Virginia
Three interesting bills of the week: lab meat, child labor penalties and sales in public spaces – Virginia Mercury
Hundreds of bills are filed for General Assembly consideration each year. In the return of this weekly series, the Mercury takes a look at a few of lawmakers’ 2024 proposals that might not otherwise make headlines during the whirlwind legislative session.
House Bill 1382: Lab-grown meat labeling
This bill from Del. Thomas Garrett, R-Gordonsville, would require lab-grown meat products to include a label on their packaging indicating that they are such. Garrett told the Mercury he plans to “tweak” his bill to specifically require the label to state the product is a “cell-cultured edible product,” which his bill would define as a meat product that is made by any process involving the culture of stem cells or 3D printing.
Garrett said he also intends to add an amendment that would require restaurants to notify customers if they sell these types of meat products, which he said could be included as a note on menus.
“This shouldn’t be a partisan issue,” Garrett said. “You have, I think, a fundamental right to know when you’re paying for a product what that product is, and you don’t write meat on something that’s not meat.”
The delegate said he was inspired to introduce the bill after reading an article on how prevalent the cultured meat substitute industry is in Europe and realizing there is no requirement in the U.S. to let consumers know they’re eating cultured meat.
“I don’t want to eat Frankenmeat if I don’t know it’s Frankenmeat,” Garrett said.
The federal government currently has labeling requirements for lab-grown chicken made by two companies, which entered the U.S. market in July 2023. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service requires such products to bear a label stating they are “cell-cultivated chicken.”
Garrett’s bill would go further, extending to all types of lab-grown meat. To date, nine states have passed laws with similar labeling requirements and prohibit the use of the term “meat” on lab-grown products.
House Bill 100: Increased penalties for child labor law violations
HB 100 from Del. Holly Seibold, D-Fairfax, would increase civil penalties for employers who violate child labor laws.
Under the bill, the penalty for employing a child who is seriously injured or dies in the course of employment would increase from $10,000 to $25,000. The penalty for each other violation of child labor laws would increase from $1,000 to $2,500.
Virginia law generally prohibits children under 14 from being employed except in certain circumstances, including farming, being a page or clerk for the state Senate or House of Delegates or working for a parent in an occupation other than manufacturing. Children aged 14 to 15 can be employed if they are enrolled in a regular school work-training program and have a work-training certificate.
The bill comes after the New York Times revealed the use of migrant children for cheap labor across the U.S., including at a Perdue Farms slaughterhouse onVirginia’s Eastern Shore, where a child worker’s arm was mangled after getting caught in a machine.
House Bill 235: Penalties for using public spaces for unauthorized commercial activities
This legislation from Del. Anne Ferrell Tata, R-Virginia Beach, would allow cities and towns to impose monetary penalties on people who occupy public spaces for commercial purposes without the city or town’s consent. Tata’s office told the Mercury the city of Virginia Beach requested she carry the bill.
The bill would limit such penalties to $500 for the first violation, $1,000 for the second and $1,500 for the third or subsequent offense. Each day the public space is occupied would be counted as a separate offense.
The consequences would be in addition to what is allowed under current law, which makes commercial use of public areas a class 4 misdemeanor that can lead to jail time if the offender does not stop what they’re doing.
People impacted by the bill would include anyone selling a product, service or anything else for financial gain, like food or merchandise vendors. The activities of street performers and buskers who receive donations while performing on public property are protected by the First Amendment as long as they do not directly ask for money.
Virginia
ACC issues statement on controversial call at end of Virginia Tech vs. Miami
The ACC issued a statement on the controversial call that ended the Friday night matchup between Virginia Tech and Miami.
With three seconds left on the game clock, VT QB Kyron Drones launched a 30-yard bomb to Da’Quan Felton, who hauled in the miraculous Hail Mary. However, after nearly 10 minutes of deliberation, the referees overturned the call and Miami walked away with a 38-34 triumph.
“During the review process of the last play,” the statement read, “It was determined that the loose ball was touched by a Miami player while he was out of bounds which makes it an incomplete pass and immediately ends the play.”
There were obviously mixed reactions to the ending of what became a classic between Virginia Tech and Miami.
After the game, Miami QB Cam Ward didn’t hesitate to take to social media. In the win, Cam Ward completed 24-of-his-38 pass attempts for 348 passing yards and four touchdowns while throwing two interceptions. It’s only the latest standout performance for the Heisman Trophy candidate.
Ward’s choice of emojis in his post mimics his famous touchdown celebration. After the senior QB finds the end zone, he’ll often cover his face with one hand while waving his other hand in front of him. The post is salt in the wound for Virginia Tech fans, who took issue with the game’s controversial ending.
Virginia Tech fans weren’t the only ones who didn’t agree with the referees’ decision in favor of Miami. ESPN analyst Andre Ware believed the call shouldn’t have been overturned and sympathized with the Hokies faithful.
“A lot of conversations about that because I just don’t know where you see it on the replay to reverse the call on the field,” Ware said. “And had it been called incomplete, see it that way. I just thought the ruling – whatever was called on the field should stand. That’s tough.”
Virginia
Obituary for Virginia N Hatlestad at Tollefson Funeral Home
Virginia
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