SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2020 SESSION

  • print version
Senate Committee on Rules

Chair: Mamie E. Locke

Clerk: Susan Clarke Schaar, H. Lehman
Staff: Amigo Wade, Lily Jones
Date of Meeting: February 21, 2020
Time and Place: 10 AM / Senate Room 3, The Capitol

H.B. 105

Patron: Lindsey

Congressional and state legislative districts; written descriptions of boundaries not required. Removes the requirement that the Division of Legislative Services prepare written descriptions of the boundaries of congressional and state legislative districts. The bill does not affect provisions under current law that district boundaries are legally defined by the county and city boundaries reported in the decennial Census reports and by reference to precincts, parts of precincts, and census blocks listed in the Statistical Reports for each district.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 30-264 of the Code of Virginia, relating to congressional and state legislative districts; written descriptions of boundaries not required.

20102534D

H.B. 108

Patron: Lindsey

Legal holidays; Lee-Jackson Day; Election Day. Designates Election Day, the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, as a state holiday and removes Lee-Jackson Day as a state holiday.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-3300 of the Code of Virginia, relating to legal holidays; Lee-Jackson Day; Election Day.

20101370D

H.B. 347

Patron: Davis

Tetrahydrocannabinol products; permits to process and dispense cannabidiol oil and THC-A oil. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a work group to review the Commonwealth's medical cannabis program and issues of critical importance to the medical cannabis industry and patients, including expansion of the medical cannabis program and the medical use of cannabis flowers, and to report its findings and recommendations, including any legislative recommendations, to the Governor, the Attorney General, and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committee on Education and Health no later than October 1, 2020.

A BILL to require the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a work group to review the Commonwealth's medical cannabis program and provide recommendations. Report.

20107261D

H.B. 462

Patron: Sullivan

Secretary of Health and Human Resources; task force; shortage of certified sexual assault nurse examiners in the Commonwealth; report. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to establish a task force to study the shortage of certified sexual assault nurse examiners in the Commonwealth. The task force shall report its findings and conclusions, together with specific recommendations for legislative, regulatory, and budgetary actions, to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2020.

A BILL to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to establish a task force to study the shortage of certified sexual assault nurse examiners in the Commonwealth; report.

20103815D

H.B. 553

Patron: Watts

Policies against workplace harassment; legislative branch. Requires each legislative branch agency to adopt and implement the Commonwealth Workplace Harassment Policy established by the Department of Human Resource Management. The bill provides that the Policy applies to legislative branch employees, including General Assembly members and members-elect, when undertaking meetings with other state employees, contract employees, applicants for employment, customers, vendors, members of the media, members of the public, volunteers, or lobbyists or when conducting or performing election activities in the scope of official duties.

Under the bill, a victim of alleged workplace harassment will be able to file a complaint against a legislative branch employee, other than a member of the General Assembly, in accordance with the procedures of the Policy or with the Division of Human Rights in the Office of the Attorney General. The Division of Human Rights is authorized to investigate the complaint and use any other powers with regard to the complaint granted to it under law. The bill requires each house of the General Assembly to adopt rules governing procedures and disciplinary sanctions for General Assembly members and members-elect violating policies against workplace harassment.

The 2018 Session of the General Assembly enacted legislation requiring full-time legislative branch employees to complete a sexual harassment training course once every two calendar years beginning January 1, 2020. In addition to other differences, this bill broadens the scope of training for legislative branch employees and provides for punitive damages if a party complaining of workplace harassment demonstrates that the defendant engaged in a discriminatory practice with malice or reckless indifference. The bill contains a reenactment clause and has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2022.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 30-129.4, 30-129.5, and 30-129.6 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 30-129.5:1, relating to workplace harassment; legislative branch policies.

20101894D

H.B. 630

Patron: Hurst

Registered lobbyists; sexual harassment training. Requires lobbyists registered with the Secretary of the Commonwealth to complete the sexual harassment training course provided by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates or the Office of the Clerk of the Senate once every two calendar years. The bill requires lobbyists to provide a certificate of completion of the training that is not more than two years old to the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council in order to complete their registrations. The bill has a delayed effective date of May 1, 2021, to coincide with the start of the 2021-2022 lobbying year.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-422 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 13.1 of Title 30 a section numbered 30-129.7, relating to registered lobbyists; sexual harassment training.

