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ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2021 SESSION
Chair: L. Louise Lucas
Clerk: Michael Jackson
Staff: Julia Carlton, Anna Moir
Date of Meeting: January 28, 2021
Time and Place: 8 AM/SR West Science Museum/ Public can register @ GA website
Update: Added HB2333 To Docket
Patron: Bagby
Facilitate the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine; emergency.
A BILL to facilitate the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine; emergency.21103636D
EMERGENCY
Patron: Kiggans
Nursing home standards of care and staff requirements; regulations. Requires the State Board of Health to establish staffing and care standards in nursing homes to require a minimum of direct care services to each resident per 24-hour period as follows: (i) a minimum of one registered nurse or licensed practical nurse per 15 patients and one certified nursing assistant per eight patients during the daytime; (ii) a minimum of one registered nurse or licensed practical nurse per 20 patients and one certified nursing assistant per 12 patients during the evening; and (iii) a minimum of one registered nurse or licensed practical nurse per 30 patients and one certified nursing assistant per 15 patients during the nighttime. Such requirements may not apply during a health crisis, emergency, or during an outbreak of a communicable disease of public health threat. The bill requires nursing homes to complete a criminal background check on each employee prior to the start of employment and every five years thereafter that the employee remains employed. The bill also requires nursing homes to provide quarterly staff training on first aid, medication administration, and compliance with nursing home policies and procedures.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 32.1-127 of the Code of Virginia, relating to nursing home standards of care and staff requirements; regulations.21101862D
Patron: Ruff
Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; barrier crimes. Amends the current barrier crimes requirements for the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (the Department) to provide that the Department, community services boards, and licensed providers shall not hire for compensated employment at a state facility, permit to be hired as a private provider, approve as a sponsored residential service provider, or permit to enter into a shared living arrangement with a person receiving medical assistance services any person who has been convicted of any offense set forth in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of the definition of barrier crime in § 19.2-392.02 (i) within the 10 years prior to the application date for employment, and may hire a person who has been convicted of such offenses more than 10 years prior only if he has not been convicted of any other crime or suffered from drug addiction or alcohol abuse within the 10 years prior to the application date for employment, or (ii) if such person continues on probation or parole or has failed to pay required court costs for such offenses set forth in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of the definition of barrier crime in § 19.2-392.02. Under current law, with some exceptions, the Department, community services boards, and licensed providers shall not hire for compensated employment persons who have been convicted of any offense set forth in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of the definition of barrier crime in § 19.2-392.02.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 37.2-314, 37.2-416, and 37.2-506 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; barrier crimes.
21101250D
Patron: Boysko
Broadband services; education. Authorizes school boards to appropriate funds for the purposes of promoting, facilitating, and encouraging the expansion and operation of broadband services for educational purposes. The bill authorizes school boards to partner with private broadband service providers to promote, implement, and subsidize broadband for educational purposes to the households of students who would qualify for (i) a child nutrition program or (ii) any other program recognized or adopted by the local school board as a measuring standard to identify at-risk students.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 5 of Chapter 9 of Title 15.2 a section numbered 15.2-986 and by adding a section numbered 22.1-79.9, relating to promotion of broadband service for educational purposes.21101489D
Patron: Peake
Department of Health; certain communication prohibited. Prohibits any person employed by or who has entered into a contract to provide services on behalf of the Department of Health or a local department of health from initiating communication regarding health-related matters with a minor on behalf of the Department or local department of health without the consent of the minor's parent, except as otherwise required by law.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 32.1 a section numbered 32.1-4.1, relating to Department of Health; certain communication prohibited.21101145D
Patron: Petersen
Certain emergency and quarantine orders; additional procedural requirements. Provides that any person who is affected by an order of quarantine may file an appeal in the circuit court for the city or county in which he resides or is located or the circuit court for the jurisdiction or jurisdictions for any affected area; currently, only a person who is subject to an order of quarantine may appeal the order. The bill also provides that in any case in which the Governor has issued an emergency order that includes any measure that closes schools or businesses or restricts the movement of healthy persons within the area to which the order applies, all of the rights, protections, and procedures applicable in the case of an order of quarantine issued by the Commissioner of Health shall apply.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 32.-48.010 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 44-146.17:1.1, relating to certain emergency and quarantine orders; additional procedural requirements.21102644D
Patron: McClellan
