Eminent domain; offer to sell to former owner.Provides that a former owner may enter into a contractual agreementor agree to a contractual provision waiving his right to receivean offer of sale from a condemnor. Under current law, any agreementor provision waiving such right is void and unenforceable.
Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements; civil action. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning January 1, 2027. Under the program, benefits are paid to covered individuals, as defined in the bill, for family and medical leave. Funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning January 1, 2026. The bill provides that the amount of a benefit is 80 percent of the employee's average weekly wage, not to exceed 80 percent of the state weekly wage, which amount is required to be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the statewide average weekly wage. The bill caps the duration of paid leave at 12 weeks in any application year and provides self-employed individuals the option of participating in the program.
Commending the Orange County Chamber of Commerce.
Celebrating the life of the Honorable EdwardDeJarnette Berry.
Commending Major General Timothy P. Williams,VNG.
Commending the Suffolk Alumnae Chapter of DeltaSigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Commending the Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce.
Constitutional amendment (first reference);qualifications of voters; right to vote; persons not entitled tovote. Provides that every person who meets the qualificationsof voters set forth in the Constitution of Virginia shall have thefundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth and that such rightshall not be abridged by law, except for persons who have been convictedof a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacityto understand the act of voting. A person who has been convictedof a felony shall not be entitled to vote during any period of incarcerationfor such felony conviction, but upon release from incarceration forthat felony conviction and without further action required of him,such person shall be invested with all political rights, includingthe right to vote. Currently, in order to be qualified to vote a personconvicted of a felony must have his civil rights restored by theGovernor or other appropriate authority. The amendment also providesthat a person adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction aslacking the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote during this period of incapacity until his capacityhas been reestablished as prescribed by law. Currently, the Constitutionof Virginia provides that a person who has been adjudicated to bementally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competencyis reestablished.
Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act;units occupied by elderly tenants; rent stabilization allowance.Allows any locality to adopt rent stabilization provisions to prohibitany landlord, defined in the bill, from increasing the rent on anyunit in which an elderly tenant, defined in the bill, resides byan amount that exceeds such locality's rent stabilization allowance.The bill defines "rent stabilization allowance" as the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index, for the region in which thelocality sits, from March in the preceding year to March in the currentyear, plus two percent. Finally, the bill requires any rent stabilizationordinance to include a procedure by which a landlord may apply foran exemption if the net operating income generated by the rentaldwelling unit has not been maintained due to escalating operatingexpenses or for other appropriate reasons as established by the locality.
Commending Dr. Willis L. Lonzer III.
