SB372 - Combined sewer overflow outfalls; compliance with regulations, Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

3 Co-Sponsors

Combined sewer overflow outfalls; compliance with regulations; Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Extends from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026, the date by which certain combined sewer overflow (CSO) outfalls that discharge into the Chesapeake Bay Watershed must be in compliance with Virginia law, the federal Clean Water Act, and the Presumption Approach described in the EPA CSO Control Policy, unless a higher level of control is necessary to comply with a total maximum daily load.

SB507 - Health care providers & grocery store workers; employers to provide paid sick leave, effective date.

3 Co-Sponsors

Paid sick leave; health care providers and grocery store workers. Requires employers to provide paid sick leave to health care providers and grocery store workers. Under current law, employers are only required to provide paid sick leave to certain home health workers. The bill removes requirements that workers work on average at least 20 hours per week or 90 hours per month to be eligible for paid sick leave. The bill provides that certain health care providers may waive their right to accrue and use paid sick leave and provides an exemption for employers of certain other health care providers. The bill requires the Department of Labor and Industry to develop guidelines for retail employers that sell groceries to provide sick leave and to publish such guidelines by December 1, 2024. The provisions of the bill other than the requirement for the Department of Labor and Industry to develop guidelines have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025.

SB504 - Police and court records; expungement, term "otherwise dismissed."

2 Co-Sponsors

Expungement of police and court records. Provides that, for the purposes of expungement of police and court records, the term "otherwise dismissed" means to render a legal action out of consideration in a different way or manner than a nolle prosequi or formal dismissal by the trial court. The bill specifies that the term "otherwise dismissed" also includes those circumstances when a person is charged with the commission of a crime, a civil offense, or any offense defined in relevant law and the initial charge is reduced or amended to another offense, including a lesser included offense or the same offense with a lesser gradient of punishment, so that such person is not convicted of the initial charge and may file a petition requesting expungement of the police and court records relating to the initial charge. Under the bill, unless the subject of the criminal record requests otherwise, any person who files an appeal of a petition for an expungement that was denied shall be allowed to proceed under a pseudonym, and such designation shall apply in the trial court and on any appeal. The bill also allows for the expungement of any emergency or preliminary protective order that was attached or factually related to an expunged charge or offense, provided that a permanent protective order was not ordered as a result of such emergency or preliminary protective order. The bill also provides that if a court finds that the continued existence and possible dissemination of information relating to an arrest may cause circumstances that constitute manifest injustice, including any hindrance to obtain employment, an education, or credit, it shall enter an order requiring the expungement of the police and court records. Under current law, a court shall enter an order of expungement when information relating to an arrest causes or may cause circumstances that constitute a manifest injustice to the petitioner. The bill requires a business screening service, defined in the bill, to destroy all expunged records, as defined in the bill, and to follow reasonable procedures to ensure that it does not maintain or sell expunged records. The bill also provides that an indigent person may file a petition for expungement without the payment of fees and costs and can request court-appointed counsel, who shall be paid from the Sealing Fee Fund. Except for the provisions regarding the filing of an appeal under a pseudonym and the circumstances that constitute manifest injustice, the bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026. Expungement of police and court records. Provides that, for the purposes of expungement of police and court records, the term "otherwise dismissed" means to render a legal action out of consideration in a different way or manner than a nolle prosequi or formal dismissal by the trial court. The bill specifies that the term "otherwise dismissed" also includes those circumstances when a person is charged with the commission of a crime, a civil offense, or any offense defined in relevant law and the initial charge is reduced or amended to another offense, including a lesser included offense or the same offense with a lesser gradient of punishment, so that such person is not convicted of the initial charge and may file a petition requesting expungement of the police and court records relating to the initial charge. Under the bill, unless the subject of the criminal record requests otherwise, any person who files an appeal of a petition for an expungement that was denied shall be allowed to proceed under a pseudonym, and such designation shall apply in the trial court and on any appeal. The bill also allows for the expungement of any emergency or preliminary protective order that was attached or factually related to an expunged charge or offense, provided that a permanent protective order was not ordered as a result of such emergency or preliminary protective order. The bill also provides that if a court finds that the continued existence and possible dissemination of information relating to an arrest may cause circumstances that constitute manifest injustice, including any hindrance to obtain employment, an education, or credit, it shall enter an order requiring the expungement of the police and court records. Under current law, a court shall enter an order of expungement when information relating to an arrest causes or may cause circumstances that constitute a manifest injustice to the petitioner. The bill requires a business screening service, defined in the bill, to destroy all expunged records, as defined in the bill, and to follow reasonable procedures to ensure that it does not maintain or sell expunged records. The bill also provides that an indigent person may file a petition for expungement without the payment of fees and costs and can request court-appointed counsel, who shall be paid from the Sealing Fee Fund. Except for the provisions regarding the filing of an appeal under a pseudonym and the circumstances that constitute manifest injustice, the bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.

