Memorializing Congress; Glass-Steagall Act;infrastructure bank. Urges the Congress of the United Statesto reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act and develop an infrastructurebank.
Project labor agreements; public procurement. Authorizes any state or local government, when engaged in procuring products or services or letting contracts for construction, manufacture, maintenance, or operation of public works, to require bidders to enter into or adhere to project labor agreements on the public works projects. This bill was incorporated into HB 358.
Minimum wage; farm workers. Eliminates the exemptions to Virginia's minimum wage requirements for persons employed as a farm laborer or farm employee. This bill was incorporated into HB 395.
Minimum wage. Increases the minimum wage from its current federally mandated level of $7.25 per hour to $10.10 per hour effective January 1, 2021, unless a higher minimum wage is required by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Effective January 1, 2022, the minimum wage shall be adjusted biennially to reflect annual increases in the consumer price index over the two most recent calendar years. The measure also provides that the Virginia minimum wage applies to persons whose employment is covered by the FLSA and to persons employed by the Commonwealth, its agencies or political subdivisions, or a public body. This bill was incorporated into HB 395.
Project labor agreements; public procurement by local governments. Authorizes any local government, when engaged in procuring products or services or letting contracts for construction, manufacture, maintenance, or operation of public works, to require bidders to enter into or adhere to project labor agreements on the public works projects. This bill was incorporated into HB 358.
Commending Virginia Organizing.
Right to reproductive choice. Provides thatevery individual has a fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptionand that a pregnant person has a fundamental right to choose to carrya pregnancy to term, give birth to a child, or terminate a pregnancy.The bill states that the Commonwealth shall not, in the regulationor provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information, denyor interfere with an individual's fundamental rights, including individualsunder state control or supervision. The bill states that any stateor local official who is charged with violating provisions of thissection shall be subject to an action in federal or state court forinjunctive relief and damages. Such action may be brought by any person or entity that may be aggrieved by such official's actions.
Prevailing wage; public works contracts withlocalities; penalty. Requires contractors and subcontractors under any public contract with a locality for public works to paywages, salaries, benefits, and other remuneration to any mechanic,laborer, or worker employed, retained, or otherwise hired to performservices in connection with the public contract at the prevailingwage rate. The Commissioner of Labor and Industry is required todetermine the prevailing wage rate for such public contracts on thebasis of applicable prevailing wage rate determinations made by theU.S. Secretary of Labor under the provisions of the federal Davis-BaconAct. A contractor or subcontractor who knowingly or willfully employsany mechanic, laborer, or worker to perform work contracted to bedone under the public contract at a rate that is less than the prevailingwage rate is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. In addition, such a contractor or subcontractor shall be liable to such individuals forthe payment of all wages due plus interest and shall be disqualifiedfrom bidding on public contracts until full restitution has beenpaid to the individuals.
Employment; wage inquiries; prohibited retaliatory action. Prohibits any public or private employer from (i) refusing to interview, hire, or employ an applicant for employment because the applicant does not provide wage history; (ii) retaliating against an applicant for employment because the applicant does not provide wage history; or (iii) relying on the wage history of an applicant to determine the wages offered by the employer to such individual. An applicant or employee who is aggrieved by a violation may bring a private action against the employer. The measure also prohibits an employer from taking other retaliatory action against an employee because the employee (a) reports a violation or suspected violation of any law to a supervisor or to any governmental body or law-enforcement official; (b) is requested by a governmental body or law-enforcement official to participate in an investigation, hearing, or inquiry; (c) refuses to engage in a criminal act that would subject the employee to criminal liability; (d) refuses an employer's order to perform an action that the employee believes violates any law; (e) provides information to or testifies before any governmental body or law-enforcement official conducting an investigation into any alleged violation by the employer; or (f) makes a prohibited wage inquiry. This bill was incorporated into HB 416.
Expungement of police and court records; misdemeanor and felony convictions. Allows a person convicted of a criminal offense to file a petition requesting expungement of the police and court records relating to the conviction if such person (i) has been free from any term of incarceration, probation, and postrelease supervision imposed as a result of such conviction for (a) at least eight years for a misdemeanor offense or (b) at least 12 years for a felony offense; (ii) has no subsequent convictions other than traffic infractions; and (iii) has no pending criminal proceeding.