20101750D

H.B. 659

Patron: Hope

Department of Corrections; workgroup; recommendations to assist people with developmental disabilities. Directs the Department of Corrections to create a workgroup to review current guidelines and develop recommendations that recognize and make accommodations for people with developmental disabilities.  

A BILL to direct the Department of Corrections to create a workgroup to review guidelines and make recommendations to assist people with developmental disabilities.

20107986D

H.B. 854

Patron: Murphy

Study; Department of Housing and Community Development and Virginia Housing and Development Authority; ways to incentivize the development of affordable housing in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Requests the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Virginia Housing and Development Authority to convene a stakeholder advisory group to (i) determine the quantity and quality of affordable housing across the Commonwealth, (ii) conduct a review of current programs and policies to determine the effectiveness of current housing policy efforts, (iii) develop an informed projection of future housing needs in the Commonwealth and determine the order of priority of those needs, and (iv) make recommendations for the improvement of housing policy in the Commonwealth.

A BILL to request the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Virginia Housing and Development Authority to study ways to incentivize the development of affordable housing in the Commonwealth of Virginia; report.

20107775D

H.B. 1519

Patron: McQuinn

Commission to Study Slavery and Subsequent De Jure and De Facto Racial and Economic Discrimination Against African Americans; report; sunset. Creates the Commission to Study Slavery and Subsequent De Jure and De Facto Racial and Economic Discrimination Against African Americans to (i) study the current impact and long-term inequities of slavery and the subsequent state-sanctioned de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimination practiced against African Americans and (ii) make recommendations to the General Assembly on appropriate remedies. The bill requires the Commission to annually submit a report on its interim activity and work to the Governor and the General Assembly. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2022.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-2101 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 25 of Title 2.2 an article numbered 11, consisting of sections numbered 2.2-2544 through 2.2-2550, relating to the Commission to Study Slavery and Subsequent De Jure and De Facto Racial and Economic Discrimination Against African Americans; report; sunset.

20105093D

H.B. 1626

Patron: Bourne

Capitol Police; concurrent jurisdiction. Provides that a Capitol Police officer who is a detector canine handler has concurrent jurisdiction with the law-enforcement officers of any city or county that has requested the assistance of the Capitol Police in the detection of firearms, ammunition, explosives, propellants, or incendiaries.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 30-34.2:1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Capitol Police; concurrent jurisdiction.

20105342D

H.B. 1639

Patron: Guzman

Department of Environmental Quality; work group to research rural fill disposal. Directs the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to convene a work group to research the practice of rural landowners allowing, or allowing for compensation, the use of their lands as disposal sites for construction fill and debris from road construction and development projects. The work group shall consider recommending regulations for possible adoption by DEQ, including a regulation containing a model ordinance relating to the practice for adoption by localities, and statutory changes, including changes to the practice related to agricultural engineering operations and construction of terraces.

A BILL to direct the Department of Environmental Quality to convene a work group to develop recommendations on the issue of the disposal of construction fill and debris on rural lands.

20105941D

H.B. 1699

Patron: Aird

DBHDS; work group to study expanding the individuals who may conduct evaluations for temporary detention; report. Directs the Commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to establish a work group to (i) review the current process for conducting evaluations of persons who are subject to emergency custody orders to determine whether they meet the criteria for temporary detention, including any challenges or barriers to timely completion of such evaluations and factors giving rise to delays in completion of such evaluations, and (ii) develop a comprehensive plan to expand the individuals who may conduct effective evaluations of persons who are subject to emergency custody orders to determine whether they meet the criteria for temporary detention. The work group shall report its findings and conclusions and the comprehensive plan to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions, Senate Committee on Education and Health, and Joint Subcommittee to Study Mental Health Services in the Commonwealth in the 21st Century by December 1, 2020.

A BILL to require the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to convene a work group to study expanding the individuals who may conduct evaluations to determine whether a person meets the criteria for temporary detention. Report.

20107508D

H.B. 1719

Patron: McQuinn

Commissioner of Social Services; work group; plan for licensure of prescribed pediatric extended care centers in the Commonwealth; report. Directs the Commissioner of Social Services to establish a work group to develop a plan for the licensure of prescribed pediatric extended care centers in the Commonwealth. The work group shall report the plan to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2020.

