Del. Paul Krizek

Commending Edwin C. Roessler, Jr.

Study; efficacy of the Commonwealth's occupational licensing laws; construction trades; report. Establishesa joint subcommittee to (i) determine whether more requirements arenecessary to ensure all workers in relevant crafts are licensed,(ii) determine whether greater occupational licensing enforcementis necessary, (iii) determine whether the Commonwealth's occupationallicensing laws should apply to a broader scope of construction trades,and (iv) make recommendations for new laws or policies that wouldenhance the Commonwealth's occupational licensing regulations. Thejoint subcommittee is required to complete its meetings by November30, 2021, and to submit an executive summary of its findings andrecommendations no later than the first day of the 2022 Regular Sessionof the General Assembly.

Illegal gambling; skill games; temporary exemption for truck stops and alcoholic beverage control retail licensees. Delays by one additional year, from July 1, 2021, to July 1, 2022, the prohibition on the play or offering for play of skill games that was instituted in the 2020 Regular Session. The bill extends the one-year phase-out of existing skill games by one additional year to July 1, 2022, but decreases to 90 percent the total number of machines that a distributor may provide for play to truck stops and Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority retail licensees (ABC retail licensees) relative to the number of machines such distributor previously reported to the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (the Authority) on July 1, 2020. The bill caps the total number of skill games that persons operating truck stops and ABC retail licensees may make available for play to no more than 20 and six, respectively. The bill extends the prohibition on distributors offering new skill games for play. The bill keeps oversight authority over skill games with the Authority. The bill extends the requirement that each distributor pay a monthly tax of $1,200 for each skill game provided for play during the previous month. Revenues will accrue one percent to the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund, three percent to the Authority for the purposes of implementing the bill, 33 percent to the localities in which the skill games are located, one percent to the Family and Children's Trust Fund, two percent to the Virginia Breeders Fund, and 60 percent to the Commonwealth Transportation Fund. The bill extends the requirement that distributors report monthly to the Authority the number of skill games provided for play. Finally, the bill prohibits persons younger than 21 years of age from playing skill games or redeeming the evidence of winnings for them.

Right to work. Repeals the provisions ofthe Code of Virginia that, among other things, prohibit any agreementor combination between an employer and a labor union or labor organizationwhereby (i) nonmembers of the union or organization are denied theright to work for the employer, (ii) membership in the union or organizationis made a condition of employment or continuation of employment bysuch employer, or (iii) the union or organization acquires an employmentmonopoly in any such enterprise.

Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitiveand sustained physical stressors. Provides that, for the purposesof the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act, "occupational disease"includes injuries from conditions resulting from repetitive and sustainedphysical stressors, including repetitive and sustained motions, exertions,posture stress, contact stresses, vibration, or noise. The bill providesthat such injuries are covered under the Act. Such coverage doesnot require that the injuries occurred over a particular period,provided that such a period can be reasonably identified and documentedand further provided that the employment is shown to have primarily caused the injury, considering all causes.

Teacher compensation; at or above national average.Requires that public school teachers be compensated at a rate thatis at or above the national average. Under current law, compensationat such rate is aspirational. The bill requires state funding tobe provided pursuant to the general appropriation act in a sum sufficientto fund a 4.5 percent annual increase for public school teacher salaries,effective from the 2022-23 school year through the 2026-27 schoolyear. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2022.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable BernardS. Cohen.

Commending Redella S. Pepper.

Constitutional amendment (first reference);marriage; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; recognition ofsame-sex marriages. Repeals the constitutional provision definingmarriage as only a union between one man and one woman, as well asthe related provisions that are no longer valid as a result of theUnited States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges,576 U.S. 644 (2015). The amendment provides that the Commonwealthand its political subdivisions and its agents are required to issuemarriage licenses, recognize marriages, and treat all marriages equallyunder the law, regardless of the gender of the two parties to themarriage. The amendment further provides that religious organizationsand clergy acting in their religious capacity have the right to refuseto perform any marriage.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable MamyeE. BaCote.