Del. Mark L. Cole

Provides that the terms "because of religion" and "on the basis of religion," and terms of similar import, when used in reference to discrimination in the Code of Virginia and acts of the General Assembly, include anti-Semitism. The bill requires the board of visitors of public institutions of higher education to establish policies or institutional regulations prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, or disability in compliance with state and federal law. In addition, the bill (i) codifies the definition of "anti-Semitism" established by the U.S. Department of State and (ii) provides for the investigating authority to consider the definition when investigating alleged violations of unlawful discriminatory practice on the basis of a person's real or perceived Jewish identity.

Prohibits the conversion of any contributed moneys, securities, or like intangible personal property by any person to the personal use of a candidate or a member of the candidate's immediate family, if such use is for a strictly personal purpose with no reasonable or foreseeable benefit to the candidate's campaign or public office. Complaints of alleged violations may be made by any person who contributes to the candidate or candidate's campaign committee to the State Board of Elections. The subject of the complaint has 30 days to provide to the State Board documentation or other evidence that the use of the campaign funds had a reasonable or foreseeable benefit to the campaign or the candidate's public office. The State Board shall call a hearing if it determines, after reviewing any response made by the subject of the complaint, that the use of campaign funds had no reasonable or foreseeable benefit to the campaign or the candidate's public office. If the complaining party declines to participate in the hearing, the complaint shall be dismissed. A person found by the State Board to have willfully and knowingly violated this section shall repay to the campaign committee the amount unlawfully converted to the personal use of the candidate or a member of the candidate's immediate family and shall return to the complaining party the full amount of the complaining party's contribution to the campaign. The State Board may also assess an additional civil penalty, in an amount not to exceed $100.

Provides for a top two primary election for the nomination of candidates for the offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General. All candidates for each office shall be listed on a single ballot, regardless of political party affiliation or independent status, and the two candidates receiving the highest and next highest number of votes cast for each office shall be the candidates at the general election for such office. The resolution requires that provision be made to allow votes to be cast at a top two primary election for persons other than the listed candidates, but prohibits such votes from being cast at the general election. Additionally, the resolution provides that the political parties shall not nominate candidates for the offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General and that the political parties do not have the right to have a preferred candidate on the ballot at the general election for the offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General. However, the political parties will have the right to contribute to, endorse, or otherwise support a candidate for the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General in accordance with law.