Commending the Suffolk Alumnae Chapter of DeltaSigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Commending the Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce.
Celebrating the life of Richard Carlton Griffin,Sr.
Constitutional amendment (first reference);qualifications of voters; right to vote; persons not entitled tovote. Provides that every person who meets the qualificationsof voters set forth in the Constitution of Virginia shall have thefundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth and that such rightshall not be abridged by law, except for persons who have been convictedof a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacityto understand the act of voting. A person who has been convictedof a felony shall not be entitled to vote during any period of incarcerationfor such felony conviction, but upon release from incarceration forthat felony conviction and without further action required of him,such person shall be invested with all political rights, includingthe right to vote. Currently, in order to be qualified to vote a personconvicted of a felony must have his civil rights restored by theGovernor or other appropriate authority. The amendment also providesthat a person adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction aslacking the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote during this period of incapacity until his capacityhas been reestablished as prescribed by law. Currently, the Constitutionof Virginia provides that a person who has been adjudicated to bementally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competencyis reestablished.
Constitutional amendment (first reference); marriage between two individuals; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; affirmative right to marry. Repeals the constitutional provision defining marriage as only a union between one man and one woman as well as the related provisions that are no longer valid as a result of the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015). The amendment provides that the right to marry is a fundamental right inherent in the liberty of persons and prohibits the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions from denying the issuance of a marriage license to two parties contemplating a lawful marriage on the basis of the sex, gender, or race of such parties. The Commonwealth and its political subdivisions are required to recognize any lawful marriage between two parties and to treat such marriages equally under the law, regardless of the sex, gender, or race of such parties. The amendment provides that religious organizations and clergy acting in their religious capacity have the right to refuse to perform any marriage.
Expeditious resolution of complaints relatingto certain student transportation safety issues. Requires eachlocality and the Department of Transportation, as applicable, toexpeditiously respond to and assist in the resolution of, to themaximum extent practicable, any complaint received by or on behalfof any public elementary or secondary school student relating tosuch student's safety on the streets, roads, sidewalks, and crosswalkssurrounding school property as such student arrives to or departs from school and permits, for the purposes of complying with suchrequirement, any school board to enter into a memorandum of understandingwith the locality or the Department, as applicable, for the establishmentof a protocol or the designation of an ombudsman for the resolutionof such complaints.
Public high schools; personnel; career coachrequired. Requires each school board to employ at least one careercoach in each public high school in the local school division whoseduties are required to include assisting students with securing internships, externships, and credentialing opportunities as required by the Profileof a Virginia Graduate, providing students with information on apprenticeship programs, and connecting students to career opportunities. The billprovides that each such individual shall be employed in additionto and not as a replacement for the required school counselor positions,specialized student support positions, or support services positions.
Public school staffing ratios; specializedstudent support positions. Increases the number of specialized student support positions required to be employed by each local schoolboard from at least three to at least four such positions per 1,000students in the local school division. Such specialized student supportpositions include school social workers, school psychologists, schoolnurses, licensed behavior analysts, licensed assistant behavior analysts,and other licensed health and behavioral positions.
Sales tax exemption; certain baby products.Creates a retail sales and use tax exemption for certain baby products,including (i) children's diapers, (ii) therapeutic or preventativecreams and wipes marketed primarily for use on the skin of children,(iii) child restraint devices or booster seats, (iv) cribs, and (v)strollers meant for transporting children, usually from infancy to36 months of age.
Commending Dr. Willis L. Lonzer III.
