Specialty dockets; veterans docket. Providesthat any veterans docket authorized and established as a local specialtydocket in accordance with the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginiashall be deemed a "Veterans Treatment Court Program," as that termis used under federal law or by any other entity, for the purposesof applying for, qualifying for, or receiving any federal grants,other federal money, or money from any other entity designated toassist or fund such state programs. The bill contains an emergencyclause.
Public institutions of higher education; in-state tuition; children of active duty service members or veterans. Provides that any child of an active duty member or veteran who claims Virginia as his home state and filed Virginia tax returns for at least 10 years during active duty service is eligible for in-state tuition charges, regardless of domicile. The provisions of the bill are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act.
Telephone privacy protection. Requires atelephone solicitor to immediately disclose who is calling and whatproperty, good, or service is being offered. The measure also prohibitscaller ID spoofing, which is defined in the bill as causing any calleridentification service to transmit caller identification informationthat represents or states that the call originates from a telephonewith an area code assigned to an area in the Commonwealth or froma location in the Commonwealth if the person on whose behalf thetelephone solicitation call is being made does not conduct business from a location in the Commonwealth. Themeasure prohibits a telephone solicitor from making a telephone solicitationcall or the use of an automatic dialing-announcing device in connectionwith making a call to any subscriber who has registered with theVirginia Do Not Call Registry. The measure requires the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to set up by January1, 2021, the Virginia Do Not Call Registry for subscribers who wishto block all solicitation calls and calls that use or are made in connection with automatic dialing-announcing devices.
Department of Emergency Management; responsibilitiesof political subdivisions; provision of emergency preparedness informationto individuals with limited English proficiency, disabilities, orother special needs. Directs the Department of Emergency Management(the Department) to ensure that the model school crisis and emergencymanagement plan developed by the Board of Education in consultationwith the Department is designed to include and reach individualswith limited English proficiency, disabilities, and other specialneeds. The bill also directs the Department to develop an emergencyresponse plan to (i) address the needs of such individuals in theevent of a disaster, including the provision of competent interpretationservices and translated documents, and (ii) assist and coordinatewith local agencies in developing similar emergency response plansfor such individuals. The bill requires that every local and interjurisdictionalemergency management agency include in its emergency operations planprovisions to ensure that adequate and timely emergency relief assistance,including competent interpretation services and translated documents,is provided to such individuals. The bill requires the governingbody of each locality that is required to establish an alert and warningplan to ensure that such plan provides adequate and timely warningsfor such individuals. The bill contains technical amendments.
Fee for open-space preservation. Increases from $1 to $3 the fee for open-space preservation charged for every deed, deed of trust, contract, or other instrument admitted to record in those jurisdictions in which open-space easements are held by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. The bill also clarifies that the fee applies to any "deed, deed of trust, contract, or other instrument" admitted to record, replacing the term "deed."
Water protection permits; administrative withdrawal. Authorizes the State Water Control Board to administratively withdraw an individual or a general coverage water protection permit application if it is incomplete or for failure by the applicant to provide the required information after 60 days from the date of the latest written information request made by the Board. Prior to an administrative withdrawal, the bill requires the Board to provide (i) notice to the applicant and (ii) an opportunity for an informal fact-finding proceeding. The bill also authorizes an applicant to request suspension of an application review by the Board that does not affect the Board's ability to administratively withdraw the application.
Industrial hemp; federal regulations; adoption in Virginia. Directs the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services to conform the regulations of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to any federal regulation adopted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, immediately upon publication in the Federal Register, that materially expands opportunities for growing, producing, or dealing in industrial hemp in the Commonwealth. The bill exempts such regulatory amendments by the Board from the Administrative Process Act. The bill contains an emergency clause.
Charter; City of Norfolk; employees of officers; vagrants. Amends the charter for the City of Norfolk by changing from "election" to "appointment" the term used to describe the selection of certain officers by the city council and clarifying that employees of such officers serve at will. The bill also removes a provision authorizing the City to prevent persons having no visible means of support, paupers, and persons who may be dangerous to the peace or safety of the City from coming to the City and authorizing the City to expel such persons who have been in the City less than 90 days. This bill is identical to HB 749.
State and local correctional facilities; treatment ofprisoners known to be pregnant or who are parents of minor children. Providesfor rules and regulations regarding the treatment, control, and education of prisonersknown to be pregnant and prisoners who are parents of minor children in stateand local correctional facilities. The bill requires the Department ofCorrections to include in the training it provides for deputy sheriffs and jailofficers, state correctional officers, and juvenile correctional officers whomay have contact with pregnant inmates training on the general care of pregnantwomen and the impact of restraints, restrictive housing, and body cavitysearches on such inmates. The bill requires the Director of the Department ofCorrections, to the extent practicable, after accounting for security andcapacity factors, to place prisoners who are parents of minor children in afacility as close as possible to such children. The bill also provides that thesheriff, jail superintendent, or other jail administrator shall prescribe rulesfor local or regional jails to ensure that when physical contact is requiredbetween an officer and an inmate and when the inmate is required bycircumstances to disrobe, the officer shall be the same gender as the inmateand that such rules may allow for the suspension of such provisions during theperiod of a declared emergency. Additionally, when contact is required betweena jail or correctional officer and an inmate and when the inmate is required todisrobe and the officer is not the same gender as the inmate, the bill requiresthe officer to submit a written report to the official in charge of the stateor local correctional facility within 72 hours following the incident,containing the justification for the suspension of the requirement that suchinstance occur only during the period of a declared emergency. The bill furtherprovides that the Director of the Department of Corrections is authorized toprescribe reasonable rules regarding visitation that shall includeauthorization of visitation by minor dependents of prisoners who are parents ofminor children with Level 1 or Level 2 security classifications.
Circuit court clerk's fee; lodging of wills. Increases from $2 to $5 the fee that the circuit court clerk is required to charge for lodging, indexing, and preserving a will. This bill is identical to HB 305.
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; student advisory committee; Director of the Council. Changes the appointing authority for the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia's student advisory committee from the Council to the Director of the Council. The bill also directs the student advisory committee to report to the Director rather than to the Council.
Certificate of public need; criteria for determining need. Makes clear that in determining whether a public need for a proposed project has been demonstrated the State Health Commissioner shall consider the impact of the proposed project on all people to whom services may be provided and not only residents of the service area. This bill is identical to SB 279.
