TODAY’S COLUMN: New Virginia laws go into effect July 1

We adjourned this year’s General Assembly Session in mid-March, after having considered thousands of bills. Most of the bills that passed and were signed by the Governor will go into effect July 1st.

I would like to highlight a few of our best accomplishments this year, and give you a heads up for what to expect going forward. If you are concerned with a law that goes into effect on July 1st, but is not mentioned here, please take a look at the General Assembly’s comprehensive list of new laws at http://dls.virginia.gov/pubs/idc/idc16.pdf

Constitutional Amendments
There will be two constitutional amendments before you as a voter this November. The first will enshrine our Right to Work status in the Constitution of Virginia, which will make the Commonwealth a stronger state for business by guaranteeing that no employee can be fired because he or she declines to join a union.

The second constitutional amendment will give localities the option to provide a property tax exemption to the surviving spouse of law enforcement officers, firefighters, or emergency services personnel killed in the line of duty.

I plan to vote “Yes” on both amendments in November.

Safe Families & Safe Communities
We passed a number of laws to protect victims of domestic violence by increasing penalties for repeat offenders. It will now be a Class 6 felony to stalk someone under a protective order or commit an assault and battery against someone under a protective order.

We also passed legislation making it a felony to violate a protective order with a firearm. These laws will help make our families and communities safer.

Second Amendment
Starting July 1, in a compromise between the Governor and General Assembly, Virginia will expand its concealed carry reciprocity with other states. Virginia will now have reciprocity with every state that has a concealed carry statute. Virginia will recognize the permits from all fifty states, and the Virginia State Police will enter into agreements ensuring Virginia’s permit is recognized in other states. This major bipartisan compromise with the Governor reverses the Virginia Attorney General’s ruling last year to end concealed carry reciprocity. In exchange, the compromise bars people subjected to a protective order for domestic violence from possessing weapons.

Smoking Ban
After July 1, it will be illegal to smoke in cars with a child under the age of eight present. Violators will be subject to a $100 fine.

Physical Activity Requirement
The General Assembly passed legislation this year requiring 20 minutes of physical activity per day, or an average of 100 minutes per week, for students in Kindergarten through fifth grade.

High School Graduation Requirements
Starting July 1, Virginia will begin to overhaul its high school graduation requirements. The goal is to simplify the bureaucratic processes for parents and students while maintaining high standards, ensuring that our students can succeed in the workforce or college.

The new requirements apply to students who enroll in high school as: (a) a freshman after July 1, 2018; (b) a sophomore after July 1, 2019; (c) a junior after July 1, 2020; or (d) a senior after July 1, 2021.

Transparency in Healthcare Costs
Starting July 1, every hospital will be required to provide to patients upon request the cost of any elective procedure, test, or service that they will be required to cover.

Student Privacy on Social Media
We passed legislation that prohibits colleges and universities from requiring a student to disclose the username or password to any of his or her personal social media accounts.

I hope that you find this information helpful. If you have any questions regarding the above legislation, please don’t hesitate to call our legislative district office at 571-264-9983. You can also reach my legislative aide, Tommy Herbert, at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), or you can email me directly at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Please be safe in the coming months, and I look forward to seeing you around the county. THANK YOU for the privilege of serving you in Prince William and representing you in Richmond!