Abolition of the death penalty. Abolishesthe death penalty, including for those persons currently under adeath sentence.
Gun Violence Survivor Assistance Fund and GrantProgram. Establishes the Gun Violence Survivor Assistance Fundand Grant Program, to be administered by the Department of CriminalJustice Services for the purpose of providing grants to gun violencesurvivors who are in need of financial assistance to make accessibilityadaptations to their homes to accommodate a disability resultingfrom a gun violence-related injury.
Child-placing agencies; conscience clause;discrimination. Repeals provisions that allowed child-placing agencies to refuse to perform, assist with, counsel, recommend, consentto, refer, or participate in any child placements when the proposedplacement would violate the agency's written religious or moral convictionsor policies. The bill also prohibits the Department of Social Servicesfrom contracting with or providing funds, directly or indirectly,to any child-placing agency that, in making decisions regarding theplacement of a child, discriminates against the child or otherwiseeligible prospective foster or adoptive parents on the basis of race,color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or status as a veteran.
Study; effectiveness of stormwater managementlaws; report. Requests the Department of Environmental Qualityto study the effectiveness of stormwater management laws and regulationsin Virginia.
Juveniles; trial as adult. Increases from14 years of age to 16 years of age the minimum age at which a juvenilecan be tried as an adult in circuit court for a felony.
Paid family and medical leave program. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administera paid family and medical leave program with benefits beginning January 1, 2023. Under the program, benefits are paid to eligible employees for family and medical leave. Funding for the program isprovided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginningin 2022. The amount of a benefit is 80 percent of the employee'saverage weekly wage, not to exceed 80 percent of the state weeklywage, which amount is required to be adjusted annually to reflectchanges in the statewide average weekly wage. The measure caps theduration of paid leave at 12 weeks in any application year. The billprovides self-employed individuals the option of participating inthe program.
Juvenile community correctional centers; establishment; placement of juveniles. Changes the name of "juvenile correctional centers" to "juvenile community correctional centers." The bill further provides that any juvenile community correctional center establishedafter July 1, 2020, shall (i) be located within a locality in whichat least five percent of all juvenile commitments occur statewide,using an average of the rate of commitments of three consecutiveyears, and (ii) be designed to confine 30 juveniles or fewer. Thebill also states that the Department shall place children at thejuvenile community correctional center located closest to their primaryresidence and within one hour of such residence via motor vehicleand within one and one-half hours of such residence via public transportation.If such placement is not available, the Department shall use an alternativeplacement that is closest to the juvenile's primary residence, suchas a local juvenile detention center. Under current law, the Departmentmay place such children at such facilities as are available.
Workers' compensation; foreign injuries.Provides that an injured employee is eligible for benefits underthe Virginia Workers' Compensation Act when a compensable accidenthappens while the employee is employed outside Virginia if (i) theemployment contract was not expressly for services exclusively tobe performed outside Virginia and (ii) either the employer's placeof business is in Virginia or the employee regularly performs workon the employer's behalf in Virginia and resides in Virginia.
Health insurance; coverage for diabetes. Requires health insurers, health care subscription plans, and health maintenance organizations to include coverage for insulin, certain equipment,certain supplies, regular foot care and eye care exams, and up tothree in-person outpatient self-management training and educationvisits upon an individual's initial diagnosis of diabetes and upto two such visits upon a significant change in an individual's condition.The bill provides greater specificity than the current law requiringcoverage for equipment, supplies, and self-management training andeducation visits. The bill also provides that benefits or servicesrequired for the treatment of diabetes is exempt from any deductible.The provisions apply to any insurance policy, contract, or plan delivered,issued for delivery, reissued, or extended on and after January 1, 2021, or at any time thereafter when any term of the policy, contract,or plan is changed or any premium adjustment is made.
Purchase, possession, and transport of firearms following certain convictions; permit to restore rights; penalty. Prohibits a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor violation of assault and battery of a family or household member from possessing or transporting a firearm. A person who violates this provision is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill provides for a process by which a person convicted of such crime may petition the circuit court for a reinstatement of his right to possess or transport a firearm. This bill was incorporated into HB 1288.
