Claim for attorney fees. Aligns the provisionfor a claim for attorney fees to be paid out of money or property under control of the court with Rule 3:25 of the Rules of SupremeCourt of Virginia by providing that the claim for such attorney feesshall be made in a complaint, petition, or other proceeding. Thebill removes the provision that provides that such attorney feesmay also be paid where the parties are notified in writing that applicationwill be made to the court. This bill is a recommendation of the Boyd-GravesConference.
Coordinator of emergency services; West Point.Adds the Town of West Point to the towns that have the coordinator of emergency services appointed by the mayor or town manager withconsent of the town council.
School attendance officers; petitions for violation of a school attendance order. Provides that an attendance officer, or a division superintendent or his designee when acting as an attendance officer, may complete, sign, and file with the intake officer of the juvenile and domestic relations district court, on forms approved by the Supreme Court of Virginia, a petition for a violation of a school attendance order entered by the juvenile and domestic relations district court in response to the filing of a petition alleging the pupil is a child in need of supervision. The bill provides that such actions do not constitute the unauthorized practice of law. This bill is identical to HB 1081.
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 SB 925.
Board of zoning appeals; writ of certiorari.Provides that once the circuit court issues an allowance of a writof certiorari in response to a petition from a party aggrieved bya board of zoning appeals decision, the board of zoning appeals shallhave 21 days to respond.
Definition of criminal justice agency; VirginiaCriminal Sentencing Commission. Specifies that the Virginia CriminalSentencing Commission is a criminal justice agency.
Art and Architectural Review Board; members; quorum. Increases from six to seven the number of members of the Art and Architectural Review Board by adding one citizen member appointed by the Governor from the Commonwealth at large and clarifies that all members appointed to the Board have voting privileges. The bill contains a technical amendment.
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 SB 1002.
Fees collected by circuit court clerks for recording and indexing; use of fee in preserving permanent records of the circuit courts. Increases by $2 the fees for the recording and indexing of certain documents. The bill further increases from $1.50 to $3.50 the portion of the recording and indexing fee collected by circuit court clerks that is designated for use in preserving the permanent records of the circuit courts. This bill is identical to SB 938.
Same-sex marriages; civil unions. Repeals the statutory prohibitions on same-sex marriages and civil unions or other arrangements between persons of the same sex purporting to bestow the privileges and obligations of marriage. These prohibitions are no longer valid due to the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. ___ (June 26, 2015). This bill is identical to SB 17.
Virginia Freedom of Information Act; exclusions; proprietary records and trade secrets; affordable housing loan applications. Excludes from mandatory disclosure financial and proprietary records submitted with a loan application to a locality for the preservation or construction of affordable housing that is related to a competitive application to be submitted to either the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA), when the release of such records would adversely affect the bargaining or competitive position of the applicant. The bill also provides that such financial and proprietary records shall not be withheld after they have been made public by HUD or VHDA. This bill is identical to SB 269.
Virginia Freedom of Information Act; exclusions; proprietary records and trade secrets; affordable housing loan applications. Excludes from mandatory disclosure financial and proprietary records submitted with a loan application to a locality for the preservation or construction of affordable housing that is related to a competitive application to be submitted to either the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA), when the release of such records would adversely affect the bargaining or competitive position of the applicant. The bill also provides that such financial and proprietary records shall not be withheld after they have been made public by HUD or VHDA. This bill is identical to HB 722.
