Del. Kaye Kory

Commending Chris and Jeanne Mussig.

Commending Karen Campblin.

Constitutional amendment (first reference);marriage. Proposes the repeal of the constitutional amendment dealing with marriage that was approved by referendum at the November2006 election. That amendment to the Bill of Rights (i) defines marriageas "only a union between one man and one woman"; (ii) prohibits theCommonwealth and its political subdivisions from creating or recognizing"a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intendsto approximate the design, qualities, significance, or effects ofmarriage"; and (iii) prohibits the Commonwealth or its political subdivisions from creating or recognizing "another union, partnership, or otherlegal status to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations,qualities, or effects of marriage." The provisions of this section of the Constitution of Virginia are no longer valid as a result ofthe United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges,576 U.S. 644 (2015).

Constitutional amendment (first reference);marriage; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; recognition ofsame-sex marriages. Repeals the constitutional provision definingmarriage as only a union between one man and one woman, as well asthe related provisions that are no longer valid as a result of theUnited States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges,576 U.S. 644 (2015). The amendment provides that the Commonwealthand its political subdivisions and its agents are required to issuemarriage licenses, recognize marriages, and treat all marriages equallyunder the law, regardless of the gender of the two parties to themarriage. The amendment further provides that religious organizationsand clergy acting in their religious capacity have the right to refuseto perform any marriage.

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Conventionon the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

Use sick leave for the care of immediate familymembers. Requires employers with a sick leave program to allowan employee to use his sick leave for the care of an immediate familymember. The measure applies only to employers that have 25 or moreemployees and that provide paid sick leave that allows an employeeto be absent from work in the event of the employee's own incapacity,illness, or injury. The measure applies only to employees who workat least 30 hours per week, and it caps the amount of sick leavethat may be used for the care of immediate family members at fivedays per calendar year.

Automatic expungement of criminal records.Establishes a process for the automatic expungement of criminal recordsfor misdemeanors, certain felony convictions, deferred dispositions,and acquittals and for offenses that have been nolle prossed or otherwise dismissed. The bill also provides a process for the automatic expungementof criminal records for charges arising from mistaken identity orthe unauthorized use of identifying information. The bill has staggereddelayed effective dates in order to develop systems for implementingthe provisions of the bill.

Commending Jaden Wang.

Commending Ryan Tully.

Essential workers; hazard pay; personalprotective equipment; civil penalty. Requires, that followingthe declaration by the Governor of a state of emergency that includesor is followed by any additional executive order in furtherance ofsuch declaration that includes a stay-at-home or shelter-in-placeorder, employers shall (i) compensate each of their essential workersat a rate not less than one and one-half times the essential worker'sregular rate of pay for any hours worked during the closure orderand (ii) provide their essential workers with personal protectiveequipment related to the state of emergency and recommended for therelevant work site or job task by the Virginia Department of Laborand Industry, the State Department of Health, the U.S. Centers forDisease Control and Prevention, or the federal Occupational Safetyand Health Administration. The bill defines "essential worker" as an individual employed as a health care provider, home care provider,or airport worker or by an essential retail business, as specifiedin the bill. The bill subjects violators to the same civil penalties,and provides the same cause of action for an employer's failure topay the required hazard pay, as are currently imposed for failing to pay wages generally.