Sen. Chap Petersen

Common interest communities; Property Owners' Association Act; special meetings. Provides that, except to the extent the declaration or bylaws of the property owners' association provide otherwise, a special meeting may be called at the request of at least 10 percent of the voting members of the association's board of directors.

Sports betting; Virginia Sports Betting Department created; Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund; Sports Betting Operations Fund; penalties. Establishes the Virginia Sports Betting Department and authorizes it to regulate sports betting. Before administering a sports betting operation, an entity is required to apply for a one-year license and pay an application fee of $50,000 to operate a sports betting facility or $100,000 to operate a sports betting platform. An entity could apply for a license to operate only (i) at a racetrack or off-track betting facility in a locality that as of 2020 had approved such facilities at referendum or (ii) in a locality that votes to allow sports betting at referendum. The Department could issue up to five licenses to operate a sports betting facility; however, this limit would not apply to a facility at an existing racetrack or off-track betting facility. The Department could issue up to three licenses to operate a sports betting platform.Under the provisions of the bill, betting on college sports and youth sports is prohibited, and betting on professional sports is allowed. The bill prohibits betting by Department employees, participants in athletic events on which the bet is placed, and persons under age 18. The penalty for engaging in prohibited betting is a Class 1 misdemeanor.The bill directs the Department to establish a voluntary exclusion program, which would allow individuals to request that the Department exclude them from participating in sports betting.The bill imposes a 15 percent tax on revenue from sports betting facilities and sports betting platforms. The bill uses part of the tax revenue to fund the Department's operating costs, treatment of problem gambling, and contributions to the horsemen's purse account. Such initiatives are funded by an aggregate of five percent of the tax revenue. Fifty percent of tax revenue would accrue to the locality in which it was generated, and 45 percent would accrue to the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education Fund, which is used to provide monetary assistance to Virginia residents who are enrolled in a Virginia community college.

Constitution of the United States; Equal RightsAmendment. Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitutionof the United States that was proposed by Congress in 1972.

Commending the Washington Nationals.

Use of certain revenues by Northern VirginiaTransportation Authority. Allows new sidewalk projects to befunded by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.

Campaign contribution limits; civil penalty.Prohibits persons from making any single contribution, or any combinationof contributions, that exceeds $10,000 to any one candidate for Governor,Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, or the General Assembly inany one election cycle. Of the $10,000 single contribution or anycombination of contributions, no more than $5,000 may be contributedprior to the primary election or other nominating event for the officethe candidate is seeking, unless designated by the contributor asa contribution for the general election. No limits are placed oncontributions made by political party committees, the candidate,or the candidate's family to the candidate's campaign. Civil penaltiesfor violations of the limits may equal up to two times the excesscontribution amounts.

Campaign finance; prohibited contributions tocandidates. Prohibits any candidate from soliciting or acceptinga contribution from any public service corporation, as defined in§ 56-1, or any political action committee established and administeredby such a corporation.

Campaign contribution limits; civil penalty.Prohibits persons from making any single contribution, or any combinationof contributions, that exceeds $20,000 to any one candidate for Governor,Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, or the General Assembly inany one election cycle. No limits are placed on contributions madeby political party committees, the candidate, or the candidate'sfamily to the candidate's campaign. Civil penalties for violationsof the limits may equal up to two times the excess contribution amounts.

Uninsured and underinsured motorist insurancepolicies; bad faith. Provides that if an insurance company denies,refuses, or fails to pay its insured, or refuses a reasonable settlementdemand within the policy's coverage limits, for a claim for uninsuredor underinsured motorist benefits within a reasonable time afterbeing presented with a demand for such benefits and it is subsequentlyfound that such denial, refusal, or failure was not in good faith, then the insurance company shall be liable to the insured for thefull amount of the judgment and reasonable attorney fees, expenses,and interest from the date the initial settlement demand was presentedto the insurance company.

Celebrating the life of Alan Arnold Diamonstein.