Rep. Dave LaRock

Provides that the terms "because of religion" and "on the basis of religion," and terms of similar import, when used in reference to discrimination in the Code of Virginia and acts of the General Assembly, include anti-Semitism. The bill requires the board of visitors of public institutions of higher education to establish policies or institutional regulations prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, or disability in compliance with state and federal law. In addition, the bill (i) codifies the definition of "anti-Semitism" established by the U.S. Department of State and (ii) provides for the investigating authority to consider the definition when investigating alleged violations of unlawful discriminatory practice on the basis of a person's real or perceived Jewish identity.

Gives the State Corporation Commission discretion to approve any request to increase tolls on the Dulles Greenway by a specified annual percentage increase. The measure also gives the Commission discretion to approve an additional increase in such tolls based on increases in local property taxes when requested by the operator. Currently, the Commission is required to approve such requests for toll increases.

Proposes amendments to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Compact of 1966 (the Compact). The bill allows members of the Board of Directors of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (the Authority) to be provided reasonable compensation. The bill eliminates requirements for overtime compensation and requirements that set the minimum wage equal to the prevailing wage on similar construction in the locality for all laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors in the construction, alteration, or repair of projects, buildings, and works undertaken by the Authority or who are financially assisted by it. The bill eliminates the requirement that the Authority negotiate employees' wages, salaries, hours, working conditions, and pension or retirement provisions through labor organizations and removes employee protective arrangements under the Federal Transit Act. The bill eliminates the mandatory-binding-arbitration provision associated with union contract negotiations. The bill eliminates requirements regarding the Authority assumption of labor contracts, collective bargaining agreements, and the obligations of any transportation system acquired by it with regard to wages, salaries, hours, working conditions, sick leave, and health and welfare and pension or retirement provisions for employees of an existing transit facility acquired by the Authority. These amendments to the Compact shall not become effective until they are enacted by the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia and consented to by Congress, as provided for in the Compact.

Allows a person whose driving privileges were permanently revoked in another jurisdiction as a result of being convicted of a crime to petition a circuit court to reinstate his driving privileges. The bill provides that a petition cannot be filed until five years have passed from the date of the conviction resulting in the permanent revocation and that the person must have been a Virginia resident for at least one year at the time the petition is filed. The bill authorizes a court that reinstates a person's driving privileges to impose conditions on such person if the conviction resulting in the permanent revocation involved the operation of a motor vehicle and either drugs or alcohol.

Provides that a blind parent's blindness, as defined in the bill, shall not be the sole basis of the denial or restriction of such parent's custody or visitation rights. The bill requires a party who alleges that a parent's blindness should be a factor to be considered to not be in the best interests of the child, or should otherwise be a reason to deny or restrict such a parent's custody or visitation rights, to prove by clear and convincing evidence that the child's best interests would not be met or served due to such parent's blindness. The bill allows a blind parent to demonstrate how supportive parenting services would appropriately address any threats to the child's best interests and further allows that such services be ordered by the court. The bill requires a court to make written findings where the court denies or restricts custody or visitation of a blind parent or where supportive parenting services are not ordered. The same requirements apply to the denial of approval of a blind prospective foster parent, or removal of a child from a blind foster parent's home, and to the denial of a final order of adoption wherein the prospective adoptive parent is blind.