Sen. Adam Ebbin

Dating relationship abuse; penalty. Expandsthe crime of assault and battery against a family or household memberto include persons in a dating relationship, as defined in the bill. The bill also expands the class of persons who are eligible to obtaina protective order in cases of family abuse to include persons who are in a dating relationship and who have been subjected to datingrelationship abuse, also defined in the bill.

Department of Motor Vehicles; issuance of certain documents; citizenship requirement. Removes the citizenship and legal presence requirements for obtaining a driver's license or special identification card. The bill requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to cancel any (i) REAL ID-compliant driver's license or special identification card and (ii) commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit if the Department is notified by a federal agency that the individual to whom such document was issued is not in compliance with the citizenship and lawful residency requirements for such license, card, or permit. The bill has a delayed effective date of October 2, 2020, and contains technical amendments. This bill was incorporated into SB 34.

Right to reproductive choice. Provides thatevery individual has a fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptionand that a pregnant person has a fundamental right to choose to carrya pregnancy to term, give birth to a child, or terminate a pregnancy.The bill states that the Commonwealth shall not, in the regulationor provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information, denyor interfere with an individual's fundamental rights, including individualsunder state control or supervision. The bill states that any stateor local official who is charged with violating provisions of thissection shall be subject to an action in federal or state court forinjunctive relief and damages. Such action may be brought by any person or entity that may be aggrieved by such official's actions.

Taxes on tobacco products; penalties. Provides that tobacco products, defined in the bill, would be subject to tax at rates of $1.80 per pack of cigarettes or 39 percent of the wholesale price for all other tobacco products. Current law imposes taxes of $0.30 per pack of cigarettes, 10 percent of the wholesale price of certain tobacco products, and various weight-based rates that apply to moist snuff and loose leaf tobacco. The bill broadens the definition of "tobacco product" to include electronic smoking devices, which are not taxed under current law. The bill authorizes all localities to tax all tobacco products with no restriction on the tax rate. Under current law, cities may tax only cigarettes, and the Counties of Arlington and Fairfax may tax cigarettes at a rate no higher than the state rate. The bill dedicates portions of revenue accruing as a result of the tax increases and new taxes established by the bill to the Department of Health for its costs related to Quit Now Virginia for the purpose of providing free information and coaching to residents who want to quit smoking or using tobacco; to the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth to fund initiatives to prevent or reduce youth tobacco use; to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to fund initiatives to educate merchants on the laws governing the sale of tobacco products; and to the general fund.

Voter registration; automatic voter registration.Provides for the automatic electronic transmission by the Department of MotorVehicles to the Department of Elections of certain information for anyindividual who (i) is not registered to vote; (ii) is of sufficient age toregister to vote; (iii) conducts a transaction with the Department of MotorVehicles to apply for a new driver's license or special identification card orreplace, renew, or update an existing driver's license or specialidentification card; and (iv) in the course of such transaction providesdocumentation demonstrating United States citizenship or answers affirmativelywhen asked if he is a United States citizen. Any such individual is given aprinted registration notice that (a) states that the individual will beregistered to vote based on the information provided and that the individualshould decline registration if he does not meet eligibility requirements, (b)explains the eligibility requirements, and (c) provides instructions for how hemay decline registration. The Department of Elections is required to transmitthe information to the appropriate general registrar, along with anyinformation indicating ineligibility. The Department of Elections is requiredto establish security requirements for transmission of information aboutpotential registered voters and to report certain information regarding voterregistration. The bill removes the requirement that the Department of MotorVehicles offer, accept, receive, and send voter registration applications.

Presidential electors; National Popular VoteCompact. Enters Virginia into an interstate compact known asthe Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by NationalPopular Vote. Article II of the Constitution of the United Statesgives the states exclusive and plenary authority to decide the mannerof awarding their electoral votes. Under the compact, Virginia agreesto award its electoral votes to the presidential ticket that receivesthe most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.The compact goes into effect when states cumulatively possessinga majority of the electoral votes have joined the compact. A statemay withdraw from the compact; however, a withdrawal occurring withinsix months of the end of a President's term shall not become effectiveuntil a President or Vice President has qualified to serve the next term.

Ranked choice voting; elections for local governingbodies; local option pilot program. Provides that elections forlocal governing bodies may be conducted by ranked choice voting,which the bill defines as the method of casting and tabulating votesin which (i) voters rank candidates in order of preference, (ii)tabulation proceeds in rounds in each of which either a candidateor candidates are elected or the last-place candidate is defeated,(iii) votes for voters' next-ranked candidates are transferred fromelected or defeated candidates, and (iv) tabulation ends when thenumber of candidates elected equals the number of offices to be filled. The bill allows any local governing body to decide to conduct suchelection by ranked choice voting and requires any such decision tobe made in consultation with the local electoral board and generalregistrar and by a majority vote of the governing body. The bill authorizesthe State Board of Elections to promulgate regulations for the properand efficient administration of elections determined by ranked choicevoting. The bill provides that any costs incurred by the Departmentof Elections related to technological changes necessary for the implementationof ranked choice voting pursuant to the bill shall be charged tothe localities exercising the option to proceed with ranked choice voting. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2021, andsunsets on July 1, 2031.

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.

Prohibited discrimination; sexual orientationand gender identity. Prohibits discrimination in employment andpublic accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation or genderidentity. The bill codifies existing prohibited discrimination inpublic employment on the basis of race, color, religion, nationalorigin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions,age, marital status, disability, or status as a veteran and adds discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity to thelist of unlawful discriminatory housing practices. The bill containstechnical amendments.