Standards of Quality; work-based learning; teacher leaders and mentors; principal mentors; certain personnel positions and initiatives. Makes several changes to the Standards of Quality, including requiring the establishment of units in the Department of Education to oversee work-based learning and principal mentorship statewide in Standard 1 and requiring the Board of Education to establish and oversee the local implementation of teacher leader and teacher mentor programs in Standard 5. The bill also makes several changes relating to school personnel in Standard 2, including (i) establishing schoolwide ratios of students to teachers in certain schools with high concentrations of poverty and granting flexibility to provide compensation adjustments to teachers in such schools; (ii) requiring each school board to assign licensed personnel in a manner that provides an equitable distribution of experienced, effective teachers and other personnel among all schools in the local school division; (iii) requiring each school board to employ teacher leaders and teacher mentors at specified student-to-position ratios; (iv) requiring state funding in addition to basic aid to support at-risk students and granting flexibility in the use of such funds by school boards; (v) lowering the ratio of English language learner students to teachers; (vi) requiring each school board to employ reading specialists and establishing a student-to-position ratio for such specialists; (vii) requiring school boards to employ one full-time principal in each elementary school; (viii) lowering the ratio of students to assistant principals and school counselors in elementary, middle, and high schools; and (ix) requiring each school board to provide at least four specialized student support positions, including school social workers, school psychologists, school nurses, licensed behavior analysts, licensed assistant behavior analysts, and other licensed health and behavioral positions, per 1,000 students.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 22.1-129, 22.1-199.1, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, 22.1-253.13:1, 22.1-253.13:2, 22.1-253.13:3, 22.1-253.13:5, 22.1-274, 22.1-274.01:1, 22.1-294, 22.1-299.4, as it is currently effective, 22.1-303, and 51.1-617, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, of the Code of Virginia and to repeal § 22.1-305.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Standards of Quality; work-based learning; teacher leaders and mentors; principal mentors; certain personnel positions and initiatives.21101061D
Patron: Dunnavant
Department of Education; special education. Requires the Department of Education and the Board of Education to develop new policies and procedures and effect numerous modifications to existing policies and procedures to improve the administration and oversight of special education in the Commonwealth.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 22.1-214, 22.1-215, 22.1-253.13:4, and 22.1-298.1 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-214.4, relating to Department of Education; special education.21101787D
Patron: McPike
Community services boards; discharge planning. Provides that a discharge plan shall be completed within 30 days of the individual's date of discharge from a state hospital or training center. Current law requires that a discharge plan be completed prior to the individual's discharge. The bill also reduces from within 30 days to within 72 hours of the individual's identification as ready for discharge the time by which a community services board must document its disagreement with the determination that an individual is ready for discharge from a state hospital or training center.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 37.2-505 of the Code of Virginia, relating to community services boards; discharge planning.21102367D
Patron: Dunnavant
Department of Medical Assistance Services; school-based health services; telemedicine. Directs the Board of Medical Assistance Services to amend the state plan for medical assistance services to provide for payment of medical assistance for health care services provided in any public or private primary or secondary school, regardless of whether the student receiving care has an individualized education program or whether the health care service is included in a student's individualized education program. The bill requires that covered services include applied behavior analysis, preventive health care, behavioral health care, diagnostic care including routine screenings, and acute care services and that services may be provided in person or through telemedicine. The bill also requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services to provide technical assistance to the Department of Education and local school divisions to facilitate their understanding of and compliance with federal ordering, referring, and prescribing (ORP) provider screening and enrollment requirements.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Department of Medical Assistance Services; school-based health services; telemedicine.21102675D
Patron: McClellan
Child care providers; background check portability; subsidy pilot program; report. Exempts prospective employees and volunteers of certain child care providers from statutory background check requirements where the individual completed a background check within the previous five years, provided that (i) such background check was conducted after July 1, 2017; (ii) the results of such background check indicated that the individual had not been convicted of any barrier crime and was not the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect; and (iii) the individual is an employee or volunteer of a child care provider that is subject to background check requirements or has been separated from such employment or volunteer position for not more than 180 days. The bill requires such child care providers, prior to hiring or allowing to volunteer any individual without the completion of a background check, to obtain written certification that such individual satisfies all such requirements and is eligible to serve as an employee or volunteer. The bill also directs the Department of Education (the Department) to establish a two-year pilot program for the purpose of stabilizing and improving the quality of services provided in the Commonwealth's child care industry. The bill provides that under the pilot program a fixed sum of funds, based on the number of children served and certain other factors, will be disbursed to participating child care providers who agree to meet higher standards of quality and care, as determined by the Department. The bill requires the Department to report to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than December 1 of each year of the pilot program certain information set forth in the bill. The bill also requires the Department, in collaboration with the School Readiness Committee, to (a) identify and analyze financing strategies that can be used to support the systemic costs of high-quality child care services, ensure equitable compensation for child care staff, and better prepare children for kindergarten and (b) analyze the effectiveness of using a cost-of-quality modeling system for the child care subsidy program. The bill requires the Department to report its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than December 1, 2021.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 19.2-389, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, 22.1-289.035, as it shall become effective, 22.1-289.039, as it shall become effective, 63.2-1720.1, and 63.2-1724 of the Code of Virginia, relating to child care providers; background check portability; subsidy pilot program; report.21102634D
Patron: Dunnavant
