Certain education preparation programs; self-audit; student literacy instruction and the identification of students at risk for learning disabilities; report. Requires each education preparation program offered by a public institution of higher education or private institution of higher education that has not yet been audited in accordance with relevant provisions of law to complete a self-audit for compliance with requirements set forth in relevant law relating to coursework, student mastery, and field experience in student literacy instruction and the identification of students at risk for learning disabilities utilizing a rubric developed and provided by the Department of Education, with metrics that analyze the degree to which it has met each such requirement, and to submit the results of such audit and a plan for closing any gaps to the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health no later than November 1, 2026.
Medicare supplement policies; annual open enrollment period. Requires an insurer, health services plan, or health maintenance organization issuing individual Medicare supplement policies or certificates in the Commonwealth to offer to an individual currently insured under any such policy an annual open enrollment period commencing on the day of the individual's birthday and remaining open for at least 60 days thereafter, during which time the individual may purchase any Medicare supplement policy made available by any insurer in the Commonwealth that offers the same benefits as those provided by the current coverage. The bill also requires such insurer, health services plan, or health maintenance organization to notify, at least 15 days but not more than 30 days prior to the commencement of such annual open enrollment period, each individual to whom such open enrollment period applies of the dates of that open enrollment period, the rights of the individual during that open enrollment period, and any modification of benefits provided by or adjustment of premiums charged for such Medicare supplement policy. This bill is identical to HB 2100.
Hospitals; reports of threats or acts of violence against health care providers. Requires hospitals in the Commonwealth to establish a workplace violence incident reporting system to document, track, and analyze any incident of workplace violence reported. The bill requires each hospital to (i) report the data collected via the reporting system to the chief medical officer and the chief nursing officer of such hospital on, at minimum, a quarterly basis and (ii) send a report to the Department of Health on an annual basis that includes, at a minimum, the number of incidents of workplace violence voluntarily reported by an employee. The bill also requires the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, in collaboration with the Department of Criminal Justice Services, to convene a stakeholder work group for the purpose of making recommendations on the workplace violence system and policies adopted pursuant to the bill. This bill is identical to HB 2269.
Claims; Gilbert Merritt III; compensation for wrongful incarceration. Grants relief in an amount to be appropriated to Gilbert Merritt III, who was wrongly convicted of and subsequently incarcerated for first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Certified public accountant; educational requirements. Clarifies education and experience requirements for candidates to qualify for CPA licensure. The bill also provides that, to qualify for practice privileges within the Commonwealth, an individual must have a license in good standing in another jurisdiction and have passed the CPA examination. The bill directs the Board of Accountancy to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. The bill contains technical amendments. This bill is identical to HB 2042.
Threats of death or bodily injury or discharge of a firearm on school property; penalties. Clarifies that for crimes involving communicating in writing a threat to kill or do bodily injury, regardless of whether the person who is the object of such threat actually receives such threat, an electronically transmitted communication producing a visual or electronic message includes an email, a text message, or a message or post on any social media platform. The bill also clarifies that any person who communicates an oral threat of discharging a firearm within or on school property, at any school-sponsored event, or on a school bus and the threat would place the person who is the object of the threat, or is included in the threat, in reasonable apprehension of death or bodily harm is guilty of a Class 6 felony.
Public institutions of higher education; Department of Social Services; SNAP eligibility, applications, and participation; guidance, resources, and education. Requires the Department of Social Services (the Department) to (i) develop, annually update, and provide to each public institution of higher education in advance of the start of each school year an information sheet on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) with information relating to SNAP eligibility, applications, participation, requirements, and such other information as the Department deems necessary or appropriate, relevant to students enrolled in public institutions of higher education and (ii) provide information, resources, and education to certain faculty members employed by each public institution of higher education regarding opportunities for assisting students enrolled in public institutions of higher education with completing SNAP applications. The bill requires each public institution of higher education to ensure that such SNAP information sheet developed by the Department is provided to each student enrolled in such institution at the beginning of the fall semester of each school year or, in the case of any student who enrolls after the beginning of the fall semester, as soon as practicable after enrollment and is included in any orientation materials distributed to each new student.
Maximum number of judges in each judicial district. Increases by one the maximum number of general district court judges in the Ninth and Thirty-first Judicial Districts. The bill also increases by one the maximum number of juvenile and domestic relations district court judges in the Second Judicial District. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Committee on District Courts. This bill is identical to HB 2729.
Optometry; TPA-Formulary; TPA-Formulary Committee; dissolution. Dissolves the TPA-Formulary and the TPA-Formulary Committee. The TPA-Formulary is the list of the therapeutic pharmaceutical agents that a TPA-certified optometrist may prescribe. The TPA-Formulary Committee provides recommendations to the Board of Pharmacy regarding the therapeutic pharmaceutical agents to include on the TPA-Formulary for the treatment of diseases and abnormal conditions of the eye and its adnexa by TPA-certified optometrists. This bill is identical to HB 1898.
Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance prohibited; penalties. Removes the distinction between cocaine, which refers to powder cocaine, its salts, optical and geometric isomers, and salts of isomers and a mixture or substance that contains cocaine base, which refers to crack cocaine, for the offense of manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute a controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance. This bill is identical to HB 1955.
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; Department of Veterans Services; Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program; enrollment and eligibility data; report. Directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, in coordination with the Department of Veterans Services, to submit to the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the House Committee on Appropriations by November 1 of each year a report on (i) the number of individuals who are qualified survivors and dependents, as that term is defined in applicable law, and have been certified as eligible to participate in the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program but are not yet admitted to a public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth and (ii) the best available estimate of the total number of qualified survivors and dependents who are participating in the Program and enrolled in the fall semester at each public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth. This bill incorporates HB 1613.
Voter registration; time period for closing registration records before certain elections. Reduces from 21 to 10 days the number of days during which registration records are closed before primary and general elections and from 13 to 10 days the number of days during which registration records are closed before special elections that are not called by the Governor, Speaker of the House of Delegates, or President pro tempore of the Senate. This bill is identical to HB 1735.