A BILL to require the Commissioner of Social Services to convene a work group to develop a plan for licensure of prescribed pediatric extended care centers in the Commonwealth; report.

20105454D

H.J.R. 25

Patron: Lindsey

Coal dust blown from moving trains; report. Requests certain railroad companies to make available to the General Assembly, at least annually, information on actions and activities likely to have an impact on coal dust blown from moving trains in the Commonwealth.

Requesting the railroad companies having information about coal dust blown from moving trains in the Commonwealth to continue to submit annual reports to the General Assembly.

20101387D

H.J.R. 51

Patron: Sickles

Study; DBHDS, DOE and DSS; feasibility of developing an early childhood mental health consultation program for all early care and education programs; report. Directs the Departments of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, Education, and Social Services to jointly study the feasibility of developing an early childhood mental health consultation program available to all early care and education programs serving children from birth to five years of age. The Departments shall complete their meetings by November 30, 2020, and shall submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an executive summary and a report of their findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document by the first day of the 2021 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

Requesting the Departments of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, Education, and Social Services to study the feasibility of developing an early childhood mental health consultation program available to all early care and education programs serving children from birth to five years of age. Report.

20104885D

H.J.R. 52

Patron: Guzman

Secretary of Health and Human Resources; pharmaceutical distribution payment system; report. Requests the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a work group to examine the pharmaceutical distribution payment system in the Commonwealth and innovative solutions to address the cost of prescription drugs to Virginians at the point of sale.

Requesting the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a work group to examine the pharmaceutical distribution payment system in the Commonwealth and innovative solutions to address the cost of prescription drugs to Virginians at the point of sale. Report.

20107495D

H.J.R. 64

Patron: Reid

Study; Virginia Information Technologies Agency; ransomware attack preparedness; report. Requests the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) to study the Commonwealth's susceptibility, preparedness, and ability to respond to ransomware attacks. In conducting its study, the Agency shall (i) assess the Commonwealth's susceptibility to ransomware attacks at the state and local levels of government; (ii) develop guidelines and best practices to prevent ransomware attacks; (iii) evaluate current data encryption and backup strategies; (iv) evaluate the availability of tools to monitor unusual access requests, viruses, and network traffic; (v) develop guidance for state agencies and localities on responding in the event of a ransomware attack; (vi) develop a coordinated law-enforcement response strategy that utilizes forensic investigative techniques to identify the source of ransomware attacks; and (vii) provide recommendations on legislative or regulatory changes to better protect state and local government entities from ransomware. The bill requires VITA to report its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than the first day of the 2021 Regular Session.

Requesting the Virginia Information Technologies Agency to study ransomware attack preparedness. Report.

20104858D

H.J.R. 92

Patron: Lopez

Study; Office of Drinking Water; Commonwealth's drinking water infrastructure and oversight of the drinking water program; report. Requests the Office of Drinking Water of the Department of Health to study the Commonwealth's drinking water infrastructure and oversight of the drinking water program. In conducting its study, the Office shall (i) identify problems or issues that may result in contamination of drinking water with lead, copper, or other substances or organisms or increase the likelihood of contamination of drinking water with lead, copper, or other substances or organisms and (ii) develop recommendations for addressing such problems or issues.

Requesting the Office of Drinking Water of the Department of Health to study the Commonwealth's drinking water infrastructure and oversight of the drinking water program. Report.

20101663D

H.J.R. 200

Patron: Hayes

Opposing federal requirement of a law mandating a six-month driver's license suspension upon conviction of a drug offense. Expresses the opposition of the General Assembly to the enactment or enforcement of a law requiring a six-month revocation or suspension of a person's driver's license upon conviction of a drug offense. Absent a resolution from the General Assembly expressing such opposition, the failure to enforce such a law results in the withholding of certain federal highway funding by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation from the Commonwealth. Currently, such a law is codified in §§ 18.2-259.1 and 46.2-390.1.

Expressing the opposition of the General Assembly to the enactment or enforcement of a law requiring a six-month revocation or suspension of a person's driver's license upon conviction of a drug offense.

20107902D