Public health emergency; emergency orders andregulations; limitations. Provides that any emergency order orregulation adopted by the Board of Health shall be valid for no morethan 45 days and that such order may be extended by the Board fora subsequent period of 45 days, provided that the Board providesnotice and receives public comment on the order or regulation proposedto be extended, but that in no case shall such emergency order or regulation be valid for more than 18 months from the effective dateof the initial order or regulation. The bill also provides that inany case in which the Commissioner of Health exercises the authorityof the Board to enact an emergency order or regulation, such orderor regulation shall be valid for no more than 45 days from the effectivedate of the order or regulation unless the Board adopts an orderor regulation to such effect. Thebill also limits the duration of an emergency temporary standardadopted by the Safety and Health Codes Board to 45 days and providesfor an extension of such emergency temporary standard for a subsequentperiod of 45 days, provided that the Board provides notice and receivespublic comment on the emergency temporary standard proposed to beextended. However, no emergency temporary order shall be valid fora period of more than six months.
Sponsored bills
Emergency custody and temporary detention orders; custody. Requires a facility or location to which a minor or adult who is subject to an emergency custody or temporary detention order is transported to accept custody of the minor or adult upon completion of transportation and arrival of the minor or adult at the facility and specifies that the primary law-enforcement agency shall provide transportation of a person who is involved in the involuntary commitment process, rather than a sheriff, as provided under current law.
Immunizations; authority of the Commissionerof Health; religious exception. Exempts a person, including aparent or guardian on behalf of a child, who objects to administrationof a vaccine on religious grounds from mandatory immunization requirementsduring an epidemic. Currently, exemption from mandatory immunizationrequirements during an epidemic is available only to those personsto whose health the administration of the vaccine would be detrimental,as certified in writing by a licensed physician.
Constitutional amendment (first reference);real property tax; exemption for certain surviving spouses of membersof the armed forces. Authorizes the General Assembly to exemptfrom tax the real property of a surviving spouse of a member of thearmed forces who died in the line of duty while performing officialmilitary activities. The amendment provides that such exemption isonly available when the death of such member of the armed forces did not result from criminal conduct. The current Constitution exemptsthe real property of a surviving spouse of a member of the armedforces who was killed in action, a disabled veteran, and the survivingspouse of a disabled veteran.
Family life education curriculum guidelines;human reproduction; viewing of ultrasound video recording. Requiresthe instruction on human reproduction contained in the Board of Education'sfamily life education curriculum guidelines to include the viewingof a video recording of an ultrasound of a live unborn human in theuterus.
Voter identification; identification containinga photograph required. Requires presentation of a form of identificationcontaining a photograph in order to vote. The bill repeals the provisionsof law permitting a voter who does not have one of the required formsof identification to vote after signing a statement, subject to felonypenalties for false statements, that he is the named registered voterhe claims to be. Instead, the bill provides that such voter is entitledto cast a provisional ballot.
Carrying a concealed handgun; permit not required. Allows any person who is otherwise eligible to obtain a concealedhandgun permit to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywherehe may lawfully carry a handgun openly within the Commonwealth.
Public elementary and secondary schools; curriculaand instruction including inherently divisive concepts prohibited.Requires each public elementary or secondary school principalto ensure that no curriculum utilized or instruction delivered inthe school includes inherently divisive concepts, as that term isdefined in the bill, regardless of whether such curriculum or instructionis provided by a school board employee or any other individual orentity.
Virginia Retirement System; enhanced retirementbenefits for 911 dispatchers. Adds 911 dispatchers to the listof local employees eligible to receive enhanced retirement benefitsfor hazardous duty service. Under current law, localities may providesuch benefits to first responders, including firefighters and emergencymedical technicians, and certain other hazardous duty positions.The bill provides that such benefits would be available only to dispatchershired starting on or after January 1, 2022.
Control of firearms by localities. Removesthe authority for a locality by ordinance to prohibit the possessionor carrying of firearms, ammunition, or components or any combinationthereof in (i) any building, or part thereof, owned or used by suchlocality for governmental purposes; (ii) any public park owned oroperated by the locality; (iii) any recreation or community centerfacility; or (iv) any public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or publicright-of-way or any other place of whatever nature that is open tothe public and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted eventor an event that would otherwise require a permit. The bill providesthat any firearm received by the locality pursuant to a buy-back programshall be offered for sale by public auction or sealed bids to a personlicensed as a dealer. Current law provides that any such firearm shallbe destroyed by the locality unless the person surrendering the firearmrequests in writing that the firearm be offered for sale. The billalso limits the authority of localities and state governmental entitiesto bring lawsuits against certain firearms manufacturers and others.