Excludes from the mandatory disclosure provisions of FOIA trade secrets, as defined in the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (§ 59.1-336 et seq.), submitted to the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy that identify the amount or concentration of chemicals or ingredients used to stimulate a well pursuant to § 45.1-361.29 or Department regulations concerning such ground-disturbing activities. The bill requires that for such records to be protected, the submitting party must (i) invoke this FOIA exclusion upon submission of the data or materials for which protection from disclosure is sought, (ii) identify the data or materials for which protection is sought, and (iii) state the reasons why protection is necessary. The bill requires the Department to determine whether the information claimed to be a trade secret is entitled to such protection.
Provides that all-terrain vehicles, mopeds, and off-road vehicles shall be subject to the motor vehicle sales and use tax but exempt from the retail sales and use tax. Current law provides that such vehicles are subject to the retail sales and use tax but exempt from the motor vehicle sales and use tax. The motor vehicle sales and use tax would be imposed at the same rate as the state and local sales and use tax: at a rate of 6.0% in Planning Districts 8 and 23 and 5.3% in the rest of the state. The revenues collected from the motor vehicle sales tax on all-terrain vehicles, mopeds, and off-road vehicles would be distributed in the same manner as the state and local retail sales and use tax.
Requires health insurers and other carriers to utilize the same drug pricing benchmark value to reimburse providers, to charge the sponsor of a health plan, and to develop premiums for a health benefit plan. The measure defines a drug pricing benchmark value as the base price of a prescription drug from which the carrier may deviate for reimbursement purposes.
Authorizes the Speaker of the House of Delegates to employ legal counsel to represent the General Assembly in instituting legal action against any federal authority if the federal authority unconstitutionally violates the sovereign rights of the Commonwealth, its agencies, or local governments or their agencies, and if the Attorney General fails to take legal action against such violations.