Last week brought “crossover” to the Virginia General Assembly, the midpoint of the legislature’s annual session at which time each chamber examines solely bills that have already been approved by the other.
That means the measures still alive are those most likely to eventually become law.
Or, as state Sen. Tara Durant explained to readers in a recent email newsletter, “After crossover, the Virginia General Assembly shifts into high gear, and the pace picks up dramatically.”
Here’s a look at how legislation authored by Fredericksburg-area legislators is faring this year. For purposes of this list, bills that were incorporated into other lawmakers’ proposals are included, but honorary or commemorative resolutions highlighting constituents or organizations are not.
State Senate
Sen. Tara Durant, a Republican whose 27th District comprises Fredericksburg and parts of Stafford and Spotsylvania counties, has three of 16 bills still alive, as of Monday.
They include:
SB656: This bill exempts any ensemble music class, as defined by the bill, offered in grade six from a provision limiting the size of the class to no larger than 35 students. Instead, it permits any such ensemble class to have up to 45 students.
SB796: This legislation creates the Artificial Intelligence Chatbots and Minors Act to require that chatbot operators complete age verification to confirm users are at least 18 years old, and provides other regulations.
Sen. Jeremy McPike, a Woodbridge Democrat whose 29th District includes part of Stafford, had 21 of 25 bills still alive, as of Monday.
They include:
SB170, which provides that no covenant not to compete between an employer and an employee is enforceable if the business discharges the employee from employment without providing severance benefits or other payment, unless the employee is terminated for cause.
Sen. Bryce Reeves, a Republican whose 28th District includes part of Spotsylvania, had 11 of 22 bills still alive.
They include:
SB753, which expands the existing ability for any person to maintain a lawsuit for the unauthorized use of his name, portrait or picture for advertising purposes or for the purposes of trade, to include the unauthorized use of his voice or likeness.
Sen. Richard Stuart, a Westmoreland County Republican whose 25th District includes Caroline and King George counties and part of Spotsylvania, had 11 of 27 bills still alive.
They include:
SB360, which prohibits the sale, distribution or offering for sale or distribution of a device that is designed or intended to deliver a gas containing nitrous oxide, with certain exceptions as described in current law, to any person.
SB486, which requires any person who manufactures, distributes or sells or offers for sale a dietary supplement to label the product with a list of active and inactive ingredients and include a separate disclaimer if the product contains gluten.
SB541, which provides that Virginia shall observe Eastern Standard Time year-round upon the enactment by Congress of a law allowing states to do so.
House of Delegates
Del. Stacey Carroll, a Democrat whose 64th District is made up of part of Stafford, had three of eight bills still alive.
They include:
HB870, which directs the Board of Accountancy to establish “inactive” and “emeritus” certified public accountant license statuses for licensees who no longer provide services to the public or to or on behalf of an employer.
Del. Joshua Cole, a Democrat whose 65th District is made up of Fredericksburg and parts of Stafford and Spotsylvania, had 12 of 22 bills still alive.
They include:
HB320, which prohibits livestreaming while driving.
HB702, which directs each local law-enforcement agency to develop policies and procedures to implement either a firearm give-back program or a firearm buy-back program by January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter.
Del. Nicole Cole, a Democrat whose 66th District comprises parts of Spotsylvania and Caroline, had five of 16 pieces of legislation still alive.
Reached Monday evening, Cole said she was pleased with her legislative success this year, her first in office as a delegate.
“It’s been exciting to have basically five bills to go through as a freshman,” the former Spotsylvania School Board member said.
Her legislation includes:
HB1165, which requires the state Board of Education to change the regulations about who can be hired as a school division superintendent. This bill follows the previous hiring of Mark Taylor as Spotsylvania schools superintendent. He faced criticism for a lack of educational job experience and other matters before being fired.
Del. Margaret Franklin, a Democrat whose 23rd District includes part of Stafford, had four of nine bills still alive.
They include:
HB1400, which requires health insurance companies to provide coverage for maternal mental health screenings.
Del. Hillary Pugh Kent, a Republican from Warsaw who whose 67th District includes King George and part of Caroline, had nine of 18 bills still alive.
They include:
HB653, which gives students the use of five excused absences from school when they have an immediate family member who is on active duty military and has received orders for, is on leave from or has recently returned from deployment outside the United States. The absences would allow visitation with the family member.
Del. Phillip Scott, a Republican whose 63rd District includes part of Spotsylvania, had one of 15 bills still alive.
It was:
HB1229, which details certain actions regarding the Department of Education’s regulations on the use of seclusion and restraint in public schools.
