Destruction of criminal history information for certain charges and convictions. Provides that a court shall enter an order of destruction for police and court records, in the absence of good cause shown to the contrary by the Commonwealth, for a deferred disposition dismissal of (i) underage alcohol possession when one year has passed since the date of dismissal and all court costs and fines and all orders of restitution have been satisfied or (ii) possession of marijuana when three years have passed since the date of dismissal and all court costs and fines and all orders of restitution have been satisfied. The bill also provides that any person who has received such deferred disposition dismissals may file a petition with the court that disposed of such charge for an order of destruction at any time provided that all court costs and fines and all orders of restitution have been satisfied. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Criminal Justice Conference. The provisions of the bill are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act. This bill incorporates SB 287.
Appropriation; Department of Elections.Appropriates $2,000,000 to the Department of Elections to be usedto provide prepaid postage for the return of absentee ballots forthe November 3, 2020, election. The bill requires that such prepaidpostage be provided by localities, which will be reimbursed by the Department out of the appropriation. The bill also makes other procedural changes for absentee voting for the November 3, 2020, election,including directing the State Board of Elections to promulgate emergencyregulations for the establishment and operation of drop-off locationsfor completed ballots.
Confirming appointment of the Director of theDivision of Legislative Services. Confirms the appointment bythe House and Senate Committees on Rules of Amigo R. Wade as Directorof the Division of Legislative Services.
Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission; Department of Planning and Budget; fiscal impact statements. Requires the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission to prepare a fiscal impact statement reflecting the operating costs attributable to and necessary appropriations for any bill that would result in a net decrease in periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities. The bill requires the Department of Planning and Budget to prepare a fiscal impact statement reflecting the operating costs attributable to and necessary appropriations for any bill that would result in a net decrease in periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice. The bill contains a reenactment clause and requires the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission and the Department of Planning and Budget to conduct pilot programs in which they each prepare such fiscal impact statements for four referred bills for submission to the General Assembly by December 15, 2020.
Law-enforcement agencies; body-worn camera systems. Creates a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Body-Worn Camera System Fund to assist state or local law-enforcement agencies with the costs of purchasing, operating, and maintaining body-worn camera systems.
Capitol Square Preservation Council; powersand duties; review and approval of plans for changes to artifactscontained within the Capitol Building. Grants the Capitol SquarePreservation Council the authority to review and approve all plansor proposals for alterations, improvements, additions, or renovationsto, or other disposition of, any monuments, statuary, artwork, orother historical artifacts contained within the Capitol Building, including within the old and new Senate chambers, the old and newhalls of the House of Delegates, and the Rotunda.
In-home consumer-directed services; electronicvisit verification; exception. Requires the Department of MedicalAssistance Services to implement an electronic visit verificationsystem to confirm delivery of in-home services by providers of consumer-directedpersonal care, respite care, or companion services through the Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus waiver program, Developmental Disability waiverprogram, or the Early and Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatmentprogram and creates an exception to the requirement that providersof such services use the electronic visit verification system forproviders who reside in the home of the person receiving services.
Private school employees and volunteers; essentialworkers; personal protective equipment during certain declared statesof emergency; emergency. Provides that during any case in whichthe Governor has declared a state of emergency related to a communicabledisease of public health threat, individuals working or volunteeringin a private elementary or secondary school in the Commonwealth shallbe considered essential workers and shall be included in any groupafforded priority with regard to access to personal protective equipmentduring such state of emergency. The bill contains an emergency clause.
Student safety drills and student health screenings;waiver; emergency. Permits any school board to waive any mandatorystudent safety drill and any mandatory student health screening untilsuch time as the General Assembly reconsiders such waivers duringthe 2021 regular session of the General Assembly. The bill containsan emergency clause.
Concealed handgun permits; demonstration ofcompetence; effective date. Amends the delayed enactment clausefor Chapter 390 and the delayed enactment clause for Chapter 1130of the Acts of Assembly of 2020 so that the provisions of such chapterswill take effect on January 1, 2022, instead of January 1, 2021. Thebill has an emergency clause.
Public schools; COVID-19-related absences.Excuses from school attendance children diagnosed with COVID-19 orchildren with a household member diagnosed with COVID-19 while thechild or household member is suffering from COVID-19.
Public utilities; Emergency Debt Repayment Plan. Requires every utility providing electric, gas, or water service that is subject to regulation by the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) to develop an Emergency Debt Repayment Plan (EDRP) for residential customers. The bill requires that an EDRP is designed to ensure that debt repayments accrued during a certain state of emergency or a certain service disconnection moratorium, in addition to the customer's regular utility bill are sustainable and affordable for the customer. The bill provides than EDRP will allow for an up to 12-month repayment period and for a customer to roll over remaining debt with any debt accrued under a subsequent state of emergency. The bill prohibits a utility from requiring any new deposit, application fee, or other new type of advance payment before enrolling a customer in an EDRP and from charging any interest, finance charges, or prepayment penalties on the unpaid debt while the customer is enrolled in an EDRP. The bill prohibits a utility from discontinuing service for any customer enrolled in the program provided the customer remains in compliance with the terms of the EDRP and remains current on the customer's current utility bill. The bill requires the Commission to allow for the timely recovery of certain costs resulting from an EDRP for jurisdictional utilities, including through a rate adjustment clause or through base rates and provides that the Commission may apply any applicable earnings test in the Commission rules governing utility rate applications and annual informational filings when assessing the recovery of such costs. The bill provides that it does not confer any additional jurisdiction or authority to the Commission. The bill requires each jurisdictional utility to report certain information to the Commission and for the Commission to report such information to the chairs of the House Committees on Labor and Commerce and Appropriations and the Senate Committees on Commerce and Labor and Finance and Appropriations. The bill requires municipal utilities, upon the request of the chairs of such committees to submit a report to such committees. The bill also requires the Commission to submit an additional report to the chairs of the House Committees on Labor and Commerce and Appropriations and the Senate Committees on Commerce and Labor and Finance and Appropriations.
