Commission to Study the History of the Uprootingof Black Communities by Public Institutions of Higher Education inthe Commonwealth established; report. Establishes the 19-memberlegislative Commission to Study the History of the Uprooting of BlackCommunities by Public Institutions of Higher Education for the purposeof studying and determining (i) whether any public institution ofhigher education in the Commonwealth has purchased, expropriated,or otherwise taken possession of property owned by any individualwithin the boundaries of a community in which a majority of the residentsare Black in order to establish or expand the institution's campusand (ii) whether and what form of compensation or relief would beappropriate for any such individual or any of his lineal descendants.The bill sunsets on July 1, 2027.
Sponsored bills
Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements; civil action. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning January 1, 2027. Under the program, benefits are paid to covered individuals, as defined in the bill, for family and medical leave. Funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning January 1, 2026. The bill provides that the amount of a benefit is 80 percent of the employee's average weekly wage, not to exceed 80 percent of the state weekly wage, which amount is required to be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the statewide average weekly wage. The bill caps the duration of paid leave at 12 weeks in any application year and provides self-employed individuals the option of participating in the program.
Celebrating the life of Karen Harrison Jones.
Commending the Suffolk Alumnae Chapter of DeltaSigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Commending the Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce.
Voter registration; registration of Departmentof Motor Vehicles customers; automatic update. Provides thatthe information gathered by the Department of Motor Vehicles fora person who indicates that he is already registered to vote isto be automatically transmitted to the Department of Elections forthe purpose of updating an existing voter registration record. Undercurrent law, a person must be presented with the option to declineto have his information transmitted to the Department of Electionsbefore such information may be transmitted.
Election of certain governing bodies; conversionto single-member districts. Allows the governing body of a localitythat has been subject to a court order imposing a remedial election system under voting rights laws to adopt an ordinance to convertone or more at-large members of such body to single-member districts.The bill provides that members of such governing body in office onthe effective date of such ordinance shall complete their terms ofoffice.
Constitutional amendment (first reference);qualifications of voters; right to vote; persons not entitled tovote. Provides that every person who meets the qualificationsof voters set forth in the Constitution of Virginia shall have thefundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth and that such rightshall not be abridged by law, except for persons who have been convictedof a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacityto understand the act of voting. A person who has been convictedof a felony shall not be entitled to vote during any period of incarcerationfor such felony conviction, but upon release from incarceration forthat felony conviction and without further action required of him,such person shall be invested with all political rights, includingthe right to vote. Currently, in order to be qualified to vote a personconvicted of a felony must have his civil rights restored by theGovernor or other appropriate authority. The amendment also providesthat a person adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction aslacking the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote during this period of incapacity until his capacityhas been reestablished as prescribed by law. Currently, the Constitutionof Virginia provides that a person who has been adjudicated to bementally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competencyis reestablished.
Requirement for electric vehicle charging stationsfor certain developments. Provides that any locality may by ordinancerequire electric vehicle charging stations as part of subdivisionor site plan approval for a development containing commercial, industrial,or multifamily residential uses with a density of seven residentialdwelling units per acre or greater. The bill contains a delayed effectivedate of July 1, 2025.
Income tax subtraction; professional firefighterpension. Establishes an income tax subtraction for up to $20,000of firefighter benefits in taxable year 2024, up to $30,000 in taxableyear 2025, and up to $40,000 in taxable year 2026 and each year thereafter.The bill defines firefighter benefits to include retirement incomerelated to firefighting services and benefits paid to the survivingspouse of a firefighter whose death occurred in the line of duty.