Celebrating the life of Thomas Michael Simcoe.
Lieutenant Governor; portrait. Establishesa committee to contract for a portrait of Lieutenant Governor JustinE. Fairfax to be painted, framed, and installed in the Capitol.
Maximum number of judges in each judicial district.Increases from two to three the maximum number of authorized generaldistrict court judges in the Twenty-second Judicial District.
Criminal records; sealing of records; repeal.Repeals provisions not yet effective allowing for the automaticand petition-based sealing of police and court records for certain convictions, deferred dispositions, and acquittals and for offensesthat have been nolle prossed or otherwise dismissed.
Attorney General; instituting or conductingcriminal prosecutions for acts of violence. Authorizes the AttorneyGeneral to institute or conduct criminal prosecutions in cases involvinga violation of the criminal laws involving an act of violence whensuch prosecution is requested by the sheriff or chief of police investigatingthe violation. The bill also provides that, prior to institutingor conducting a criminal prosecution for such cases involving a violationof the criminal laws involving an act of violence, the Attorney General shall give notice to the local attorney for the Commonwealth wheresuch violation occurred of his intent to institute or conduct suchcriminal prosecution.
Criminal history record information check requiredto sell firearm; exception for concealed handgun permit. Providesthat a person may sell a firearm through a private sale to anotherperson if the sale of a firearm is to a person who (i) has a validVirginia resident concealed handgun permit, (ii) produces the permitto the seller at the time of sale, and (iii) is not prohibited understate or federal law from possessing a firearm.
Evidence of defendant's mental condition; specificintent crimes. Clarifies that a defendant may offer evidenceconcerning the defendant's mental condition at the time of the allegedoffense in certain circumstances for specific intent offenses only.
Criminal proceedings; evidence of defendant'smental condition. Repeals provisions permitting the admissionof evidence by the defendant concerning a defendant's mental conditionat the time of an alleged offense, including expert testimony, ifsuch evidence is relevant, is not evidence concerning an ultimateissue of fact, and (i) tends to show the defendant did or did nothave the intent required for the offense charged and (ii) is otherwiseadmissible pursuant to the general rules of evidence. The bill alsoremoves provisions permitting a court to issue an emergency custodyorder in cases where such evidence was admitted and repeals provisionsrequiring the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Courtto collect data regarding the cases that use such evidence.
Virginia Human Rights Act; employee safety;definition changes. Amends the definitions of "domestic worker"to exclude babysitters, nannies, caretakers, home health aides, andpersonal care aids; "employer" to one who employs at least three persons; and "domestic service" to exclude services performed bycompanions.
Use of communications systems to facilitatecertain offenses involving children; consecutive sentence; penalty.Provides that any mandatory minimum term of imprisonment imposedfor violating the electronic solicitation of a minor statute shallbe served consecutively with any other sentence.
Human rights and fair housing; religious organizations; promotion of religious principles. Provides that nothing in the Virginia Human Rights Act prohibits a religious corporation, association, or society, or any nonprofit institution or organization operated, supervised, or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association, or society, from taking any action to promote the religious principles for which it is established or maintained. The bill exempts any place of accommodation owned by or operated on behalf of a religious corporation, association, or society from the nondiscrimination in public places of accommodation provisions of the Virginia Human Rights Act. Under current law, such places of accommodation are exempt only when not open to the public. The bill adds preschools to the list of educational institutions that are exempt from discriminatory hiring practices with respect to the hiring and employment of employees of a particular religion when such institutions are owned, supported, controlled, or managed by a particular religion or religious corporation, association, or society. The bill clarifies that the term "religion" includes all aspects of religious observance and practice as well as belief for the purposes of the exemption from discrimination in employment of individuals employed to perform work associated with the activities of a particular religion by a religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society. The bill removes provisions allowing (i) a court or jury in a civil action that finds unlawful discrimination has occurred to order such affirmative action as may be appropriate and (ii) the Attorney General to seek to obtain such relief as would be available to a private party when he intervenes in a civil action for unlawful discrimination. The bill also removes the provision of the exemption for religious organizations under the Virginia Fair Housing Law that denies such exemption where the membership in such religion is restricted on account of race, color, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, or disability.
Carrying a concealed handgun; permit not required. Allows any person who is otherwise eligible to obtain a concealedhandgun permit to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywherehe may lawfully carry a handgun openly within the Commonwealth.
