Oversight of research breeders; Animal WelfareOversight Officer; Animal Welfare Oversight Advisory Committee; civilpenalty. Directs the State Veterinarian to hire an Animal WelfareOversight Officer to inspect and oversee the operations of researchbreeders, defined in the bill as a person or entity that breeds dogsor cats for sale or transfer for use in testing or research withinor outside the Commonwealth, and report any violations of state orfederal law by the research breeder. The bill requires each researchbreeder to register with the Animal Welfare Oversight Officer, paya registration fee as determined by the Commissioner of Agricultureand Consumer Services, and allow the Animal Welfare Oversight Officer continuous access to its facilities located in the Commonwealth.The bill subjects a research breeder that does not register, paythe fee, or allow the Animal Welfare Oversight Officer access toits facilities to a civil penalty of $1,000 for each day of noncompliance.The bill also establishes an Animal Welfare Oversight Advisory Committee.
Removing, altering, etc., serial number on firearm; selling, giving, etc., or possessing firearm with removed, altered, etc., serial number; penalty. Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person, firm, association, or corporation to knowingly possess any pistol, shotgun, rifle, machine gun, or any other firearm, except for an antique firearm, that has a serial number that has been removed, altered, changed, destroyed, or obliterated in any manner. The bill also makes it a Class 6 felony for any person, firm, association, or corporation to knowingly sell, give, or distribute any pistol, shotgun, rifle, machine gun, or other firearm, except for an antique firearm, that has a serial number that has been removed, defaced, altered, changed, destroyed, or obliterated in any manner.
Revocation of driver's licenses; completionof specialty dockets. Provides that a conviction that resultedfrom a final order being entered by a court after the successfulcompletion of a Veterans Treatment Court Program, behavioral healthdocket, or other specialty docket shall not be counted as a convictionfor the purposes of revoking a person's driver's license for multipleconvictions of driving while intoxicated.
Late Onset Hearing Loss Awareness Week.Designates May 4 through 10, in 2022 and in each succeeding year,as Late Onset Hearing Loss Awareness Week in Virginia.
Pretrial Intervention and Diversion Program. Authorizes the attorney for the Commonwealth for each judicial circuit of the Commonwealth to create and administer a Pretrial Intervention and Diversion Program for the purpose of providing an alternative to prosecuting offenders in the criminal justice system. The bill provides that entry into such program shall be at the discretion of the attorney for the Commonwealth based upon written guidelines and that no attorney for the Commonwealth shall accept any offender into such program for an offense for which punishment includes a mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment. The bill also provides that the attorney for the Commonwealth is authorized to assess and collect a fee from each offender who enters the Program which shall be waived upon affirmation under oath of indigency by the offender.
Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote. Provides that every person who meets the qualifications of voters set forth in the Constitution shall have the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth and that such right shall not be abridged by law, except for persons who have been convicted of a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting. A person who has been convicted of a felony shall not be entitled to vote during any period of incarceration for such felony conviction but upon release from incarceration for that felony conviction and without further action required of him, such person shall be invested with all political rights, including the right to vote. Currently, in order to be qualified to vote a person convicted of a felony must have his civil rights restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority. The amendment also provides that a person adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction as lacking the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote during this period of incapacity until his capacity has been reestablished as prescribed by law. Currently, the Constitution provides that a person who has been adjudicated to be mentally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competency is reestablished.
Campaign advertisements; independent expenditures; electioneering communications; disclaimer requirements. Broadens the scope of disclaimer requirements for campaign advertisements to include electioneering communications, as defined in the bill, and messages advocating for the passage or defeat of a referendum. The bill also requires an advertisement that is an independent expenditure or expressly advocates for the passage or defeat of a referendum to contain a disclaimer providing the names of the advertisement sponsor's three largest contributors or individuals representing a contributor that is not an individual.
Persons charged with first offense drug possession; probation. Requires a court to defer proceedings and place adefendant on probation if such defendant is charged with possessionof a controlled substance and qualifies under the first offenderstatute. Under current law, a court has discretion to defer proceedingsand place such defendant on probation.
Sales tax; additional local tax for schools.Adds Isle of Wight County to the list of localities that, under currentlaw, are authorized to impose an extra one percent local sales tax.Revenue from the tax may be used only for constructing or renovatingschools.
Budget Bill. Amends Chapter 552 of the 2021Acts of Assembly, Special Session I, as amended by Chapter 1 of the2021 Acts of Assembly, Special Session II.
Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; Early Psychosis Intervention and Coordinated Specialty Care Program Advisory Board established. Establishes the Early Psychosis Intervention and Coordinated Specialty Care Program Advisory Board for the purpose of assisting the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services in expanding the provision of high-quality, evidence-based early psychosis and mood disorder detection and intervention services.
Promise to appear after the issuance of a summons. Provides that if any person refuses to give a written promise to appear, the arresting officer shall give such person notice of the time and place of the hearing, note such person's refusal to give his written promise to appear on the summons, and forthwith release him from custody. Under current law, any person refusing to give such written promise to appear is required to be taken immediately by the arresting officer before a magistrate or other issuing officer having jurisdiction.
