Broadband providers and public utilities; late payment fees restricted. Prohibits a broadband provider or a public utility from charging (i) a residential customer a late payment fee or similar penalty that exceeds the lesser of 2.5 percent of the balance due or $5 or (ii) any interest on a residential customer's outstanding balance. The bill provides that "public utility" includes utilities that are not subject to the jurisdiction of the State Corporation Commission and that provide electric, gas, or water or wastewater service in the Commonwealth.

Supplementing compensation of public defender. Requires the governing body of any county or city that elects to supplement the compensation of the attorney for the Commonwealth, or any of his deputies or employees, above the salary of any such attorney for the Commonwealth, deputy, or employee, to proportionally supplement the compensation of the public defender, or any of his deputies or employees, commensurate with the compensation of the attorney for the Commonwealth, or any of his deputies or employees.

Virginia taxable income; corporations; deductions; business interest. Increases from 20 percent to 30 percent the Virginia individual and corporate income tax deduction for business interest disallowed as a deduction under § 163(j) of the Internal Revenue Code for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2022.

Control of firearms by localities. Removes the authority for a locality by ordinance to prohibit the possession or carrying of firearms, ammunition, or components or any combination thereof in (i) any building, or part thereof, owned or used by such locality for governmental purposes; (ii) any public park owned or operated by the locality; (iii) any recreation or community center facility; or (iv) any public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or public right-of-way or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted event or an event that would otherwise require a permit. The bill provides that any firearm received by the locality pursuant to a buy-back program shall be offered for sale by public auction or sealed bids to a person licensed as a dealer. Current law provides that any such firearm shall be destroyed by the locality unless the person surrendering the firearm requests in writing that the firearm be offered for sale. The bill also limits the authority of localities and state governmental entities to bring lawsuits against certain firearms manufacturers and others. Control of firearms by localities. Removes the authority for a locality by ordinance to prohibit the possession or carrying of firearms, ammunition, or components or any combination thereof in (i) any building, or part thereof, owned or used by such locality for governmental purposes; (ii) any public park owned or operated by the locality; (iii) any recreation or community center facility; or (iv) any public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or public right-of-way or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted event or an event that would otherwise require a permit. The bill provides that any firearm received by the locality pursuant to a buy-back program shall be offered for sale by public auction or sealed bids to a person licensed as a dealer. Current law provides that any such firearm shall be destroyed by the locality unless the person surrendering the firearm requests in writing that the firearm be offered for sale. The bill also limits the authority of localities and state governmental entities to bring lawsuits against certain firearms manufacturers and others.

Conformity of the Commonwealth's taxation system with the Internal Revenue Code; Rebuild Virginia grants and Paycheck Protection Program loans; emergency. Advances Virginia's date of conformity with the Internal Revenue Code from December 31, 2020, to December 31, 2021. The bill also deconforms from provisions of the (i) federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) related to the net operating loss limitation and carryback, a loss limitation applicable to taxpayers other than corporations, the limitation on business interest, and certain loan forgiveness and other business financial assistance and (ii) federal American Rescue Plan Act related to restaurant revitalization grants and emergency injury disaster loans received for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2021. The bill also retroactively allows up to $100,000 of the individual and corporate income tax deduction or subtraction, as applicable, for Rebuild Virginia grants and certain amounts related to Paycheck Protection Program loans to certain fiscal filers. The bill also allows full deductibility of expenses paid or incurred with forgiven Paycheck Protection Program loan proceeds and expenses paid or incurred with Economic Injury Disaster Loan program funding for taxable year 2021 and thereafter. The bill contains an emergency clause. Conformity of the Commonwealth's taxation system with the Internal Revenue Code; Rebuild Virginia grants and Paycheck Protection Program loans; emergency. Advances Virginia's date of conformity with the Internal Revenue Code from December 31, 2020, to December 31, 2021. The bill also deconforms from provisions of the (i) federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) related to the net operating loss limitation and carryback, a loss limitation applicable to taxpayers other than corporations, the limitation on business interest, and certain loan forgiveness and other business financial assistance and (ii) federal American Rescue Plan Act related to restaurant revitalization grants and emergency injury disaster loans received for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2021. The bill also retroactively allows up to $100,000 of the individual and corporate income tax deduction or subtraction, as applicable, for Rebuild Virginia grants and certain amounts related to Paycheck Protection Program loans to certain fiscal filers. The bill also allows full deductibility of expenses paid or incurred with forgiven Paycheck Protection Program loan proceeds and expenses paid or incurred with Economic Injury Disaster Loan program funding for taxable year 2021 and thereafter. The bill contains an emergency clause.

Elections; removal of officers; recall elections; petition. Provides for the removal of certain elected officers and officers appointed to elected offices by recall referendum. The bill requires a petition for recall be signed by 30 percent of the total number of votes cast at the last election for the office for which a recall is sought.

Commending amateur radio operators in Virginia.

Fund to Assist Localities with Translation of Essential Information; established. Establishes the Fund to Assist Localities with Translation of Essential Information to be administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development for the purpose of making grants to local governments to address the lack of translated documents for those citizens and taxpayers of the Commonwealth and its localities for whom English is a second language. The bill provides that the Fund shall make grants to local governments for the purpose of translating essential documents into foreign languages.

