Virginia Fair Housing Law; unlawful discriminatory housing practices. Prohibits any locality, its employees, or its appointed commissions from discriminating (i) in the application of local land use ordinances or guidelines, or in the permitting of housing developments, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, source of funds, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, or disability; (ii) in the permitting of housing developments because the housing development contains or is expected to contain affordable housing units occupied or intended for occupancy by families or individuals with incomes at or below 80 percent of the median income of the area where the housing development is located or is proposed to be located; or (iii) by prohibiting or imposing conditions upon the rental or sale of dwelling units, provided that the provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to prohibit ordinances related to short-term rentals. The bill provides that it shall not be a violation of the Virginia Fair Housing Law if land use decisions or decisions relating to the permitting of housing developments are based upon considerations of limiting high concentrations of affordable housing. The bill also requires the Fair Housing Board, after determining the existence of an unlawful discriminatory housing practice and after consultation with the Attorney General, to immediately refer the matter to the Attorney General for civil action.
Del. Patrick Hope
Sponsored bills
No-fault divorce; corroboration requirement.Removes the corroborating witness requirement for no-fault divorces.
Produce Rx Program established; report. Directs the Department of Social Services, in cooperation with the Department of Medical Assistance Services, to convene a work group to develop a plan for a three-year pilot Produce Rx program to incentivize consumption of qualifying fruits and vegetables by eligible individuals for whom increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is recommended by a qualified care provider. The bill requires the Department of Social Services to report on the activities of the work group and the elements of the plan to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by October 1, 2021.
Absentee voting; witness signature not required. Repeals the requirement that an absentee ballot be opened in thepresence of a witness and signed by such witness.
Certain declared states of emergency; essential workers; funeral service licensees; emergency. Provides that in any case in which the Board of Health or Commissioner of Health has made an emergency order or regulation for the purpose of suppressing nuisances dangerous to the public health or a communicable , contagious, or infectious disease or other danger to the public life and health or the Governor has declared a state of emergency related to a communicable disease of public health threat, funeral service licensees and persons employed by a funeral service establishment or by a public medical examination facility shall be considered essential workers and shall be included in any group afforded priority with regard to (i) access to personal protective equipment and (ii) administration of any vaccination against such communicable disease of public health threat during such emergency. The bill contains an emergency clause.
Certain employees of the Department of JuvenileJustice; naloxone or other opioid antagonist. Authorizes employeesof the Department of Juvenile Justice designated as probation andparole officers or as juvenile correctional officers to possess andadminister naloxone or other opioid antagonist for overdose reversalpursuant to an oral or written order or standing protocol issuedby the prescriber within the course of his professional practice.
Duties of agencies and their appointing authorities; diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plans. Requires stateagencies to establish and maintain a comprehensive diversity, equity,and inclusion strategic plan in coordination with the Governor's Directorof Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Department of General Services; removal of HarryF. Byrd, Sr., statue. Directs the Department of General Servicesto remove the statue of former Virginia Governor and U.S. SenatorHarry F. Byrd, Sr., from Capitol Square. The bill directs the Departmentto store the statue until such time as the General Assembly determinesits final disposition.
Department of Human Resource Management, alternative application for employment for persons with a disability. Directs the Department of Human Resource Management to create an alternative application process for the employment of persons with a disability. The process must be noncompetitive in nature and provide state agencies using the process an option for converting positions filled through the noncompetitive process into positions that are normally filled through a competitive process. The bill directs the Department of Human Resource Management to develop and disseminate a policy to implement the provisions of the bill.
Child support payments; juvenile in custody of or committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice. Provides that the Department of Juvenile Justice is no longer required to apply for child support from, and the parent of a juvenile is no longer responsible to pay child support to, the Department of Social Services for a juvenile who is in the temporary custody of or committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice.