Del. A.C. Cordoza

Unemployment compensation; disqualificationfor benefits; misconduct does not include refusing COVID-19 vaccine.Provides that for the purposes of the Virginia Employment Commissiondetermining if an individual was separated or partially separatedfrom employment for misconduct and would be disqualified for unemploymentbenefits, the term "misconduct" does not include an employee's refusalto receive or receive in part any primary series or booster shotof a vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19.

Celebrating the life of Rebecca Kellam Chalmers.

Commending Virginia Polytechnic Institute andState University.

Commending the Virginia Manufacturers Association.

Multi-jurisdiction grand jury; elder abuse crimes. Adds the following to the list of crimes that a multi-jurisdiction grand jury may investigate: (i) financial exploitation of mentally incapacitated persons and (ii) abuse and neglect of incapacitated adults.

Income tax subtraction; veteran retirement compensation. Provides an individual income tax subtraction for up to $40,000 ofthe amount of annual retirement compensation received by a veteranfor service as a member of the United States Armed Forces, a reservistin the United States Armed Forces, or a member of the Virginia NationalGuard.

Purchase of handguns; limitation on handgunpurchases. Removes the prohibition on any person who is not a licensed firearms dealer from purchasing more than one handgun ina 30-day period. Current law makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for aviolation of this provision, subject to certain exemptions.

United States Constitution; application fora convention of the states. Makes application to Congress tocall a convention of the states to propose amendments to the UnitedStates Constitution that impose fiscal restraints on the federalgovernment, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government,and limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of Congress.

Law-enforcement officers; retired law-enforcementofficers; carrying a firearm or explosive material within CapitolSquare and the surrounding area. Exempts any law-enforcementofficer from the prohibition on carrying a firearm or explosive materialwithin the Capitol of Virginia and Capitol Square and the surroundingarea. The bill further allows any law-enforcement officer or qualifiedretired law-enforcement officer to carry a firearm or explosive materialwithin any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth or any agencythereof, or any office where employees of the Commonwealth or agencythereof are regularly present to perform their official duties. Undercurrent law, a law-enforcement officer is exempted only while actingin the conduct of his official duties, and a retired law-enforcementofficer is limited to carrying a firearm while visiting a gun rangeowned or leased by the Commonwealth. The bill also clarifies that "Capitol Square and the surrounding area" as defined in current lawdoes not include any public road or highway.

Parental Choice Education Savings Accounts established. Permits the parents of qualified students, defined in the bill,to apply to the school division in which the qualified student residesfor a one-year, renewable Parental Choice Education Savings Accountthat consists of an amount that is equivalent to a certain percentageof all applicable annual Standards of Quality per pupil state fundsappropriated for public school purposes and apportioned to the residentschool division in which the qualified student resides, includingthe per pupil share of state sales tax funding in basic aid and anystate per pupil share of special education funding for which the qualified student is eligible. The bill permits the parent of the qualifiedstudent to use the moneys in such account for certain education-relatedexpenses of the qualified student, including tuition, deposits, fees,and required textbooks at a private elementary school or secondaryschool that is located in the Commonwealth. The bill also contains provisions relating to auditing, rescinding, and reviewing expensesmade from such accounts.