Required release of video or audio recording;discharge of firearm or use of stun weapon or chemical irritant by law-enforcement officer. Requires that, whenever a law-enforcementofficer (i) discharges a firearm or (ii) uses a stun weapon or chemicalirritant on a person resulting in death or serious bodily injury,any video or audio recording that relates to such incident producedor obtained by a law-enforcement officer be open to inspection andavailable for release and posted on a website that is maintained by the law-enforcement agency or on any other website on which the law-enforcement agency generally posts information and that is availableto the public or that clearly describes how the public may accesssuch data within 15 days of producing or obtaining such video oraudio recording. The bill includes exceptions to such release. Thebill also provides that any person denied the rights and privilegesconferred may proceed to enforce such rights and privileges by filinga petition for mandamus or injunction pursuant to the Virginia Freedomof Information Act.
Del. Sam Rasoul
Sponsored bills
Constitutional amendment (first reference);qualifications of voters; 16-year-olds permitted to vote. Providesthat, notwithstanding the requirement that a voter shall be 18 yearsof age, any person who is 16 years of age or older and is otherwisequalified to vote shall be permitted to register to vote and to votein local elections.
Voting Rights for Women Month. DesignatesNovember, in 2021 and in each succeeding year, as Voting Rights forWomen Month in Virginia.
Teacher compensation; at or above national average.Requires that public school teachers be compensated at a rate thatis at or above the national average. Under current law, compensationat such rate is aspirational. The bill requires state funding tobe provided pursuant to the general appropriation act in a sum sufficientto fund a 4.5 percent annual increase for public school teacher salaries,effective from the 2022-23 school year through the 2026-27 schoolyear. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2022.
Presidential electors; National Popular VoteCompact. Enters Virginia into an interstate compact known asthe Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by NationalPopular Vote. Article II of the Constitution of the United Statesgives the states exclusive and plenary authority to decide the mannerof awarding their electoral votes. Under the compact, Virginia agreesto award its electoral votes to the presidential ticket that receivesthe most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.The compact goes into effect when states cumulatively possessinga majority of the electoral votes have joined the compact. A statemay withdraw from the compact; however, a withdrawal occurring withinsix months of the end of a President's term shall not become effectiveuntil a President or Vice President has qualified to serve the next term.
Constitutional amendment (first reference);legislative compensation; Legislative Compensation Commission.Establishes the Legislative Compensation Commission, charged withdetermining the salaries, allowances, and retirement benefits ofthe members of the General Assembly. Members would receive no compensationfrom the Commonwealth other than the compensation determined by theCommission. The Commission is established by appointment of the GeneralAssembly every four years beginning July 1, 2026.
Celebrating the life of the Honorable BernardS. Cohen.
Commending Homework Helpers Organization.
Commending Redella S. Pepper.
Commending Aquatech.