 80 percent of the state weekly wage, which amount is required to be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the statewide average weekly wage. The bill caps the duration of paid leave at 12 weeks in any application year and provides self-employed individuals the option of participating in the program. Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements; civil action. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning January 1, 2027. Under the program, benefits are paid to covered individuals, as defined in the bill, for family and medical leave. Funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning January 1, 2026. The bill provides that the amount of a benefit is 80 percent of the employee's average weekly wage, not to exceed 80 percent of the state weekly wage, which amount is required to be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the statewide average weekly wage. The bill caps the duration of paid leave at 12 weeks in any application year and provides self-employed individuals the option of participating in the program.
STATUS
Introduced
HB325 - Minimum wage and overtime wages; civil actions.
Joshua E. Thomas
Last updated 11 months ago
1 Co-Sponsor
Minimum wage and overtime wages; civil actions. Provides that an employer that violates minimum wage or overtime provisions is liable to the employee for the applicable remedies, damages, or other relief available in an action brought pursuant to the civil action provisions currently available for the nonpayment of wages. Such provisions currently available provide that an employee may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover payment of the wages, and the court is required to award the wages owed, an additional equal amount as liquidated damages, plus prejudgment interest thereon, and reasonable attorney fees and costs. If the court finds that the employer knowingly failed to pay wages to an employee, the court is required award the employee an amount equal to triple the amount of wages due and reasonable attorney fees and costs. Such actions are required to be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrued.
STATUS
Introduced
HB340 - Electric utilities; underground transmission lines.
Joshua E. Thomas, Ian T. Lovejoy
Last updated 11 months ago
2 Co-Sponsors
Electric utilities; underground transmission lines. Provides that the construction and reconstruction of any underground, in whole or in part, electrical transmission lines of at least 69 kilovolts and less than 500 kilovolts along a highway right-of-way under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation in Planning District 8 where a data center proposal is under construction in an area located within a half mile of a National Battlefield Park and within one mile of a state forest is in the public interest.
STATUS
Introduced
HB102 - Court-appointed counsel; raises the limitation of fees.
Atoosa R. Reaser, Jason S. Ballard, Patrick A. Hope
Last updated 8 months ago
33 Co-Sponsors
Compensation of court-appointed counsel. Raises the limitation of fees that court-appointed counsel can receive for representation on various offenses in district and circuit courts. The bill also limits the fees charged for the cost of court-appointed counsel or public defender representation to persons determined to be indigent to an amount no greater than the amount such person would have owed if such fees had been assessed on or before June 30, 2024. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025.
STATUS
Passed
HB366 - Va. Nat'l Guard State Tuition Assistance Program; provisions relating to eligibility for grants.
David A. Reid, Michael B. Feggans, Joshua E. Thomas
Last updated 10 months ago
3 Co-Sponsors
Institutions of higher education; tuition grants; Virginia National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program. Makes several changes to the Virginia National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program, including (i) making the provisions relating to the requirements and conditions for eligibility for and award of grants under the Program subject to regulations as prescribed by the Adjutant General, (ii) eliminating the requirement to satisfy financial obligations with the institution of higher education at the beginning of each semester, (iii) simplifying the requirements relating to academic performance and good standing, and (iv) providing that upon acceptance, grant funds shall be disbursed to the applicable institution of higher education for credit against the recipient's student account. Institutions of higher education; tuition grants; Virginia National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program. Makes several changes to the Virginia National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program, including (i) making the provisions relating to the requirements and conditions for eligibility for and award of grants under the Program subject to regulations as prescribed by the Adjutant General, (ii) eliminating the requirement to satisfy financial obligations with the institution of higher education at the beginning of each semester, (iii) simplifying the requirements relating to academic performance and good standing, and (iv) providing that upon acceptance, grant funds shall be disbursed to the applicable institution of higher education for credit against the recipient's student account.
STATUS
Engrossed
BIOGRAPHY
INCUMBENT
Representative from Virginia district HD-021
COMMITTEES
Virginia House
BIRTH
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ABOUT
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OFFICES HELD
Virginia House from Virginia
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