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2020 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Education and Health

Chair: L. Louise Lucas

Clerk: Patty Lung, Catherine Dent
Date of Meeting: January 16, 2020
Time and Place: 8:00 a.m. - Senate Room A, Pocahontas Bldg.
Updated to add SB 920

S.B. 104 Vaccinations and immunizations; certain minors given authority to consent.

Patron: Favola

Vaccinations and immunizations; minors; authority to consent. Provides that a minor shall be deemed an adult for the purpose of consenting to medical or health services related to receiving vaccinations and immunizations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention if the individual is at least 14 years of age and demonstrates to the satisfaction of a health care practitioner the ability to understand at the same comprehension level as an adult the risks and benefits associated with vaccinations and immunizations.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 54.1-2969 of the Code of Virginia, relating to vaccinations and immunizations; minors; authority to consent.

20100540D

S.B. 132 Public schools; electives on the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament and the New Testament.

Patron: Chase

Public schools; electives on the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament and the New Testament. Requires the Board of Education to authorize local school boards to offer as an elective in grades nine through 12 with appropriate credits toward graduation a course on the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament of the Bible or the New Testament of the Bible or a combined course on both. The bill requires the Board of Education to develop Standards of Learning and curriculum guidelines for such courses. The bill provides that the purpose of such courses is to introduce students to biblical content, characters, poetry, and narratives that are prerequisites to understanding contemporary society and culture, including literature, art, music, mores, oratory, and public policy. The bill prohibits students from being required to use a specific translation of a religious text when taking the courses and provides that such courses shall maintain religious neutrality and shall not endorse, favor, promote, disfavor, or show hostility toward any particular religion or nonreligious perspective.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-202.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public schools; electives on the Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament.

20103693D

S.B. 161 Public elementary and secondary schools; treatment of transgender students, policies.

Patron: Boysko

Public elementary and secondary schools; treatment of transgender students; policies. Requires the Department of Education to develop and make available to each school board, no later than December 31, 2020, model policies concerning the treatment of transgender students in public elementary and secondary schools that address common issues regarding transgender students in accordance with evidence-based best practices and include information, guidance, procedures, and standards relating to (i) compliance with applicable nondiscrimination laws; (ii) maintenance of a safe and supportive learning environment free from discrimination and harassment for all students; (iii) prevention of and response to bullying and harassment; (iv) maintenance of student records; (v) identification of students; (vi) protection of student privacy and the confidentiality of sensitive information; (vii) enforcement of sex-based dress codes; and (viii) student participation in sex-specific school activities, events, and athletics and use of school facilities. The bill requires each school board to adopt, no later than the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year, policies that are consistent with but may be more comprehensive than such model policies developed by the Department of Education.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-23.3, relating to public elementary and secondary schools; treatment of transgender students; policies.

20102095D

S.B. 176 School holidays; certain election days.

Patron: Chase

School holidays; certain election days. Prohibits local school boards from requiring students to attend school on the second Tuesday in June or the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The bill also prohibits parent-teacher conferences and meetings from being held on those dates.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-79.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to school holidays; certain election days.

20102425D

S.B. 232 Menstrual supplies; certain school buildings.

Patron: Boysko

Menstrual supplies; certain school buildings. Requires each school board to make tampons and pads available at all times and at no cost to students in the bathrooms of each public school at which any student in grades five through 12 is enrolled and at which at least 40 percent of enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced lunch.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-6.1, relating to menstrual supplies; certain school buildings.

20102670D

S.B. 245 Conversion therapy; prohibited by certain health care providers.

Patron: Surovell

Department of Health Professions; conversion therapy prohibited. Prohibits any health care provider or person who performs counseling as part of his training for any profession licensed by a regulatory board of the Department of Health Professions from engaging in conversion therapy, as defined in the bill, with any person under 18 years of age and provides that such counseling constitutes unprofessional conduct and is grounds for disciplinary action. The bill provides that no state funds shall be expended for the purpose of conducting conversion therapy, referring a person for conversion therapy, extending health benefits coverage for conversion therapy, or awarding a grant or contract to any entity that conducts conversion therapy or refers individuals for conversion therapy.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 24 of Title 54.1 a section numbered 54.1-2409.5, relating to Department of Health Professions; conversion therapy prohibited.

20101090D

S.B. 365 Healthcare providers; credentialing process.

Patron: Dunnavant

Provider credentialing. Requires the State Board of Health to promulgate regulations requiring a health carrier to establish reasonable protocols and procedures that deem a provider credentialed who has been approved for credentialing by a licensed hospital within 14 days of such approval if such licensed hospital has a contract with the health carrier to provide health care services to a covered person under a health benefit plan offered by the health carrier as a member of the health benefit plan's network.

A BILL to direct the State Board of Health to promulgate regulations regarding the credentialing process for health care providers; health carriers and hospitals.

20101925D

S.B. 569 DBHDS and VSP; mobile applications, mental health and public safety.

Patron: Dunnavant


Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; Department of State Police; mobile applications; mental health and public safety. Requires the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) to develop or obtain a mental health mobile application to facilitate the provision of crisis intervention services by licensed clinicians to individuals in the Commonwealth through calls, texts, and online chat portals. The bill requires the mobile application to be integrated with the crisis intervention phone hotline administered by a third-party provider under contract with the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) and requires DMAS to provide DBHDS with data and other information necessary to ensure such integration. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources is directed to promote, market, and advertise the use of such application.

