Del. David Bulova

Wetland and stream mitigation credits; dam removalcredits. Provides the Department of Environmental Quality theauthority to allow applicants for permits with stream mitigation requirements to satisfy all or part of the requirements through damremoval credits generated in the same or adjacent stream or watershedbasin. A dam removal credit is defined in the bill as a credit generatedthrough the removal of a significant obstruction, which is also definedin the bill. The bill includes certain requirements with which the applicant must comply in order to use dam removal credits from anadjacent river watershed.

Hunting with steel-jawed traps; prohibition;penalty. Prohibits the use of steel-jawed traps when hunting;a violation of the prohibition is punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Native plant species; state agencies. Directsthe Secretaries of Natural and Historic Resources, Agriculture andForestry, and Administration to coordinate the development of strategicactions for state agencies to take to prioritize the use of nativeplant species on state properties.

Campaign finance; mandatory electronic filingfor all candidates. Requires all independent expenditure andcandidate campaign finance reports to be filed electronically withthe Department of Elections. Under current law, such expenditure andfinance reports can be filed either electronically or in writingwith State Board of Elections. The bill also shifts administrativeduties given to the State Board of Elections, such as the receiptof certain filings, to the Department of Elections.

Comprehensive plan; climate resilience.Requires a locality's comprehensive plan to consider strategies toaddress climate resilience in order to anticipate, prepare for, respondto, and adapt to changing conditions and hazardous events.

Exhaust systems; excessive noise. Prohibitsany individual from operating a motor vehicle with a gross weightof 10,000 pounds or less with an exhaust system that emits noise equivalentto noise in excess of 85 decibels measured from a distance of 50 feet.The bill also allows the governing body of any county, city, or town located within the Northern Virginia Planning District to provideby ordinance that no person shall operate any motor vehicle on a highway or on public or private property within 500 feet of any residential district unless such motor vehicle is equipped with an exhaust systemof a type installed as standard equipment, or comparable to thatdesigned for use on that particular vehicle or device as standardfactory equipment, in good working order and in constant operationto prevent excessive noise. The bill also requires the Superintendentof State Police to promulgate regulations for the inspection of motorvehicles to ensure that no motor vehicle is equipped with a guttedmuffler, muffler cutout, or straight exhaust or any mechanical orelectronic device that creates or amplifies noise emitted by themotor vehicle that is louder than the noise emitted by such motor vehicle as originally manufactured.

Constitutional amendment (second reference);marriage; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; affirmative rightto marry. Repeals the constitutional provision defining marriageas only a union between one man and one woman as well as the relatedprovisions that are no longer valid as a result of the United StatesSupreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015). The amendment provides that the right to marry is a fundamental right inherent in the liberty of persons and requires the Commonwealthand its political subdivisions and agents to issue marriage licenses,recognize marriages, and treat all marriages equally under the law,regardless of the sex or gender of the parties to the marriage. Religiousorganizations and clergy acting in their religious capacity havethe right to refuse to perform any marriage.

Dangerous and vicious dogs; civil liability; knowledge of propensity not required. Provides that a dog ownermay be civilly liable for a bite or attack by his dog regardlessof whether he knew or should have known of such dog's propensityfor vicious, dangerous, or otherwise aggressive behavior.

Alcoholic beverage control; tied house. Allows licensees to employ persons who are also employed by another licenseeoperating in a different tier of the Commonwealth's three-tier alcoholicbeverage control system.

Commending Virginia Polytechnic Institute andState University.