Virginia House kills bill requiring hazard pay for essential employees (Source: wvir) By Cameron Jones | Capital News Service | February 3, 2021 at 6:28 PM EST - Updated February 3 at 7:11 PM
RICHMOND, Va. (CAPITAL NEWS SERVICE) - Lawmakers unanimously shot down legislation this week that would have required employers to provide hazard pay to essential employees and provide protective equipment in the event of a stay-at-home order.
Del. Hala S. Ayala, D-Woodbridge, said she introduced House Bill 2015 to help protect and further compensate employees required to work during a shelter-in-place or stay-at-home order.
The measure required that employers authorized to remain open must pay 1.5 times the regular rate of pay for hours worked during a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order. Employers who failed to comply with the bill would be subject to civil penalties not exceeding $1,000 for each violation. A substitute for the bill defined essential employees as health care, hom
Gov. Jim Justice
CHARLESTON – Gov. Jim Justice maintains the first list of potential replacements from Wayne County to fill a recent House of Delegates vacancy did not meet state code, and the state Republican Party agrees.
The governor’s office, through Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s office, submitted its response February 1 to a petition filed by Wayne County Republican Executive Committee Chairman Jeff Maynard, who says Justice did not follow law in how he chose a candidate to fill the seat vacated by Derrick Evans, the lawmaker who took part in the January 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol.
In its own response, the state Republican Party agrees with the governor’s office.
New bill banning firearms near polling places passes the Virginia House (Source: WAFB) By Caitlin Piemme | January 26, 2021 at 6:35 PM EST - Updated January 26 at 8:29 PM
HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - The Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill banning firearms within 40 feet of polling places to prevent voter intimidation. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence has been working on this for more than a year.
“Studies that come in show that guns at polling places chill people’s freedom to really feel safe and exercising this very fundamental right,” said Brady President Kris Brown. “So I would say what we saw come out of the House of Delegates, and we’re so happy to see this passage, is the culmination of work we’ve been doing.”
Proposed Va. bill would protect against workplace discrimination based on disability Construction workers cross an intersection. (Source: O) By Hannah Eason | January 9, 2021 at 2:13 PM EST - Updated January 9 at 2:17 PM
RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - A proposed bill in the Virginia House of Delegates would protect people with disabilities from workforce discrimination.
Del. Mark Sickles, D-Fairfax, introduced House Bill 1848 as an amendment to the Virginia Human Rights Act. The bill would extend discrimination protections to employment, housing and public accommodations for those with disabilities.
“HB 1848 amends last year’s Virginia Values Act to make sure Virginians will all abilities can fully participate in our economy if reasonable accommodations can be made in the workplace,” Sickles said in a statement. “Virginia should be a place for all people, regardless of ability, to live and work free from discrimination.”