>>8112740 Passed along to me by a VA friend.

Taxes: Governor Northam’s gas tax passed. Another bill would allow counties to increase taxes for cigarettes, admissions, meals, and lodgings without a voter referendum – totaling up to $528 million. Another bill would allow localities to enact taxes on plastic bags.

Immigration: HB 1150 would eliminate the requirement that jail / prison officials determine the citizenship status of inmates. Other bills would allow undocumented non-citizens to obtain Virginia driver’s licenses and receive in-state tuition at state universities.

Labor: HB 582 would repeal the ban on collective bargaining for public employees. HB 833 would require government contractors to pay the prevailing (union scale) wage.

Firearms: The House Democrats passed 8 bills endorsed by Governor Northam, including HB 421, which would allow any locality to pass its own criminal ordinances covering possession of firearms, and HB 961, which forbids purchase or sale of certain firearms.

Elections: Delegate Ayala’s HB 201 would allow Election Day registration in Virginia, while HB 19 would eliminate the photo ID requirement for voting. Another bill would establish Election Day as a Virginia state holiday.

Statues: HB 1625 will let localities remove Civil War – and other war – statues.

Abortion: House Democrats passed HB 980, which would eliminate most legal restrictions on abortions in Virginia, including the waiting period.

Public Safety: HB 34 would make it harder to prosecute drunk drivers, while HB 33 would grant eligibility for parole to an estimated 280 violent offenders in Virginia.

List of pending Virginia Legislation here:

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+lst+ALL