Del. Tommy Wright

Elections; voter identification containing photographrequired; who may register up to and including the day of the election;availability of absentee voting in person; return of absentee ballots.Requires presentation of a form of identification containing a photograph inorder to vote and provides that a voter who does not have one of the requiredforms of identification is entitled to cast a provisional ballot. The billrepeals a provision that would permit any person who is qualified to registerto vote to do so in person up to and including the day of the election andlimits the persons who are entitled to register to vote after the close ofregistration records to members of a uniformed service of the United States onactive duty, persons who are residing temporarily outside of the United States,and their spouses and dependents. The bill limits the period during whichabsentee voting in person is available from 45 days to the 10 days immediatelypreceding the date of the election, including both Saturdays. The bill requiresthat absentee ballots returned by mail be returned to the office of the generalregistrar by the close of polls on election day and be postmarked on or beforethe Saturday preceding the date of the election. The bill eliminates the use ofdrop-off locations for the return of absentee ballots. The bill requiresabsentee ballot applications to contain the last four digits of the applicant'ssocial security number and provides that the failure of an absentee ballot toinclude a witness signature is a material omission, rendering the ballot void.

United States Constitution; application fora convention of the states. Makes application to Congress tocall a convention of the states to propose amendments to the UnitedStates Constitution that impose fiscal restraints on the federalgovernment, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government,and limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of Congress.

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.

Public health emergency; emergency orders andregulations; limitations. Provides that any emergency order orregulation adopted by the Board of Health shall be valid for no morethan 45 days and that such order may be extended by the Board fora subsequent period of 45 days, provided that the Board providesnotice and receives public comment on the order or regulation proposedto be extended, but that in no case shall such emergency order or regulation be valid for more than 18 months from the effective dateof the initial order or regulation. The bill also provides that inany case in which the Commissioner of Health exercises the authorityof the Board to enact an emergency order or regulation, such orderor regulation shall be valid for no more than 45 days from the effectivedate of the order or regulation unless the Board adopts an orderor regulation to such effect. Thebill also limits the duration of an emergency temporary standardadopted by the Safety and Health Codes Board to 45 days and providesfor an extension of such emergency temporary standard for a subsequentperiod of 45 days, provided that the Board provides notice and receivespublic comment on the emergency temporary standard proposed to beextended. However, no emergency temporary order shall be valid fora period of more than six months.

Retail marijuana stores; requirement for localreferendum. Provides that if an act of assembly is passed bythe 2022 Session of the General Assembly that authorizes the operationof retail marijuana stores in the Commonwealth, such retail marijuanastores may be located only in localities that have approved the operationof retail marijuana stores through a referendum held in accordancewith the provisions of the bill.

Constitutional amendment (first reference);real property tax; exemption for certain surviving spouses of membersof the armed forces. Authorizes the General Assembly to exemptfrom tax the real property of a surviving spouse of a member of thearmed forces who died in the line of duty while performing officialmilitary activities. The amendment provides that such exemption isonly available when the death of such member of the armed forces did not result from criminal conduct. The current Constitution exemptsthe real property of a surviving spouse of a member of the armedforces who was killed in action, a disabled veteran, and the survivingspouse of a disabled veteran.

Voter identification; identification containinga photograph required. Requires presentation of a form of identificationcontaining a photograph in order to vote. The bill repeals the provisionsof law permitting a voter who does not have one of the required formsof identification to vote after signing a statement, subject to felonypenalties for false statements, that he is the named registered voterhe claims to be. Instead, the bill provides that such voter is entitledto cast a provisional ballot.

Carrying a concealed handgun; permit not required. Allows any person who is otherwise eligible to obtain a concealedhandgun permit to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywherehe may lawfully carry a handgun openly within the Commonwealth.

Public education; parental rights; access to certain facilities and accommodations; instructional content; bullying. Declares that the parent of any student enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school in the Commonwealth has the right to (i) obtain and review any educational material and curriculum utilized in any class or course in which the student is enrolled; (ii) opt his child out of any class or course activity, lesson, or reading assignment or the use of any audiovisual material or library book to which the parent objects; (iii) easily access a list of the title and author of each book in each classroom and each library in the school in which the student is enrolled; (iv) receive notice of and attend any public meeting of the school board governing the local school division in which the student is enrolled; (v) review the annual school division budget and expenditures; (vi) send his child to attend school in a safe environment; and (vii) be updated by the school principal on any violent activity in the school in which the student is enrolled. The bill requires each school board to adopt policies to require each student and school board employee to have access to restrooms, locker rooms, and other changing facilities in public school buildings that are shared only by members of the same biological sex; lodging accommodations during school-sponsored trips that are shared only by members of the same biological sex; and a single-user restroom, locker room, or other changing facility in a public school building, upon request, if the school can reasonably accommodate such a request. The bill also prohibits any school board employee or individual who provides any school-sponsored program from teaching or promoting to any student or school board employee the concept that (a) any race is inherently superior or inferior; (b) any individual is racist, privileged, oppressive, biased, or responsible for actions committed by others of the same race or skin color by virtue of the individual's race or skin color; (c) the United States is fundamentally racist; or (d) market-based economics is inherently racist. The bill finally requires each school board to implement policies and procedures to educate school board employees about bullying and the need to create a school environment in which all individuals are treated with dignity and respect and any incident of bullying is taken seriously and handled in a robust manner.

Absentee ballots; witness requirement; printedname and residence address. Requires that a witness to a voter's absentee ballot provide, in addition to his signature, his printedname, his date of birth, the last four digits of his social securitynumber, and his residence address.