Sen. Barbara Favola

Board of Education; certain English languagelearner students; removal from certain non-academic school performance indicator calculations. Requires the Board of Education to permitany English language learner student who enters high school withan English language proficiency level of 1 or 2, has been enrolledin public schools in the Commonwealth for fewer than four semesters,and has a final four-year cohort status of dropout or unconfirmedto be removed from the calculation of the dropout rate and graduationand completion index non-academic school performance indicators forEnglish language learner students under the Standards of Accreditation.

Virginia Personnel Act; hiring preference instate government for persons with disabilities. Establishes ahiring preference in state government for persons with disabilities,provided that such person meets all of the knowledge, skill, andability requirements for the available position and such person'sdisability is unrelated to his qualifications for and ability toperform the duties of the available position. The bill defines "personwith a disability" as any person who has a physical or mental impairmentthat substantially limits one or more of his major life activities or who has a record of such impairment.

Juvenile records; expungement. Providesfor the expungement of juvenile records for offenses that wouldbe felony larceny if committed by an adult. Under current law, juvenilerecords of all delinquent acts that would be a felony if committed by an adult are retained.

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.

Purchase of handguns; limitation on handgun purchases; penalty. Prohibits any person who is not a licensed firearms dealer from purchasing more than one handgun in a 30-day period and establishes such an offense as a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill exempts from this provision (i) persons who have been issued a certificate by the Department of State Police under certain circumstances and with an enhanced background check, (ii) law-enforcement agencies and officers, (iii) state and local correctional facilities, (iv) licensed private security companies, (v) persons who hold a valid Virginia concealed handgun permit, (vi) persons whose handgun has been stolen or irretrievably lost or who are trading in a handgun, (vii) purchases of handguns in a private sale, and (viii) purchases of antique firearms. This bill was incorporated in HB 812.

Aircraft; registration; definition. Requires an aircraft be registered in the Commonwealth if it is based in the Commonwealth for more than 90 days during a calendar year. Current law requires registration if the aircraft is based in the Commonwealth for more than 60 days during a 12-month period. The bill creates an exception to registration for aircraft that are in the Commonwealth solely for major repairs or maintenance. The bill also amends the definition of "aircraft" to clarify that aircraft means a contrivance designed for flight that is occupied by one or more persons. This bill was incorporated into SB 356.

Celebrating the life of Alan Arnold Diamonstein.

Celebrating the life of Dorothy Leah Gerber.

Commending the Washington Nationals.