Sen. John McGuire

Commending Sandra Gioia Treadway.

Commending Peter A. Blake.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; prohibitionon boycotting Israel. Requires all public bodies to include inevery contract in excess of $100,000 with a business that employsmore than 10 employees and in every subcontract or purchase orderin excess of $10,000 a provision that states that during the performanceof the contract, neither the contracting business nor any of its affiliates shall engage in a boycott of Israel.

Reduction of local law enforcement budget prohibited;exception. Provides that no local governing body shall approvea budget that will reduce the total funds appropriated for local law-enforcementpurposes from the preceding fiscal year except by unanimous voteof all members elected to the governing body.

Board of Education; high school graduation;alternative pathway to advanced studies diploma and associated diplomaseal; career and technical education. Directs the Board of Educationto establish an alternative pathway to the advanced studies highschool diploma and an associated diploma seal for students who successfullyfollow and demonstrate excellence on such pathway, that requires advancedcoursework in a career and technical education field but does notrequire coursework in laboratory science. Under current law, onecomputer science course credit may count as one of the laboratoryscience course credits required for an advanced studies high school diploma but there is no pathway to an advanced studies diploma thatdoes not require any laboratory science coursework. The bill requiressuch pathway and associated diploma seal to become effective forthe 2025-2026 school year and to be available to any student, regardlessof the school year during which the student enters ninth grade.

Commending Sandra Gioia Treadway.

Commercial sex trafficking, prostitution, etc.;penalties. Increases from a Class 4 felony to a Class 3 felonythe penalties for the following crimes if a minor is not involved:(i) human trafficking; (ii) receiving money or other valuable thingfor or on account of causing any person to engage in forced laboror services, concubinage, prostitution, or the manufacture of anyobscene material or child pornography; (iii) receiving any moneyor other valuable thing from the earnings of any male or female engagedin prostitution; and (iv) commercial sex trafficking through theuse of force, intimidation, or deception. The bill also increasesfrom a Class 3 felony to a Class 2 felony the penalties for the followingcrimes if a minor is involved: (a) human trafficking; (b) receiving money or other valuable thing for or on account of causing any personto engage in forced labor or services, concubinage, prostitution,or the manufacture of any obscene material or child pornography;(c) receiving any money or other valuable thing from the earningsof any male or female engaged in prostitution; and (d) commercialsex trafficking.

General Assembly; intergovernmental affairs;delegates to a convention for proposing amendments held under ArticleV of the Constitution of the United States. Provides for theselection by the General Assembly of delegates to attend a conventionfor proposing amendments held under Article V of the Constitutionof the United States. The bill grants the General Assembly the powerto recall delegates, appoint new delegates, and convene an advisorycommittee to oversee the conduct of delegates. The bill providesthat delegates must take an oath to adhere to the instructions ofthe General Assembly.

Concealed handgun permit; concealed weaponspermit. Changes the concealed handgun permit to a concealed weaponspermit. The bill provides that a person who obtains a concealed weaponspermit may carry such concealed weapons in any place where a personmay carry a concealed handgun with a concealed handgun permit undercurrent law. The expanded types of weapons that may be carried concealedare specified in the bill. The bill provides that any concealed handgunpermit issued prior to July 1, 2024, shall include weapons otherthan handguns, as such weapons are specified in the bill, and shallbe treated as a concealed weapons permit.

Students who receive home instruction; participationin interscholastic programs. Prohibits public schools from joiningan organization governing interscholastic programs that does not deem eligible for participation a student who (i) receives home instruction;(ii) has demonstrated evidence of progress for two consecutive academicyears; (iii) is in compliance with immunization requirements; (iv)is entitled to free tuition in a public school; (v) has not reachedthe age of 19 by August 1 of the current academic year; (vi) is anamateur who receives no compensation but participates solely forthe educational, physical, mental, and social benefits of the activity;(vii) complies with all disciplinary rules and is subject to allcodes of conduct applicable to all public high school athletes; and(viii) complies with all other rules governing awards, all-star games,maximum consecutive semesters of high school enrollment, parentalconsents, physical examinations, and transfers applicable to allhigh school athletes. The bill provides that no local school boardis required to establish a policy to permit students who receivehome instruction to participate in interscholastic programs. Thebill permits reasonable fees to be charged to students who receivehome instruction to cover the costs of participation in such interscholasticprograms, including the costs of additional insurance, uniforms,and equipment. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2029.