Indian American Heritage Month. DesignatesAugust, in 2020 and in each succeeding year, as Indian American HeritageMonth in Virginia.
Sponsored bills
Year of the Eye Exam. Designates 2020 as the Year of the Eye Exam in Virginia.
Same-sex marriages; civil unions. Repeals the statutory prohibitions on same-sex marriages and civil unions or other arrangements between persons of the same sex purporting to bestow the privileges and obligations of marriage. These prohibitions are no longer valid due to the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. ___ (June 26, 2015). This bill is identical to SB 17.
Department of Health Professions; conversion therapy prohibited. Prohibits any health care provider or person who performs counseling as part of his training for any profession licensed by a regulatory board of the Department of Health Professions from engaging in conversion therapy, as defined in the bill, with any person under 18 years of age and provides that such counseling constitutes unprofessional conduct and is grounds for disciplinary action. The bill provides that no state funds shall be expended for the purpose of conducting conversion therapy with a person under 18 years of age, referring a person under 18 years of age for conversion therapy, or extending health benefits coverage for conversion therapy with a person under 18 years of age. This bill is identical to SB 245.
Payments of court fines and costs; communitywork in lieu of payment; during imprisonment. Allows courts toprovide an option to any person upon whom a fine and costs have beenimposed to discharge all or part of the fine or costs by earningcredits for the performance of community service work during imprisonment.Under current law, credit may be earned only for the performance ofcommunity service work completed before or after imprisonment.
Commending the Division of Capitol Police.
Commending the Virginia Department of StatePolice.
Teledentistry. Defines "teledentistry," establishes requirements for the practice of teledentistry and the taking of dental scans for use in teledentistry by dental scan technicians, and clarifies requirements related to the use of digital work orders for dental appliances in the practice of teledentistry. This bill is identical to SB 122.
Persons other than ministers who may celebrate rites of marriage; filing of the marriage record. Provides that a marriage license application shall allow parties to a marriage to designate an officiant to celebrate the rites of marriage, provided that such officiant is not younger than 18 years of age and is not a party to the marriage. The bill provides that a license issued with such designation shall serve as authorization for such officiant to celebrate the rites of marriage anywhere in the Commonwealth without the necessity of bond or further order of authorization. The bill removes the bond requirement for a person chosen by a religious society having no ordained minister to complete the certification of marriage. The bill further removes confinement in jail from the penalty for celebrating a marriage without a license. The bill also removes confinement in jail from the penalty for a clerk knowingly issuing a marriage license contrary to law. The bill further allows either the officiant or a party to the marriage to file the marriage record with the State Registrar within five days after the ceremony. Under current law, the officiant is required to file such a record, but a party to the marriage is not allowed to do so.
Commending the Honorable Rosalyn Randolph Dance.