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SPONSORED LEGISLATION
HB1100 - Trees; Planning District 8 (Northern Virginia), conservation during land development process.
Betsy B. Carr, Dan I. Helmer, Rae C. Cousins
Last updated 6 months ago
7 Co-Sponsors
Conservation of trees during land development process. Expands current provisions that provide that certain localities in Planning District 8 (Northern Virginia) may, by ordinance, require conservation of trees during the land development process by making such provisions available to localities statewide.
STATUS
Vetoed
HB1247 - Public school funding; ratios of instructional positions to English language learner students.
Michelle E. Lopes-Maldonado, Irene Shin, Rae C. Cousins
Last updated 6 months ago
10 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 ratios of instructional positions to English language learner students based on each such student's English proficiency level, as established in the general appropriation act.
STATUS
Passed
HB834 - Petition for modification of sentence; eligibility, procedures.
Rae C. Cousins, Nadarius E. Clark, Rozia A. Henson
Last updated 9 months ago
3 Co-Sponsors
Petition for modification of a sentence; eligibility; procedures. Provides a process for a person serving a sentence for any conviction or a combination of any convictions who remains incarcerated in a state or local correctional facility or secure facility and meets certain criteria to petition the circuit court that entered the original judgment or order to (i) suspend the unserved portion of such sentence or run the unserved portion of such sentence concurrently with another sentence, (ii) place such person on probation for such time as the court shall determine, or (iii) otherwise modify the sentence imposed.
STATUS
Introduced
HB836 - Uniform Statutory Rule Against Perpetuities; trusts, certain nonvested property interests.
Rae C. Cousins, Nadarius E. Clark, Rozia A. Henson
Last updated 7 months ago
3 Co-Sponsors
Uniform Statutory Rule Against Perpetuities; trusts; certain nonvested property interests or powers of appointment over property or property interests. Extends from 90 years to 1,000 years the period for which a nonvested property interest held in trust may vest or terminate, or for which a power of appointment over property or property interests may be exercised. The bill clarifies that such extension applies only to such interests or powers that were created on or after July 1, 2024, and that such extension does not apply to real property held in trust or a power of appointment over real property granted under a trust. The bill also provides that the current law that allows the terms of a trust instrument to provide an exception to the Uniform Statutory Rule Against Perpetuities shall apply only to a nonvested interest in or power of appointment over personal property held in trust, or a power of appointment over personal property granted under a trust, if such interest or power was created between July 1, 2000, and June 30, 2024, but shall not apply to such interests or powers created on or after July 1, 2024.
STATUS
Passed
HB224 - Public schools; mental health awareness training.
Rozia A. Henson, Alex Q. Askew, Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker
Last updated 4 months ago
14 Co-Sponsors
Public schools; teachers and other relevant personnel; mental health awareness training. Requires each teacher and other relevant personnel, as determined by the applicable school board, employed on a full-time basis to complete mental health awareness training that addresses the needs of youth populations that are at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders in accordance with evidence-based best practices developed by the American Psychological Association. Current law requires such teachers and personnel to complete mental health awareness training but does not contain any requirements relating to the specific topics such training must address. The bill prohibits any of its provisions or any policy adopted in accordance with its provisions from being construed to permit biased or discriminatory treatment of any youth population deemed to be at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders. Public schools; teachers and other relevant personnel; mental health awareness training. Requires each teacher and other relevant personnel, as determined by the applicable school board, employed on a full-time basis to complete mental health awareness training that addresses the needs of youth populations that are at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders in accordance with evidence-based best practices developed by the American Psychological Association. Current law requires such teachers and personnel to complete mental health awareness training but does not contain any requirements relating to the specific topics such training must address. The bill prohibits any of its provisions or any policy adopted in accordance with its provisions from being construed to permit biased or discriminatory treatment of any youth population deemed to be at a high risk of experiencing mental health challenges and disorders.
STATUS
Vetoed
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
HB1167 - English ivy; local prohibition on sale, civil penalty.
Paul E. Krizek, David L. Bulova, Nadarius E. Clark
Last updated 6 months ago
6 Co-Sponsors
Local prohibition on the sale of English ivy; civil penalty. Authorizes any locality to adopt an ordinance prohibiting the sale of English ivy, with violations punishable by a civil penalty not to exceed $50 for a first violation and not to exceed $200 for a subsequent violation within 12 months.
STATUS
Vetoed
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
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
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
BIOGRAPHY
INCUMBENT
Representative from Virginia district HD-079
COMMITTEES
Virginia House
BIRTH
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ABOUT
Rae C. Cousins is from Leland Grove, Illinois. He attended Springfield High School and received his diploma. After graduation, he went on to Illinois College before transferring to Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1997. After college, Rae began working for the Department of Corrections as a youth supervisor at Illinois Youth Center in Harrisburg. He was then promoted to youth counselor in 1999. In 2001, he moved to the Illinois Department of Human Services as a child welfare specialist.read less
OFFICES HELD
Virginia House from Virginia
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