Guardianship; communication between close relatives andfriends of incapacitated persons; restricted communication procedures;notification of close relatives and friends. Provides that a guardian mayrestrict an incapacitated person's ability to communicate with, visit, orinteract with close relatives, as defined in the bill, and friends, as definedin the bill, only when necessary to prevent a reasonable expectation of seriousphysical or psychological harm or serious financial exploitation occurring tothe incapacitated person. The bill further sets up a procedure by which aperson whose visits, communication with, or interaction with an incapacitatedperson have been restricted may challenge such restriction in court and aprocedure by which a guardian may petition the court to restrict anincapacitated person's communication, visitation, and interaction rights with aclose relative or friend. The bill provides that the court may restrict anincapacitated person's communication, visitation, and interaction rights withsuch person when it finds by clear and convincing evidence that seriousphysical or psychological harm or serious financial exploitation wouldreasonably be expected to occur to such incapacitated person from suchcommunication, visitation, or interaction. The bill allows the court to requirea guardian found to have imposed restrictions or brought such a petition in badfaith or not for the benefit of the incapacitated person to pay or reimburse allor some of the incapacitated person's reasonable costs and fees. The bill alsospecifies that such a finding may be grounds for termination of theguardianship appointment. The bill requires the guardian to notify closerelatives and friends of the incapacitated person of certain life events of theincapacitated person, unless the guardian is notified in writing that any suchclose relative or friend does not wish to be notified or if there existsbetween such close relative or friend and the incapacitated person a protectiveorder or court order otherwise prohibiting contact.
Sponsored bills
Virginia Community College System; TemporaryAssistance for Needy Families Scholarship Pilot Program. Directsthe Virginia Community College System (VCCS) to establish and administera two-year Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) ScholarshipPilot Program, beginning in 2020, for the purpose of providing access to postsecondary educational opportunities to students living inpoverty. The Program would provide scholarships to select comprehensive community colleges in the maximum amount of $4,000 per year to 200selected students who meet TANF eligibility requirements. The Programwould be funded by the unexpended balance in federal TANF block grantfunds. The bill directs VCCS to report to the Governor and the GeneralAssembly no later than December 1 of each year of the Program regardingthe effectiveness of and other information about the Program.
Income tax; state-specific itemization.Allows an individual taxpayer for taxable years 2020 through 2025 to itemize for state income tax purposes regardless of whether heitemizes on his federal return. Current law requires a taxpayer toclaim the standard deduction on his state return if he claims thestandard deduction on his federal return.
Carrying weapon into building owned or leasedby the Commonwealth; penalty. Makes it a Class 3 misdemeanorfor a person to transport any (i) gun or other weapon designed orintended to propel a missile or projectile of any kind; (ii) frame,receiver, muffler, silencer, missile, projectile, or ammunitiondesigned for use with a dangerous weapon; or (iii) other dangerousweapon into a building owned or leased by the Commonwealth or anyagency thereof, where employees of the Commonwealth or agency thereofare regularly present for the purpose of performing their officialduties. A third or subsequent violation is punishable as a misdemeanor,and such offender may be confined in jail not more than 30 days andfined not more than $500, either or both. The bill provides exceptionsfor law-enforcement officers, conservators of the peace, magistrates,court officers, judges, city or county treasurers, commissionersor deputy commissioners of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission,authorized security personnel, and active military personnel whilein the conduct of such individuals' official duties. The bill requiresthat notice of the provisions prohibiting the carrying of such weaponsbe posted at each public entrance to all buildings owned or leasedby the Commonwealth or any agency thereof.
Group homes and children's residential facilities;limit on number of license applications. Prohibits applicantsfor licensure as a group home or children's residential facilityfrom reapplying for a license for a period of two years after suchapplicant has been refused a license three times.
Interest on fines and costs in criminal casesand traffic infractions. Eliminates the accrual of interest onany fine or costs imposed in a criminal case or in a case involvinga traffic infraction. The bill provides that any such fine or coststhat have accrued interest prior to July 1, 2020, shall cease toaccrue interest on July 1, 2020, and such accrued interest may bewaived by any court. A person who owes fines and costs on which interesthas accrued may move any court in which he owes fines and costs to waive the interest that accrued on such fines and costs and shallhave such interest waived for any period of incarceration.
Study; JLARC; court-appointed guardians andconservators; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit andReview Commission (JLARC) to study the operations and performanceof court-appointed guardians and conservators in the Commonwealth.In conducting its study, JLARC shall (i) identify the Commonwealth'slaws that help prevent and remedy abuse, neglect, and exploitationof elderly and incapacitated persons; (ii) recommend any changesthat should be made to the Commonwealth's laws to better prevent and remedy abuse, neglect, and exploitation of such persons, including instances in which abuse, neglect, or exploitation is committed bya court-appointed guardian or conservator; (iii) determine and recommendthe maximum number of wards per guardian that should be permittedto ensure a high level of oversight and care; (iv) identify appropriatetraining, qualification, and oversight requirements for court-appointedguardians; (v) determine the types and amount of information thatcourt-appointed guardians should be required to provide when making decisions on behalf of a ward and identify the parties to whom suchinformation should be provided; and (vi) recommend one or more processesthat could be implemented to allow for the receipt and investigationof complaints regarding the actions of court-appointed guardians.
Group home; definition. Defines "group home" for the purposes of licensure of private providers by the Departments of Social Services and Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and provides that "group home" does not include any facility licensed by the Department of Health.
Employees of a firearms dealer. Provides that no person, corporation, or proprietorship licensed as a firearms dealer shall employ any person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Under current law, such restriction is limited to persons employed as a seller for the transfer of firearms.
Study; JLARC; reduction or elimination of tollson Midtown and Downtown Tunnels in Hampton Roads; report. Directsthe Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the feasibilityof reducing or eliminating tolls on the Midtown and Downtown Tunnelsin Hampton Roads.