Department of Workforce Development and Advancement; Director. Changes the title of the Director of the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement to the Commissioner of Workforce Development and Advancement. The bill makes the Department, in consultation with the Governor, responsible for developing the formula for providing for 30 percent of WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker funds. Current law provides that the Virginia Community College System develops such formula in consultation with the Governor. The bill also makes the Office of Education and Labor Market Alignment, in consultation with the Virginia Board of Workforce Development, responsible for establishing the high-demand fields for which noncredit workforce training programs may be offered by eligible educational institutions.
Health insurance; coverage for doula care services. Requires health insurers, corporations providing health care subscription contracts, and health maintenance organizations whose policy, contract, or plan includes coverage for obstetrical services to provide coverage for doula care services provided by a state-certified doula. The bill requires such coverage to include coverage for at least eight visits during the antepartum or postpartum period and support during labor and delivery. The bill provides that health insurance carriers are (i) not required to pay for duplicate services actually rendered by both a state-certified doula and another health care provider and (ii) prohibited from requiring supervision, signature, or referral by any other health care provider as a condition of reimbursement for doula care services, except when those requirements are also applicable to other categories of health care providers. Such provisions of the bill are subject to a reenactment clause. The bill also requires the Health Insurance Reform Commission to consider coverage for doula care services in its review of the essential health benefits benchmark plan and to include such coverage in its recommendation to the General Assembly unless a compelling reason for excluding such coverage is identified. This bill is identical to HB 935.
All-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles; seizure, impounding, and disposition. Authorizes the governing body of any city to provide by ordinance for the lawful seizure, impounding, and disposition of an illegally operated all-terrain vehicle or off-road motorcycle operated on a highway or sidewalk within such city. This bill is identical to HB 234.
Special education and related services; definitions; records retention; duties of Department of Education; parent engagement specialists; professional development; education preparation program coursework. Makes several changes relating to special education and related services for children with disabilities in public elementary and secondary schools in the Commonwealth, including requiring (i) the Department of Education to (a) review and update all forms and worksheets relating to referral, evaluation, reevaluation, and eligibility, and to review and update guidance on the implementation of all such forms and worksheets; (b) develop guidance for students and parents on and processes relating to the alternative path to earning a standard diploma through credit accommodations, including special permission credit accommodations for locally awarded verified credits; and (c) review and consider updating its regulations to include parent and student input as required content in an individualized education program (IEP), define "short-term objectives" for the purpose of IEP content, and include, as appropriate, short-term objectives derived from measurable goals as content in an IEP; (ii) each public elementary or secondary school, after a child with a disability graduates from, ages out of, or otherwise leaves any such school, to retain the special education records of such child for at least seven years; (iii) each education preparation program offered by a public or private institution of higher education or alternative certification program that provides training for any student seeking initial licensure by the Board of Education with certain endorsements as specified in the bill to (a) include a program of coursework and require all such students to demonstrate mastery in instructional practices to support specially designed instruction, as that term is defined in the bill, in inclusive settings and (b) ensure that coursework and, as available, field practice opportunities that build knowledge of instructional practices to support specially designed instruction in inclusive settings are a focus of the education preparation program; and (iv) each school board to notify the parent of any student with disabilities who has an IEP and who fails to meet the graduation requirements of such student's right to a free and appropriate education to age 21, as provided in relevant law.The bill requires the Department of Education to submit to the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by November 1, 2024 an initial report on its progress toward improving services to students with disabilities, including estimated costs, requirements, and the timeline to implement a Virginia Individualized Education Program data system and template and plans, estimated costs, and timelines for the implementation of other provisions of the bill relating to the development and provision of high quality professional development and instructional practices to support the provision of specially designed instruction in inclusive settings. The bill also requires each school board to adopt by January 1, 2028 policies relating to the utilization of the components of the Virginia Individualized Education Program data system and template or a local alternative. Finally, the bill directs the Virginia Commission on Youth to study and make recommendations to the General Assembly by November 1, 2025 on Virginia's special education dispute resolution system.
