HB572 - Manufactured home parks; resident rights.

13 Co-Sponsors

Manufactured home parks; resident rights. Provides that a rental agreement with a term of one year or more will not be automatically renewed if the tenant notifies the landlord in writing 60 days prior to the expiration date of such tenant's intent to not renew the agreement. The bill permits a tenant to not renew a rental agreement due to a change in terms of the agreement by the landlord if such tenant notifies the landlord of his intent to not renew the rental agreement within 30 days of receiving the notice of the change in terms. The bill allows a landlord to include in a written rental agreement a late fee, not to exceed 10 percent of the amount of the rent due and owed, for unpaid rental payments. The bill removes the right of a tenant or landlord to terminate a rental agreement with a term of 60 days or more by written notice at least 60 days prior to the termination date of the agreement.

HB859 - Human trafficking investigators; licensing by the Department of Criminal Justice Services.

20 Co-Sponsors

Human trafficking investigators; licensing by the Department of Criminal Justice Services. Authorizes the Department of Criminal Justice Services to register and issue licenses for human trafficking investigators. The bill provides that a human trafficking investigator is a private investigator who is GSA compliant and engages in the business of, or accepts employment to make, investigations to obtain information on sex trafficking or severe forms of trafficking as defined in the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 and in the federal Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.

HB765 - Parental rights; termination for alleged sexual abuse, petition filed by other parent.

1 Co-Sponsor

Termination of parental rights; sexual abuse; clear and convincing standard; petition filed by other parent. Allows a parent to file a petition to terminate the parental rights of the other parent if the circumstances giving rise to such a petition allege that such parent engaged in conduct prohibited by relevant law relating to sexual abuse, whether or not the parent has been charged with or convicted of the alleged violation, and the child was conceived of such conduct. The bill further requires the court to issue an order terminating the parental rights of a parent upon a finding, based on clear and convincing evidence, that (i) such parent engaged in the conduct prohibited by relevant law relating to sexual abuse, whether or not the parent has been charged with or convicted of the alleged violation, and the child was conceived of such conduct and (ii) termination of the parental rights of such parent is in the best interests of the child. The bill specifies that, if such parent is found by clear and convincing evidence to have engaged in the prohibited conduct resulting in the conception of such child, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that termination is in the best interest of the child, but no presumption shall be made by the court that one parent alone is contrary to the best interests of the child.

HB772 - Minors; parental admission for inpatient treatment.

1 Co-Sponsor

Parental admission of minors for inpatient treatment. Clarifies that for the purposes of admission of a minor to a willing mental health facility for inpatient treatment, the finding required to be made by a qualified evaluator that the minor appears to have a mental illness serious enough to warrant inpatient treatment may include a finding of substance abuse and such inpatient treatment may be related to such mental illness, which may include substance abuse. The bill also specifies that a temporary detention order shall not be required for a minor 14 years of age or older who objects to admission to be admitted to a willing facility upon the application of a parent. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Commission on Youth.

HB1366 - Social services, local departments of; employee criminal background checks.

1 Co-Sponsor

Local departments of social services; employee criminal background checks. Establishes a process for local departments of social services to conduct background checks for current or prospective employees and prohibits local departments from employing any person who has been convicted of a criminal offense that relates to his employment. The bill includes criteria for the local department to consider when deciding if a criminal offense related to employment is relevant when hiring a specific employment position.

HB1268 - Community corrections alternative program; evaluation and diagnosis to determine eligibility.

5 Co-Sponsors

Eligibility for participation in community corrections alternative program; evaluation and diagnosis; referral to the Department of Corrections. Provides that a probation and parole officer may refer a defendant on probation to the Department of Corrections for evaluation and diagnosis to determine eligibility and suitability for participation in the community corrections alternative program prior to the approval of the court. Under current law, such referral may take place with the approval of the court. The bill also makes technical amendments.

HB590 - Electronic gaming devices; regulation, penalties.

7 Co-Sponsors

Regulation of electronic gaming devices; penalties. Authorizes and specifies the licensing requirements for the manufacture, distribution, operation, hosting, and playing of electronic gaming devices, as defined in the bill, under the regulatory authority of the Virginia Lottery Board. The bill imposes a 30 percent tax on all gross profits from the play of such electronic gaming devices and provides for the use of such tax proceeds. The bill also imposes criminal and civil penalties for violations of the law and regulations related to electronic gaming devices. Regulation of electronic gaming devices; penalties. Authorizes and specifies the licensing requirements for the manufacture, distribution, operation, hosting, and playing of electronic gaming devices, as defined in the bill, under the regulatory authority of the Virginia Lottery Board. The bill imposes a 30 percent tax on all gross profits from the play of such electronic gaming devices and provides for the use of such tax proceeds. The bill also imposes criminal and civil penalties for violations of the law and regulations related to electronic gaming devices.

HR27 - Commending the Honorable Dr. Luke E. Torian.

20 Co-Sponsors

HB719 - Public high schools; SOL curriculum guidelines for research-based hazing prevention instruction.

29 Co-Sponsors

Public high schools; research-based hazing prevention instruction. Requires the Board of Education to develop Standards of Learning and curriculum guidelines for research-based hazing prevention instruction to be provided as a part of physical or health education instruction provided to students in grade nine or 10. The bill requires such hazing prevention instruction to include age-appropriate, extensive, and current education about hazing, including (i) examples of hazing; (ii) the dangers of hazing, including the consequences of alcohol intoxication; and (iii) school policies and laws related to hazing, including criminal penalties and bystander intervention. The bill requires such research-based hazing prevention instruction to be offered in-person but requires each school board to provide options for virtual participation for any student who is enrolled in an online or virtual physical or health education program. Finally, the bill requires each school board to provide such research-based hazing prevention instruction beginning with the school year following the Board's adoption of revised Standards of Learning for physical and health education for grades nine and 10 incorporating such research-based hazing prevention instruction and directs the Board to, in the intermediary time, develop and post on its website guidance documents for the purpose of making such research-based hazing prevention instruction available to local school boards.

HB18 - Hate crimes and discrimination; ethnic animosity, nondiscrimination in employment, etc., penalties.

37 Co-Sponsors

Hate crimes and discrimination; ethnic animosity; penalties. Provides that it is the policy of the Commonwealth to safeguard all individuals within the Commonwealth from unlawful discrimination in employment and in places of public accommodation because of such individual's ethnic origin and prohibits such discrimination. The bill also adds victims who are intentionally selected because of their ethnic origin to the categories of victims whose intentional selection for a hate crime involving assault, assault and battery, or trespass for the purpose of damaging another's property results in a higher criminal penalty for the offense. The bill also provides that no provider or user of an interactive computer service on the Internet shall be liable for any action voluntarily taken by it in good faith to restrict access to material that the provider or user considers to be intended to incite hatred on the basis of ethnic origin.