Representing Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax

Mark's Bills

I believe constituents have a right to know what their elected representatives are up to, particularly with regard to legislation they introduce. I plan to uphold what I call the Gold Standard of Transparency by directing my staff to video-record the proceedings on each of my bills as they come before subcommittee and committee. That way, every constituent can know exactly what was said and done on each of the 20 or so bills I introduce.  Scroll down to see my bills for the 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016 sessions.

    Committee Assignments

    (2020, 2021)

    • Courts of Justice
    • Health, Welfare and Institutions
    • Privileges and Elections
    • Public Safety

    (2018, 2019)

    • Health, Welfare and Institutions
    • Militia, Police and Public Safety

    (2016, 2017)

    • Health, Welfare and Institutions
    • Science and Technology

     

    Legislation (2021)

    Introduced (Patron) Chief Co-Patron Co-Patron

    Marriage Equality Constitutional Amendment (HJ539)

    Repeals the constitutional provision defining marriage as only a union between one man and one woman, as well as the related provisions that are no longer valid as a result of the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015). The amendment provides that the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions and its agents are required to issue marriage licenses, recognize marriages, and treat all marriages equally under the law, regardless of the gender of the two parties to the marriage. The amendment further provides that religious organizations and clergy acting in their religious capacity have the right to refuse to perform any marriage.

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    Joint Subcommittee on urban and inland flooding (HJ552)

    Establishes a two-year joint subcommittee, consisting of eight legislative members and five nonlegislative citizen members, to study the development of a comprehensive and coordinated planning effort to address recurrent flooding in inland and urban areas across the Commonwealth. The joint subcommittee shall complete its work by November 30, 2022, and submit its findings and recommendations by the first day of the 2023 Session of the General Assembly.

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    Legislation (2019)

    Click here for Mark's Letter on the 2019 Legislative Session Introduced (Patron) Chief Co-Patron Co-Patron

    Strengthening Our Democracy (HB 2422)

    Changing our national system of electing the President of the United States from the Electoral College to the National Popular Vote. This bill would enter Virginia into an interstate compact known as the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote. If it succeeds, we will only need states comprising 85 more electoral votes to end this scourge on American democracy forever.

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    Banning Discrimination on the basis of gender at dry cleaners and laundries (HB 2423)

    This bill would ensure the cost of cleaning women's clothes would not cost more than the cost of cleaning men's clothes (or vice versa), unless a particular articles of clothing legitimately costs more for the establishment to clean.

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    Legislation (2018)

    Introduced (Patron) Chief Co-Patron Co-Patron

    Mechanical devices designed to increase the rate of fire of firearms; penalty (HB 41)

    Prohibits the manufacture, import, sale or offer to sell, possession, transfer, or transportation of any device used to increase the rate of fire of any semi-automatic firearm beyond the capability of an unaided person to operate the trigger mechanism of that firearm. A violation is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor.

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    Alcoholic beverage control (HB 136)

    Allows annual mixed beverage special events licenses to be issued to localities for use at museums or other facilities owned by the locality and used primarily for historic interpretation.

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    Legislation (2017)

    Introduced (Patron) Chief Co-Patron Co-Patron

    Considering any abuse in custody cases (Tyler’s Law). (HB 2128)

    This bill would allow courts in Virginia to consider a history of non-family child abuse and domestic violence by one of the parties when determining the custody of the child.  Family abuse is already considered. It gets its name from the courageous, eloquent young man who has testified in favor of the bill below. We came very close in 2017, and I will continue to bring this legislation forward until it is passed.
     

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    Virginia Human Rights Act: non-discrimination in employment & housing (HB 2129)

    My legislation would make discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity illegal with regard to employment, housing, and public accommodations. The law already covers covers race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, and status as a veteran. I plan to propose this extension to the act every year until it is passed.

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    Legislation (2016)

    Introduced (Patron) Chief Co-Patron Co-Patron Budget Request

    Proposes Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana in Virginia (HB 997)

    Virginia State Delegate Mark Levine proposed that non-violent drug possession offenders get one chance to remove their charge from their records so they could apply for jobs years later. Republicans on the Committee defeated the bill on a party-line vote.

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    Budget Amendments for law-enforcement agencies (HB 998)

    Mark Levine offered a budget amendment to direct funds in the budget to local law enforcement agencies for body cameras.

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