Rep. Josh Cole

Children's Services Act; special educationprograms. Expands eligibility for services under the Children'sServices Act to students who transfer from an approved private schoolspecial education program to a public school special education programestablished and funded jointly by a local governing body and schooldivision located within Planning District 16 for the purpose of providingspecial education and related services when (i) the public schoolspecial education program is able to provide services comparable to those of an approved private school special education programand (ii) the student would require placement in an approved privateschool special education program but for the availability of thepublic school special education program.

Counting of incarcerated persons by the UnitedStates Bureau of the Census for redistricting purposes. Expressesthe sense of the General Assembly that the United States Bureau of the Census should provide redistricting data that counts incarceratedpersons in a manner consistent with the principles of "one person,one vote." Such redistricting data should count incarcerated individualsat their addresses of residence, rather than the address of the prison,during the 2020 and all future decennial censuses.

Project labor agreements; public procurement. Authorizes any state or local government, when engaged in procuring products or services or letting contracts for construction, manufacture, maintenance, or operation of public works, to require bidders to enter into or adhere to project labor agreements on the public works projects. This bill was incorporated into HB 358.

Earned sick leave for employees; civil penalties. Requires employers to provide earned sick leave to employees at a rate of one hour per 30 hours worked, up to 24 hours in any 12-month period. For employers with more than five employees, the employee is paid for sick leave taken; for employers with fewer than five employees, not more than 32 hours of sick leave in a year are required to be paid leave. The measure authorizes the Commissioner of Labor and Industry to impose a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 for a violation.

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.

Public elementary and secondary school students; suspension and expulsion; sufficient cause. Provides that in no case shall sufficient cause for the suspension or expulsion of a student from attendance at a public elementary or secondary school include only instances of truancy or nonviolent behavior. Current law provides that in no cases may sufficient cause for suspensions include only instances of truancy.

Virginia Fair Housing Law; unlawful discriminatoryhousing practices; sexual orientation and gender identity. Addsdiscrimination on the basis of an individual's sexual orientationor gender identity as an unlawful housing practice. The bill defines"sexual orientation" and "gender identity." This bill was incorporatedinto HB 1663.

Board of Education; mental health break spaces; regulations. Requires the Board of Education to amend its regulations to require that each public school create and maintain a mental health break space within the public school building. The bill requires the Board of Education to collaborate with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services in the creation of regulations for the mental health break spaces.

Commending Marceline Rollins Catlett.

Commending the Washington Nationals.