Firearms; concealed carry for law-enforcementofficers, attorneys for the Commonwealth, and judges; exceptionsto certain prohibited activities. Provides that any (i) activelaw-enforcement officer, (ii) qualified retired law-enforcement officer,(iii) attorney for the Commonwealth or assistant attorney for theCommonwealth, (iv) qualified retired attorney for the Commonwealthor retired assistant attorney for the Commonwealth, (v) judge orjustice of the Commonwealth, or (vi) retired judge or retired justiceof the Commonwealth may carry a concealed weapon about his person,hidden from common observation. The bill also permits such law-enforcementofficers, retired law-enforcement officers, attorneys for the Commonwealthor assistant attorneys for the Commonwealth, qualified retired attorneysfor the Commonwealth or retired assistant attorneys for the Commonwealth,judges or justices of the Commonwealth, and retired judges or justicesof the Commonwealth to carry a firearm in many of the areas where firearms are prohibited from being carried.
Purchase of handguns; limitation on handgun purchases. Removes the prohibition on any person who is not a licensed firearms dealer from purchasing more than one handgun in a 30-day period. Current law makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for a violation of this provision, subject to certain exemptions.
Renaming Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as Director of Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion. Renames the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to the Director of Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion. The Director shall i) develop a sustainable framework to promote inclusive practices across state government; (ii) implement a measurable, strategic plan to increase opportunities for all Virginians; (iii) facilitate methods to turn feedback and suggestions from state employees, external stakeholders, and community leaders into actionable opportunities; (iv) promote ideas, policies, and practices in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to expand entrepreneurship and economic opportunities for disadvantaged Virginians, including Virginians living with disabilities; (v) facilitate bringing Virginians of different faiths together in service to their communities and the Commonwealth; (vi) promote free speech and civil discourse in civic life, including viewpoint diversity in higher education in coordination with the Secretary of Education; (vii) promote ideas, policies, and practices to eliminate disparities in prenatal care and to be an ambassador for unborn children; (viii) coordinate with the Secretary of Education to ensure the history of the United States is taught in Virginia honestly, objectively, and completely and to respond to the rights of parents in educational and curricular decision making; and (ix) perform any other responsibilities as assigned by the Governor. The bill makes similar renaming changes for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer.
Control of firearms by localities. Removes the authority for a locality by ordinance to prohibit the possession or carrying of firearms, ammunition, or components or any combination thereof in (i) any building, or part thereof, owned or used by such locality for governmental purposes; (ii) any public park owned or operated by the locality; (iii) any recreation or community center facility; or (iv) any public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or public right-of-way or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted event or an event that would otherwise require a permit. The bill provides that any firearm received by the locality pursuant to a buy-back program shall be offered for sale by public auction or sealed bids to a person licensed as a dealer. Current law provides that any such firearm shall be destroyed by the locality unless the person surrendering the firearm requests in writing that the firearm be offered for sale. The bill also limits the authority of localities and state governmental entities to bring lawsuits against certain firearms manufacturers and others.
Absentee voting; excuse required tovote absentee by mail; signature match. Requires a registered voter to provide a reason for being absent or unable to vote at hispolling place on election day in order to receive an absentee ballotto vote by mail. The bill requires a voter voting absentee by mailto open his ballot in the presence of a notary who must sign theballot return envelope. The bill requires that the general registrarmatch the signature of the voter on an absentee return envelope toa signature that the general registrar has on file before processingthe ballot. If the signature doesn't match, the absentee ballot isto be treated as a provisional vote subject to approval by the electoralboard. The bill also repeals the permanent absentee voter list andlimits the special annual application to those voters with an illnessor disability.
Absentee voting; return of absentee ballots;drop-off locations. Repeals the provisions of law providing forthe establishment of drop-off locations for the return of absenteeballots.
Voter registration; registration permittedup to and including the day of the election. Repeals a provisionthat would permit any person who is qualified to register to voteto register to vote in person up to and including the day of theelection, notwithstanding any deadline for the close of registration records. The repeal will limit the persons who are entitled to registerto vote after the close of registration records to (i) any member of a uniformed service of the United States who is on active duty,(ii) any person residing temporarily outside of the United States,and (iii) the spouse or dependent residing with someone listed in(i) or (ii).
Elections, ballots; ballot fraud security measures.Requires any printer or vendor supplying ballots in an electionfor state or federal office to be ISO 27001 certified, ISO 17025certified, or ISO 9001:2015 certified. The bill also requires anyballot used in an election for state or federal office to includea unique bar code or quick response code that is accessible onlyto the voter and that tracks the voter's ballot as it is processedand to include the use of at least two other ballot fraud securitymeasures from a list of approved measures.
Elections; administration; registrars; certain prohibitions. Requires the State Board of Elections to establishand the Department of Elections to conduct a program for the evaluationof the performance of general registrars. Under such evaluation program, general registrars with below satisfactory performance are subjectto remedial requirements and possible removal. The bill prohibitsgeneral registrars from conducting the duties of officers of election.The bill also provides that no general registrar may have a spouse,relative, or person with whom he resides who serves as the chairmanof a political party or other officer of a state, local, or districtlevel political party committee nor a spouse, relative, or person with whom he resides who serves as a paid or volunteer worker inthe campaign of a candidate for nomination or election to an officefilled by election in whole or in part by the qualified voters ofthe registrar's jurisdiction. The bill also applies certain prohibitionson registrars and their spouses to all assistant registrars, someof which only apply to paid assistant registrars under current law.
Absentee voting; permanent absentee voter listrepealed. Repeals the provisions of law by which any registered voter may apply to receive absentee ballots for all elections inwhich he is eligible to vote and remains on the list until the voterrequests in writing to be removed from the list, the voter's registrationis canceled or placed on inactive status pursuant to law, or thevoter moves to a different address not in the same county or cityof his registration.
Elections; absentee voting; ballots to be returnedbefore close of polls. Removes the provision of law requiringan absentee ballot that is returned to the general registrar afterthe closing of the polls on election day to be counted if it is received before noon on the third day after the election and is postmarkedon or before the date of the election to be counted if the voter is found entitled to vote. The bill does not affect the exception fora covered voter who was not sent a ballot in a timely manner andwhose voted ballot arrives after the close of polls.
Commending George Mason University.
