Posted by Brandon Jarvis
Virginia’s General Assembly is scheduled to convene for their regular session after the new year on January 13th. Legislators have been prefiling bills since July and the list is starting to grow. You can see the legislation already filed below.
SJ 270: Filed by Senator Adam Ebbin (D), this bill would repeal the constitutional amendment that defines marriage in Virginia as taking place between a man and a woman. While the amendment is still in Virginia’s constitution, it no longer valid as a result of the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges,
SJ 271: Also filed by Senator Ebbin, this bill would allow the Governor of Virginia to serve two consecutive terms, instead of just one, which is currently the law. “The amendment allows two four-year terms (either in succession or not in succession) but prohibits election to a third term. Service for more than two years of a partial term counts as service for one term.”
HB 1735: Filed by Delegate Lee Ware (R), this bill would loosen the requirements on serving alcohol at certain establishments. Specifically, by “allowing them to sell at retail beer manufactured by limited brewery licensees for on-premises consumption. The bill also expands the privileges of limited brewery licensees by allowing them to sell at retail wine manufactured by farm winery licensees for on-premises consumption.”
HB 1738: Filed by Delegate William Wampler (R), this bill would define an “outdoor refreshment area” at a restaurant in order for patrons to consume alcohol outside. “The bill provides that such ordinance would permit the consumption of alcoholic beverages within the outdoor refreshment area, provided that such alcoholic beverages are purchased from a permanent retail on-premises licensee located within such designated area and are contained in disposable containers with a maximum capacity of no more than 16 fluid ounces that clearly display the selling licensee’s name or logo. The bill requires the locality, prior to adopting such an ordinance, to create a public safety plan for each outdoor refreshment area.”
HB 1736: Filed by Delegate Dawn Adams (D), this bill would loosen some requirements for school nurses to be eligible to work in schools while also requiring a nurse to be in each school building. The bill also defines a school nurse as a registered nurse engaged in the specialized practice of nursing who “protects and promotes student health, facilitates optimal development, and advances academic success.”
HB 1717: Also filed by Delegate Adams, this bill would reduce from “five to two the number of years of full-time clinical experience a nurse practitioner must have to be eligible to practice without a written or electronic practice agreement.”
SB 1097: Filed by Senator Barbara Favola (D), this bill would repeal the requirement that an absentee ballot be opened in the presence of a witness and signed by such witness.
Legislators will continue to file bills up until the session is convened. We will update you next week if any new legislation has been filed.
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