Paid sick leave; penalty; state tax deduction. Requires Paid sick leave; penalty; state tax deduction. Requires employers, as defined in the bill, to provide 40 hours of paid sick leave, prorated to reflect the average number of hours worked per week by each employee, as defined in the bill, in the previous 12 months, for all existing eligible employees and eligible employees that have been employed for at least 12 months. For eligible employees who have been employed for less than 12 months, employers must provide 20 to 40 hours of paid sick leave, prorated to reflect the expected number of hours worked per week by each employee, as determined by the employer. Employers with at least 25 but not more than 49 full-time employees receive a nonrefundable state tax deduction equivalent to 120 percent of the value of any paid sick leave provided by an employer to an employee. Employers with existing paid sick leave policies providing at least 40 hours per year of paid sick leave are exempt from the requirements of the bill. The bill allows employers to request a hardship waiver from the Department of Labor and Industry for certain circumstances and requires employers to provide a written notice of information related to paid sick leave to each employee at the commencement of employment or by January 1, 2023. The bill requires that sick leave be available for any eligible employee to use at the commencement of employment and provides that paid sick leave may be used (i) for an employee's mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, an employee's need for medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, or an employee's need for preventive medical care or (ii) to provide care to a family member under similar circumstances. The law prohibits employers from taking certain retaliatory actions against employees related to paid sick leave, and the bill authorizes the Department, in the case of a knowing violation, to subject an employer to a penalty not to exceed $150 for the first violation, $300 for the second violation, and $500 for each successive violation, if the second or successive violation occurs within two years of the previous violation. The Commissioner of Labor and Industry may institute proceedings on behalf of an employee to enforce compliance with the bill and to collect specified amounts from the employer, which shall be awarded to the employee. Many of the provisions of the bill currently apply to certain home health workers. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2023.

Commending the Fauquier Chamber of Commerce.

Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote. Provides that every person who meets the qualifications of voters set forth in the Constitution shall have the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth and that such right shall not be abridged by law, except for persons who have been convicted of a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting. A person who has been convicted of a felony shall not be entitled to vote during any period of incarceration for such felony conviction but upon release from incarceration for that felony conviction and without further action required of him, such person shall be invested with all political rights, including the right to vote. Currently, in order to be qualified to vote a person convicted of a felony must have his civil rights restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority. The amendment also provides that a person adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction as lacking the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote during this period of incapacity until his capacity has been reestablished as prescribed by law. Currently, the Constitution provides that a person who has been adjudicated to be mentally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competency is reestablished. Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote. Provides that every person who meets the qualifications of voters set forth in the Constitution shall have the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth and that such right shall not be abridged by law, except for persons who have been convicted of a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting. A person who has been convicted of a felony shall not be entitled to vote during any period of incarceration for such felony conviction but upon release from incarceration for that felony conviction and without further action required of him, such person shall be invested with all political rights, including the right to vote. Currently, in order to be qualified to vote a person convicted of a felony must have his civil rights restored by the Governor or other appropriate authority. The amendment also provides that a person adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction as lacking the capacity to understand the act of voting shall not be entitled to vote during this period of incapacity until his capacity has been reestablished as prescribed by law. Currently, the Constitution provides that a person who has been adjudicated to be mentally incompetent is not qualified to vote until his competency is reestablished.

Commonwealth Transportation Board; statewide plan. Directs the Commonwealth Transportation Board to develop a statewide plan for the allocation of certain funds from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and to identify projects that can be funded through competitive grants through the Act. The bill requires the Board to conduct a risk-based assessment of vulnerabilities of transportation assets and systems in the Commonwealth to weather events and natural disasters.

Death of joint petitioner prior to entry of final order of adoption. Provides that in cases in which married persons, or persons who were previously married and who are permitted to adopt a child, have jointly petitioned to adopt a child and one of the petitioners dies before entry of a final order of adoption, the adoption may proceed in the name of both petitioners upon request of the surviving petitioner. The bill further provides that, upon entry of a final order, the child shall be, for all intents and purposes, the child of both petitioners.

Constitutional amendment (first reference); environmental justice. Establishes that it is the policy of the Commonwealth to follow the principles of environmental justice in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies and to ensure that no population, especially minority, low-income, or historically economically disadvantaged communities, faces higher levels or greater impacts of pollution and climate change than other populations.

Department of Education; recommendations on background check and training requirements for youth sports coaches and staff. Directs the Department of Education to make recommendations regarding appropriate background check and training requirements for coaches, staff members, and other volunteers of competitive sports leagues in which persons under the age of 18 participate. The bill requires the Department of Education to consult with child sexual assault victims advocates and youth competitive sports leagues in making its recommendations and to submit to the Governor and General Assembly a report of its recommendations by November 1, 2022. Department of Education; recommendations on background check and training requirements for youth sports coaches and staff. Directs the Department of Education to make recommendations regarding appropriate background check and training requirements for coaches, staff members, and other volunteers of competitive sports leagues in which persons under the age of 18 participate. The bill requires the Department of Education to consult with child sexual assault victims advocates and youth competitive sports leagues in making its recommendations and to submit to the Governor and General Assembly a report of its recommendations by November 1, 2022.