Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Actand Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; required disclosures;lead pipe. Requires the owner of a residential dwelling who hasactual knowledge of the existence of lead pipe in such dwelling unitto provide to a prospective purchaser a written disclosure that theproperty has lead pipe. Such disclosure shall be provided to the purchaser on a form provided by the Real Estate Board on its website. The billalso requires any landlord of a dwelling unit who has actual knowledgeof the existence of lead pipe in such dwelling unit to disclose thatinformation to a prospective tenant. Any tenant who is not providedwith such disclosure may terminate the lease agreement at any time within 60 days of discovery of the existence of lead pipe by providingwritten notice to the landlord. The bill defines "lead pipe" as anypipe or pipe or plumbing fixture, solder, or flux that does not meetthe federal Safe Drinking Water Act definition of "lead free."
Programs to address career fatigue and wellness in certain health care providers; civil immunity. Expands civil immunity for health care professionals serving as members of or consultants to entities that function primarily to review, evaluate, or make recommendations related to health care services to include health care professionals serving as members of or consultants to entities that function primarily to address issues related to career fatigue and wellness in health care professionals licensed to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine or licensed as a physician assistant. The bill also clarifies that, absent evidence indicating a reasonable probability that a health care professional who is a participant in a professional program to address issues related to career fatigue or wellness is not competent to continue in practice or is a danger to himself, his patients, or the public, participation in such a professional program does not trigger the requirement that the health care professional be reported to the Department of Health Professions. The bill contains an emergency clause.
Disorderly conduct; students. Provides that an elementary or secondary school student is not guilty of disorderly conduct in a public place if the disorderly conduct occurred on the property of an elementary or secondary school, on a school bus, or at any activity conducted or sponsored by any elementary or secondary school. This bill incorporates HB 8 and is identical to SB 3.
Fort Monroe Authority; civil actions in general district court. Authorizes the Fort Monroe Authority to prepare, execute, file, and have served certain documents in a civil proceeding in general district court without the intervention of an attorney. This bill is identical to HB 1561.
Housing; housing authorities; notice of intent to demolish, liquidate, or otherwise dispose of housing projects. Requires that any housing authority required to submit an application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to demolish, liquidate, or otherwise dispose of a housing project must also serve a notice of intent to demolish, liquidate, or otherwise dispose of such housing project, containing specified information, at least 12 months prior to any application submission date to (i) the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, (ii) any agency that would be responsible for administering tenant-based rental assistance to persons who would otherwise be displaced from the housing project, and (iii) each tenant residing in the housing project. The bill requires the authority to also provide such notice to any prospective tenant who is offered a rental agreement subsequent to the initial notice. During the 12-month period subsequent to the initial notice of intent to demolish, liquidate, or dispose of the housing project, the housing authority is prohibited from (a) increasing rent for any tenant above the amount authorized by any federal assistance program applicable to the housing project; (b) changing the terms of the rental agreement for any tenant, except as permitted under the existing rental agreement; or (c) evicting a tenant or demanding possession of any dwelling unit in the housing project, except for a lease violation or violation of law that threatens the health and safety of the building residents. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2021. This bill is identical to HB 921.
Fingerprints and photographs by police authorities. Provides that all duly constituted police authorities having the power of arrest may take the fingerprints and photographs of any person found in contempt or in violation of the terms or conditions of a suspended sentence or probation for a felony offense. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia State Crime Commission. This bill is identical to HB 1048.
Court of Appeals; use of moot courtroom of accredited law schools. Provides that upon proper agreement with the applicable authorities the Court of Appeals may use the moot courtroom of any accredited law school located in the Commonwealth for the holding of court and for its ancillary functions. Current law specifies that the Court may use state and federal facilities but not private law schools in the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to HB 63.
Public elementary and secondary school teachers; probationary term of service; performance evaluation. Removes (i) the option for local school boards to extend the three-year probationary term of service for teachers by up to two additional years and (ii) the prohibition against school boards reemploying any teacher whose performance evaluation during the probationary term of service is unsatisfactory. This bill is identical to HB 365.
Virginia Geographic Information Network Advisory Board; membership. Adds two county, city, town, or regional government geographic information system (GIS) directors or managers as members of the Virginia Geographic Information Network Advisory Board. This bill is identical to HB 117.
Online Virginia Network Authority; James Madison University. Adds the President of James Madison University or his designee and one nonlegislative citizen member appointed by James Madison University to the members of the board of trustees of the Online Virginia Network Authority. The bill also adds James Madison University to the institutions of higher education for which the Online Virginia Network, established by the Authority, will facilitate the completion of degrees. This bill is identical to HB 1660.
School principals; incident reports. Eliminates the requirement that school principals report to law enforcement certain enumerated acts that may constitute a misdemeanor offense. This bill is identical to HB 257.
Dismissal of teachers; grounds; incompetency.Removes receipt of one or more unsatisfactory performance evaluationsfrom the list of factors that "incompetency" may be construed toinclude for the purpose of establishing grounds for the dismissalof public school teachers.
