Rep. Mark Earley

Human trafficking investigators; licensing by the Department of Criminal Justice Services. Authorizes the Department of Criminal Justice Services to register and issue licenses for human trafficking investigators. The bill provides that a human trafficking investigator is a private investigator who is GSA compliant and engages in the business of, or accepts employment to make, investigations to obtain information on sex trafficking or severe forms of trafficking as defined in the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 and in the federal Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.

Department of Education; model policy on student cell phone use during instructional time; local adoption. Requires the Department of Education to develop, adopt, and distribute to each school board a model policy whereby public elementary and secondary school students are prohibited from possessing or using personal cell phones or other personal handheld communication devices during instructional time at school. The bill requires the Department, in developing and adopting such model policy, to seek to balance the interests of students' academic achievement, cognitive development, safety, and general well-being and permits the Department to include appropriate exceptions in extraordinary circumstances such as emergency situations or situations involving the need to contact the student's parents. The bill requires each school board to develop and adopt a policy that is consistent with such model policy adopted by the Department.

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 757 formally commends Nyla Harris, a Virginia Commonwealth University student, for saving a woman's life by performing CPR after the woman suffered cardiac arrest at a Midlothian restaurant. The resolution highlights Harris's quick thinking, her prior CPR training, and her compassionate care for the victim's husband during the emergency. This document serves as an official expression of appreciation from the House of Delegates and authorizes the Clerk to present a copy of the resolution to Harris as a gesture of admiration.

Labor trafficking; forced labor or service; penalties. Provides that any person who knowingly provides or obtains the labor or services of a person by means of (i) force, threats of force, physical restraint, or threats of physical restraint to that person or another person; (ii) serious harm, as defined in the bill, or threats of serious harm to that person or another person; (iii) the abuse or threatened abuse of law or legal process, as defined in the bill; or (iv) any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause the person to believe that if that person did not perform such labor or services that person or another person would suffer serious harm or physical restraint is guilty of labor trafficking. The bill also provides that any person who knowingly benefits from participation in a venture that has engaged in labor trafficking is guilty of receiving money from labor trafficking. The bill provides that a violation of labor trafficking or receiving money from labor trafficking is punishable as a Class 4 felony; however, any adult who commits an act of labor trafficking or receiving money from labor trafficking with a person under the age of 18 is guilty of a Class 3 felony. The bill also creates a civil cause of action against individuals who engage in labor trafficking or who receive money from labor trafficking and adds labor trafficking and receiving money from labor trafficking to provisions of the Code defining racketeering and as a barrier crime from caring for children or the elderly or disabled, among other provisions listed in the bill. The bill extends the time to commence a civil action for trafficking in persons from seven years to 10 years.

Center for Rural Virginia; name change. Renames the Center for Rural Virginia as the Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr. Center for Rural Virginia. This bill is identical to SB 704.

Food inspections; private homes; pickles and acidified vegetables; gross sales. Increases from $3,000 to $9,000 the gross sales annual revenue cap for sales of pickles and other acidified vegetables that have an equilibrium pH value of 4.6 or lower and are processed and prepared in a private home without an inspection as otherwise required to operate a food establishment. The bill expands the exemption for private homes where the resident processes and prepares certain food products to allow for such person to sell the food at a temporary event that operates for a period of no more than 14 consecutive days. The bill also clarifies that such person may advertise such food products over the Internet provided that the sale takes place in person and complies with certain restrictions.

Commending the Honorable Kathy J. Byron.

Long-term services and supports screening; expedited screening; screening exemption; emergency. Modifies existing provisions regarding the required long-term services and supports screening under the state plan for medical assistance services by creating greater flexibility for how screenings are completed under certain circumstances. Under the bill, any individual receiving inpatient services in an acute care hospital discharged to a nursing facility for skilled care only is not required to be screened prior to discharge from the hospital unless the individual requests the screening. The bill directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. This bill is identical to SB 24 and contains an emergency clause.

Drug Treatment Court Act; name change. Renames the Drug Treatment Court Act as the Recovery Court Act. The bill also directs the Supreme Court of Virginia to rename the state Drug Treatment Court Advisory Committee as the Recovery Court Advisory Committee. This bill is identical to SB 725.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable OnzleeWare.