Essential health benefits; abortion coverage.Removes the prohibition on the provision of coverage for abortionsin any qualified health insurance plan that is sold or offered forsale through a health benefits exchange established or operatingin Virginia.
Electric utilities; closure of carbon-emitting generating units. Requires each owner of a large carbon-emitting power plant to provide notice to relevant localities and state agencies about the decision to close the plant within 30 days of making such decision The bill requires localities in which such facilities are located, and planning district commissions in such localities, to conduct public hearings regarding the impending closure within six months of receipt of such notice. The bill requires the Division of Energy to maintain a public website listing the facilities subject to the requirements of the bill and their anticipated closure dates. As part of an integrated resource plan, the bill requires each utility to submit a facility retirement study for its carbon-emitting facilities and disclose the study to relevant localities and state agencies.
Recording an electronic document; electronic notarial certificate; emergency. Provides that if a clerk has an eRecording Sytem, the clerk shall follow the provisions of the Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act (§55.1-661 et seq.) The bill further provides that if a clerk does not have an eRecording System, the clerk shall record a legible paper copy of an electronic document, provided such copy otherwise meets the requirements for recordation and is certified to be a true and accurate copy of the electronic original by the party who submits the document for recordation. The bill requires an electronic notarial certificate to include the county or city in the Commonwealth where the notary public was physically located and indicate whether the notarization was done in person or by remote online notarization, defined in the bill as an electronic notarization where the signer is not in the physical presence of the notary. The bill also adds additional forms of "satisfactory evidence of identity" when a notary is using video and audio communication. The bill contains an emergency clause.
Manufacture, import, sale, transfer, or possession of plastic firearms and unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms; penalties. Creates a Class 5 felony for any person who manufactures, imports, sells, transfers, or possesses any firearm that, after removal of all parts other than a major component, as defined in the bill, is not detectable as a firearm by the types of detection devices, including X-ray machines, commonly used at airports for security screening. The bill updates language regarding the types of detection devices that are used at airports for detecting plastic firearms. The bill also creates several Class 1 misdemeanors, which are punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, making it unlawful (i) for any person to possess, sell, offer to sell, transfer, purchase, transport, or receive an unfinished frame or receiver or firearm, unless the party possessing or receiving the unfinished frame or receiver or firearm is a federal firearms importer or manufacturer or the unfinished frame or receiver or firearm is imprinted with a serial number issued by a federal firearms importer or manufacturer and (ii) for any person to manufacture, cause to be manufactured, assemble, or cause to be assembled a firearm that is not imprinted with a serial number issued by a federal firearms importer or manufacturer in compliance with all federal laws and regulations regulating the manufacture and import of firearms. The bill creates exceptions for (i) any firearm that has been rendered permanently inoperable, (ii) an antique firearm, or (iii) any firearm or unfinished frame or receiver manufactured before October 22, 1968.
Environmental justice; interagency working group. Establishes the Interagency Environmental Justice Working Group as an advisory council in the executive branch of state government to further environmental justice in the Commonwealth and directs each of the Governor's Secretaries to designate at least one environmental justice coordinator to represent the secretariat as a member of the Working Group. The bill directs the Working Group to focus its work during its first year on the environmental justice of current air quality monitoring practices in Virginia and provides that the Working Group shall expire on July 1, 2031. The bill directs each state agency, no later than October 1, 2021, to adopt an agency-specific environmental justice policy that requires an evaluation of the environmental justice consequences of any covered agency action, requires a consideration of the environmental justice consequences or cumulative impacts of the administration of regulations, and contains other features, including robust public participation plans for residents of environmental justice communities and fenceline communities potentially affected by a covered agency action. The bill prohibits the issuance of a permit for any covered activity, including construction of an electric generating facility or sanitary landfill, until the applicant has submitted and the permitting authority has approved a public involvement plan, a cumulative impact statement, and an environmental justice impact statement, if applicable. The bill requires the permitting authority to deny the application or approve it with or without conditions. Finally, the bill requires each local government adopting or reviewing a comprehensive plan to also adopt an environmental justice strategy.
Study; Department of Rail and Public Transportation; transit equity and modernization; report. Requests the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to conduct a two-year study of transit equity and modernization in the Commonwealth,with emphasis on transit services and engagement opportunities for underserved and underrepresented communities.
Campaign finance; prohibited personal use; child care exception. Prohibits any person from converting any moneys, securities, or like intangible personal property contributed to a candidate or a candidate's campaign committee to his personal use, the personal use of the candidate, or the personal use of a member of the candidate's immediate family. Current law prohibits such conversion of contributions to personal use specifically with regard to disbursement of surplus funds at the dissolution of a campaign or political committee. The bill provides that a contribution is considered to have been converted to personal use if the contribution, in whole or in part, is used to fulfill any commitment, obligation, or expense that would exist irrespective of the person's seeking, holding, or maintaining public office but excepts from "personal use" the ordinary and accepted expenses related to campaigning for or holding elective office, including the use of campaign funds to pay for the candidate's child care expenses that are incurred as a direct result of campaign activity. The bill directs the Attorney General to issue an advisory opinion explaining the provisions of the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act of 2006 (§ 24.2-945 et seq.) that prohibit the personal use of campaign funds. The bill directs the State Board of Elections to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill and to provide an updated summary of Virginia campaign finance law that reflects the Attorney General's opinion and any new regulations promulgated by the Board.
Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act; disclosures for a buyer to beware; mold. Adds to the provision of the required disclosure statement directing a buyer to beware and exercise necessary due diligence with respect to determining the condition of real property or any improvements thereon a provision advising the buyer to obtain a mold assessment conducted by a business that follows the guidelines provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Juvenile intake and petition; appeal to a magistrate on a finding of no probable cause. Limits the ability to appeal a decision by an intake officer not to authorize a petition relating to an offense that, if committed by an adult, would be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor or felony, when the decision is based solely upon a finding of no probable cause. The bill requires the application for a warrant to the magistrate to be filed within 10 days of the issuance of the written notification from the intake officer to the complainant of the refusal to authorize a petition. The bill also provides that such written notification shall indicate that the intake officer made a finding that no probable cause exists and provide notice that the complainant has 10 days to apply for a warrant to the magistrate. The bill requires the complainant to provide the magistrate with a copy of the written notification upon application to the magistrate. The bill also specifies that if an intake officer finds (i) probable cause and (ii) that the matter is appropriate for diversion, this decision is final, and the complainant shall not have the right to appeal the decision to a magistrate.
Casino gaming; requirements for issuance ofoperator's license; human trafficking training. Requires applicantsfor operator's licenses to have established a policy requiring alllicense and permit holders who interact directly with the publicin the casino gaming establishment to complete a training courseacceptable to the Virginia Lottery Department in how to recognizeand report suspected human trafficking in order to be eligible forthe issuance of an operator's license.
