Senator Scott Surovell's 2021 Legislative Agenda

Senator Scott Surovell
36th District
Legislation Summary
2021 Session
Post Office Box 289

Mt. Vernon, Virginia, 22121
District Office: (571) 249-4484
Pocahontas Building E617
800 East Main St.
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Richmond Office: (833) 617-1821
[email protected]
www.scottsurovell.org
Consumer Protection
● SB1180 - Class Actions - Virginia is one of two states in America that don’t allow class
action lawsuits. Class actions allow a group of similarly harmed individuals to find
justice and they allow businesses to settle with a large class instead of making multiple
individual settlements which are prohibitively expensive to litigate and clog our courts.
● SB1182 - Automobile Insurance Minimums - Increases the minimum motor vehicle

liability insurance coverage amounts from $25,000 to $100,000 in cases of bodily injury
to or death of one person, from $50,000 to $200,000 in cases of bodily injury to or death
of more than one person in any one accident, and from $20,000 to $40,000 for property
damage coverage. Virginia minimum limits have not been adjusted since 1975.
● SB1384 - Disclosure of Arbitration Practices - Allows local governments to disclose

information regarding their use of forced arbitration against consumers and employees as
a condition precedent to doing business with the locality. Forced arbitration is used by
large corporations to hide consumer complaints, product problems, and employee
discrimination claims.
Criminal Justice Reforms
● SB1339 - Expungement Reform - Authorizes sealing of convictions for misdemeanor

like 41 other states or felonies similar to 36 other states by petition. Allows acquitted
person to seek expungement at the time of dismissal instead of requiring a petition
process. Creates automatic expungement process for all non-misdemeanor traffic
offenses and Class 3/4 misdemeanors not reported to the Virginia State Police, fake ID,
and underage marijuana, alcohol, tobacco possession convictions. The bill also creates
process to allow specific sensitive businesses to request records. Also creates a civil
cause of action against companies that buy and sell public record information about
consumers for creating inaccurate reports, requires such businesses to implement security
practices to protect the accuracy of a public record information, obtain express consent
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from a parent before selling a minor child’s public record information, provide access to
consumers to their own public record information, refrain from maintaining or selling
inaccurate information, and provide a way for an individual to opt out of the sale of their
public record information.
● SB1440 - Civil actions for police misconduct - Allows individuals who are victims of
excessive force and deadly force to file civil action against the officer and their employer.
The action could be filed against the officer who perpetrated the act or another officer
who failed to intervene as required by law.
● SB1165 - Death Penalty Repeal - Repeals the death penalty in Virginia and saves almost
$4 million per year that we spend defending people from the death penalty.
● SB1181 - Expanding Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) Jurisdiction up to 21

year old – Extends 2019 legislation that restored Virginia courts’ jurisdiction to make
factual findings to facilitate legal status for abused, abandoned and neglected children to
the age of 21.
● SB1468 – Protecting Undocumented Crime Victims – Requires every law enforcement

agency to create a framework to process requests for crime victim certification necessary
to receive T and U Visas which are for crime and human trafficking victims.
Civil Justice Reform
● SB1446 - Doctor Cooperation - Requires treating doctors to assist in litigation provided

they are paid fees as established in a fee schedule.
Economic Development
● SB1385 - Utility Undergrounding – Broadens Fairfax County’s existing authority to

levy a utility tax of up to $1/mo. to fund underground utilities on U.S. 1 and other areas
of the County.
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Health Care
● SB1289 - Health Insurance Fairness Act – Revises the Health Virginia Fairness Act
by requiring providers to submit bills to insurance companies within 90 days to
consumers can plan their care versus their deductibles. Also prohibits healthcare
providers from discriminating against patients on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation
or mechanism of injury.
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Budget Amendments
● Department of Health Translation Services - $100,000 for the Department of Health to

contract for services to translate public health information and executive orders related to
the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently the Department is using Google Translate.
● Army Museum - $5 million for tourism enhancement at the National Museum of the
United States Army.
● EGWMA Monitoring Well - $500,000 to install a groundwater monitoring well north of
Fredericksburg to assess water levels in the Potomac Acquifer which lies under the 36th
District.
● Widewater State Park - $29.6 million to build Phase II and III are Widewater State Park
including cabins, bathhouses, roads, trails, picnic areas, sewer, stormwater, and a canoe
launch at Virginia’s newest state park.
● Underwater Archeology - $160,000 per year to reinstate our underwater archeology
program to preserve information about historic resources that have been swallowed by
the James River.
● Commonwealth Attorney Staffing Language - Currently, CAs offices are funded on a
formula related to charges and convictions so there is incentive to get more charges and
more convictions. This amendment directs the compensation board to change that
formula.
● Grant program for DPCs - $300,000 to help non-profit organizations such as CASA
provide pre-review of identity documents, test preparation, and appointment scheduling
for testing at DMV.
● Mason Neck State Park - $2.8 million to connect Mason Neck State Park to municipal
drinking water.

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Senator Scott Surovell

Post Office Box 289

● SB1182 - Automobile Insurance Minimums - Increases the minimum motor vehicle

● SB1384 - Disclosure of Arbitration Practices - Allows local governments to disclose

Criminal Justice Reforms

● SB1339 - Expungement Reform - Authorizes sealing of convictions for misdemeanor

● SB1181 - Expanding Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) Jurisdiction up to 21

● SB1468 – Protecting Undocumented Crime Victims – Requires every law enforcement

Civil Justice Reform

● SB1446 - Doctor Cooperation - Requires treating doctors to assist in litigation provided

● SB1385 - Utility Undergrounding – Broadens Fairfax County’s existing authority to

● Department of Health Translation Services - $100,000 for the Department of Health to

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