2008:   Legislation I Introduced

• House Bill 581 – This legislation exempts out-of-state, interstate, and certain other tow truck drivers from the onerous burden of having to obtain authorization documents issued by the Board for Towing and Recovery Operators.  Incorporated into House Bill 1012, which passed the House.

 

• House Bill 582 – Initiated in response to the problems with mental health law raised by the tragedy at Virginia Tech, this bill gives parents and emergency professionals more flexibility with psychiatric inpatient treatment processes and more time to file petitions and request involuntary commitment hearings.  Passed the House.

 

• House Bill 583 – Initiated in response to the problems with mental health law raised by the tragedy at Virginia Tech, this legislation permits magistrates to extend emergency custody orders in certain cases, such as when mental health professionals need to find a suitable facility or when they need to complete a medical evaluation. Passed the House.

 

• House Bill 584 – This bill establishes that nurses licensed by a state participating in the Nurse Licensure Compact must know the Virginia standard of care in their field or specialty.  Passed the House.

 

• House Bill 585 – This legislation improves the safety of juvenile facilities by requiring smoke detectors, fire suppression systems, and fire-safe construction materials in juvenile facilities.  Intent of bill enacted through committee letter to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

 

• House Bill 586 – This bill allows the Court of Appeals to remand a denial of bail appeal to the circuit court level for appropriate action.  Passed the House.

 

• House Bill 587 – This legislation helps make restitution orders enforceable.  Continued until 2009.

 

• House Bill 588 – This bill prohibits the carrying of concealed pneumatic guns, behavior routinely exhibited by street gangs in Northern Virginia.  Did not report from committee.

 

• House Bill 589 – This legislation makes subjecting yourself to hazing or carnal knowledge as part of gang initiation a crime.  Did not report from committee.

 

• House Bill 590 – This bill combats gang activity by adding larceny of a motor vehicle to the list of predicate criminal acts and subjecting these gang members to harsher penalties.  Reported out of Courts of Justice committee but did not report from Appropriations committee.

 

• House Bill 591 – This legislation makes it the responsibility of a judge or clerk of court to advise a child of his right to counsel in child services, supervision, delinquency, abuse and neglect cases, and to determine whether a party requesting counsel is indigent.  Did not report from committee

 

• House Bill 592 – This bill closes the “gun show loophole” by requiring criminal background checks for buyers of firearms at gun shows, in order to enforce existing laws prohibiting felons, mentally incapacitated individuals, and subjects of projective orders from purchasing guns.  Incorporated into House Bill 745, which failed in committee.

 

• House Bill 1252 – This legislation clarifies that the local department of social services shall conduct child custody investigations.  Continued until 2009.

 

• House Bill 1253 – This bill protects the health of restaurant employees and patrons by prohibiting smoking in restaurants.  Did not report from committee.

 

• House Bill 1254 – This legislation combats gang crimes by instructing the Department of Juvenile Justice to share gang related intelligence information with law enforcement while maintaining the privacy of the juvenile. Passed the House.

 

• House Bill 1255 – This bill allows juveniles to go on probation in the jurisdiction in which they live as opposed to the sentencing jurisdiction. Did not report from committee.

 

• House Bill 1256 – This legislation protects up to $750,000 in Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) from civil judgments. Did not report from committee.

 

• House Bill 1257 – This bill authorizes the Department of Social Services to establish Intensive Case Monitoring pilot programs in order to improve child support enforcement, relieve jail overcrowding, and encourage parental participation in the lives of their children.  Passed the House.

 

• House Bill 1258 – This legislation requires clerks to destroy all records, including electronic records, when juvenile records are expunged.  Passed the House.

 

• House Bill 1517 – This bill prohibits people who are detained under temporary detention orders and have agreed to be voluntarily admitted to a mental health facility from purchasing firearms.  Incorporated into House Bill 815, which passed the House.

 

• House Bill 1518 – This legislation creates a pilot program in Accomack County that would allow magistrates to use preliminary protective orders instead of emergency custody orders in order to streamline the protective order process for abused spouses.  Continued until 2009.

 

• House Bill 1519 – This bill permits juveniles between the ages of 11 and 13 to be released to a detention home or other juvenile facility instead of to a correctional facility, keeping them closer to home, school, and their support community (family, minister, etc.).  Did not report from committee.

• House Bill 1567 – This legislation prevents the spreading of pesticides and fertilizers into our waterways and the Chesapeake Bay by expanding training opportunities for commercial lawn care providers and making participating lawn care businesses eligible to receive a “Friend of the Bay” award.  Continued until 2009.

To view the legislation that I have sponsored and co-sponsored during the 2008 General Assembly Session for the links below.

