Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy

Minimum wage and overtime pay; warehouse distribution center employees and employers; civil action; civil penalty. Providesthat (i) an employer that violates requirements in existing law relatingto the minimum wage, payment of wages and salaries, or overtime payor (ii) a warehouse employer, as defined in the bill, that violatesthe bill's provisions shall be liable to an impacted employee forcertain remedies, damages, and other relief as specified in the bill.The bill requires a warehouse employer to provide each warehouseemployee, as defined in the bill, a written description of each performancestandard to which such employee is subject and of any potential adverseemployment action that may result from such employee's failure tomeet such performance standard. The bill prohibits a warehouse employerfrom taking adverse action against a warehouse employee for such employee's use of a bathroom facility. The bill provides that a warehouse employer that violates the bill's provisions relating to warehouseemployers is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for each violation.

Electric utilities; integrated resource plans;grid-enhancing technologies and advanced conductors. Requiresan electric utility to include in an integrated resource plan a comprehensive assessment of the application of grid-enhancing technologies andadvanced conductors, as those terms are defined in the bill, and,if applicable, to include in such plan a detailed explanation ofwhy such technologies or conductors are not included in such plan.

Commending Sandra Gioia Treadway.

Celebrating the life of Janet Marie Brooking.

Commending Peter A. Blake.

Commending Scott McGeary.

Commission on Legislature Modernization; report. Establishes the Commission on Legislature Modernization in the legislativebranch for the purpose of studying the operation and functionality of the General Assembly and identifying ways to make the legislaturemore effective, efficient, responsive, reflective, and transparenton behalf of all Virginians. The Commission will consist of 17 members,which shall include 9 legislators, 6 nonlegislative citizen members,and 2 ex officio members. The Commission shall be convened for aperiod of two years, every 10 years in the year ending in four, andshall terminate after the submission of its final report to the General Assembly at the end of its second year.

Fire and Emergency Medical Services Grant Fund; funding for fire and emergency medical services. Increases the vehicle registration fee used to provide support for emergency medical services from $4.25 to $6.25 for each pickup or panel truck and each motor vehicle. The bill also creates the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Grant Fund to provide funding (i) to increase the number of firefighters and emergency medical services personnel to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate assistance and (ii) to purchase heavy apparatus necessary for fire and emergency medical services.

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.

Collective bargaining by firefighters and emergency medical services providers. Authorizes firefighters and emergency medical services providers employed by a political subdivision of the Commonwealth to engage in collective bargaining through labor organizations or other designated representatives. The bill provides for the appointment of a three-member board of arbitration regarding any dispute arising between an employer and firefighters or emergency medical services providers. Under the bill, determinations made by such board of arbitration are final on a disputed issue and are binding on the parties involved.