Xylazine; manufacturing; selling; giving; distributing; possessing; veterinary use exemption; penalties. Provides that any person who knowingly manufactures, sells, gives, distributes, or possesses with the intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute the substance xylazine, when intended for human consumption, is guilty of a Class 5 felony. Under the bill, any person who knowingly possesses xylazine, when intended for human consumption, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Under the bill, it is not an offense to (i) manufacture xylazine for legitimate veterinary use; (ii) distribute or sell xylazine for authorized veterinary use; (iii) possess, administer, prescribe, or dispense xylazine in good faith for use by animals within the course of legitimate veterinary practice; or (iv) possess or administer xylazine pursuant to a valid prescription from a licensed veterinarian. This bill is identical to HB 1187.
Pari-mutuel wagering; historical horse racing; percentage retained for distribution. Provides that with respect to all authorized historical horse racing terminals, of the amount that a horse racing licensee retains from wagering on historical horse racing pools, 0.025 percent shall be provided to each of the following: (i) the Virginia Breeders Fund; (ii) the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, for its equine programs; (iii) the Virginia Horse Center Foundation; and (iv) the Virginia Horse Industry Board. The bill also provides that, in addition to the amount horse racing licensees distribute to localities and the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund under current law, such licensees shall distribute the remainder of the percentage retained to the Commonwealth as a license tax. This bill is identical to HB 843.
Department of Motor Vehicles; fees. Reducesthe fee for the issuance of an original, duplicate, reissue, or renewal special identification card without a photograph; authorizes theDepartment of Motor Vehicles to negotiate with the Department ofHealth to retain a portion of the $12 fee for each copy of a vitalrecord that the Department of Motor Vehicles issues in lieu of collectingthe $2 processing fee required by current law; and removes fees specificto transportation network companies for certificates issued by theDepartment of Motor Vehicles and provides that such companies aresubject to the same fees that apply to all applicants for originallicenses, permits, or certificates and transfer of a license or certificate.
Days of operation of clerks' offices; clerks'authority to close office. Allows the clerk of the circuit courtof any county or city to close the clerk's office on (i) ChristmasEve; (ii) any day when such clerk determines that operation of theclerk's office, under prevailing conditions, would constitute a threatto the health and safety of the clerk's office personnel or the generalpublic; (iii) any day or portion of a day that the Governor declaresas a holiday for state employees; and (iv) any day or portion ofa day on which the Governor, Supreme Court, or Judicial Council authorizesstate offices to be closed. Under current law, the clerk may onlyclose the clerk's office once a judge authorizes such clerk to doso.
Hospitals; emergency departments; licensed physicians. Requires any hospital with an emergency department to have at least one licensed physician on duty and physically present at all times. Current law requires such hospitals to have a licensed physician on call, though not necessarily physically present on the premises, at all times. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025 and is identical to HB 353.
School boards; employment verification; timing. Requires each school board to respond within 10 working days of receiving a request for employment verification of a former employee of the school board when such verification is sought by another school board. The bill defines working day as every day except Saturdays, Sundays, and legal state and federal holidays. This bill is identical to HB 355.
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; public institutions of higher education; policies for establishing eligibility for accommodations; report. Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, in consultation with representatives of public institutions of higher education, disability advocacy organizations, students enrolled at public institutions of higher education, higher education disability accommodation professionals, and a subject matter expert, to (i) study the processes by which each public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth determines the eligibility for accommodations of an admitted or enrolled student with a temporary or permanent disability, (ii) identify in such processes any potential barriers to establishing eligibility, and (iii) make recommendations on reducing any such barriers and on the development and establishment of a uniform accommodations eligibility determination in the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to HB 509.
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Potato Board; membership. Reduces from seven to five the number of members that serve on the Potato Board. The bill provides that the terms of persons serving as members of the Potato Board prior to the effective date of the bill shall expire on the effective date of the bill and that five members shall be appointed in accordance with the staggered terms set out in the bill.
