SB259 - Civil actions filed on behalf of multiple persons; types of class actions.

2 Co-Sponsors

Civil actions filed on behalf of multiple persons; class actions. Provides that one or more members of a class may, as representative parties on behalf of all members, bring a civil action or may be proceeded against in a civil action, provided that (i) the class is so numerous that joinder of all members or proceeding with such actions on an individual basis is impracticable or contrary to judicial economy; (ii) there are questions of law or fact common to the class; (iii) the claims or defenses of the representative parties are typical of the claims or defenses of the class; and (iv) the representative parties shall fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class. The bill further sets out the procedure to certify a class action, the duties of counsel appointed in a class action, the various orders a court may issue during the course of a class action, and the process by which a settlement, voluntary dismissal, or compromise may occur. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025, and is identical to

SB258 - Substantial risk orders or factors.

2 Co-Sponsors

Substantial risk orders; substantial risk factors and considerations. Provides various factors that a judge or magistrate must consider for the purpose of determining probable cause prior to issuing an emergency substantial risk order or a substantial risk order. The bill provides that such factors shall include whether the person who is subject to the order (i) committed any acts of violence or criminal offenses resulting in injury to himself or another person within the six months prior to the filing of the petition; (ii) made any threats or used any physical force against another person that resulted in injury within the six months prior to the filing of the petition; (iii) violated any provision of a protective order issued or was arrested for stalking within the six months prior to the filing of the petition; (iv) was convicted of any offense that would prohibit such person from possessing a firearm; (v) engaged in any conduct within the year prior to the filing of the petition that demonstrated a pattern of violent acts or threats to another person, including any acts or threats made against family members, neighbors, coworkers, or toward schools or students or government buildings or employees; (vi) committed any acts of violence or criminal offenses against an animal within the six months prior to the filing of the petition; (vii) made any attempt or threat of suicide or any act, attempted act, or threat of self-harm that caused or may have caused serious bodily injury; or (viii) recently acquired a firearm or ammunition, with evidence of such recent acquisition provided by the petitioner. The bill also outlines various other factors that a judge or magistrate may consider for the purpose of issuing an emergency substantial risk order or a substantial risk order. The bill also provides that possession includes actual access or the potential to readily access a firearm for the purposes of finding if a person possesses a firearm or if such firearm shall be voluntarily relinquished. Substantial risk orders; substantial risk factors and considerations. Provides various factors that a judge or magistrate must consider for the purpose of determining probable cause prior to issuing an emergency substantial risk order or a substantial risk order. The bill provides that such factors shall include whether the person who is subject to the order (i) committed any acts of violence or criminal offenses resulting in injury to himself or another person within the six months prior to the filing of the petition; (ii) made any threats or used any physical force against another person that resulted in injury within the six months prior to the filing of the petition; (iii) violated any provision of a protective order issued or was arrested for stalking within the six months prior to the filing of the petition; (iv) was convicted of any offense that would prohibit such person from possessing a firearm; (v) engaged in any conduct within the year prior to the filing of the petition that demonstrated a pattern of violent acts or threats to another person, including any acts or threats made against family members, neighbors, coworkers, or toward schools or students or government buildings or employees; (vi) committed any acts of violence or criminal offenses against an animal within the six months prior to the filing of the petition; (vii) made any attempt or threat of suicide or any act, attempted act, or threat of self-harm that caused or may have caused serious bodily injury; or (viii) recently acquired a firearm or ammunition, with evidence of such recent acquisition provided by the petitioner. The bill also outlines various other factors that a judge or magistrate may consider for the purpose of issuing an emergency substantial risk order or a substantial risk order. The bill also provides that possession includes actual access or the potential to readily access a firearm for the purposes of finding if a person possesses a firearm or if such firearm shall be voluntarily relinquished.

SB503 - License plate reader systems; use by law-enforcement agencies, civil penalty.

3 Co-Sponsors

License plate reader systems; civil penalty. Provides requirements for the use of license plate reader systems, defined in the bill, by law-enforcement agencies. The bill limits the use of such systems to scanning, detecting, and recording data about vehicles and license plate numbers for the purpose of identifying a vehicle that is (i) associated with a wanted, missing, or endangered person or human trafficking; (ii) stolen; (iii) involved in an active law-enforcement investigation; or (iv) in the vicinity of a recent crime and may be connected to that crime. The bill authorizes and requires the Commonwealth Transportation Board to establish a permitting process for installing and using such systems in state highway rights-of-way.

