Rep. Wren Williams

Commending Angels of Assisi.

Commending the Virginia Manufacturers Association.

Multi-jurisdiction grand jury; elder abuse crimes. Adds the following to the list of crimes that a multi-jurisdiction grand jury may investigate: (i) financial exploitation of mentally incapacitated persons and (ii) abuse and neglect of incapacitated adults.

Elections; photo identification required; timefor in-person absentee; absentee ballots not accepted after electionday; repeal of permanent absentee voter list. Requires presentationof a form of identification containing a photograph in order to vote.The bill repeals the provisions of law permitting a voter who doesnot have one of the required forms of identification to vote aftersigning a statement, subject to felony penalties for false statements,that he is the named registered voter he claims to be. Instead, thebill provides that such voter is entitled to cast a provisionalballot. The bill also limits absentee voting in person to the weekimmediately preceding an election. The bill repeals the provisionsof law by which any registered voter may apply to receive absenteeballots for all elections in which he is eligible to vote and remainson the list until the voter requests in writing to be removed fromthe list, the voter's registration is canceled or placed on inactivestatus pursuant to law, or the voter moves to a different addressnot in the same county or city of his registration. The bill alsoremoves provisions allowing absentee ballots received after the close of polls to be counted.

Employer-mandated vaccinations for COVID-19;required exemptions; civil penalties. Prohibits an employer fromrequiring its employees to receive a vaccine for the prevention ofCOVID-19 unless such employer provides individual exemptions that allow an employee to opt out from such requirement on the basis of(i) medical reasons, including pregnancy or anticipated pregnancy; (ii) religious reasons; (iii) immunity from COVID-19; (iv) periodictesting; or (v) the use of employer-provided personal protectiveequipment. The bill provides requirements for an employee to claimsuch exemptions. The bill prohibits an employer from discriminationagainst an employee who claims such an exemption. The bill also providesfor civil penalties not to exceed $10,000 by an employer with fewerthan 100 employees or $50,000 by an employer with 100 or more employeesfor violations of the bill's requirements.

Abortion; born alive human infant; treatmentand care; penalty. Requires every physician licensed by the Boardof Medicine who attempts to terminate a pregnancy to (i) exercisethe same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preservethe life and health of a human infant who has been born alive followingsuch attempt as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health carepractitioner would render to any other child born alive at the samegestational age and (ii) take all reasonable steps to ensure theimmediate transfer of the human infant who has been born alive to a hospital for further medical care. A physician who fails to complywith the requirements of this act is guilty of a Class 4 felony andmay be subject to disciplinary action by the Board of Medicine. Thebill also requires every hospital licensed by the Department of Healthto establish a protocol for the treatment and care of a human infantwho has been born alive following performance of an abortion andfor the immediate reporting to law enforcement of any failure toprovide such required treatment and care.

Home instruction and private school tax credit.Creates an individual, nonrefundable income tax credit for taxableyears 2022 through 2026, for amounts paid by the parent or legalguardian of a child for the child's home instruction expenses or tuitionfor attending an accredited private school in Virginia. The creditshall equal the lesser of the amount actually paid in the taxableyear for such costs or half of the average state standards of quality funding per student per year. The credit may be taken for instruction-relatedmaterials, courses, or programs used in home instruction or for privateschool tuition. The credit is available for two years per child andcan be carried forward for five taxable years.

COVID-19 immunization; prohibition on requirement; discrimination prohibited. Prohibits the State Health Commissionerand the Board of Health, the Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Department of Health Professions and any regulatoryboard therein, and the Department of Social Services from requiringany person to undergo vaccination for COVID-19 and prohibits discriminationbased on a person's COVID-19 vaccination status (i) with regard to education, employment, insurance, or issuance of a driver's licenseor other state identification or (ii) in numerous other contexts.

Purchase of handguns; limitation on handgunpurchases. Removes the prohibition on any person who is not a licensed firearms dealer from purchasing more than one handgun ina 30-day period. Current law makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for aviolation of this provision, subject to certain exemptions.

Emergency laws; powers and duties of Governor;executive orders. Limits the Governor's powers as the Directorof Emergency Management by requiring that emergency rules, regulations,and executive orders be objectively necessary and required to control,restrict, allocate, or regulate the use, sale, production, and distributionof food, fuel, clothing and other commodities, materials, goods,services, and resources under any state or federal emergency servicesprograms, rather than necessary in the Governor's judgment. The billalso prohibits an emergency executive order from establishing anymoratoriums on the payment of rent to landlords in the Commonwealthunless pursuant to a confirmed order of quarantine or isolation. Finally, the bill limits the duration of any executive order issuedby the Governor to no more than 45 days from the date of issuanceand provides that if the General Assembly does not take any actionon the rule, regulation, or order within the 45 days during whichthe rule, regulation, or order is effective, the Governor shall thereafterbe prohibited from issuing the same or a similar rule, regulation,or order relating to the same emergency. Under current law, onceissued, such executive orders are effective until June 30 followingthe next regular session of the General Assembly.