HB628 - Certificate of public need; hospitals licensed by DBHDS psychiatric beds.

1 Co-Sponsor

Certificate of public need; hospitals licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; psychiatric beds. Excludes from the list of medical care facilities for which a certificate of public need is required hospitals licensed as a provider by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. The bill excludes the following from the list of projects for which a certificate of public need is required for certain medical care facilities: (i) an increase or relocation of psychiatric beds licensed by the Department, (ii) the introduction of any psychiatric service when such medical care facility has not provided such service in the previous 12 months, and (iii) the conversion of beds to psychiatric beds. The bill also modifies the list of projects for which a certificate of public need is required for certain medical care facilities by requiring a certificate for the conversion of any psychiatric inpatient beds to nonpsychiatric inpatient beds. Under current law, a certificate is required for the conversion of a psychiatric bed to a nonpsychiatric bed only when the psychiatric bed was approved pursuant to a Request for Applications (RFA).

HB220 - Water facilities; staffing of licensed operators.

2 Co-Sponsors

Water facilities; staffing; licensed operators. Requires sewage treatment works, classified waterworks, and classified water treatment facilities to employ a licensed operator. The bill establishes a protocol for responding to an unexpected vacancy of the licensed operator position. The bill also permits remote monitoring of the facility by the licensed operator upon a demonstration of sufficient technology for the remote operator to adequately monitor the waterworks or treatment facility and manage onsite operators. Water facilities; staffing; licensed operators. Requires sewage treatment works, classified waterworks, and classified water treatment facilities to employ a licensed operator. The bill establishes a protocol for responding to an unexpected vacancy of the licensed operator position. The bill also permits remote monitoring of the facility by the licensed operator upon a demonstration of sufficient technology for the remote operator to adequately monitor the waterworks or treatment facility and manage onsite operators.

HB330 - Dog or cat; financing.

2 Co-Sponsors

Financing of a dog or cat. Prohibits the financing of a dog or cat unless such financing complies with the provisions of state and federal law related to consumer credit. Financing of a dog or cat. Prohibits the financing of a dog or cat unless such financing complies with the provisions of state and federal law related to consumer credit.

HB223 - Cruelty to animals; possession and ownership of animals.

1 Co-Sponsor

Cruelty to animals; possession and ownership of animals. Provides that any person convicted of felony cruelty to animals may be prohibited by the court from possession or ownership of companion or equine animals for life and any person convicted of misdemeanor cruelty to animals may be prohibited by the court from possession or ownership of such animals for a period of up to five years. Under current law, such prohibition is limited to companion animals and a period equal to the statutory maximum period of incarceration. The bill also specifies that a court may order that any animal possessed or owned by such person may be disposed of by a local governing body or delivered to another person with a right of property in the animal. Cruelty to animals; possession and ownership of animals. Provides that any person convicted of felony cruelty to animals may be prohibited by the court from possession or ownership of companion or equine animals for life and any person convicted of misdemeanor cruelty to animals may be prohibited by the court from possession or ownership of such animals for a period of up to five years. Under current law, such prohibition is limited to companion animals and a period equal to the statutory maximum period of incarceration. The bill also specifies that a court may order that any animal possessed or owned by such person may be disposed of by a local governing body or delivered to another person with a right of property in the animal. The bill further provides that any person who has his rights to possession or ownership of companion or equine animals prohibited pursuant to a felony conviction may petition the court where such conviction occurred for a restoration of his rights after five years from the date of conviction.

HB749 - Sexual extortion; penalty.

6 Co-Sponsors

Sexual extortion; penalty. Makes it a Class 5 felony for any person to maliciously threaten eviction, loss of housing, property damage, or any financial loss with the intent to cause the complaining witness to engage in sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anilingus, anal intercourse, inanimate or animate object sexual penetration, or an act of sexual abuse and thereby engage in sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anilingus, anal intercourse, inanimate or animate object sexual penetration, or an act of sexual abuse. The bill also creates an unclassified felony punishable by not less than one nor more than 20 years and a fine of not more than $100,000 for any adult who violates the provisions of the bill with a person younger than 18 years of age.

HB660 - Income tax, corporate; distribution of revenues to state parks.

2 Co-Sponsors

Corporate income tax; distribution of revenues; state parks. Requires five percent beginning July 1, 2024, of all corporate income tax revenues to be distributed to the State Park Conservation Resources Fund to provide (i) free entry to Virginia state parks and (ii) the conservation, development, maintenance, and operations of state parks acquired or held by the Department of Conservation and Recreation as provided in the appropriation act. The bill provides that such distribution shall not reduce the total amount of annual appropriations for the Department and the Fund below the total amounts appropriated for the most recent fiscal year ending before July 1, 2024, except as provided by a subsequent appropriation act.

HB1312 - Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System; extends membership to conservation officers.

3 Co-Sponsors

Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System; conservation officers. Extends membership in the Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System (VaLORS) to conservation officers of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025, and provides that such membership would apply only to service earned on or after July 1, 2025. The bill contains a reenactment clause. Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System; conservation officers. Extends membership in the Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System (VaLORS) to conservation officers of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025, and provides that such membership would apply only to service earned on or after July 1, 2025. The bill contains a reenactment clause.

HR22 - Commending the Culpeper County Volunteer Fire Department.

15 Co-Sponsors

HB216 - Impounding structures, certain; variances to general permit requirements.

1 Co-Sponsor

Department of Conservation and Recreation; variances to general permit requirements for certain impounding structures; hazard potential classifications study; report. Requires the Soil and Water Conservation Board to develop a process by which an owner may submit a request only to the Department of Conservation and Recreation for a temporary or permanent variance to the general permit requirements for certain impounding structures for its review and consideration. The bill directs the Department to study issues relating to hazard potential classifications for impounding structures in the Commonwealth and report its findings to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources by December 1, 2024. The bill also directs the Department to advise the Governor and the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources of any variances to the general permit requirements granted by the Department. Department of Conservation and Recreation; variances to general permit requirements for certain impounding structures; hazard potential classifications study; report. Requires the Soil and Water Conservation Board to develop a process by which an owner may submit a request only to the Department of Conservation and Recreation for a temporary or permanent variance to the general permit requirements for certain impounding structures for its review and consideration. The bill directs the Department to study issues relating to hazard potential classifications for impounding structures in the Commonwealth and report its findings to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources by December 1, 2024. The bill also directs the Department to advise the Governor and the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources of any variances to the general permit requirements granted by the Department.

HB1176 - Elections; voter identification containing photograph required, availability of absentee voting.

7 Co-Sponsors

Elections; voter identification containing photograph required; who may register up to and including the day of the election; absentee voting application requirements; absentee voting in person availability; return of absentee ballots. Requires presentation of a form of identification containing a photograph in order to vote and provides that a voter who does not have one of the required forms of identification is entitled to cast a provisional ballot. The bill repeals a provision that would permit any person who is qualified to register to vote to do so in person up to and including the day of the election and limits the persons who are entitled to register to vote after the close of registration records to members of a uniformed service on active duty, persons who are residing temporarily outside of the United States, and their spouses and dependents. The bill limits the period during which absentee voting in person is available from 45 days preceding the date of the election to the 14 days preceding the date of the election. The bill requires that absentee ballots returned by mail be returned to the office of the general registrar by the close of polls on election day and be postmarked on or before the Saturday preceding the date of the election. The bill eliminates the use of drop-off locations for the return of absentee ballots. The bill requires absentee ballot applications to contain the last four digits of the applicant's social security number.