Sen. Lynwood Lewis

Specialty dockets; veterans docket. Providesthat any veterans docket authorized and established as a local specialtydocket in accordance with the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginiashall be deemed a "Veterans Treatment Court Program," as that termis used under federal law or by any other entity, for the purposesof applying for, qualifying for, or receiving any federal grants,other federal money, or money from any other entity designated toassist or fund such state programs. The bill contains an emergencyclause.

Holding handheld personal communications devices while driving a motor vehicle. Prohibits any person from holding a handheld personal communications device while driving a motor vehicle. Current law prohibits (i) the reading of any email or text message and manually entering letters or text in such a device as a means of communicating and (ii) holding a personal communications device while driving in a work zone. The bill expands the exemptions to include handheld personal communications devices that are being held and used (a) as an amateur radio or a citizens band radio or (b) for official Department of Transportation or traffic incident management services. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2021. This bill incorporates SB 136 and SB 944 and is identical to HB 874.

Import and sale of dogs from certain breeders;penalty. Prohibits any dealer or commercial dog breeder fromimporting for sale, selling, or offering for sale any dog bred bya person who has received certain citations pursuant to enforcementof the federal Animal Welfare Act. A violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Hampton Roads Regional Arena Authority created; financing of a Hampton Roads arena and facility. Creates the Hampton Roads Regional Arena Authority and grants it certain powers relating to construction of an arena and facility. Among those powers is the authority to (i) issue bonds to construct the arena and facility, (ii) receive state sales and use tax revenue that is attributable to the arena and facility, (iii) use such revenue to repay such bonds, and (iv) distribute any excess revenue to any Hampton Roads locality that elects to contribute to the financing of the construction of an arena and facility. The bill provides that the Authority's entitlement to state sales and use tax revenue will expire on the earlier of the maturity date of any bonds it issues related to constructing the arena and facility or July 1, 2060. The powers granted by the bill to the Authority are similar to those granted to the City of Virginia Beach with respect to a sports or entertainment project. The bill repeals existing provisions related to a Hampton Roads Sports Facility Authority. This bill is identical to HB 1102.

Utility Transfers Act; water and sewer utilities.Authorizes a water or sewer public utility acquiring a water or sewersystem to elect to have its rate base established by using the fairmarket value of the system assets instead of the system's depreciatedoriginal cost. Under the procedure established in this bill, thefair market value of the system is the average of three appraisalsconducted by accredited and impartial utility valuation experts,who shall determine the fair market value of the system in compliancewith the uniform standards of professional appraisal practice, employingcost, market, and income approaches to assessment of value. The billprovides that the rate base value of the acquired system assets isthe authorized fees and costs plus the lesser of the purchase pricenegotiated between the acquiring utility and the selling utilityor the fair market value.

Workers' compensation; presumption of compensability for certain diseases. Adds cancers of the colon, brain, or testes to the list of cancers that are presumed to be an occupational disease covered by the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act when firefighters or certain employees develop the cancer. The presumption shall not apply for any individual who was diagnosed with one of the conditions before July 1, 2020. The measure removes the compensability requirement that the employee who develops cancer had contact with a toxic substance encountered in the line of duty. The bill also reduces the number of years of service needed to qualify for the presumption from 12 to five for various types of cancer. For hypertension or heart disease, the bill adds a requirement that an individual complete five years of service in his position in order to qualify. This bill incorporates SB 58, SB 381, and SB 531 and is identical to HB 783.

Offshore oil and gas drilling; prohibition on leases; policy. Prohibits the granting of a lease, easement, or permit on the beds of the coastal waters of the Commonwealth that would allow any infrastructure for conveying to shore oil or gas produced from offshore drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf Planning Area and removes any oil or gas lease granted on such beds from the mandate that such lease include a royalty payment requirement. The bill removes policy statements supporting federal efforts to permit oil and gas development 50 miles or more off the Atlantic shoreline. This bill is identical to HB 706.

Voting restrictions on the basis of race. Repeals several Acts of Assembly that implemented and enforced a state poll tax and provided for separate registration records on the basis of race. This bill is identical to HB 1086.

Commending the Chesapeake Bay Commission.

Management of the menhaden fishery. Requires the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to adopt regulations necessary to manage Atlantic menhaden, including those necessary to comply with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Menhaden. The bill repeals several Code sections relating to quotas, allocation of allowable landings, and administrative procedures that will be included in a regulatory framework for managing the fishery. The bill directs the Commissioner of Marine Resources to establish a Menhaden Management Advisory Committee to provide guidance to the Commission. This bill incorporates SB 157, SB 194, SB 357, SB 402, and SB 1054 and is identical to HB 1448. The bill contains an emergency clause.