Del. Sam Rasoul

Commending Virginia Organizing.

Right to reproductive choice. Provides thatevery individual has a fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptionand that a pregnant person has a fundamental right to choose to carrya pregnancy to term, give birth to a child, or terminate a pregnancy.The bill states that the Commonwealth shall not, in the regulationor provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information, denyor interfere with an individual's fundamental rights, including individualsunder state control or supervision. The bill states that any stateor local official who is charged with violating provisions of thissection shall be subject to an action in federal or state court forinjunctive relief and damages. Such action may be brought by any person or entity that may be aggrieved by such official's actions.

Naturopathic doctors; license required.Requires the Board of Medicine to license and regulate naturopathicdoctors, defined in the bill as an individual, other than a doctorof medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic, or podiatry, who may diagnose,treat, and help prevent diseases using a system of practice thatis based on the natural healing capacity of individuals, using physiological,psychological, or physical methods, and who may also use naturalmedicines, prescriptions, legend drugs, foods, herbs, or other naturalremedies, including light and air.

Employment; wage inquiries; prohibited retaliatory action. Prohibits any public or private employer from (i) refusing to interview, hire, or employ an applicant for employment because the applicant does not provide wage history; (ii) retaliating against an applicant for employment because the applicant does not provide wage history; or (iii) relying on the wage history of an applicant to determine the wages offered by the employer to such individual. An applicant or employee who is aggrieved by a violation may bring a private action against the employer. The measure also prohibits an employer from taking other retaliatory action against an employee because the employee (a) reports a violation or suspected violation of any law to a supervisor or to any governmental body or law-enforcement official; (b) is requested by a governmental body or law-enforcement official to participate in an investigation, hearing, or inquiry; (c) refuses to engage in a criminal act that would subject the employee to criminal liability; (d) refuses an employer's order to perform an action that the employee believes violates any law; (e) provides information to or testifies before any governmental body or law-enforcement official conducting an investigation into any alleged violation by the employer; or (f) makes a prohibited wage inquiry. This bill was incorporated into HB 416.

Office of the Attorney General; FOIA Ombudsman;powers and duties; report. Requires the Attorney General to appointa Virginia Freedom of Information Act Ombudsman to promote complianceby state agencies with the provisions of the Virginia Freedom ofInformation Act. The bill outlines the powers and duties of the Ombudsmanand provides for the Ombudsman to submit by November 30 of each yeara report on his activities and policy recommendations to the Governorand the General Assembly.

Certified community health workers. Establishes requirements for use of the title "certified community health worker." This bill was incorporated into HB 688.

Virginia Fair Housing Law; unlawful discriminatoryhousing practices; sexual orientation and gender identity. Addsdiscrimination on the basis of an individual's sexual orientationor gender identity as an unlawful housing practice. The bill defines"sexual orientation" and "gender identity." This bill was incorporatedinto HB 1663.

Commending Mission BBQ.

Minimum wage. Increases the minimum wage from its current federally mandated level of $7.25 per hour to $10.00 per hour effective July 1, 2020; to $13.00 per hour effective July 1, 2021; and to $15.00 per hour effective July 1, 2022, unless a higher minimum wage is required by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The measure also provides that the Virginia minimum wage applies to persons whose employment is covered by the FLSA and to public employees.

Commending the Garden Club of Virginia.