Del. Patrick Hope

Commending Travis G. Hill.

Celebrating the life of William David Lamb.

Celebrating the life of Janet Marie Brooking.

Commending Peter A. Blake.

Commending Scott McGeary.

Commending the John J. Wright Educational andCultural Center.

Firearm purchases; permit to purchase a firearm required; penalties. Requires any person purchasing a firearm from a firearms dealer to present a valid permit issued by the Department of State Police that allows the holder to purchase a firearm. The bill prohibits a firearms dealer from selling, renting, trading, or transferring from his inventory any firearm to any person until he has received such permit. The bill sets forth the procedures to apply for the permit and prohibits the permitting of any person who (i) is younger than 21 years of age; (ii) is prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm; (iii) within the two years prior to the date of application, has been convicted of any offense against a person that is an act of violence, force, or threat or a firearm-related offense that is punished as a Class 1 misdemeanor; (iv) is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance; (v) within the two years prior to the date of application, has not completed a firearms safety or training course or class offered to the public by a law-enforcement agency, institution of higher education, or private or public institution or organization or by a firearms training school utilizing instructors certified or approved by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, and with a required curriculum, detailed in the bill; or (vi) for whom it would not be in the interest of the public health, safety, or welfare of the Commonwealth as determined by the Department of State Police for the person to obtain a permit because the person is found to be lacking in essential character or temperament necessary to be entrusted with a firearm. The bill provides that such permit is valid for five years from the date of issuance. The bill details reasons for revocation of a permit and provides that any person who fails to return a revoked permit to the Superintendent of State Police within five days' notice of revocation is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill also states that any person who willfully and intentionally makes a materially false statement on the application form for a permit is guilty of a Class 5 felony.

County manager plan of government; powers.Broadens several powers available to counties that have adopted thecounty manager plan of government by giving such counties the optionof following general law rather than the provisions specified inthis optional form of county government. The bill also allows forthe direct election of the board chairman if approved by referendum,rather than having the board chairman chosen by other members of the county board. Currently, only Arlington County has adopted thecounty manager plan of government.

Elections; absentee voting; electronic ballot return. Requires that the Department of Elections establish an electronic transmission system through which a military or overseas voter or voter with a disability may request, receive, and return a ballot. The bill also requires a general registrar to offer an applicant for an absentee ballot who indicates that he will require assistance to vote the option to have a blank absentee ballot, the form for the envelope for returning the marked ballot, and instructions sent to him by electronic transmission. A voter with a disability who receives a ballot by electronic transmission may print and return the ballot or may return the ballot by electronic transmission if the voter affirms that he is an individual who, regardless of any other disability, (i) is blind; (ii) has a visual impairment or perceptual or reading disability that cannot be improved to give visual function substantially equivalent to that of a person who has no such impairment or disability and so is unable to read or mark a ballot to substantially the same degree as a person without an impairment or disability; or (iii) is otherwise unable, through physical disability, to hold, mark, or manipulate a ballot or to focus or move the eyes to the extent that would be normally required for reading or marking a ballot. Additionally, the bill requires a general registrar to send any voter who indicates that he will require assistance due to a disability a voter assistance form. Under current law, voters who opt to receive a ballot marking tool are not sent a voter assistance form. The bill also allows a military or overseas voter who requested and received ballot materials by electronic transmission to return the ballot by electronic transmission in circumstances where another more secure method, such as returning the ballot by mail, is not available or feasible.

Virginia Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program and Fund; firearm and ammunition tax. Establishes the Virginia Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program (the Program) and redirects funds from the Virginia Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund (the Fund) to support such program. The bill requires the Program be administered by the Department of Criminal Justice Services (the Department) to distribute grants to localities and organizations for the purpose of improving public health and safety by supporting effective violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by violence, particularly homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults. The bill provides that funds may also be used to finance the hiring of counselors in public elementary and secondary schools and research initiatives that have the objective of reducing gun violence.The bill provides that the Department shall issue grants on a competitive basis. As a condition of receiving a grant, a locality or organization must commit a cash or in-kind contribution equivalent to the amount of the grant, with waivers allowed for good cause, and report on its progress toward achieving the grant's objectives. The bill requires the Department to provide public access to such reports.The bill imposes a five percent tax on the sale of any firearm or ammunition, with all revenue from the tax accruing to the Fund. Under the bill, firearm and ammunition sales to state or local agencies or law-enforcement officers are exempt from such tax.