Del. Timothy V. Anderson

Best interests of the child; assuring frequentand continuing contact with both parents. Provides that, in determiningthe best interests of a child for purposes of custody and parentingtime arrangements, upon request of either party, the court shallassure a minor child of frequent and continuing contact with bothparents so as to maximize the amount of time the minor child spendswith each parent.

Emergency Services and Disaster Law; limitationon duration of executive orders. Limits the duration of any executiveorder issued by the Governor pursuant to his powers under the EmergencyServices and Disaster Law to no more than 45 days from the date ofissuance. The bill provides that if the General Assembly does nottake any action on the rule, regulation, or order within the 45 daysduring which the rule, regulation, or order is effective, the Governorshall thereafter be prohibited from issuing the same or a similarrule, regulation, or order relating to the same emergency. Under current law, once issued, such executive orders are effective untilJune 30 following the next adjournment of the regular session ofthe General Assembly. The bill contains technical amendments.

School principals; incident reports; violent offenses.Requires that school principals report to law enforcement any felonyoffenses and violent offenses enumerated in the bill that may constitutea criminal offense. Under the bill, principals have discretion toreport certain non-violent crimes to law enforcement. Under currentlaw, principals are required to make such reports to law enforcementonly for such acts that may constitute a felony offense.

Improper driving. Provides that a personmay be charged with the offense of improper driving when his conductis of the kind that constitutes reckless driving but when his degreeof culpability is slight. Currently, a law-enforcement officer isnot able to charge a person with improper driving, but a charge ofreckless driving may be reduced to improper driving by the courtor the attorney for the Commonwealth.

Carrying a concealed handgun; permit not required. Allows any person who is otherwise eligible to obtain a concealedhandgun permit to carry a concealed handgun without a permit anywherehe may lawfully carry a handgun openly within the Commonwealth.

Control of firearms by localities. Removesthe authority for a locality by ordinance to prohibit the possessionor carrying of firearms, ammunition, or components or any combinationthereof in (i) any building, or part thereof, owned or used by suchlocality for governmental purposes; (ii) any public park owned oroperated by the locality; (iii) any recreation or community centerfacility; or (iv) any public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or publicright-of-way or any other place of whatever nature that is open tothe public and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted eventor an event that would otherwise require a permit. The bill providesthat any firearm received by the locality pursuant to a buy-back programshall be offered for sale by public auction or sealed bids to a personlicensed as a dealer. Current law provides that any such firearm shallbe destroyed by the locality unless the person surrendering the firearmrequests in writing that the firearm be offered for sale. The billalso limits the authority of localities and state governmental entitiesto bring lawsuits against certain firearms manufacturers and others.

Campaign finance; mandatory electronic filingfor all candidates. Requires all independent expenditure andcandidate campaign finance reports to be filed electronically withthe Department of Elections. Under current law, such expenditure andfinance reports can be filed either electronically or in writingwith State Board of Elections. The bill also shifts administrativeduties given to the State Board of Elections, such as the receiptof certain filings, to the Department of Elections.

Campaign advertisements; independent expenditures; electioneering communications; disclaimer requirements. Broadensthe scope of disclaimer requirements for campaign advertisementsto include electioneering communications, as defined in the bill,and messages advocating for the passage or defeat of a referendum.The bill also requires an advertisement that is an independent expenditureor expressly advocates for the passage or defeat of a referendum,to contain a disclaimer providing the names of the sponsor's three largest contributors or individuals representing a contributor thatis not an individual.

COVID-19 vaccination status; mandatory COVID-19vaccination prohibited; discrimination prohibited. Prohibitsthe State Health Commissioner and the Board of Health, the Boardof Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Department ofHealth Professions and any regulatory board therein, and the Departmentof Social Services from requiring any person to undergo vaccinationfor COVID-19 and prohibits discrimination based on a person's COVID-19vaccination status with regard to education or public employmentand in numerous other contexts.

Elections; campaign finance; contribution limits;penalty. Imposes contribution limits on individuals giving tocampaigns, political action committees and political party committeesand on campaign committees contributing to other campaign committees,political action committees, or political party committees. The billauthorizes a political party committee to keep a separate legal fundfor the sole purpose of paying for legal expenses.