Virginia Bills

Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to include in its annual report on the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Program information on the wages of students who have completed noncredit workforce training programs, organized by credential name and relevant industry sector and including average wage and other relevant information.

Provides that the requestor of medical records or papers has the option of specifying in which format the records or papers are to be produced. The bill allows a health care provider to produce such records or papers in paper or other hard copy format if the items are requested to be produced in electronic format, but the health care provider does not maintain such items in an electronic format or have the capability to produce items in an electronic format. The bill increases from 15 to 30 days the time allowed for health care providers to comply with a request received for records or papers. The bill imposes maximum charges for the production of requested medical records or papers, which vary depending on the format in which the records are produced. The bill sets a maximum total fee of $150 for requests made on or after July 1, 2017, but before July 1, 2021, and $160 for requests made on or after July 1, 2021. The bill directs a provider to comply with a subpoena duces tecum by returning the specified records or papers either on the return date on the subpoena, or five days after receipt of a certification sent by the issuing party, whichever is later. If a court finds that such records or papers are not produced (i) for a reason other than compliance with privacy requirements or (ii) due to an inability to retrieve or access such records or papers, the subpoenaing party shall be entitled to a rebuttable presumption that expenses and attorney fees related to the failure to produce such records shall be awarded by the court.

Authorizes the Superintendent of State Police to provide, upon request, verification of the inspection status of a vehicle and to charge a reasonable fee for providing such information. Fees shall not be charged to government or other public entities. This bill is identical to

Requires the Department of Planning and Budget to revise and reissue its economic impact analysis within the time limits set forth for the Department's review of regulations at the final stage pursuant to the Governor's executive order for executive branch review if one of the following conditions is present and would materially change the Department's analysis: (i) public comment timely received at the proposed stage indicates significant errors in the economic impact analysis or (ii) there is a significant or material difference between the agency's proposed economic impact analysis and the anticipated negative economic impacts to the business community as indicated by public comment. The bill provides that the determination as to whether either such condition is present shall be made by the Department and shall not be subject to judicial review. The bill contains an emergency clause. This bill is identical to

Provides that unless expressly authorized by the Condominium Act or the condominium instruments or as otherwise provided by law, no unit owners' association may require the use of any for sale sign that is a unit owners' association sign, or a real estate sign that does not comply with the requirements of the Real Estate Board. A unit owners' association may, however, prohibit the placement of signs in the common area and establish reasonable rules and regulations that regulate (i) the number of real estate signs to be located on real property upon which the owner has a separate ownership interest or a right of exclusive possession, so long as at least one real estate sign is permitted; (ii) the geographical location of real estate signs on real property in which the owner has a separate ownership interest or a right of exclusive possession, so long as the location of the real estate signs complies with the requirements of the Real Estate Board; (iii) the manner in which real estate signs are affixed to real property; and (iv) the period of time after settlement when the real estate signs on such real property shall be removed. The bill also prohibits a unit owners' association from requiring any unit owner to execute a formal power of attorney if the unit owner designates a person licensed by the Real Estate Board to serve as his authorized representative in the sale of a unit. In addition, the bill authorizes the Common Interest Community Board to assess a monetary penalty against a unit owners' association or common interest community manager for the failure to deliver the resale certificate within 14 days. This bill is identical to

Provides that contracts and subcontracts awarded to employment services organizations shall be credited toward the small business, women-owned, and minority-owned business contracting and subcontracting goals of state agencies as well as state contractors. This bill is identical to

Authorizes any locality to adopt an ordinance requiring proper upkeep of running bamboo and prohibiting the spread of running bamboo from a landowner's property, with violations punishable by a civil penalty not to exceed $50 for a first violation and not to exceed $200 for a subsequent violation within 12 months. The bill includes running bamboo in the "other foreign growth" category that current law allows localities to regulate and in some cases to cut. The bill also directs the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) to develop a model running bamboo ordinance and, with the Department of Forestry, to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding that clarifies the roles of the VDACS noxious weeds regulations and the work of the Virginia Invasive Species Working Group. Finally, the bill directs VDACS and DCR to examine the eligibility of certain plants for designation as noxious weeds. This bill is identical to

Provides that a landowner who has entered into an agreement with a public entity or nonprofit organization concerning the use of his land for public recreation shall be immune from liability to a member of the public arising out of the recreational use of the land.

Adds certain chemical substances 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. The bill also removes two substances, benzylfentanyl and thienylfentanyl, from Schedule I. The bill contains technical amendments. This bill is identical to