Sen. Mike Jones

Elections; form of ballot; party identificationof candidates; constitutional offices. Provides that any candidatefor a constitutional office who is nominated by a political partyor at a primary election shall be identified on the ballot by thename of his political party. Currently, only candidates for federal,statewide, and General Assembly offices are so identified. The constitutionaloffices are those of the treasurer, sheriff, attorney for the Commonwealth,clerk of court, and commissioner of the revenue.

School crossing zones. Expands the definitionof "school crossing zone" to include areas surrounding schools wherethe presence of students reasonably requires a special warning tomotorists and provides that the term "school" includes public institutionsof higher education and nonprofit private institutions of highereducation. Currently, the definition of "school crossing zone" includesonly areas surrounding schools where the presence of children requiressuch warning. Existing provisions of law allowing photo speed monitoringdevices to be installed in school crossing zones will apply to anylocation that meets the expanded definition.

Photo speed monitoring devices; location. Authorizesthe governing body of any county, city, or town to provide by ordinancefor the placement and operation of photo speed monitoring devicesin any location deemed necessary by the locality for the purposesof recording violations resulting from the operation of a vehiclein excess of the speed limit. The bill provides the same requirementsfor such devices, information collected from such devices, and anyenforcement actions resulting from information collected from suchdevices as current law applies to the use of such devices in schoolcrossing zones and highway work zones. The bill requires that twosigns, rather than one, be placed warning of such device if the deviceis placed somewhere other than a school crossing zone or highwaywork zone.

Commending Dr. Willis L. Lonzer III.

Celebrating the life of Janet Marie Brooking.

Commending Peter A. Blake.

Commending Scott McGeary.

Charter; City of Richmond. Makes extensiveupdates to the charter for the City of Richmond. Many changes inthe bill have the effect of removing outdated or duplicative provisionsand more closely aligning the city's powers with those set out ingeneral law. Other changes include authorizing compensation to individualcouncil members as may be set by the city council by resolution ascompensation for attending meetings of standing committees or othermeetings of the city council, in addition to the sums permitted by general law. In addition, the bill authorizes the city council tofix an additional sum to be paid to the president and vice presidentof the city council, notwithstanding the limitations set out in generallaw. The bill makes the city's chief administrative officer, ratherthan the mayor, responsible for making certain recommendations tothe council concerning the personnel system. Further changes in thebill provide for additional protected classes to include all of theprotected classes recognized under general law. The bill also removesthe requirement that the mayor annually submit a capital budget programto the city council and authorizes the city's chief administrativeofficer, not the mayor, to make transfers between completed projectsand projects that are incomplete. The bill contains numerous technicalamendments.

Advisory Council on Breakthrough Therapiesfor Veteran Suicide Prevention; established; report. Establishesthe Advisory Council on Breakthrough Therapies for Veteran SuicidePrevention to advise the State Health Commissioner on the regulationsand infrastructure necessary to support clinical access to and trainingfor medication-assisted U.S. Food and Drug Administration breakthroughtherapies for veteran suicide prevention. The bill requires the Commissionerof Health to report annually by December 1 to the Governor and theGeneral Assembly regarding its activities and recommendations. TheCouncil has a sunset date of July 1, 2027.

Paid sick leave; health care providers and grocerystore workers. Requires employers to provide paid sick leaveto health care providers and grocery store workers. Under currentlaw, employers are only required to provide paid sick leave to certainhome health workers. The bill removes requirements that workers workon average at least 20 hours per week or 90 hours per month to beeligible for paid sick leave. The bill provides that certain healthcare providers may waive their right to accrue and use paid sick leave and provides an exemption for employers of certain other healthcare providers. The bill requires the Department of Labor and Industryto develop guidelines for retail employers that sell groceries toprovide sick leave and to publish such guidelines by December 1,2024. The provisions of the bill other than the requirement for theDepartment of Labor and Industry to develop guidelines have a delayedeffective date of January 1, 2025.