Del. Lashrecse D. Aird

General Assembly meetings; streaming and recording. Requires the Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Clerk of theSenate to ensure that every (i) subcommittee or committee meetingof a standing committee of the General Assembly, regardless of meetingdate, and (ii) floor session of the House of Delegates or the Senate,including any joint session of the houses, is streamed with closedcaptioning, recorded and archived. The bill defines "stream" and specifiesthat a qualifying meeting is one the date and time of which havebeen scheduled on a public website of any agency of the General Assemblyfor at least one hour prior to the meeting and that takes place inthe State Capitol, the Pocahontas Building, or the General AssemblyBuilding in Richmond. The bill has a delayed effective date of October1, 2020.

Robbery; penalty. Defines "robbery" and creates degrees of punishment corresponding to the severity of arobbery offense. Any person who commits a robbery by causing seriousbodily injury is guilty of robbery in the first degree, which is punishable by confinement in a state correctional facility for a maximum termof life. Any person who commits robbery by displaying a firearm ina threatening manner is guilty of robbery in the second degree, whichis punishable by confinement in a state correctional facility fora maximum term of 20 years. Any person who commits robbery by usingphysical force not resulting in serious bodily injury, or by displayinga deadly weapon other than a firearm in a threatening manner, is guiltyof robbery in the third degree, which is punishable as a Class 5felony. Any person who commits robbery by using threat or intimidationnot involving a deadly weapon is guilty of robbery in the fourthdegree, which is punishable as a Class 6 felony. Under current law,any robbery is punishable by confinement in a state correctionalfacility for life or any term not less than five years.

Higher education; public-private partnerships;cloud computing; artificial intelligence. Requires each institutionof higher education to establish a public-private partnership, orpartnership if the institution of higher education is not public,with private entities to develop a professional development and trainingprogram for instructional and information technology staff to obtainindustry certification in cloud computing technology and artificialintelligence.

Celebrating the life of Ruby Williams Evans.

Commending Flossie Zenobia Jones Jordan.

Department of Education; pilot program; feasibility ofeducational placement transition of certain students with disabilities.Requires the Department of Education and relevant local school boards todevelop and implement a pilot program for the transition of students who areeducated in private school settings pursuant to Individualized EducationPrograms to the appropriate public school setting in the relevant local schooldivision for up to four years in two to eight local school divisions in theCommonwealth. In developing the pilot, the Department is required to partnerwith the appropriate school board employees in each such local school divisionto (i) identify the resources, services, and supports required by each studentwho resides in each such local school division and who is educated in a privateschool setting pursuant to his Individualized Education Program; (ii) study thefeasibility of transitioning each such student from his private school settingto an appropriate public school setting in the local school division andproviding the identified resources, services, and supports in such publicschool setting; and (iii) recommend a process for redirecting federal, state,and local funds, including funds provided pursuant to the Children's ServicesAct, provided for the education of each such student to the local schooldivision for the purpose of providing the identified resources, services, andsupports in the appropriate public school setting. The bill requires theDepartment of Education to make a report to the Governor, the Senate Committeeson Education and Health and Finance, and the House Committees on Education andAppropriations on the findings of the pilot program after two and four years.

Constitutional amendment (first resolution);real property tax exemption; affordable housing. Provides thatthe General Assembly may authorize a locality to fully or partiallyexempt affordable housing, as such term may be defined by statute,from real property taxation.

Right to reproductive choice. Provides thatevery individual has a fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptionand that a pregnant person has a fundamental right to choose to carrya pregnancy to term, give birth to a child, or terminate a pregnancy.The bill states that the Commonwealth shall not, in the regulationor provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information, denyor interfere with an individual's fundamental rights, including individualsunder state control or supervision. The bill states that any stateor local official who is charged with violating provisions of thissection shall be subject to an action in federal or state court forinjunctive relief and damages. Such action may be brought by any person or entity that may be aggrieved by such official's actions.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act;Eviction Diversion Pilot Program; option to pay a redemption tender.Allows a tenant who has exercised his right of redemption prior toJuly 1, 2020, to participate in the Eviction Diversion Pilot Program.The bill repeals a 2019 enactment clause excluding such tenants fromparticipation.

Commending the Washington Nationals.