The bill also requires the Department of State Police, in coordination with the Virginia Fusion Intelligence Center, to (i) develop or obtain a public safety mobile application to enable individuals in the Commonwealth to furnish confidential tips to the Department of State Police through text, audio, images, or video concerning a suspected, anticipated, or completed criminal violation or a school-related safety concern and (ii) develop a referral system to ensure that such confidential tips are referred to the appropriate law-enforcement agency, school board, threat assessment team, or other relevant entity. The Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security is directed to promote, market, and advertise the use of such application.

The bill directs DBHDS and the Department of State Police to coordinate the development or procurement of one comprehensive mobile application or separate mobile applications.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 37.2-312.3 and by adding in Chapter 11 of Title 52 a section numbered 52-50, relating to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Department of State Police; mobile applications; mental health and public safety.

20101473D

S.B. 572 Alzheimer's disease and related dementias; early detection and diagnosis, risk reduction and care.

Patron: Mason

Alzheimer's disease and related dementias; early detection and diagnosis; risk reduction and care planning. Provides that, the Department of Health, in consultation with the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, shall have the lead responsibility for taking actions to address and reduce the risks and impairments associated with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias within the Commonwealth.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 2 of Title 32.1 an article numbered 18, consisting of a section numbered 32.1-73.13, relating to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias; early detection and diagnosis; risk reduction and care planning.

20101864D

S.B. 600 Elementary and secondary schools, etc.; repealing several Acts relating to racial segregation.

Patron: Lucas

Elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth; racial segregation; repeal of provisions. Repeals several Acts of Assembly from 1901 to 1960 that contain provisions relating to the racial segregation of students in elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth.

A BILL to repeal Chapter 123 of the Acts of Assembly of the extra session of 1901, Chapters 238, 335, and 401 of the Acts of Assembly of 1901–1902, Chapters 212, 268, 312, 332, 509, and 528 of the Acts of Assembly of the extra session of 1902–1904, Chapters 42, 161, 170, 284, and 400 of the Acts of Assembly of 1908, Chapter 206 of the Acts of Assembly of 1910, Chapter 321 of the Acts of Assembly of 1912, Chapter 170 of the Acts of Assembly of 1914, Chapter 351 of the Acts of Assembly of 1918, Chapters 70, 75, 144, and 344 of the Acts of Assembly of 1920, Chapters 23 and 569 of the Acts of Assembly of 1950, Chapter 262 of the Acts of Assembly of 1954, Chapters 39, 58, 59, 68, 69, and 70 of the Acts of Assembly of the extra session of 1956, Chapters 41 and 319 of the Acts of Assembly of 1958, Chapters 1, 3, 32, 50, 53, 71, 80, and 81 of the Acts of Assembly of the extra session of 1959, and Chapters 191, 448, and 531 of the Acts of Assembly of 1960, relating to elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth; racial segregation.

20102516D

S.B. 610 Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Grant Program and Fund; created.

Patron: Hanger

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Grant Program; creation. Creates the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Grant Program to make grant payments to an eligible pharmaceutical manufacturer that makes a capital investment of at least $1 billion at a facility in Rockingham County and creates at least 152 new full-time jobs at the facility. The pharmaceutical manufacturer would be eligible for an aggregate of $7.5 million in grants paid out over a three-year period if it meets such performance parameters. The bill also makes available, subject to appropriation, $2.525 million to a comprehensive community college and baccalaureate public institutions of higher education in or near Rockingham County to support the workforce development needs of the manufacturer and other research and development companies in the area.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 59.1 a chapter numbered 22.14, consisting of sections numbered 59.1-284.33, 59.1-284.34, and 59.1-284.35, relating to pharmaceutical manufacturing grant program.

20102793D

S.B. 657 Certificate of birth; new certificate issued to show change of sex.

Patron: Boysko

Board of Health; certificate of birth; change of sex. Establishes that, upon request of a person and in accordance with requirements of the Board of Health, the State Registrar shall issue a new certificate of birth to show a change of sex of the person and, if a certified copy of a court order changing the person's name is submitted, to show a new name. Requirements related to obtaining a new certificate of birth to show a change of sex may include a requirement that the person requesting the new certificate of birth submit an affidavit provided by a health care provider from whom the person has received treatment stating that the person has undergone clinically appropriate treatment for the purpose of gender transition. Requirements related to obtaining a new certificate of birth to show a change of sex shall not include any requirement for evidence or documentation of any medical procedure.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 32.1-261 and 32.1-269 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Board of Health; certificate of birth; change of sex.

20101198D

S.B. 920 Surrogacy contracts; provisions requiring abortion or selective reduction unenforceable.

Patron: Peake

Surrogacy contracts; provisions requiring abortion or selective reduction unenforceable. Provides that any provision of a surrogacy contract requiring an abortion or selective reduction is against the public policy of the Commonwealth and is void and unenforceable.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 20-163 of the Code of Virginia, relating to surrogacy contracts; provisions requiring abortions or selective reductions unenforceable.

20105335D