Sen. John McGuire

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution honors the life of Randolph Nicklas Reynolds, Sr., a Richmond businessman and philanthropist who passed away in May 2024. The document outlines his professional achievements, including his leadership roles at Reynolds Metals Company and his work in commercial real estate and international mining. It also highlights his extensive charitable contributions and service on various boards, as well as his recognition from educational institutions and organizations. Finally, the resolution directs the Senate Clerk to provide a copy of the document to Reynolds' family as a formal expression of respect from the Senate of Virginia.

Department of Criminal Justice Services; prioritytreatment for incarcerated women who are pregnant and in need ofsubstance abuse treatment; work group; report. Directs the Departmentof Criminal Justice Services, in collaboration with the Departmentof Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Departmentof Health, to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to studyand make recommendations related to prioritizing treatment for incarceratedwomen who are pregnant and in need of substance abuse treatment.The bill requires the work group to report its findings and recommendationsto the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutionsand the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2024.

Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, etc., of fentanyl, heroin, or related controlled substances; Task Force on Fentanyl and Heroin Enforcement established; penalties. Provides that a person is guilty of felony homicide, which constitutes second degree murder and is punishable by confinement of not less than five nor more than 40 years, if the underlying felonious act that resulted in the killing of another involved the manufacture, sale, gift, or distribution of a Schedule I or II controlled substance to another and (i) such other person's death results from his use of the controlled substance and (ii) the controlled substance is the proximate cause of his death. The bill provides that venue for a prosecution of this crime shall lie in the locality where the underlying felony occurred, where the use of the controlled substance occurred, or where death occurred. The bill also provides that if a person gave or distributed a Schedule I or II controlled substance only as an accommodation to another individual who is not an inmate in a community correctional facility, local correctional facility, or state correctional facility, or in the custody of an employee thereof, and not with intent to profit thereby from any consideration received or expected nor to induce the recipient of the controlled substance to use or become addicted to or dependent upon such controlled substance, he is guilty of a Class 5 felony. The bill also requires the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to investigate the cause and manner of a death in any case where the attorney for the Commonwealth or the investigating law-enforcement agency has probable cause to believe that the death resulted from such felony homicide. The bill also adds mandatory minimum fines for manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with the intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, heroin, or carfentanil based on the weight of such mixtures or substances. Additionally, the bill creates the Task Force on Fentanyl and Heroin Enforcement whose purpose is to study ways to enhance the ability of law-enforcement officers throughout the Commonwealth to combat the illegal manufacturing, importation, and distribution of fentanyl, heroin, and other similar controlled substances. The bill requires the Task Force to meet at least annually and to report to the Governor and General Assembly by December 1 of each year regarding its activities and any recommendations.

Controlled substances; manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, etc.; adulterated or misbranded drugs; penalties. Makes it a Class 6 felony for any person, except for permitted manufacturers, to possess, purchase, sell, give, distribute, or possess with intent to sell, give, or distribute an encapsulating machine or a tableting machine that manufactures, compounds, converts, produces, processes, prepares, or otherwise introduces into the human body a controlled substance. The bill makes it a Class 5 felony if such person knows, intends, or has reasonable cause to believe that such action will result in the unlawful manufacture of a controlled substance or counterfeit controlled substance that contains (i) a controlled substance classified in Schedule I or Schedule II of the Drug Control Act; (ii) cocaine, coca leaves, or any salt, compound, derivative, or preparation thereof as described in Schedule II of the Drug Control Act; or (iii) a controlled substance analog as defined in relevant law.The bill also makes it a felony punishable by imprisonment for not less than 10 nor more than 40 years for any person 18 years of age or older to knowingly allow a minor or a mentally incapacitated or physically helpless person of any age to be present during the manufacture or attempted manufacture of any substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.The bill also increases from a Class 2 misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony the penalty for violations related to adulterated or misbranded drugs and cosmetics.

Commonwealth information security requirements. Requires state public bodies, defined in the bill, to (i) complywith the Commonwealth's security policies and standards, (ii) ensureeach of its employees completes information security training, (iii)conduct regular security audits, and (iv) report the results of suchaudits to the appropriate entity. The bill directs the Chief InformationOfficer of the Commonwealth to (a) publish and maintain a list ofthe Commonwealth's security policies and standards with which statepublic bodies are required to comply, (b) ensure that transitionmeetings with state public bodies occur, and (c) document such transitionsand any exemptions from the requirements of the bill.

Department of Motor Vehicles; fees. Reducesthe fee for the issuance of an original, duplicate, reissue, or renewal special identification card without a photograph; authorizes theDepartment of Motor Vehicles to negotiate with the Department ofHealth to retain a portion of the $12 fee for each copy of a vitalrecord that the Department of Motor Vehicles issues in lieu of collectingthe $2 processing fee required by current law; and removes fees specificto transportation network companies for certificates issued by theDepartment of Motor Vehicles and provides that such companies aresubject to the same fees that apply to all applicants for originallicenses, permits, or certificates and transfer of a license or certificate.

Hate crimes and discrimination; ethnic animosity; penalties. Provides that it is the policy of the Commonwealth to safeguard all individuals within the Commonwealth from unlawful discrimination in employment and in places of public accommodation because of such individual's ethnic origin and prohibits such discrimination. The bill also adds victims who are intentionally selected because of their ethnic origin to the categories of victims whose intentional selection for a hate crime involving assault, assault and battery, or trespass for the purpose of damaging another's property results in a higher criminal penalty for the offense. The bill also provides that no provider or user of an interactive computer service on the Internet shall be liable for any action voluntarily taken by it in good faith to restrict access to material that the provider or user considers to be intended to incite hatred on the basis of ethnic origin. This bill incorporates SB 120 and is identical to HB 18.

Public safety officer; Commonwealth Public SafetyMedal of Valor; dispatcher. Adds a dispatcher to the definitionof a public safety officer for purposes of possible selection bythe Governor for the Commonwealth Public Safety Medal of Valor, presentedfor performance above and beyond the call of duty involving extraordinaryvalor in the face of grave danger, at great personal risk. The billprovides that a dispatcher is not included in the definition of public safety officer for the purpose of an injury where weather constitutesa particular risk of a public safety officer's employment to be compensableunder the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act. A dispatcher is definedin relevant law as an individual employed by a public safety answering point, an emergency medical dispatch service provider, or both, whois qualified to answer incoming emergency telephone calls or providefor the appropriate emergency response either directly or throughcommunication with the appropriate public safety answering point.

Center for Rural Virginia; name change. Renames the Center for Rural Virginia as the Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr. Center for Rural Virginia. This bill is identical to HB 1381.

Commending the Honorable Kathy J. Byron.