Sen. Lynn DeCoite

Transfers the investigators of the Criminal Investigation Division, Narcotics Enforcement Division, Office of Homeland Security Division, Office of the Inspector General Division, and Sheriff Division of the Department of Law Enforcement who are subject to the statutory law enforcement standards for the state law enforcement officers from collective bargaining unit (13) into collective bargaining unit (14).

Provides police officers who become members of the Employees' Retirement System after 6/30/2023 with retirement benefits similar to those provided for members of the Employees' Retirement System who became members before 7/1/2012, including but not limited to calculation of retirement allowance, minimum age or years of credited service requirements, and vesting period.

Authorizes a court to order the forfeiture of all of the Employees' Retirement System (ERS) benefits of an ERS member, former member, or retirant upon conviction of the individual for a felony related to the state or county employment of the individual.

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires the Department of Education to include the teaching of financial literacy in grades nine through twelve. Requires students in grades nine through twelve to complete one course in financial literacy before graduation. Requires the Board of Education to provide professional development to teachers who are teaching financial literacy courses. Requires the Board of Education to adopt administrative rules to implement financial literacy education curriculum and regularly review the financial literacy curricula plan. Authorizes the Board of Education to consult with other state and county agencies, private entities, and nonprofit organizations to disseminate information on financial literacy education resources.

Requires the Department of Health to construct, establish, and operate an environmental toxins testing laboratory to test samples submitted by the public for diseases; water, air, and soil quality; and complex testing. Allows the Director of Finance to issue general obligation bonds.

Prohibits the construction, modification, or expansion of any waste or disposal facility for hazardous waste or solid waste on land that is near or above a significant aquifer as determined by the Department of Health, in consultation with the Commission on Water Resource Management.

Prohibits a health insurer from requiring an insured diagnosed with stage two through stage five cancer to undergo step therapy prior to covering the insured for certain drugs prescribed by the insured's health care provider, under certain conditions.

Requires the Director of the Executive Office on Aging to work with health care providers to ensure that there are sufficient long-term care facilities on each island of the State. Makes an appropriation.

Establishes comprehensive standards for the department of education related to school bus services to ensure reasonable accommodation, equitable access, timely communication, and accountability.

Specifies that a recount of all ballots cast for any election shall occur if the official tabulation of all of the returns for that office or ballot question reveals that there is a difference equal to or less than one hundred votes, one-quarter of one per cent of the total number of ballots cast for the contest, or the margin of error for the tabulation method utilized, whichever is greater.