Study; Department of Health Professions; expanding scope of practice for physician assistants; report. Directs the Department of Health Professions to conduct a study on expansion of the scope of practice for physician assistants in the Commonwealth as a means to increase autonomy in the profession. In addition to reviewing the education and training requirements for physician assistants in the Commonwealth and the other states, the study includes an analysis of the costs and benefits to patients of increased autonomy for physician assistants. The Department is directed to submit a report with its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2025.
Legal duty; action for damages for legal malpractice concerning estate planning; third parties to an attorney-client contract. Provides that an attorney does not owe a legal duty to a person other than the client for the purpose of the client's estate planning, including the provision of legal advice or the preparation of legal documents, unless the client and attorney enter into a signed, written agreement expressly allowing for such. The bill provides that its provisions are declarative of existing law. The bill also repeals the provisions under current law that specify the statute of limitations for legal malpractice actions relating to contracts for legal services concerning estate planning and the tolling of such statute of limitations. This bill is a recommendation of the Boyd-Graves Conference and is identical to HB 2174.
Commission on Women's Health established; report. Establishes the Commission on Women's Health as a permanent commission in the legislative branch of state government for the purpose of studying and making recommendations on issues related to women's and maternal health. The Commission consists of 15 members, 10 of whom are legislative members and five of whom are nonlegislative citizen members with significant experience or expertise in women's or maternal health policy.
Mineral Mine Safety Act; definition of "surface mineral mine"; mine inspectors; certificate renewal; use of cyanide or cyanide compound. Amends the definition of "surface mineral mine" in the Mineral Mine Safety Act to exclude excavation or grading when conducted solely in aid of onsite farming or construction and under certain conditions enumerated in the bill. The bill amends the definition of "mining" in existing law, relating to the exemption from permits for a mining operation, to extend the required completion time from six months to one year for excavation or grading conducted to construct or expand a farm pond for agricultural irrigation or provision of water for livestock. The bill also amends the qualification requirements for mineral mine inspectors, removes references to the defunct Board of Mineral Mining Examiners, and prohibits the issuance of any permit for a mineral mining or processing operation that includes the use of cyanide or a cyanide compound. This bill is identical to HB 1887.
Department of Medical Assistance Services; remote patient monitoring; high-risk pregnant patients. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to amend its regulations, guidance, and provider manuals to clarify that remote patient monitoring services for high-risk pregnant patients include pregnant patients with maternal diabetes and maternal hypertension. The bill requires the Department to submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2025, on the number of persons receiving remote patient monitoring services for maternal diabetes and maternal hypertension and the cost of providing such services.
Educational opportunities for children of certain federal employees; expansion of policies to students transferring from foreign countries. Expands the provisions of law relating to educational opportunities for students of certain federal employees to include students of certain federal employees who are transferring from a school in a foreign country to a school division in the Commonwealth by establishing definitions for the terms "foreign education agency" and "sending country" and utilizing such terms throughout such provisions of law.
Invasive plant species; retail sales. Requires, for the retail sale of certain invasive plant species for outdoor use, a retail establishment to post in a conspicuous manner on the property located in proximity to each invasive plant signage identifying such plant as invasive, educating consumers regarding invasive plant species, and encouraging consumers to ask about alternatives. The bill requires the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to designate the format, size, and content of such signage no later than October 1, 2025, and requires the Commissioner to issue a stop sale order and mark or tag a plant in a conspicuous manner when an invasive plant is for sale at a retail establishment without appropriate signage. In such case, the bill requires the Commissioner to give written notice of a finding made to the owner, tenant, or person in charge of such retail establishment and requires the stop sale order issued to remain in effect until the required signage is posted. Certain provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 1166.
Opioid antagonists; dispensing and administration by person acting on behalf of an organization. Permits persons acting on behalf of an organization that provides services to individuals at risk of experiencing an opioid overdose or training in the administration of naloxone or other opioid antagonists to dispense other opioid antagonists. The bill also allows persons to whom other opioid antagonists are dispensed to possess and administer such opioid antagonists. Under current law, persons acting on behalf of such organizations may only dispense naloxone. This bill incorporates SB 790 and is identical to HB 1637.
Animal testing facility operated by a state agency; nonhuman primates. Requires any animal testing facility operated by a state agency that no longer has need for a nonhuman primate, as defined in the bill, in its possession to consider options for and determine the appropriate care and treatment of such nonhuman primate in consultation with the facility's attending veterinarian, which options shall include offering for release such nonhuman primate to a certified sanctuary, defined in the bill. The bill allows an animal testing facility to enter into an agreement with the certified sanctuary to implement the release of such nonhuman primate.
Eviction Diversion Pilot Program; name change; general application; expiration repealed. Renames the Eviction Diversion Pilot Program as the Eviction Diversion Program, removes the July 1, 2025, expiration date from the Program, and makes the Program available to all general district courts. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Housing Commission. This bill is identical to SB 830.
Local comprehensive plan; tiny homes; accessory dwelling units. Clarifies that the comprehensive plan prepared by a local planning commission and adopted by a local governing body may include the use of tiny homes and accessory dwelling units, defined in the bill, as part of any residential development and use designated within such plan. The bill contains technical amendments. This bill incorporates HB 1832.
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Act; report. Directs the Department of Health, in collaboration with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Department of Education, to convene a work group to develop a plan to (i) create a mental health screening and assessment tool for children in early childhood care and (ii) provide mental health consultation resources and training to early childhood education providers, pediatric health providers, and families. The work group shall report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by November 1, 2025.
