Del. Patrick Hope

Eligibility for food stamps and TANF; drug-related felonies. Provides that a person who is otherwise eligible to receive food stamp benefits shall not be denied such assistance solely because he has been convicted of a drug-related felony. Under current law, such individuals may not be denied food stamp benefits based on a felony conviction of possession of a controlled substance in violation of § 18.2-250, provided that such person is complying with, or has already complied with, all obligations imposed by the criminal court, is actively engaged in or has completed a substance abuse treatment program, participates in periodic drug screenings, and meets any other obligations as determined by the Department of Social Services. The bill also provides that a person who is otherwise eligible to receive TANF benefits shall not be denied such assistance solely because he has been convicted of a drug-related felony. This bill incorporates HB 391, HB 786, HB 814, and HB 1130 and is identical to SB 124.

Investment of public funds; ratings agencies. Allows ratings by Fitch Ratings to be used for determining whether certain investments are permissible for public funds. Under current law, only ratings by Standard & Poor's or Moody's Investors Service may be used. The bill contains technical amendments, including the removal of obsolete references to ratings by Duff & Phelps.

Prohibited discrimination; public accommodations, employment, credit, and housing: causes of action; sexual orientation and gender identity. Creates explicit causes of action for unlawful discrimination in public accommodations and employment in the Virginia Human Rights Act. Currently, under the Act there is no cause of action for discrimination in public accommodations, and the only causes of action for discrimination in employment are for (i) unlawful discharge on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, including lactation, by employers employing more than five but fewer than 15 persons and (ii) unlawful discharge on the basis of age by employers employing more than five but fewer than 20 persons. The bill allows the causes of action to be pursued privately by the aggrieved person or, in certain circumstances, by the Attorney General. The bill prohibits discrimination in public and private employment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill also codifies for state and local government employment the current prohibitions on discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, or status as a veteran. Additionally, the bill (a) prohibits discrimination in public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or status as a veteran; (b) prohibits discrimination in credit on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, disability, and status as a veteran; and (c) adds discrimination on the basis of an individual's sexual orientation, gender identity, or status as a veteran as an unlawful housing practice. The bill makes technical amendments. This bill incorporates HB 3, HB 21, HB 23, HB 217, HB 1050, HB 1200, and HB 1512.

Taxes on income, wills, and administrations; exemption for victims of the Virginia Beach mass shooting and for payments to such victims; emergency. Establishes an income tax exemption for relief payments paid to a victim of the 2019 Virginia Beach mass shooting or a parent, guardian, child, or spouse of a victim. The bill also establishes an exemption from probate tax for a person killed or injured in the shooting. The bill provides that if, prior to its enactment, a person eligible for a tax exemption pursuant to the bill paid tax to the Commonwealth or a locality for a will or grant of administration of a victim's estate, either the Commonwealth or the locality shall refund the tax. The bill establishes a deduction for a taxpayer's relief payment, whether directly or indirectly, to a victim of the Virginia Beach mass shooting, provided the taxpayer coordinates with the City of Virginia Beach to identify victims and distribute payments. The bill contains an emergency clause.

Transient occupancy tax; Arlington County. Removes the July 1, 2021, sunset date from Arlington County's authority to impose a transient occupancy tax at a rate not to exceed 0.25 percent to be used for the purpose of promoting tourism and business travel in the county. Under current law, in addition to this tax, Arlington County is authorized to impose a transient occupancy tax at a rate not to exceed five percent. This bill is identical to SB 107.

Line of Duty Act; eligible dependents. Provides that children born or adopted after the death or disability of an employee covered by the Line of Duty Act are eligible for health insurance coverage if their birth or adoption occurred after the time of the employee's death or disability, but prior to July 1, 2017. Under current law, such children are not eligible unless they were adopted pursuant to a preadoptive agreement entered into prior to the death or disability. This bill is identical to SB 40.

Nonpayment of wages; investigations. Authorizes the Commissioner of Labor and Industry, if he acquires information during an investigation of a complaint of an employer's failure or refusal to pay wages and that information creates a reasonable belief that other employees of the same employer may not have been paid wages, to investigate whether the employer has failed or refused to make a required payment of wages to other employees. The measure also provides that if the Commissioner finds in the course of such investigation that the employer has committed a violation, the Commissioner may institute proceedings on behalf of any employee against his employer. In such proceedings, the Commissioner is not required to have obtained a written complaint of the violation or the written and signed consent of any employee. This bill is identical to SB 49.

Study; barrier crimes and criminal history records checks; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the Commonwealth's requirements related to barrier crimes and criminal history records checks. The resolution directs the joint subcommittee to, in conducting its study, develop recommendations related to (i) whether statutory provisions related to criminal history records checks, barrier crimes, and barrier crime exceptions should be reorganized and consolidated into a central location in the Code of Virginia; (ii) whether certain crimes should be removed from the list of barrier crimes; (iii) whether barrier crime exceptions and waiver processes should be broadened; (iv) whether the required amount of time that must lapse after conviction of certain barrier crimes should be shortened; and (v) other changes that could be made to criminal history records check and barrier crimes requirements that would improve the organization, effectiveness, and fairness of such provisions.

Study; staffing levels, employment conditions, and compensation at the Virginia Department of Corrections; report. Establishes a joint committee of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions; the House Committee on Public Safety; the Senate Committee on the Judiciary; and the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services to study staffing levels, employment conditions, and compensation at the Virginia Department of Corrections. The resolution directs the joint committee to conclude its work by November 30, 2020, and to report its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the 2021 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Programs to address career fatigue and wellness in certain health care providers; civil immunity. Expands civil immunity for health care professionals serving as members of or consultants to entities that function primarily to review, evaluate, or make recommendations related to health care services to include health care professionals serving as members of or consultants to entities that function primarily to address issues related to career fatigue and wellness in health care professionals licensed to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine or licensed as a physician assistant. The bill also clarifies that, absent evidence indicating a reasonable probability that a health care professional who is a participant in a professional program to address issues related to career fatigue or wellness is not competent to continue in practice or is a danger to himself, his patients, or the public, participation in such a professional program does not trigger the requirement that the health care professional be reported to the Department of Health Professions. The bill contains an emergency clause.