Del. Mark H. Levine

Interest on fines and costs in criminal casesand traffic infractions. Eliminates the accrual of interest onany fine or costs imposed in a criminal case or in a case involvinga traffic infraction. The bill provides that any such fine or coststhat have accrued interest prior to July 1, 2020, shall cease toaccrue interest on July 1, 2020, and such accrued interest may bewaived by any court. A person who owes fines and costs on which interesthas accrued may move any court in which he owes fines and costs to waive the interest that accrued on such fines and costs and shallhave such interest waived for any period of incarceration.

Firearms; restoration of rights of persons convictedof violent felonies. Provides that a person who has been convictedof an act of violence or a violent felony may not petition for arestoration order that unconditionally authorizes possessing, transporting,or carrying a firearm, ammunition for a firearm, or a stun weaponuntil one year after his civil rights have been restored by the Governoror other appropriate authority. The bill further provides that ifsuch person is convicted of a violent misdemeanor, defined in thebill, after his civil rights have been restored, then he may not petition for such order until two years after the date of conviction.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act;notice of termination to contain legal services contact information.Provides that no notice of termination of tenancy served upon anyresidential tenant is effective unless it contains on its first page,in type no smaller or less legible than that otherwise used in thebody of the notice, the name, address, and telephone number of thelegal services program, if any, serving the jurisdiction in whichthe premises is located. Under current law, this requirement is onlyapplicable to a public housing authority organized under the HousingAuthorities Law. The bill also requires that such information beprovided in English and Spanish.

Infliction of injury on pedestrians and wheelchair users; penalties. Increases from a traffic infraction toa Class 2 misdemeanor the penalty for failure to obey traffic lightsor stop for pedestrians when such failure results in the death orserious bodily injury of a pedestrian or wheel chair user.

Use of profane, threatening, or indecent languageover public airways or by other methods. Provides that usingobscene, vulgar, profane, lewd, lascivious, or indecent language,with the intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass any person, overany telephone or citizens band radio is no longer a crime punishableas a Class 1 misdemeanor.

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; JLARC; court-appointed guardians andconservators; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit andReview Commission (JLARC) to study the operations and performanceof court-appointed guardians and conservators in the Commonwealth.In conducting its study, JLARC shall (i) identify the Commonwealth'slaws that help prevent and remedy abuse, neglect, and exploitationof elderly and incapacitated persons; (ii) recommend any changesthat should be made to the Commonwealth's laws to better prevent and remedy abuse, neglect, and exploitation of such persons, including instances in which abuse, neglect, or exploitation is committed bya court-appointed guardian or conservator; (iii) determine and recommendthe maximum number of wards per guardian that should be permittedto ensure a high level of oversight and care; (iv) identify appropriatetraining, qualification, and oversight requirements for court-appointedguardians; (v) determine the types and amount of information thatcourt-appointed guardians should be required to provide when making decisions on behalf of a ward and identify the parties to whom suchinformation should be provided; and (vi) recommend one or more processesthat could be implemented to allow for the receipt and investigationof complaints regarding the actions of court-appointed guardians.

Campaign contribution limits; civil penalty.Prohibits persons and committees from making any single contribution,or any combination of contributions, that exceeds $5,600 to any one candidate for any elected office in any one election cycle, of whichno more than $2,800 may be contributed for the primary election orother nominating event for the office the candidate is seeking. Contributionsmade on or prior to the date of the primary election or nominatingevent shall be subject to the contribution limits for the primaryelection or other nominating event, unless designated by the contributoras a contribution for the general election. No limits are placedon contributions made by the candidate or the candidate's familyto the candidate's campaign. Civil penalties for violations of the limits may equal up to two times the excess contribution amounts.

Child abuse and neglect; gender identity orsexual orientation. Expands the definition of "abused or neglected child" to include any child whose parents, or other person responsiblefor his care, create or inflict, threaten to create or inflict, orallow to be created or inflicted upon such child a physical or mentalinjury on the basis of the child's gender identity or sexual orientation.

Subdivision ordinance; energy efficiency andrenewable energy provisions. Authorizes a local governing bodyto include in its subdivision ordinance provisions for establishingminimum standards of energy efficiency and establishing and maintainingaccess to sources of renewable energy.