Del. Buddy Fowler

Department of Health; certain communicationprohibited. Prohibits any person employed by or who has enteredinto a contract to provide services on behalf of the Department ofHealth or a local department of health from initiating communicationregarding health-related matters with a minor on behalf of the Departmentor local department of health without the consent of the minor'sparent, except as otherwise required by law.

Commonwealth Broadband Chief Advisor; broadbandservice territory maps. Requires the Commonwealth Broadband ChiefAdvisor to develop and maintain a map of private broadband providerservice territories, including accurate average broadband speeds insuch territories. The map shall be updated yearly and be made availableto the public.

Publication of certain notices on locality'swebsite. Provides that in any instance in which a locality isrequired to publish certain notices related to local planning andzoning in a newspaper having general circulation in the locality,the locality may instead choose to meet such requirement by publishingthe notice on the locality's website.

Governing boards of public institutions of higher education; State Board for Community Colleges; communication; transparency. Requires the governing board of each public institution of highereducation and the State Board for Community Colleges to provide on their websites publicly available contact information for each boardmember, including each board member's email address, to ensure accessby the public and for the timely sharing of comprehensive information between the public and board members. The bill directs the StateCouncil of Higher Education for Virginia to conduct a review of compliancewith the bill and issue a report of its findings to the General Assemblyby November 1, 2021.

Transfer of certain firearms; exceptions.Adds to the list of those exempted from purchasing one firearm permonth (i) any person with a valid permit to carry a concealed handgunrecognized in the Commonwealth and (ii) retired law-enforcement officers.

Destroying or tampering with firefightingor emergency medical services equipment or law-enforcement equipmentand vehicles; penalty. Increases from a Class 1 misdemeanor toa Class 6 felony the penalty for injuring, destroying, removing,or tampering with any firefighting equipment or apparatus, emergency medical services vehicle, or law-enforcement vehicle or equipment.The bill also adds to this prohibition such interference with anyother equipment or apparatus used by emergency medical services personnelor law-enforcement officers.

Local control of firearms; concealed handgunpermit. Provides that any local ordinance that prohibits thepossession, carrying, or transportation of any firearms, ammunition,or components or combination thereof on specified public propertyshall not apply to a person who has a valid concealed handgun permit.

Special license plates; certain military declarations; fees. Removes the fee for one special license plate for one motorvehicle owned and used by an applicant who has been awarded the BronzeStar, Bronze Star with a "V" for valor, or the Silver Star. The billprovides that the applicant will be charged the typical fee for statelicense plates for any such additional special license plates.

Individual income tax; late paymentpenalty. Provides that the Department of Taxation shall not assessa late payment penalty to the entire tax or to any unpaid balanceof the income tax owed by an individual unless and until the taxpayerfails to file his return by the time fixed by law for filing a returnor by the time prescribed pursuant to a filing extension, as applicable. Under current law, the late payment penalty is assessed at the timea return is received by the Department if payment is not made infull when due.

Absentee voting; signature match; provisionalballot status. Requires the signature on the voter affirmationstatement on an absentee ballot return envelope to match the signatureof the voter on the application for the absentee ballot or the signatureof the voter on file in his registration record. The general registrarsare required to review the affirmation statement upon receipt ofan absentee ballot returned by mail and to compare the signatures.An absentee ballot that is missing the signature or has a signaturethat does not match shall be handled as a provisional ballot. Thevoter is entitled to submit a cure affidavit, affirming that the ballotwas submitted by him, is his ballot, and that he is registered andqualified to vote in such election, and a copy of a form of identificationcontaining his name, signature, and photograph, until noon on thethird day following the election. If, at the electoral board meetingfor determining the validity of provisional votes, a majority ofthe board finds that the signature on the cure affidavit matchesthe signature on the absentee ballot, the vote shall be counted.Notice to the voter is required by email, text message, or telephone call, and if the absentee ballot is received on or before the seventhday preceding the election, by first-class mail as well.