Local school boards; open enrollment policy required. Requires all local school boards to establish and implement policies to provide for the open enrollment to any school of any student who is eligible to receive free or reduced lunch upon the request of a parent or guardian, subject to conditions and limitations established by the local school board.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-7.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to local school boards; open enrollment policy required.21102514D
Patron: Lucas
Pharmaceutical processors; cannabis products. Permits pharmaceutical processors to produce and distribute cannabis products other than cannabis oil. The bill defines the terms "botanical cannabis," "cannabis product," and "usable cannabis." The bill requires the Board of Pharmacy to establish testing standards for botanical cannabis and botanical cannabis products, establish a registration process for botanical cannabis products, and promulgate emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. The bill allows the Board of Pharmacy to assess and collect a one-time botanical cannabis regulatory fee from each pharmaceutical processor, not to exceed $50,000, to cover costs associated with the implementation of the provisions of the bill, including costs for new personnel, training, promulgation of regulations and guidance documents, and information technology.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 18.2-250.1, 54.1-2519, 54.1-2521, 54.1-2903, 54.1-3408.3, and 54.1-3442.5 through 54.1-3442.8 of the Code of Virginia, relating to pharmaceutical processors; cannabis products.21102491D
Patron: Kiggans
Hospitals, nursing homes, certified nursing facilities, hospices, and assisted living facilities; visits by clergy; public health emergency. Requires the Board of Health to include in regulations governing hospitals, nursing homes, certified nursing facilities and hospices and the Board of Social Services to include in regulations governing assisted living facilities a requirement that each hospital, nursing home, certified nursing facility, hospice, and assisted living facility allows patients or residents to receive visits from a rabbi, priest, minister, or clergyman of any religious denomination or sect upon request during a declared public health emergency related to a communicable disease of public health threat. The bill provides that any person visiting a patient or resident pursuant to this act shall comply with all reasonable requirements of the hospital, nursing home, certified nursing facility, hospice, or assisted living facility adopted to protect the health and safety of residents, patients, and staff.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 32.1-127, 32.1-162.5, and 63.2-1732 of the Code of Virginia, relating to hospitals, nursing homes, certified nursing facilities, hospices, and assisted living facilities; visits by clergy; public health emergency.
21101880D
Patron: Dunnavant
Local school divisions; core subject competency assessments. Directs each local school division to develop and administer a fall and winter diagnostic assessment and a spring growth measurement assessment to each student to assess the student's competency in each core subject, as determined by the Department of Education.
A BILL to direct local school divisions to develop and administer diagnostic and growth assessments to each student to assess core subject competency.21102515D
Patron: Lewis
Employers; reporting outbreaks of COVID-19; emergency. Requires employers to report for each worksite with 30 or more employees, or for any multi-employer worksite with 30 or more combined employees, to the local health department when the worksite has had three or more confirmed cases of COVID-19. The employer is required to make such report within 24 hours of becoming aware of such cases. The bill requires the State Department of Health to compile such reports and to make a weekly report available to the public with the compiled information. The bill contains an emergency clause.
A BILL to require employers to report outbreaks of COVID-19; emergency.21102087D
EMERGENCY
Patron: Pillion
Standards of Learning assessments; reduction; report. Reduces the total number and type of required Standards of Learning assessments to the minimum requirements established by the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended. The bill requires the Department of Education to annually report on the estimated projected and actual savings from the implementation of the bill and report the amount of such savings to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations no later than the first day of each Regular Session of the General Assembly. The bill also requires that such amount be included in the total for Direct Aid to Public Education in any general appropriation act.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-253.13:3 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Standards of Learning assessments; reduction; report.21100971D
Patron: Hanger
Department of Health; Eligible Health Care Provider Reserve Directory. Directs the Department of Health to establish an Eligible Health Care Provider Reserve Directory (the Directory) to collect information regarding eligible health care providers in the Commonwealth who are qualified and who may be available to assist in the response to a public health emergency. The Directory shall include the name, contact information, and licensure, certification, or registration type and status of the eligible health care provider or, if the eligible health care provider is a fourth-year medical student, academic standing and anticipated graduation date of the fourth-year medical student. Every health regulatory board of the Department of Health Professions, the Office of Emergency Medical Services of the Department of Health, and each medical school located in the Commonwealth shall provide such information to the Department of Health for inclusion in the Directory.
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 2 of Chapter 1 of Title 23.1 a section numbered 23.1-110, by adding in Article 3 of Chapter 1 of Title 32.1 a section numbered 32.1-23.3, and by adding a section numbered 54.1-2400.03, relating to Department of Health; Eligible Health Care Provider Reserve Directory.21100136D
Patron: McClellan
Department of Education; guidelines on excused student absences; civic or political engagement. Requires, subject to guidelines established by the Department of Education, any middle school or high school student who is absent from school to engage in a civic or political event to be granted an excused absence.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-254 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Department of Education; guidelines on excused student absences; civic or political engagement.
21102439D
Patron: Newman
Drug Control Act; Schedule I. Adds certain chemicals to Schedule I of the Drug Control Act. The Board of Pharmacy has added these substances to Schedule I in an expedited regulatory process. A substance added via this process is removed from the schedule after 18 months unless a general law is enacted adding the substance to the schedule.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 54.1-3446 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Drug Control Act; Schedule I.21103016D