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Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s vetofest after the 2017 Virginia General Assembly session may have given the impression that lawmakers toiled for naught earlier this year. On the contrary, the outgoing governor did sign some bills into law, many of which take effect this month. Here are five that caught our attention.
1. Heads-up on Dropouts
Remember Richmond’s packed mayoral contest? A few candidates dropped out shortly before Election Day, but their names still appeared on the already-printed ballots, causing some confusion. Now, thanks to a bill put forth by Del. Betsy Carr of Richmond, general registrars are required to post a list of candidates who have withdrawn at each polling place.
2. Safe Keeping
Survivors of sexual assault have more say about what happens to evidence collected and stored in a physical evidence recovery kit, or PERK. Police and forensic labs now must notify a survivor within 60 days if they intend to destroy a kit. Should a survivor object in writing to its disposal, law enforcement is required to keep it for a decade.
3. No Class-size Surprises
Overcrowded classrooms are a common criticism of public schools. Now, parents can support their rants at school board meetings with hard evidence. The state is mandating that boards publish an annual report on the actual student-teacher ratio for each middle and high school in the district.
4. Weed Reprieve
Lawmakers eliminated the state’s mandatory six-month driver’s license suspension for people charged for the first time with possession of marijuana. As a trade-off, first-time offenders must complete at least 74 hours of community service — 50 more than the state previously required.
5. Save the Date
If a college or university is weighing a tuition increase, it now must clue in its student body well in advance of a decision. A university’s board of visitors or trustees is forbidden from approving tuition hikes without first providing an estimate of the projected increase, as well as an explanation for why it’s proposed, at least 30 days in advance of the meeting where a vote will be held.
