Rep. Tom Garrett

Harassment by computer or other electronic means;civil action. Creates a civil cause of action for an individualinjured by a person who coerces, intimidates, or harasses such individualby computer or other electronic means, regardless of whether suchperson has been charged with or convicted of a corresponding criminalviolation. The bill provides that such injured individual may recoverfor damages caused by such coercion, intimidation, or harassmentand reasonable attorney fees and costs.

Virginia taxable income; subtractions; volunteer firefighters and volunteer emergency medical services personnel.Provides a state income tax subtraction of $2,000 per taxable yearfor bona fide volunteers who perform qualifying services, definedin the bill as volunteer firefighting and fire prevention services,emergency medical services, auxiliary police officer services, ambulanceservices, emergency rescue services, and all training and training-relatedactivities required by law to perform such qualifying services.

Statewide Fire Prevention Code; State Fire Marshal; consumer fireworks; penalties. Authorizes the use of consumer fireworks in the Commonwealth and distinguishes by definition consumer fireworks from display fireworks and permissible fireworks. The bill defines "consumer fireworks" as small fireworks devices (i) containing restricted amounts of pyrotechnic composition designed primarily to produce visible or audible effects by combustion and (ii) complying with certain federal regulations regarding composition and labeling. The bill also provides that the storage and transportation of consumer fireworks are to be considered the same hazard class as the storage and transportation of 1.4G explosives under the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (SFPC) and Uniform Statewide Building Code. The bill excludes from the provisions of the SFPC, unless prohibited by a local ordinance, (a) the sale of permissible or consumer fireworks; (b) any person using, igniting, or exploding permissible or consumer fireworks on residential or agricultural property with the consent of the owner of such property; or (c) such permissible or consumer fireworks when they are being transported from a locality where they were legally obtained to a locality where they are legally permitted. Current law only excludes sale of permissible fireworks or the use of such fireworks on private property. The bill also directs 10 percent of the sales and use tax revenue generated by the local sales and tax use on the sale of consumer or permissible fireworks to be allocated to a special fund used solely for providing funding for first responders, as defined in the bill. The bill contains technical amendments.

Virginia Human Rights Act; unlawful discrimination. Prohibits any state agency or political subdivision in the Commonwealth from supporting, implementing, recognizing, or utilizing any program, process, or procedure that conveys or denies a benefit, advantage, or privilege to an individual based solely on such individual's race, sex, or ethnicity.

Celebrating the life of Karen Harrison Jones.

Celebrating the life of Karen Harrison Jones.

School boards; employee criminal history recordschecks and applications; penalty for noncompliance. Clarifiesthat certain school board employees who are (i) employed in an in-personor remote capacity or some combination thereof or (ii) fully licensed,provisionally licensed, or unlicensed are subject to the requirements in existing law to undergo a criminal history records check anda search of the registry of founded complaints of child abuse andneglect and to disclose certain criminal history information at theemployment application stage and upon arrest. The bill provides thatin the event that any school board fails or refuses to perform itsduty to require any employee to undergo a criminal history recordscheck as set forth in relevant law, each individual member of suchboard is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor and his position on suchschool board shall be deemed vacant.

Celebrating the life of Janet Marie Brooking.

Commending Peter A. Blake.

Commending Scott McGeary.