Property Owners' Association Act; Virginia Condominium Act; assessments for legal obligations of associations. Clarifies that neither the Property Owners' Association Act or the Virginia Condominium Act (the Acts) shall be construed to prevent any association organized pursuant to such Acts from levying or using assessments, charges, or fees to pay the association's contractual or other legal obligations in the exercise of the association's duties and responsibilities. The bill also restricts such associations from imposing charges against one or more but less than all unit owners unless otherwise specifically authorized by the Acts. Current law prohibits such charges or assessments from being imposed upon any unit or lot owner unless otherwise specifically authorized by the Acts.
Sponsored bills
Autism Advisory Council; reestablished. Reestablishes the Autism Advisory Council, which expired July 1, 2022. The bill also increases from eight to 25 the number of Council members, establishes eligibility criteria for nonlegislative citizen members, and provides that no recommendation of the Council shall be adopted if a majority of the legislative members appointed to the Council vote against the recommendation and for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the Council. The law prior to expiration of the Council provided that no Council recommendation could be adopted if a majority of the House members or Senate members voted against the recommendation and for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the Council. The bill has a sunset date of July 1, 2027.
Property and conveyances; recordation of documents;name changes. Provides that any name change made in relationto a person's marriage or divorce is entitled to be recorded in theclerk's office in which deeds are recorded of the county or cityin which any land or interest in any land that is owned by such personlies. Current law only entitles the name change of a woman madein relation to marriage or divorce to be so recorded.
Marriage lawful regardless of sex, gender, or race of parties; issuance of marriage license. Provides that no person authorized to issue a marriage license shall deny the issuance of such license to two parties contemplating a lawful marriage on the basis of the sex, gender, or race of the parties. The bill also requires that such lawful marriages be recognized in the Commonwealth regardless of the sex, gender, or race of the parties. The bill provides that religious organizations or members of the clergy acting in their religious capacity shall have the right to refuse to perform any marriage. This bill is identical to HB 174.
Search warrants, subpoenas, court orders, or other process; menstrual health data prohibited. Prohibits the issuance of a search warrant, subpoena, court order, or other process for the purpose of the search and seizure or production of menstrual health data, as defined in the bill, including data stored on a computer, computer network, or other device containing electronic or digital information. This bill is identical to HB 78.
Unemployment compensation; collection of overpayments; limitations. Provides that collection activities for an overpayment, provided that such overpayment was not caused by fraud on the part of the claimant, shall be suspended and that the Virginia Employment Commission shall determine as uncollectable and discharge the overpayment if it remains unpaid after the earliest of the following: (i) after the expiration of five years from the last day of the benefit year in which the overpayment was made, (ii) immediately upon the death of the claimant, (iii) upon the claimant's discharge in bankruptcy occurring subsequently to the determination of payment; or (iv) at any time where the Commission finds such overpayment to be uncollectible or the recovery of such overpayment to be administratively impracticable. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Unemployment Compensation.
Gaming; posting of illegal gaming tip line information. Requires those legally authorized to sell Virginia lottery tickets or conduct charitable gaming, horse racing with pari-mutuel wagering, and casino gaming in the Commonwealth to post in a conspicuous place on their premises a sign that bears the toll-free telephone number and website of the illegal gaming tip line established and administered by the Office of the Gaming Enforcement Coordinator in the Department of State Police for members of the public to report concerns about, or suspected instances of, illegal gaming activities. This bill incorporates SB 348.
Line of Duty Act; payment of benefits. Increases from $25,000 to $75,000 the death benefit payout under the Virginia Line of Duty Act for a death caused by occupational cancer, respiratory disease, or hypertension or heart disease for those deaths that will occur on or after January 1, 2025. This bill is identical to HB 321.
Casino gaming; limits on required local referendums. Provides that the governing body of any eligible host city that holdsa local referendum on the question of whether casino gaming shouldbe permitted in such city that subsequently fails shall be prohibitedfrom holding another referendum on the same question for a periodof three years from the date of the last referendum.
Consumer protection; creation of Unfair Real Estate Service Agreement Act. Creates the Unfair Real Estate Service Agreement Act and adds any violations of the Act to the list of prohibited violations of relevant consumer protection laws in the Commonwealth. The bill prohibits any real estate service agreement, defined in the bill, that is effective and binding for more than one year from its effective date from (i) purporting to run with the land or bind future owners of interests in the residential real property identified in the service agreement; (ii) allowing the service provider to assign or transfer the right to provide services under the service agreement without notice to and written agreement of all parties to the service agreement; or (iii) purporting to create a lien, encumbrance, or other real property security interest on the residential real property identified in the service agreement. This bill is identical to HB 1243.