2007

I introduced a number of key pieces of legislation during the 2007 session including legislation:

• House Bill 2646 - This bill requires magistrates to provide instructions for obtaining a protective order as well as information on legal and social assistance when a victim of domestic violence files a complaint . Signed into law by Governor Kaine

 

• House Bill 2656 - This bill mandates that new state buildings be built to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standard in order to reduce their strain on our resources and save the Commonwealth money (Green Buildings bill). Referred to Housing Commission study; Largely enacted by Governor Kaine as an Executive Order

• House Bill 2657 - Legislation requires school district to develop a policy to effectively prevent and respond to harassment of teachers. Failed in Committee

 

• House Bill 2658 - This bill was requested by judges and creates a probation option for some individuals held in contempt of court for non-payment of child support. Carried over to next year to resolve fiscal questions

• House Bill 2659 - This legislation allows for final notice of writ to recover property to be posted on the door of a dwelling, expediting the process of property recovery.. Signed into law by Governor Kaine

• House Bill 2660 - This legislation requires court service units to conduct a social history when youth are committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice if one has not been previously conducted.. Signed into law by Governor Kaine

• House Bill 2661 - This legislation authorizes juvenile court staff to provide written information about probationers for the purpose of admission into treatment programs. Signed into law by Governor Kaine

• House Bill 2662 - This bill would establish Virginia , Ever Enshrined as Virginia 's State Song. Referred to Hanger Commission

• House Bill 2663 - This bill imposes fines on commercial lawn care companies that spread fertilizers and pesticides on sidewalks and in streets. Failed in Committee

• House Bill 2664 - This bill encourages agencies to find budget savings and allows for half of those savings go to debt relief or the rainy day fund while half can be used for previously identified priorities. Passed unanimously in Committee; Not acted on by Appropriations

• House Bill 2665 - This bill extends the validity of drivers' licenses for 60 days for government employees and contractors serving abroad. Signed into law by Governor Kaine

• House Bill 2753 - This legislation provides localities with the authority to reduce property taxes in a transit oriented development area of their designation in order to encourage development around mass transit and reduce sprawl. Failed in Committee

• House Bill 3006 - This bill provides courts the authority to communicate information about convicted violent gang offenders to federal authorities when it pertains to undocumented individuals and their households. Failed in Committee

• House Bill 3007 - This bill establishes that a juvenile being tried as an adult must be convicted (not just tried) for that crime in order to be treated as adult in future legal actions. Signed into law by Governor Kaine .

• House Bill 3008 - This legislation allows uniform crime reports to be distributed electronically, reducing the cost of government. Signed into law by Governor Kaine

• House Bill 3009 - This legislation grants localities the authority to enroll their local detention home personnel in an enhanced retirement system at local expense. Referred to Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee

• Budget Amendment 405 #2h - This budget amendment allocates $900,000 to provide mental health services to youth in the nine juvenile detention facilities in Virginia that currently have not been funded for such services. Signed into law by Governor Kaine (Provides $100,000 for Fairfax County)

• Budget Amendment 481 #109h - This budget amendment provides $25,000 in the 2007 fiscal year for Fairfax County's Partnership on Youth, a program working to reduce youth violence. Signed into law by Governor Kaine

• Budget Amendment 481 #111h - This budget amendment provides $17,500 in the 2007 fiscal year for African American Adoptions Inc., a non-profit organization that helps facilitate the adoption of youth in foster care.. Signed into law by Governor Kaine

To view the legislation that I have sponsored and co-sponsored during the 2007 General Assembly Session for the links below.

 

2006

I introduced several key pieces of legislation during the 2006 session including legislation:

• Allowing probation officers to communicate specific, gang-related intelligence to police officers in order to prevent gang violence and recruitment
• Giving young people a real and tangible reason to stay out of gangs because of concern for the impact their actions may have on their families.

• Combating invasive species that contribute to loss of many of Virginia's native plant and animal ecosystems and cost the state millions of dollars each year (Snakehead fish, for instance)

 

• Giving incarcerated parents preference for jobs while in prison, when they assign at least 50% of the money they earn to their child support obligation
• Making family members of a prosecuting attorney ineligible for the jury of a case the prosecutor is trying, which evens the playing field with defense attorneys who have the same restriction

• Honoring a brave soldier from our district who gave his life serving our country in Iraq

 

I have also co-sponsored important legislation to meet Northern Virginia's most pressing needs, including:

• Toughening up the penalties for cheaters in our HOV lanes

• Allowing small businesses to form groups and purchase health insurance for their employees in order to increase health coverage in the Commonwealth

• Permitting the children of Virginia's active duty military personnel to receive in-state tuition at our colleges and universities while their parents are stationed here

 

To view the legislation that I have sponsored and co-sponsored during the 2006 General Assembly Session for the links below.