HB179 - Imprisonment; consecutive terms.

7 Co-Sponsors

Consecutive terms of imprisonment. Eliminates the required imposition of mandatory consecutive sentences of imprisonment.

HB699 - Treatment with opioids; Board of Medicine, et al., to amend their regulations.

19 Co-Sponsors

Board of Medicine; Board of Dentistry; Board of Optometry; Boards of Medicine and Nursing; patient counseling; treatment with opioids. Directs the Board of Medicine, the Board of Dentistry, the Board of Optometry, and the Boards of Medicine and Nursing to amend their regulations to require the provision of certain information to patients being prescribed an opioid for the treatment of acute or chronic pain. The bill requires that the regulations include an exception to the required provision of such information for patients who are (i) in active treatment for cancer, (ii) receiving hospice care from a licensed hospice or palliative care, (iii) residents of a long-term care facility, (iv) being prescribed an opioid in the course of treatment for substance abuse or opioid dependence, or (v) receiving treatment for sickle cell disease. The bill directs the Boards to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. Board of Medicine; Board of Dentistry; Board of Optometry; Boards of Medicine and Nursing; patient counseling; treatment with opioids. Directs the Board of Medicine, the Board of Dentistry, the Board of Optometry, and the Boards of Medicine and Nursing to amend their regulations to require the provision of certain information to patients being prescribed an opioid for the treatment of acute or chronic pain. The bill requires that the regulations include an exception to the required provision of such information for patients who are (i) in active treatment for cancer, (ii) receiving hospice care from a licensed hospice or palliative care, (iii) residents of a long-term care facility, (iv) being prescribed an opioid in the course of treatment for substance abuse or opioid dependence, or (v) receiving treatment for sickle cell disease. The bill directs the Boards to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.

HB458 - Sales and use tax, local; additional tax authorized in all counties & cities to support schools.

1 Co-Sponsor

Additional local sales and use tax to support schools; referendum. Authorizes all counties and cities to impose an additional local sales and use tax at a rate not to exceed one percent with the revenue used only for capital projects for the construction or renovation of schools if such levy is approved in a voter referendum. Under current law, only Charlotte, Gloucester, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Northampton, Patrick, and Pittsylvania Counties and the City of Danville are authorized to impose such a tax.

HB1251 - VA Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; material noncompliance by landlord, court escrow account.

6 Co-Sponsors

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; material noncompliance by landlord; rent escrow; relief. Removes the requirement that, prior to the granting of any relief, a tenant shall pay into escrow any amount of rent called for under the rental agreement. The bill requires the tenant, during the pendency of the action, to pay into escrow the amount of rent that becomes due subsequent to the initial court date called for under the rental agreement within five days of the date due under such rental agreement, unless or until such amount is modified by a subsequent order of the court. The bill also provides that a failure of the tenant to make timely payments into escrow shall not be grounds for dismissal of the underlying action but may be considered by the court when issuing an order. Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; material noncompliance by landlord; rent escrow; relief. Removes the requirement that, prior to the granting of any relief, a tenant shall pay into escrow any amount of rent called for under the rental agreement. The bill requires the tenant, during the pendency of the action, to pay into escrow the amount of rent that becomes due subsequent to the initial court date called for under the rental agreement within five days of the date due under such rental agreement, unless or until such amount is modified by a subsequent order of the court. The bill also provides that a failure of the tenant to make timely payments into escrow shall not be grounds for dismissal of the underlying action but may be considered by the court when issuing an order.

HB455 - Controlled substances; possession of an item containing residue of a substance, penalty.

1 Co-Sponsor

Possession of an item containing residue of a controlled substance; penalty. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for the offense of possession of an item containing residue of a controlled substance. The bill provides that upon motion of the attorney for the Commonwealth, a charge for possession of a controlled substance classified in Schedule I or II of the Drug Control Act may be reduced to unlawful possession of an item containing residue of a controlled substance. Currently, possession of any amount of such controlled substance is a Class 5 felony. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Criminal Justice Conference. Possession of an item containing residue of a controlled substance; penalty. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for the offense of possession of an item containing residue of a controlled substance. The bill provides that upon motion of the attorney for the Commonwealth, a charge for possession of a controlled substance classified in Schedule I or II of the Drug Control Act may be reduced to unlawful possession of an item containing residue of a controlled substance. Currently, possession of any amount of such controlled substance is a Class 5 felony. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Criminal Justice Conference.

HB1028 - Affordable housing; assisted living facilities.

14 Co-Sponsors

Affordable housing; assisted living facilities. Allows localities that have adopted an affordable housing program to require that in an application for a special exception or special use permit affordable rental units be included for any proposed development of an assisted living facility. Such ordinance shall apply to newly licensed assisted living facilities and permit applications approved on or after January 1, 2025. Affordable housing; assisted living facilities. Allows localities that have adopted an affordable housing program to require that in an application for a special exception or special use permit affordable rental units be included for any proposed development of an assisted living facility. Such ordinance shall apply to newly licensed assisted living facilities and permit applications approved on or after January 1, 2025.

HB736 - Veterans; examining practice of persons receiving compensation for providing certain services, etc.

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.

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

20 Co-Sponsors

HB22 - Auto sears and trigger activators; prohibition on manufacture, importation, sale, etc., penalty.

24 Co-Sponsors

Manufacture, importation, sale, etc., of auto sears; prohibition; penalty. Prohibits the manufacture, importation, sale or offer to sell, possession, transfer, or transportation of an auto sear, defined in the bill as a device, other than a trigger activator, for use in converting a semi-automatic firearm to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. A violation is punishable as a Class 6 felony. The bill also provides for the forfeiture of any auto sear concealed, possessed, transported, or carried in violation of the prohibition.

HB33 - Public drinking water; Commissioner of Health's work group to study occurrence of microplastics.

25 Co-Sponsors

Commissioner of Health; work group to study the occurrence of microplastics in the Commonwealth's public drinking water; report. Directs the Commissioner of Health to convene a work group to study the occurrence of microplastics in the Commonwealth's public drinking water and develop recommendations for the reduction of microplastics in the Commonwealth's public drinking water. The bill requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committees on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and Education and Health by December 1, 2024.