Del. Nick Freitas

Celebrating the life of Dorcas Ruth Hardy.

Requires the Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (the Authority) to pay a distiller who operates a government store on the distiller's licensed premises a commission of not less than 20 percent of the retail price of any goods sold. The bill also allows certain government stores, as determined by the Board of Directors (the Board) of the Authority, to be open on Sundays for the sale of alcoholic beverages after 10:00 a.m. Finally, the bill grants the Board the power to employ or retain in-house legal counsel to advise or represent the Authority in hearings, controversies, or other matters involving the interests of the Authority. The bill provides, however, that upon request by the Board, the Attorney General shall provide legal services for the Authority in accordance with current law. This bill is identical to

Provides that following the close of any biennium, when the account for any regulatory board within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation shows that unspent and unencumbered revenue exceeds $100,000 or 20 percent of the total expenses allocated to the regulatory board for the past biennium, whichever is greater, the regulatory board must (i) distribute all such excess revenue to current regulants and (ii) reduce the fees levied by it for certification, licensure, registration, or permit and renewal thereof so that the fees are sufficient but not excessive to cover expenses. Under current law, these boards are required to adjust their fees when their account shows expenses allocated to it for the past biennium to be more than 10 percent greater or less than moneys collected on behalf of the board. Current law does not require the boards to distribute excess funds to regulants. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2022.

Conforms Virginia law to the provisions of the federal 2018 Farm Bill by amending the definitions of cannabidiol oil, marijuana, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to exclude industrial hemp in the possession of a registered person, hemp products, or an oil containing no more than 0.3% THC. The bill defines "industrial hemp" as any part of the plant

Provides that any person who commits an act of aiding prostitution or illicit sexual intercourse or using a vehicle to promote prostitution or unlawful sexual intercourse, when such act involves a minor, is guilty of a Class 6 felony. Under current law, such acts are punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill adds the two new felony offenses to (i) the definition of "violent felony" for the purposes of sentencing guidelines, (ii) the definition of barrier crimes for the purposes of background checks for employees or volunteers providing care to children or the elderly or disabled, (iii) the definition of predicate criminal acts for street gangs, (iv) the definition of racketeering activity under the Virginia Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organization Act, (v) the list of violations that a multi-jurisdiction grand jury is responsible for investigating, and (vi) the list of offenses requiring registration in the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry. The bill also adds felony prostitution and felony human trafficking offenses to the definition of "violent felony" for the purposes of sentencing guidelines. The bill also provides that each violation of commercial sex trafficking is a separate and distinct felony. The bill as introduced was a recommendation of the Virginia State Crime Commission.

Allows a school security officer to carry a firearm in the performance of his duties if, within 10 years immediately prior to being hired by the local school board, he was employed by a law-enforcement agency of the United States or any state or political subdivision thereof and his duties were substantially similar to those of a law-enforcement officer in the Commonwealth. Under current law, only a school security officer who was an active law-enforcement officer in the Commonwealth within 10 years immediately prior to being hired by the local school board may qualify to carry a firearm in the performance of his duties. The bill also provides that the Department of Criminal Justice Services' duty to establish minimum training standards and other requirements for school security officers includes establishing minimum training standards and requirements for school security officers previously employed by a law-enforcement agency of the United States or any state or political subdivision thereof.

Permits any student whose service member parent is relocated to the Commonwealth pursuant to orders received to register for courses and other academic programs and participate in the lottery process for charter schools and college partnership laboratory schools in the school division in which such student will reside at the same time and in the same manner as students who reside in the local school division. This bill is identical to

Requires the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority and the Virginia Employment Commission to post notice of the existence of a human trafficking hotline in government stores, except for government stores established on a distiller's licensed premises, and in employment offices, respectively, to alert possible witnesses or victims of human trafficking to the availability of a means to report crimes or gain assistance.

Authorizes the Board of Medicine to issue a license by endorsement to an applicant for licensure as a physician assistant who (i) is the spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the Commonwealth, (ii) holds current certification from the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, and (iii) holds a license as a physician assistant that is in good standing, or that is eligible for reinstatement if lapsed, under the laws of another state.

Prohibits the Virginia Lottery from disclosing information about individual winners whose prize exceeds $10 million, and exempts such information from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), unless the winner consents to disclosure. Under FOIA, disclosure of the winner's name, hometown, and amount won is currently mandatory. This bill is identical to