SJR76 - Commending Travis G. Hill.

14 Co-Sponsors

SB373 - Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements, civil action.

21 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. The bill specifies that covered individuals shall not include state employees, constitutional and other local officers, and employees of local school divisions and that 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. Finally, the bill requires the Commission to update its 2021 Paid Family and Medical Leave study to include an assessment of the budgetary impacts of extending the benefits of the program to exempt individuals. 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. The bill specifies that covered individuals shall not include state employees, constitutional and other local officers, and employees of local school divisions and that 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. Finally, the bill requires the Commission to update its 2021 Paid Family and Medical Leave study to include an assessment of the budgetary impacts of extending the benefits of the program to exempt individuals.

SR19 - Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; nomination for election of member.

1 Co-Sponsor

Nominating a person to be elected as a member of the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission.

SB16 - Search warrants, subpoenas, court orders, or other process; menstrual health data prohibited.

13 Co-Sponsors

Search warrants, subpoenas, court orders, or other process; menstrual health data prohibited. Prohibits the issuance of a search warrant, subpoena, court order, or other process for the purpose of the search and seizure or production of menstrual health data, as defined in the bill, including data stored on a computer, computer network, or other device containing electronic or digital information.

SB556 - Historic rehabilitation; maximum amount of tax credit.

4 Co-Sponsors

Historic rehabilitation tax credit; maximum amount of tax credit. Increases from $5 million to $7.5 million, beginning in taxable year 2025, the maximum amount of the historic rehabilitation tax credit, including amounts carried over from prior taxable years, that may be claimed by a taxpayer in any taxable year.

SB15 - Reproductive health care services; prohibitions on extradition for certain criminal violations.

16 Co-Sponsors

Reproductive health care services; prohibitions on extradition for certain crimes. Provides that no demand for extradition of a person charged with a criminal violation of law of another state shall be recognized by the Governor if such alleged violation involves the receipt or provision of or assistance with reproductive health care services within the Commonwealth unless the alleged criminal violation would also constitute a criminal offense under the laws of the Commonwealth. The bill also provides that such limit on extradition shall not apply when the person who is subject to such demand for extradition by another state was physically present in the demanding state at the time of the commission of the alleged offense and thereafter fled from such state. Reproductive health care services; prohibitions on extradition for certain crimes. Provides that no demand for extradition of a person charged with a criminal violation of law of another state shall be recognized by the Governor if such alleged violation involves the receipt or provision of or assistance with reproductive health care services within the Commonwealth unless the alleged criminal violation would also constitute a criminal offense under the laws of the Commonwealth. The bill also provides that such limit on extradition shall not apply when the person who is subject to such demand for extradition by another state was physically present in the demanding state at the time of the commission of the alleged offense and thereafter fled from such state.

SJR47 - Investor-owned electric utilities; SCC to study performance-based regulatory tools.

2 Co-Sponsors

Study; State Corporation Commission; electric utilities; performance-based regulatory tools; competitive service providers; report. Requests the State Corporation Commission, in consultation with the Department of Energy, to study performance-based regulatory tools for investor-owned electric utilities and competitive service providers in the Commonwealth. Study; State Corporation Commission; electric utilities; performance-based regulatory tools; competitive service providers; report. Requests the State Corporation Commission, in consultation with the Department of Energy, to study performance-based regulatory tools for investor-owned electric utilities and competitive service providers in the Commonwealth.