Rep. Gregory D. Habeeb

Creates the Henrietta Lacks Commission to establish through a public-private partnership the Henrietta Lacks Life Sciences Center in Halifax County as a cancer research and treatment center designed to (i) transform and accelerate cancer research and treatment through the use of biodata tools, (ii) provide tailored cancer treatment medicine to an underserved portion of rural Southside Virginia, and (iii) incubate new biotech businesses across the Southside Virginia region. The bill requires the Commission to annually submit a report on its interim activity and work to the Governor and General Assembly. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2021.

Provides that if a party has possession, custody, or control of evidence, as specified in the bill, that such party knows or reasonably should know may be material to pending or probable litigation, and such evidence is disposed of, altered, concealed, destroyed, or not preserved by such party, a court may instruct that a jury may infer that, if such evidence had been introduced, such evidence would be detrimental to the case of such party. The bill further provides that the party seeking such instruction need not show that the disposal of, alteration of, concealing of, or failure to preserve such evidence was undertaken intentionally or in bad faith in order for such instruction to be given. The bill serves to overrule a portion of the Supreme Court of Virginia's decision in

Clarifies that it is an affirmative defense to a charge of unlawful consumption, purchase, or possession of any alcoholic beverage if the defendant shows that such consumption, purchase, or possession was allowed under the current exemptions to licensure under the ABC law. The bill provides that it is declaratory of existing law.