SB254 - Optometrists; expert witness testimony.

1 Co-Sponsor

Optometrists; expert witness testimony. Allows an optometrist to testify as an expert witness in a court of law on certain matters within the scope of his practice.

SR15 - Nominating a person to be elected to the Court of Appeals of Virginia.

1 Co-Sponsor

SR17 - Judges; nominations for election to general district court.

1 Co-Sponsor

Nominating persons to be elected to general district court judgeships.

SB718 - Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority and Financing Fund; established, report.

2 Co-Sponsors

Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority and Financing Fund established; report. Establishes the Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority as a political subdivision charged with financing the construction of a sports and entertainment campus. The Authority is composed of nine members, six of whom are appointed by the Governor and three of whom are appointed by the governing body of the City of Alexandria. Each appointed member is subject to specific criteria for appointment. The bill authorizes the Authority to hire independent contractors, enter contracts, acquire property, borrow money, and exercise other similar powers and exempts it from the Personnel Act and the Public Procurement Act. Under the bill, the Authority may issue bonds with a maximum maturity date of 40 years. Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority and Financing Fund established; report. Establishes the Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority as a political subdivision charged with financing the construction of a sports and entertainment campus. The Authority is composed of nine members, six of whom are appointed by the Governor and three of whom are appointed by the governing body of the City of Alexandria. Each appointed member is subject to specific criteria for appointment. The bill authorizes the Authority to hire independent contractors, enter contracts, acquire property, borrow money, and exercise other similar powers and exempts it from the Personnel Act and the Public Procurement Act. Under the bill, the Authority may issue bonds with a maximum maturity date of 40 years. The bill entitles the Authority to the following revenues: (i) sales tax revenues from construction and transactions on the campus, defined in the bill, but certain revenues that current law dedicates to transportation and education are excluded; (ii) all pass-through entity tax revenues and corporate income tax revenues from income generated by the company, defined in the bill, or any professional sports team or any affiliates as well as in the development and construction of the campus; and (iii) all personal income tax revenues from income generated through employment and business activity on the campus. It also authorizes the City of Alexandria to appropriate tax revenues to the Authority. The revenues shall be deposited in the Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority Financing Fund, created in the bill, from which the Authority will deposit revenues into priority accounts for Authority revenues, debt service, subordinate debt service, reserves, and capital expenditures and maintenance. If the Authority determines that all such accounts are sufficiently funded, the bill directs the Authority to issue the excess to the Commonwealth and the City of Alexandria if so provided for in any bond or financing agreements.

SJR44 - Commending the Honorable Mark C. Simmons.

7 Co-Sponsors

SB737 - Electric utilities; energy efficiency programs, on-bill tariff program.

1 Co-Sponsor

Electric utilities; energy efficiency programs. Provides that, for the purposes of the Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act, energy efficiency programs include electrification, including measures that electrify space heating, water heating, cooling, drying, cooking, industrial processes, and other building and industrial end uses that would otherwise be served by onsite, nonelectric fuels, provided that the electrification measures reduce site energy consumption and that, to the maximum extent practical, seek to combine with federally authorized customer rebates for heat pump technology. The bill provides that electricity consumption increases that result from State Corporation Commission-approved electrification measures shall not be considered as a reduction in energy savings under the energy savings requirements and that utilities may apply verified total site energy reductions that are attributable to Commission-approved electrification measures to the energy savings requirements. The bill specifies that energy efficiency programs and energy efficiency measures do not include electrification of any process or activity primarily fueled by natural gas. Electric utilities; energy efficiency programs. Provides that, for the purposes of the Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act, energy efficiency programs include electrification, including measures that electrify space heating, water heating, cooling, drying, cooking, industrial processes, and other building and industrial end uses that would otherwise be served by onsite, nonelectric fuels, provided that the electrification measures reduce site energy consumption and that, to the maximum extent practical, seek to combine with federally authorized customer rebates for heat pump technology. The bill provides that electricity consumption increases that result from State Corporation Commission-approved electrification measures shall not be considered as a reduction in energy savings under the energy savings requirements and that utilities may apply verified total site energy reductions that are attributable to Commission-approved electrification measures to the energy savings requirements. The bill specifies that energy efficiency programs and energy efficiency measures do not include electrification of any process or activity primarily fueled by natural gas.

SR18 - Judges; nominations for election to juvenile and domestic relations district court.

1 Co-Sponsor

Nominating persons to be elected to juvenile and domestic relations district court judgeships.