Del. Glenn R. Davis

Special license plates; certain military declarations; fees. Removes the fee for one special license plate for one motorvehicle owned and used by an applicant who has been awarded the BronzeStar, Bronze Star with a "V" for valor, or the Silver Star. The billprovides that the applicant will be charged the typical fee for statelicense plates for any such additional special license plates.

Menhaden fishing in territorial waters prohibited. Prohibits catching menhaden with purse nets in the territorial watersof the Commonwealth lying west or within three miles of the ChesapeakeBay Bridge-Tunnel.

Voter registration; political party affiliation;closed primary elections. Adds political party affiliation tothe information that an applicant is asked to provide when registeringto vote. The political party affiliation or independent status selectedby the voter is included in his registration record, and the billpermits voters to change political party affiliation by providingnotice in writing or through electronic means authorized by the StateBoard of Election. The bill provides that only voters who are registeredas affiliated with a political party, or who are designated as independent,are permitted to vote in that political party's primary election.Voters who are registered on or before January 1, 2022, will be designated as independent, and the general registrars are required to notifythe voters of such fact and include instructions on how the votermay change his affiliation beginning January 1, 2022. The bill hasa delayed effective date of January 1, 2022.

Collective bargaining; prohibited considerationsduring negotiations. Prohibits any local ordinance or resolutiongranting or permitting collective bargaining from permitting considerationduring collective bargaining negotiations of any action or discussionregarding the hiring, firing, or disciplining of a local employee.All such actions and discussions shall be exempt from all collectivebargaining negotiations.

Absentee ballots; witness requirement; printedname and residence address. Requires that a witness to a voter's absentee ballot provide, in addition to his signature, his printedname and residence address.

Public education; student education accounts.Permits any school division to establish a program to create savingsaccounts for students to be used for alternative educational programs.The bill requires the Department of Education to establish policiesand procedures under which the parent of each student may use suchfunds on public or private educational programs.

Constitutional amendment (first reference);executive power; state of emergency; special session. Limitsthe authority of the Governor to issue an executive order declaringa state of emergency that restricts, limits, or prohibits otherwiselawful action by a private business, nonprofit entity, or individualfor a period more than 45 days in duration without approval by theGeneral Assembly. The Governor is required to convene a special sessionfor the purpose of the General Assembly approving the extension ofsuch executive order beyond the forty-fifth day after its originalissuance and if the General Assembly does not approve such extension,the Governor is prohibited from issuing a subsequent executive orderin the same form for the same declared emergency. The General Assemblyis permitted to extend the executive order to a date requested bythe Governor or to a date of the General Assembly's choosing, butit shall not approve the extension to a date beyond the first fullweek of the next regular session of the General Assembly, unlesssuch date is requested by the Governor.

Empowerment Scholarship Accounts established.Permits the parents of certain children to apply to the schooldivision in which the child resides for a one-year, renewable EmpowermentScholarship Account that consists of an amount that is equivalentto a certain percentage of all applicable annual Standards of Qualityper pupil state funds appropriated for public school purposes andapportioned to the resident school division in which the studentresides, including the per pupil share of state sales tax funding in basic aid and any state per pupil share of special education fundingfor which the student is eligible. The bill permits the parent touse the moneys in such account for certain education-related expenses of the student, including tuition and fees at a private elementaryschool or secondary school that is located in the Commonwealth. Thebill also contains provisions relating to auditing, rescinding, andreviewing expenses made from such accounts.

Voting Rights for Women Month. DesignatesNovember, in 2021 and in each succeeding year, as Voting Rights forWomen Month in Virginia.

Best interests of the child; assuring frequentand continuing contact with both parents. Provides that, in determiningthe best interests of the child for purposes of custody and visitation arrangements, upon request of either party, the court shall assureminor children of frequent and continuing contact with both parentsso as to maximize the amount of time the child spends with each parent.The bill further provides that such parenting time may be adjustedin consideration of certain factors.