Sen. Frank Ruff

Commending Lynwood Butner.

Celebrating the life of David Stuart Buchanan,Sr.

Criminal history background checks; children's residential facilities. Provides that a person may be hired for and may begin compensated employment at a children's residential facility prior to receipt of the results of the criminal history background check and check of the central registry of records but prohibits that person from being alone with, in control of, or supervising one or more children until such time as the criminal history background check and the check of the central registry of records have been completed. Currently, no person who is required to undergo a background check as a condition of employment at a children's residential facility may work at the children's residential facility until the background check is complete. This bill was incorporated into SB 577.

Alcoholic beverage control; distiller licenses;Internet orders and shipments. Allows the Virginia AlcoholicBeverage Control Authority to include in its agency agreements withlicensed distillers provisions that allow distillers to sell spiritsand low alcohol beverage coolers through Internet orders and shipsuch orders to consumers and licensees within the Commonwealth. Thebill imposes certain quantity, carriage, transaction, and labelingrequirements on such sales and shipments.

Commending Michael Cherry.

Celebrating the life of Officer Michael D. Chandler.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable ArthurR. Giesen, Jr.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; populationthresholds for architectural and professional engineering term contracting.Decreases from 50,000 to 40,000 the population threshold for determiningthe maximum fees for both a single project and for the sum of allprojects in a one-year term.

Renaming Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as Director of Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion. Renames the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to the Director of Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion. The Director shall i) develop a sustainable framework to promote inclusive practices across state government; (ii) implement a measurable, strategic plan to increase opportunities for all Virginians; (iii) facilitate methods to turn feedback and suggestions from state employees, external stakeholders, and community leaders into actionable opportunities; (iv) promote ideas, policies, and practices in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to expand entrepreneurship and economic opportunities for disadvantaged Virginians, including Virginians living with disabilities; (v) facilitate bringing Virginians of different faiths together in service to their communities and the Commonwealth; (vi) promote free speech and civil discourse in civic life, including viewpoint diversity in higher education in coordination with the Secretary of Education; (vii) promote ideas, policies, and practices to eliminate disparities in prenatal care and to be an ambassador for unborn children; (viii) coordinate with the Secretary of Education to ensure the history of the United States is taught in Virginia honestly, objectively, and completely and to respond to the rights of parents in educational and curricular decision making; and (ix) perform any other responsibilities as assigned by the Governor. The bill makes similar renaming changes for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer.

Commending George Mason University.