Sexual harassment training; requirement for legislative branch. (HB371)

Introduced By

Del. Roxann Robinson (R-Chesterfield) with support from co-patron Sen. Glen Sturtevant (R-Midlothian)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Sexual harassment training; legislative branch. Requires General Assembly members, full-time legislative staff of General Assembly members compensated with state appropriations, and full-time employees of each legislative branch agency to complete sexual harassment training once every two calendar years. Training offered by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Office of the Clerk of the Senate must be substantially similar and provided to their respective members and their staff. All other legislative branch employees shall complete the sexual harassment training course offered by either Clerk. The training must be available online 24 hours per day, seven days per week and be substantially similar to any sexual harassment training course offered through the Commonwealth of Virginia Learning Center administered by the Department of Human Resource Management. Persons elected to the General Assembly or commencing or recommencing full-time employment in the legislative branch will have 90 days from the election or their dates of hire to complete the training unless the person previously completed such training earlier in the same calendar year. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2019. This bill incorporates HB 1057 and is identical to SB 796. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/05/2018Committee
01/05/2018Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18101327D
01/05/2018Referred to Committee on Rules
01/16/2018Impact statement from DPB (HB371)
01/26/2018Reported from Rules with substitute (16-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/26/2018Committee substitute printed 18106017D-H1
01/26/2018Substitute bill reprinted 18106017D-H1
01/26/2018Incorporates HB1057 (Watts)
01/30/2018Read first time
01/31/2018Floor substitute printed 18106422D-H2 (Watts)
01/31/2018Impact statement from DPB (HB371H1)
01/31/2018Read second time
01/31/2018Substitute by Delegate Watts out of order 18106422D-H2
01/31/2018Committee substitute agreed to (50-Y 49-N) 18106017D-H1
01/31/2018VOTE: ADOPTION (50-Y 49-N) (see vote tally)
01/31/2018Amendment #1 by Delegate Watts passed by (50-Y 49-N)
01/31/2018Amendment #2 by Delegate Watts passed by (50-Y 49-N)
01/31/2018Amendment #3 by Delegate Watts passed by (50-Y 49-N)
01/31/2018VOTE: PASS BY (50-Y 49-N) (see vote tally)
01/31/2018Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB371H1
01/31/2018Impact statement from DPB (HB371H2)
02/01/2018Read third time and passed House (88-Y 10-N)
02/01/2018VOTE: PASSAGE (88-Y 10-N) (see vote tally)
02/02/2018Constitutional reading dispensed
02/02/2018Referred to Committee on Rules
02/28/2018Reported from Rules with substitute (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/28/2018Committee substitute printed 18107610D-S1
03/01/2018Impact statement from DPB (HB371S1)
03/02/2018Constitutional reading dispensed (37-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/05/2018Read third time
03/05/2018Reading of substitute waived
03/05/2018Committee substitute agreed to 18107610D-S1
03/05/2018Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute HB371S1
03/05/2018Passed Senate with substitute (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/06/2018Placed on Calendar
03/06/2018Senate substitute rejected by House 18107610D-S1 (6-Y 90-N)
03/06/2018VOTE: REJECTED (6-Y 90-N) (see vote tally)
03/07/2018Senate insisted on substitute (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/07/2018Senate requested conference committee
03/08/2018House acceded to request
03/08/2018Conferees appointed by House
03/08/2018Delegates: Robinson, Gilbert, Herring
03/08/2018Conferees appointed by Senate
03/08/2018Senators: Sturtevant, Dunnavant, Dance
03/09/2018C Amended by conference committee
03/09/2018Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/09/2018Conference report agreed to by House (91-Y 6-N)
03/09/2018VOTE: ADOPTION (91-Y 6-N) (see vote tally)
03/20/2018Enrolled
03/20/2018Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB371ER)
03/20/2018Impact statement from DPB (HB371ER)
03/20/2018Signed by Speaker
03/22/2018Signed by President
03/26/2018Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 26, 2018
03/26/2018G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, April 9, 2018
04/04/2018G Approved by Governor-Chapter 777 (effective 1/1/19)
04/04/2018G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0777)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 7 clips in all, totaling 16 minutes.

Comments

ACLU-VA Women's Rights and Reproductive Freedom, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

The ACLU of Virginia supports HB371, which would require annual sexual harassment training and certification for all General Assembly members and staff, and specific training for lawmakers and senior staff on responding to incidents of sexual harassment. The #MeToo movement has empowered people to share stories of sexual harassment in the General Assembly. Yet, few dare to take on legislators because of the impacts on their careers and emotional well-being. HB371 is a step in the right direction to preventing sexual harassment and assault in the General Assembly. But improvements should, of course, be made. The ACLU of Virginia strongly encourages the General Assembly to ensure that the reforms in HB371 apply to all forms of workplace discrimination and not just sexual harassment. Training and accountability are just as necessary for those who suffer discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, genetic information as well as sex — including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation.