Del. Mark H. Levine

Right to work. Repeals the provisions ofthe Code of Virginia that, among other things, prohibit any agreementor combination between an employer and a labor union or labor organizationwhereby (i) nonmembers of the union or organization are denied theright to work for the employer, (ii) membership in the union or organizationis made a condition of employment or continuation of employment bysuch employer, or (iii) the union or organization acquires an employmentmonopoly in any such enterprise.

Campaign finance; prohibited contributions tocandidates. Prohibits any candidate from soliciting or acceptinga contribution from any public service corporation, as defined inthe bill, or any political action committee established and administeredby such a corporation.

Campaign finance; prohibited contributions from corporations; civil penalty. Prohibits contributions from anynon-tax-exempt corporation to any candidate, campaign committee,political committee, or political party committee. The bill imposesa civil penalty of up to twice the amount of the contribution fora violation of the prohibition, to be levied and collected by theState Board of Elections.

Nursing home staffing and care standards; study.Requires regulations establishing the staffing and care standardsin nursing homes to require a minimum number of hours of directcare services to each resident per 24-hour period, which minimumincreases in specified phases from 3.5 hours to 4.1 hours. The billalso directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study issues related to establishment of a minimum number of hours of direct careservices for nursing homes as part of its study of the nursing facilityworkforce authorized by the Commission on December 15, 2020, andto report its findings by December 1, 2021. The regulatory provisionsof the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2022.

Denouncing racism and racist ideologies.Condemns all forms of racism, hate, bigotry, and discrimination,including physical or verbal attacks that target people on the basisof racial or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, or genderidentity.

Study; Virginia State Crime Commission; alternative approaches to the Commonwealth's enforcement scheme for the possessionof controlled substances, including decriminalization; report.Directs the Virginia State Crime Commission to study the proprietyand effectiveness of alternative approaches to the Commonwealth'senforcement scheme for the possession of controlled substances, includingdecriminalization of the possession of such substances.

Study; Secretary of Health and Human Resources; pharmaceutical distribution payment system; report. Requeststhe Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a work groupto examine the pharmaceutical distribution payment system in the Commonwealth and innovative solutions to address the cost of prescriptiondrugs to Virginians at the point of sale.

Recognizing that global warming caused by humanactivity has resulted in a climate and ecological emergency.Expresses the sense of the General Assembly in recognizing that global warming caused by human activity that increases emissions of greenhousegases has resulted in a climate and ecological emergency.

Parole; investigation prior to release; noticeto victim. Requires the Parole Board to contact all victims ofa crime for which a prisoner is incarcerated and eligible for paroleand notify them that they may request that the Board only notifythe victim if, following its review, the Board is inclined to grantparole to the prisoner, in which case the victim shall have 45 daysto present written or oral testimony for the Board's consideration.Current law states that a victim may request notification only ifthe Board is inclined to grant parole, but does not require the Boardto notify victims of such option.

Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitiveand sustained physical stressors. Provides that, for the purposesof the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act, "occupational disease"includes injuries from conditions resulting from repetitive and sustainedphysical stressors, including repetitive and sustained motions, exertions,posture stress, contact stresses, vibration, or noise. The bill providesthat such injuries are covered under the Act. Such coverage doesnot require that the injuries occurred over a particular period,provided that such a period can be reasonably identified and documentedand further provided that the employment is shown to have primarily caused the injury, considering all causes.