Hunting laws; novice booklet. Directs theDepartment of Game and Inland Fisheries to develop and publish inprint or on its website or both and update on at least an annualbasis a booklet intended for use by novice hunters that may be called"How to Hunt." The bill provides that the booklet will explain applicablefederal, state, and local hunting laws and regulations accordingto the hunter's location, season, time of day, and weapon and otherrelevant factors as determined by the Department.
Violations of protective orders; penalty.Provides that any person who commits any assault, assault and battery,or bodily wounding upon any party protected by a protective orderis guilty of a Class 6 felony. Currently, the Class 6 felony is onlyapplicable if the person commits an assault and battery that resultsin serious bodily injury to the protected party.
Protective orders; minors; filing of petition.Provides that a minor may petition for a protective order onhis own behalf without the consent of a parent or guardian and withoutdoing so by next friend.
Custody and visitation arrangements; fostercare; adoption; use of cannabidiol oil or THC-A oil. Providesthat the use of cannabidiol oil or THC-A oil by a parent in a custodyor visitation case shall not serve as the sole basis for the denialor restriction of custody or visitation, if such parent has a writtencertification by a practitioner attesting to the benefit of suchuse. The bill further provides that such use by a foster parent shallnot be the sole reason a child is removed from a foster parent andthat such use by a prospective foster parent shall not be the solereason to deny such prospective foster parent eligibility to becomea foster parent. The bill also provides that such use by a petitionerfor adoption shall not be the sole reason for the denial of a finalorder of adoption by a circuit court.
Health plans; calculation of enrollee's contributionto out-of-pocket maximum or cost-sharing requirement; rebates.Requires any carrier issuing a health plan in the Commonwealth tocount the amount of any rebates received or to be received by thecarrier or its pharmacy benefits manager in connection with the dispensingor administration of a prescription drug when calculating the enrollee'soverall contribution to any out-of-pocket maximum or any cost-sharingrequirement under the carrier's health plan.
Killing or injuring police animals; penalty. Provides that the punishment for any person who maliciously kills or injures an animal owned, used, or trained by a law-enforcement agency, regional jail, or the Department of Corrections, while such animal is performing its lawful duties or is being kept in a kennel, pen, or stable while off duty, shall be separate and apart from, and shall be made to run consecutively with, any other sentence.
Land preservation tax credit; verification requirements.Requires verification by the Department of Conservation and Recreation of the conservation value of a donation for credits of $500,000 or more. Current law only requires such verification forcredits of $1 million or more.
Assault and battery of private police officers;penalty. Adds private police officers employed by a private policedepartment to the definition of law-enforcement officer for purposesof the crimes of assault and assault and battery. The current punishment for assault or assault and battery against a law-enforcement officerengaged in the performance of his public duties is a Class 6 felonywith a six-month mandatory minimum sentence.
Workers' compensation; retaliatory dischargeof employee. Prohibits an employer or other person from dischargingan employee if the discharge is motivated to any extent by knowledgeor belief that the employee has filed a claim or taken or intendsto take certain other actions under the Virginia Workers' CompensationAct. Currently, retaliatory discharges are prohibited only if theemployer or other person discharged an employee solely because theemployee has taken or intends to take such an action.
Traffic incident management vehicles. Authorizes traffic incident management vehicles, defined in the bill, operated by persons who meet certain training requirements to be equipped with sirens and flashing red or red and white secondary warning lights and to be exempt from certain traffic regulations at or en route to the scene of a traffic accident or similar incident.
Hunting on Sunday; public lands. Removesthe requirement that a person who is hunting on a Sunday do so onlyon private property. The bill broadens an exception to the prohibitionagainst hunting or killing with a gun, firearm, or other weapon anywild bird or wild animal, including any nuisance species, on a Sunday.
Campaign finance; prohibited contributions tocandidates. Prohibits any candidate from soliciting or acceptinga contribution from any public service corporation, as defined in§ 56-1, or any political action committee established and administeredby such a corporation.
