Nominating persons to be elected to generaldistrict court judgeships.
Commending the Washington Nationals.
Super precincts; pilot program. Authorizesthe State Board of Elections to conduct a pilot program under whichone or more counties or cities, whose proposal for participation in such pilot program is unanimously approved by the State Board,would be permitted to use super precincts in the May general or Juneprimary elections. The bill requires the governing body of a countyor city applying to participate in the pilot program to submit aplan for participation that includes (i) the number of super precinctsto be established in the county or city and the boundaries of suchprecincts and (ii) the location of vote centers to be establishedin each super precinct. The bill defines "super precinct" as the territoryestablished by a county or city pursuant to the pilot program tobe served by one or more vote centers and "vote center" as the structurethat contains the one place provided for each super precinct at whichthe qualified voters who are residents of the super precinct mayvote in a June primary election. The bill contains maximum criteriafor any proposal for participation in the pilot program. The billrequires the State Board to report on the implementation and effectivenessof the pilot program by August 15 of any year in which one or morelocalities participate in the pilot program. The bill has an expirationdate of December 31, 2024.
Constitutional amendment (first resolution);marriage. Proposes the repeal of the constitutional amendment dealing with marriage that was approved by referendum at the November2006 election. That amendment to the Bill of Rights (i) defines marriageas "only a union between one man and one woman"; (ii) prohibits theCommonwealth and its political subdivisions from creating or recognizing"a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intendsto approximate the design, qualities, significance, or effects ofmarriage"; and (iii) prohibits the Commonwealth or its political subdivisions from creating or recognizing "another union, partnership, or otherlegal status to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations,qualities, or effects of marriage." The provisions of this section of the Constitution of Virginia are no longer valid as a result ofthe United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges,576 U.S. ___ (June 26, 2015).
Celebrating the life of Alan Arnold Diamonstein.
Commending the Washington Nationals.
Control of firearms by localities; local governmentbuildings. Authorizes a locality to adopt an ordinance prohibitingfirearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof in anybuilding owned or used by such locality for governmental purposes.The bill requires such ordinance to include a provision for securitymeasures designed to reasonably prevent unauthorized access of suchbuildings by a person with a firearm, ammunition, or components orcombination thereof. The bill requires a locality to post notice ofany such prohibition at all entrances of buildings used for governmentalpurposes. This bill was incorporated into SB 35.
Control of firearms; chambers of local governingbodies. Allows a locality to adopt an ordinance that prohibitsfirearms, ammunition, or components or a combination thereof at anyregular or special meeting of its local governing body, provided thatnotice of such prohibition is publicly posted and the meeting roomis owned, operated or used by the locality. This bill was incorporatedinto SB 35.
Commending The American Legion Auxiliary.
Same-sex marriages; civil unions. Repeals the statutory prohibitions on same-sex marriages and civil unions or other arrangements between persons of the same sex purporting to bestow the privileges and obligations of marriage. These prohibitions are no longer valid due to the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. ___ (June 26, 2015). This bill was incorporated into SB 17.
