SB 1138, introduced by Senators Mamie Locke and Jennifer McClellan, reported out of the House Criminal Courts Subcommittee 6-1 early in the week. Late on Friday, the bill passed out of the full Courts of Justice committee with a 14-8 vote. We are thrilled to see the bill progress, which would modernize laws that currently criminalize people living with HIV. We appreciate all of you who have taken action to inform your legislators on the importance of this bill. Unfortunately, we saw Senator Jennifer McClellan’s SB 1360, which would define sexual and workplace harassment, including sexual orientation and gender identity, get left in the Senate Judiciary committee and not continued. Thankfully companion bill HB 2155, introduced by Delegate Vivian Watts, was continued to the special session. Senator George Barker’s SB 1366 reported from the Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee with substitution 14-6. This bill is focused on categorizing LGBTQ older Virginians in the definition of greatest social need in the Older Americans Act. Delegate Dawn Adam’s companion bill HB 1805 reported from the Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee with amendments 11-1 with one abstention. Additionally in the House of Delegates, Senator Adam Ebbin’s marriage equality bill SJ 270 reported from the Privileges and Elections Committee 14-8. In the Senate committees, we saw HB 1848, introduced by Delegate Mark Sickles, report from the General Laws and Technology Committee 13-0. This bill makes discrimination on the basis of disability in employment an unlawful practice. Delegate Mark Levine’s HB 1932, which pertains to the "conscience clause" for child placing agencies, reported from the Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee with substitution 8-7. Unfortunately, HB 1864, introduced by Delegate Marcia Price, failed to report from the General Laws and Technology Committee 7-7 and has been defeated. This bill would have expanded the Virginia Human Rights Act to domestic workers. A similar bill by Senator Jennifer McClellan, SB 1310, is still working through the process. We appreciate all of your support and advocacy during the regular session, and look forward to continuing to push the 2021 Equality Agenda throughout the special session. To keep up with what bills are being heard next week and how you can help transform Virginia’s legal landscape, please follow EV’s Facebook page and check out our website where you will find our 2021 bill tracker, which we update daily. | 
