Del. Mark L. Cole

Specialty dockets; veterans docket. Providesthat any veterans docket authorized and established as a local specialtydocket in accordance with the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginiashall be deemed a "Veterans Treatment Court Program," as that termis used under federal law or by any other entity, for the purposesof applying for, qualifying for, or receiving any federal grants,other federal money, or money from any other entity designated toassist or fund such state programs. The bill contains an emergencyclause.

Public institutions of higher education; in-state tuition; children of active duty service members or veterans. Provides that any child of an active duty member or veteran who claims Virginia as his home state and filed Virginia tax returns for at least 10 years during active duty service is eligible for in-state tuition charges, regardless of domicile. The provisions of the bill are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act.

Telephone privacy protection. Requires atelephone solicitor to immediately disclose who is calling and whatproperty, good, or service is being offered. The measure also prohibitscaller ID spoofing, which is defined in the bill as causing any calleridentification service to transmit caller identification informationthat represents or states that the call originates from a telephonewith an area code assigned to an area in the Commonwealth or froma location in the Commonwealth if the person on whose behalf thetelephone solicitation call is being made does not conduct business from a location in the Commonwealth. Themeasure prohibits a telephone solicitor from making a telephone solicitationcall or the use of an automatic dialing-announcing device in connectionwith making a call to any subscriber who has registered with theVirginia Do Not Call Registry. The measure requires the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to set up by January1, 2021, the Virginia Do Not Call Registry for subscribers who wishto block all solicitation calls and calls that use or are made in connection with automatic dialing-announcing devices.

Merchants' capital tax; separate classification; retailers. Provides that the merchants' capital of any retailer reported as inventory that is located in a structure that contains at least 200,000 square feet, with at least 200,000 square feet used solely to store such inventory, shall, along with certain wholesalers, be considered a separate classification and may be taxed at a lower rate than other classifications of merchants' capital. Under current law, only merchants' capital of wholesalers meeting a similar threshold of 100,000 square feet constitutes a separate class of property.

Virginia Defense Force; maximum age for recruitment. Permits the Adjutant General of Virginia to recruit members to the Virginia Defense Force who are between the ages of 65 and 75. Under current law, the Adjutant General is only permitted to retain existing members of the Virginia Defense Force once they have attained the age of 65.

Property Owners' Association Act; display ofpolitical signs. Provides that, except as otherwise expressedin the declaration, no declaration or association's rules and regulations or architectural guidelines shall restrict or prohibit the displayby a lot owner on his lot of a sign advocating for or against a candidate,referendum, or political organization. The bill provides, however,that an association may restrict the display of such signs (i) inthe common areas or (ii) in accordance with federal or state law,and may establish reasonable restrictions as to the size, place,duration, and manner of placement or display of such signs, exceptthat no restriction on the duration of the display of such signs shall be less than (a) 30 days before the primary election, generalelection, or vote on the proposition or (b) seven days after the primary election, general election, or vote on the proposition. Thebill also requires the association disclosure packet to contain astatement of any restrictions on the size, place, duration, and mannerof placement or display of such signs.

Alcoholic beverage control; stills or distilling apparatuses; permit requirement. Narrows the requirement that a permit be obtained from the Board of Directors of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority in order to keep, store, or possess any still or distilling apparatus to include only instances in which a still or distilling apparatus is kept, stored, or possessed for the purpose of distilling alcohol.

Elections; campaign finance; committee depositoriesand reimbursement. Clarifies that committee treasurers may payexpenses by electronic debit drawn on a designated committee depository.Current law only allows for a check drawn on such depository. Thebill also clarifies that reimbursements may be made for electronicdebit payments made by an authorized committee representative. Thebill contains technical amendments.

Commending Bob Brown.

Celebrating the life of Charles Calvin Singleton.