First, Fredericksburg. Next, statewide.
Gov. Abigail Spanberger is slated to hold a ceremonial-signing event next month for legislation including a bill sponsored by Del. Joshua Cole that directs each local law-enforcement agency in Virginia to develop either a firearm give-back or buy-back program.
The bill was based on an initiative that started with Fredericksburg officials instituting a gun give-back program in 2014 at the urging of Vice Mayor Chuck Frye.
It’s one of several measures by local lawmakers that are due to become law with Spanberger’s signature. Now that the Virginia General Assembly has completed its initial work for this year, here’s a sampling of that legislation.
State Senate
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.
This was patroned by Sen. Jeremy McPike, a Woodbridge Democrat whose 29th District includes part of Stafford County.
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.
This was authored by Sen. Richard Stuart, a Westmoreland County Republican whose 25th District includes Caroline and King George counties and part of Spotsylvania County.
SB753, which expands the existing ability of 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.
This was the work of Sen. Bryce Reeves, a Republican whose 28th District includes part of Spotsylvania.
House of Delegates
HB242, which says public utility companies can’t raise rates on people who are on a budget payment plan more than once a year without notice.
HB320, which prohibits livestreaming while driving.
HB360, which regulates kratom, a kind of drug from a leafy plant from Southeast Asia.
All three of those bills were patroned by Cole, a Democrat whose 65th District is made up of Fredericksburg and parts of Stafford and Spotsylvania. He also introduced the gun buyback measure.
Regarding the utility-bill legislation, Cole said, “One of the things I was fighting [for] hardcore this year was working-class folks.”
HB653 gives students the use of five excused absences from school when they have an immediate family member who is on military active duty and has received orders for, is on leave from or has recently returned from deployment outside the U.S. The absences would allow students to visit their family member. Del. Hillary Pugh Kent, a Republican from Warsaw whose 67th District includes King George and part of Caroline, patroned this bill.
HB870 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. Stacey Carroll, a Democrat whose 64th District is made up of part of Stafford, introduced this bill.
“If there was something that I focused on with all of my legislation, it was innovative ways to make government more efficient,” Carroll said.
HB1165 requires the state Board of Education to change the regulations about who can be hired as a school division superintendent. This bill followed 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.
The legislation was authored by Del. Nicole Cole, a Democrat whose 66th District comprises parts of Spotsylvania and Caroline.
HB1229 details certain actions regarding the Department of Education’s regulations on the use of seclusion and restraint in public schools. Del. Phillip Scott, a Republican whose 63rd District includes part of Spotsylvania, introduced this legislation.
HB1400 requires health insurance companies to provide coverage for maternal mental health screenings. Del. Margaret Franklin, a Democrat whose 23rd District includes part of Stafford, submitted this bill.
Franklin, a former Prince William County supervisor who joined the Fredericksburg-area delegation this year after winning a special election, said she was able to jump right into the flow of the legislature and introduce a number of bills.
“I passed two maternal-health bills, which I’m very excited about,” she said.
Aside from individual bills, Sen. Tara Durant mentioned in a recent interview that lawmakers’ attention now is on the still-incomplete state budget. Though Democrats control both houses of the General Assembly and the governor’s mansion, negotiators still haven’t come to an agreement, and they may not do so until late next month.
“And I think that’s pretty late,” said Durant, a Republican who represents Fredericksburg and parts of Stafford and Spotsylvania counties. “So we have one job. We have one-party control. They need to get a budget.”
