Virginia Human Rights Act; nondiscriminationin employment; sexual harassment and workplace harassment. Clarifies,by defining sexual harassment and workplace harassment, what constitutesan unlawful employment practice if engaged in by an employer. Thebill also provides (i) a nonexhaustive list of factors to considerwhen determining whether certain conduct constitutes workplace harassment,(ii) that a person claiming to be aggrieved by an unlawful discriminatorypractice may file a written complaint with the Division of HumanRights within two years after the occurrence of the alleged unlawfuldiscriminatory practice, and (iii) that an aggrieved person who hasbeen provided a notice of his right to file a civil action for suchgrievance may do so within one year of receiving such notice andmay be awarded reasonable attorney fees, including costs and reasonablelitigation expenses if the court or jury finds in his favor. Thebill also amends the definition of "employer" to mean a person employingfive or more employees, instead of 15 or more employees under currentlaw, for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks inthe current or preceding calendar year, and any agent of such a person.
Sponsored bills
Constitutional amendment (first reference);Governor's term of office. Permits a Governor elected in 2025and thereafter to succeed himself in office. The amendment allowstwo four-year terms (either in succession or not in succession) butprohibits election to a third term. Service for more than two yearsof a partial term counts as service for one term.
Creation of Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman. Creates the Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman (the Office). The bill enumerates the duties and powers of the Office, which include (i) providing information, as appropriate, to inmates, family members, representatives of inmates, Department of Corrections employees and contractors, and others regarding the rights of inmates; (ii) monitoring conditions of confinement and assessing compliance with applicable federal, state, and local rules, regulations, policies, and best practices as related to the health, safety, welfare, and rehabilitation of inmates; (iii) providing technical assistance to support inmate participation in self-advocacy; (iv) providing technical assistance to local governments in the creation of correctional facility oversight bodies, as requested; (v) establishing a statewide uniform reporting system to collect and analyze data related to complaints received by the Department and data related to (a) deaths, suicides, and suicide attempts in custody; (b) physical and sexual assaults in custody; (c) the number of inmates placed in solitary confinement; (d) the number of facility lockdowns lasting longer than 24 hours; (e) the number of staff vacancies at each facility; (f) the inmate-to-staff ratios at each facility; (g) staff tenure and turnover; and (h) the number of in-person visits to inmates that were made and denied at each facility; (vi) establishing procedures to gather stakeholder input into the Office's activities and priorities, which must include, at a minimum, an annual 30-day period for receipt of and Office response to public comment; (vii) inspecting each state correctional facility at least once every three years and at least once every year for any maximum security facility and any facility where the Office has found cause for more frequent inspection or monitoring; and (viii) issuing publicly periodic facility inspection reports and an annual report with recommendations on the state correctional facilities and a summary of data and recommendations arising from any complaints investigated and resolved. The bill also establishes a Corrections Oversight Committee, which is responsible for selecting the Department of Corrections Ombudsman. The bill additionally outlines the Office's authority to conduct inspections of each Department or Board facility and requires the submission of an annual report to the Governor, the Attorney General, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, the House Committee for Courts of Justice, and the Director of the Department. The bill also provides for the authority of the Office to conduct investigations of complaints made by inmates, family members or friends, and advocates.
Constitutional amendment (first reference);legislative compensation; Legislative Compensation Commission.Establishes the Legislative Compensation Commission, charged withdetermining the salaries, allowances, and retirement benefits ofthe members of the General Assembly. Members would receive no compensationfrom the Commonwealth other than the compensation determined by theCommission. The Commission is established by appointment of the GeneralAssembly every four years beginning July 1, 2026.
Celebrating the life of the Honorable BernardS. Cohen.
Celebrating the life of Erik Gutshall.
Commending Redella S. Pepper.
Constitutional amendment (first reference);marriage; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; recognition ofsame-sex marriages. Repeals the constitutional provision definingmarriage as only a union between one man and one woman, as well asthe related provisions that are no longer valid as a result of theUnited States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges,576 U.S. 644 (2015). The amendment provides that the Commonwealthand its political subdivisions and its agents are required to issuemarriage licenses, recognize marriages, and treat all marriages equallyunder the law, regardless of the gender of the two parties to themarriage. The amendment further provides that religious organizationsand clergy acting in their religious capacity have the right to refuseto perform any marriage.
Commending Wolf Trap Foundation for the PerformingArts.
Expressing the censure of the Senate. Expressesthe censure of the Senate of Virginia for Senator Amanda F. Chase.