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Five bills have been filed in the Democratic-majority state Senate so far ahead of the 2022 legislative session in Richmond. This chamber is the only real line of defense for Virginia Democrats to stop Republicans from enacting their agenda now that they control the Executive Branch and House of Delegates.
So far there are four bills from two Republicans and only one that is Democratic-sponsored. (It is early, there will be a lot more to come.)
For this week, we have put all of the Senate bills os in one place below: We will update readers each week with new bills that have been filed until the session begins in mid-January.
11/29/21
SB 5 Virginia Freedom of Information Act; Virginia Parole Board member votes.
Sponsor: Senator David Suetterlein (R)
Provides that individual votes of the members of the Virginia Parole Board are public records and subject to the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
SB 4 Emergency Services and Disaster Law; limitation on duration of executive orders.
Sponsor: Senator David Suetterlein (R)
Limits the duration of any executive order issued by the Governor pursuant to his powers under the Emergency Services and Disaster Law to no more than 45 days from the date of issuance. The bill provides that if the General Assembly does not take any action on the rule, regulation, or order within the 45 days during which the rule, regulation, or order is effective, the Governor shall thereafter be prohibited from issuing the same or a similar rule, regulation, or order relating to the same emergency. Under current law, once issued, such executive orders are effective until June 30 following the next regular session of the General Assembly.
SB 3 Elections; absentee voting; ballots to be sorted and results to be reported by precinct.
Sponsor: Senator David Suetterlein (R)
Provides that absentee ballots processed at a central absentee precinct must be sorted by the precinct to which the voter who cast the absentee ballot is assigned and that the resulting vote totals from such ballots must be reported separately for each voter precinct.
SB 1 Paid family and medical leave program; Virginia Employment Commission required to establish.
Sponsor: Jennifer B. Boysko (D)
Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave program with benefits beginning January 1, 2025. Under the program, benefits are paid to eligible employees for family and medical leave. Funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning in 2024. The amount of a benefit is 80 percent of the employee’s average weekly wage, not to exceed 80 percent of the state weekly wage, which amount is required to be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the statewide average weekly wage. The measure caps the duration of paid leave at 12 weeks in any application year. The bill provides self-employed individuals the option of participating in the program.
SB 2 School principals; incident reports.
Sponsor: John A. Cosgrove, Jr. (R)
Requires that school principals report to law enforcement certain enumerated acts that may constitute a misdemeanor offense and report to the parents of any minor student who is the specific object of such act that the incident has been reported to law enforcement. Under current law, principals are required to make such reports only for such acts that may constitute a felony offense.
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