Provides that no five-axle-combination vehicle shall be issued an overweight permit for hauling Virginia-grown farm produce unless such vehicle has no less than 42 feet of axle space between extreme axles. The bill provides that no vehicle issued an overweight permit for hauling Virginia-grown farm produce shall cross any bridge or culvert in the Commonwealth if the gross weight of such vehicle is greater than the amount posted for the bridge or culvert as its carrying capacity. Current law requires specific weight limitations based upon axle weights or axle spacing. This bill is identical to
Allows courts, for good cause and absent objection by the Commonwealth, to impose nonconsecutive or weekend jail time for defendants convicted of a misdemeanor, a traffic offense, any offense under Chapter 5 (§ 20-61 et seq.) of Title 20, or a felony that is not an act of violence as defined in § 19.2-297.1, provided that the active portion of the sentence remaining to be served is 45 days or less. Under current law, the imposition of nonconsecutive or weekend jail time is limited to defendants convicted of a misdemeanor, a traffic offense, or any offense under Chapter 5 (§ 20-61 et seq.) of Title 20.
Clarifies (i) that the members of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) Authority appointed by the Governor and the Joint Rules Committee are voting members of the Authority and (ii) the authority of VEDP to direct the Attorney General to enforce contracts related to the award of economic incentives. The bill adds a member of the VEDP Authority, to be appointed by the chairman, to each of the Committee on Business Development and Marketing and the Committee on International Trade and clarifies that these committees are advisory in nature. The bill also extends to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) the existing closed meeting exemption for discussion of portions of the VEDP strategic, marketing, and operational plans that are exempt from public disclosure. Current law requires that VEDP report on these plans to the JLARC subcommittee on economic development but does not provide an exemption for discussion of the portions of those plans not subject to public disclosure.
Requires the Board of Education to establish a training program for school board employees who assist in the transportation of students on school buses, including individuals employed to operate school buses and school bus aides, on autism spectrum disorders, including the characteristics of autism spectrum disorders, strategies for interacting with students with autism spectrum disorders, and collaboration with other employees who assist in the transportation of students on school buses. The bill requires each school board employee who assists in the transportation of students with autism spectrum disorders on school buses to participate in such training program.
Increases from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 2 felony the penalty for any person to knowingly circumcise, excise, or infibulate the labia majora, labia minora, or clitoris of a minor; for any parent or guardian charged with the care of a minor to consent to such circumcision, excision, or infibulation; or for any parent or guardian charged with the care of a minor to knowingly remove or cause or permit the removal of such minor from the Commonwealth for the purposes of performing such circumcision, excision, or infibulation.
Provides that upon issuance of an emergency, preliminary, or permanent protective order, the clerk of the court shall make available to the petitioner information that is published by the Department of Criminal Justice Services for victims of domestic violence or for petitioners in protective order cases.
Provides that, notwithstanding the requirement for a referendum for liquor by the drink, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board may issue a mixed beverage license to establishments located on property along State Route 685 approximately 1,600 feet east of the intersection of State Routes 652 and 685.
Establishes a process whereby a physician may cease to provide health care that has been determined to be medically or ethically inappropriate for a patient. This bill is identical to
Authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to undertake research through the establishment of (i) a higher education industrial hemp research program, to be managed by institutions of higher education, and (ii) a Virginia industrial hemp research program. The bill classifies all participants in any research program as either growers or processors and replaces the current licensing requirement, which requires a police background check, with a registration requirement. The provisions of the bill are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act. This bill incorporates
Defines "time of filing for the office" for purposes of determining the order on the ballot of independent candidates as the time at which the candidate has filed his petition signature pages with a number of signatures at least equal to the number required by law for the office for which he is seeking election. For offices for which no petition is required, the "time of filing for the office" is defined as the time at which the candidate has filed his completed statement of qualification.
Changes one of the criteria for determining when an electoral board is required to ascertain the total votes for each write-in candidate for an office from when less than five percent of the total number of votes cast for that office are write-in votes to when less than 10 percent of the total number of votes cast for that office are write-in votes.
Requires each school board to adopt policies to (i) prohibit abusive work environments in the school division, (ii) provide for the appropriate discipline of any school board employee who contributes to an abusive work environment, and (iii) prohibit retaliation or reprisal against a school board employee who alleges an abusive work environment or assists in the investigation of an allegation of an abusive work environment.
