Del. Patrick Hope

Commending Linsey Chen Marr, Ph.D.

Commending Chief Master Sergeant Trevor C. Ball,VANG.

Commending the Honorable Thomas K. Norment,Jr.

Commending Aliyah Elliott.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable GeorgeJames Kostel.

Commending Mark E. Smith.

Building service employees; public contracting.Permits any county, city, or town in the Commonwealth to providefor certain requirements concerning incumbent and successor buildingservice employers, defined in the bill, by local ordinance or resolution.For example, such local ordinance or resolution may require thatsuccessor building service employers retain incumbent employees duringa transition period of 90 days. Under the bill, building serviceemployees are those who perform work in connection with the careor maintenance of property, services at an airport, or food preparationservices at schools. The bill provides that a building service employerthat violates the provisions of a local ordinance or resolution enactedpursuant to the bill may be subject to a civil action and monetarydamages.

Collective bargaining by firefighters and emergency medical services providers. Authorizes firefighters and emergency medical services providers employed by a political subdivision of the Commonwealth to engage in collective bargaining through labor organizations or other designated representatives. The bill provides for the appointment of a three-member board of arbitration regarding any dispute arising between an employer and firefighters or emergency medical services providers. Under the bill, determinations made by such board of arbitration are final on a disputed issue and are binding on the parties involved.

Bicycles, certain other vehicles, and pedestrians. Makes various changes to provisions relating to the operation of bicycles and certain other vehicles and relating to pedestrians. The bill authorizes the operator of a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, or motorized skateboard or scooter to yield instead of stop at an intersection of two highways controlled by a stop sign if certain conditions are met. For purposes of describing when such vehicles are not required to ride as close to the right curb or edge as possible, the bill replaces the term "substandard width lane" with the description that such travel lane is less than 15 feet wide or not wide enough to allow an overtaking motor vehicle to pass safely in the same lane. The bill specifies that if the lane of travel is less than 15 feet wide, a motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, moped, animal, or animal-drawn vehicle shall change lanes and may drive to the left of a highway centerline when it is safe to do so. The bill removes the requirement for persons riding bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, or motorized skateboards or scooters on a highway two abreast to move into a single-file formation and limits the requirement that such persons not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic to apply only on roadways with only one travel lane per direction and a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour or more.

Commending Peter A. Blake.