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2013 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor

Chairman: John C. Watkins

Clerk: Maribeth Turner, Cheryl Law
Staff: Frank Munyan
Date of Meeting: February 18, 2013
Time and Place: Monday, 1/2 Hour after Adjournment, Senate Room B

H.B. 1385 Labor organization representation; right to vote by secret ballot.

Patron: Comstock

Right to vote by secret ballot on labor organization representation. Declares that, in any procedure providing for the designation, selection, or authorization of a labor organization to represent employees, the right of an individual employee to vote by secret ballot is a fundamental right that shall be guaranteed from infringement.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 4 of Title 40.1 a section numbered 40.1-54.3, relating to the right of individuals to vote by secret ballot for a designation, a selection, or an authorization for employee representation by a labor organization.

13102833D

H.B. 1481 Scrap metal purchasers; purchase of secondhand articles, reports, penalty.

Patron: Merricks

Secondhand articles; scrap metal purchasers; penalty. Provides that any person or business that purchases scrap metal in excess of $20,000 during a 12-month period shall be subject to requirements regarding the purchase of nonferrous scrap, metal articles, and proprietary articles. The bill requires scrap metal purchasers to take and maintain for 30 days an image of any proprietary articles purchased. The bill also requires scrap metal purchasers to submit to the chief law-enforcement officer a report of all of its purchases of certain items, if requested by such law-enforcement officer, using a form prescribed by the Virginia State Police. The bill incorporates HB1323.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 59.1-116.1, 59.1-117, 59.1-121, 59.1-123, 59.1-136.1, 59.1-136.3, 59.1-136.5, and 59.1-136.6 of the Code of Virginia, relating to secondhand articles; scrap metal purchasers; penalty.

13104303D

H.B. 1917 Electric utilities; renewable thermal energy.

Patron: Surovell

Electric utilities; renewable thermal energy. Expands the definition of "renewable thermal energy" to include the energy output from certain solar energy systems located in the Commonwealth that heat air or water for residential, commercial, institutional, or industrial processes. Under current law, the term encompasses only the energy output from renewable-fueled combined heat and power facilities used in industrial processes. Renewable thermal energy is eligible to satisfy the goals of the renewable energy portfolio standard program. The measure also defines "solar energy system" as a system that produces heat or electricity, or both, from sunlight.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 56-576 of the Code of Virginia, relating to electric utility regulation; renewable thermal energy.

13102094D

H.B. 1931 Employee's personal information; employer not required to release, communicate, etc., to 3rd party.

Patron: Comstock

Employment; release of personal information. Provides that an employer shall not be required to release, communicate, or distribute to a third party any current or former employee's personal identifying information, unless required by federal law or a court order.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 40.1 a section numbered 40.1-28.7:4, relating to the release of an employee's personal identifying information.

13104266D

H.B. 2162 Money order sales and money transmission services; provisions.

Patron: Comstock

Money order sales and money transmission services. Exempts from requirements governing the business of selling money orders or transmitting money (i) any state, or any department, instrumentality, agency, locality, municipality, or political subdivision thereof, and (ii) any entity that has been explicitly designated in a written agreement as an agent of any governmental authority or unit. Any funds collected by the agent shall be deemed to be received by the governmental authority or unit. Such a governmental authority or unit will not be barred from seeking indemnification from its agent for any direct losses incurred due to the agent's failure to remit funds in accordance with its agreement.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 6.2-1902 of the Code of Virginia, relating to money order sales and money transmission services.

13104259D

H.B. 2246 Health benefit exchange; regulation of navigators, report.

Patron: O'Bannon

Health benefit exchange; regulation of navigators. Prohibits an individual or entity selected to serve as a navigator in a health benefit exchange from engaging in any activity that would require an insurance agent license under this title, offering advice about which qualified health plan or qualified dental plan is better or worse for a particular individual or employer, acting as an intermediary between an employer and an insurer that offers a qualified health plan or qualified dental plan offered through an exchange, or violating certain unfair trade practice and privacy requirements. The measure also prohibits an individual or entity from claiming to be, or holding himself or itself out as, a navigator or conduct business as a navigator in the Commonwealth without having been selected as a navigator in accordance with applicable federal law and without having evidence of successful completion of requirements prescribed by the federal Secretary of Health and Human Services. The State Corporation Commission is authorized to order violators to cease and desist prohibited conduct and is required to monitor and report on the activities of navigators in the Commonwealth.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 34 of Title 38.2 an article numbered 7, consisting of sections numbered 38.2-3447 and 38.2-3448, relating to accident and sickness insurance; health benefit exchange navigators.

13104625D