Virginia Bills

Provides that the Department of Health shall be responsible for stroke care quality improvement initiatives in the Commonwealth. Such initiatives shall include (i) establishing systems to collect data and information about stroke care in the Commonwealth, (ii) facilitating information and data sharing and collaboration among hospitals and health care providers to improve the quality of stroke care in the Commonwealth, (iii) requiring the application of evidence-based treatment guidelines for transitioning patients to community-based follow-up care following acute treatment for stroke, and (iv) establishing a process for continuous quality improvement for the delivery of stroke care by the statewide system for stroke response and treatment. The bill also directs the Department of Health to convene a group of stakeholders, which shall include representatives of (a) hospital systems, including at least one hospital system with at least six or more stroke centers in the Commonwealth, recommended by the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association; (b) the Virginia Stroke Systems Task Force; and (c) the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, to advise on the implementation of stroke care quality improvement initiatives. The provisions of the bill making the Department of Health responsible for stroke care quality improvement initiatives in the Commonwealth have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2019. This bill is identical to

Eliminates the requirement that pawnbrokers create a digital image of the form of identification used if the form of identification is a United States military issued identification or other form of identification included under 18 U.S.C. § 701. The bill requires the person involved in the transaction to present an alternate government-issued identification card bearing the photograph of such person or the pawnbroker to take a photograph of such person.

Adds Caroline County to the list of localities that are not required to establish a library board. This bill is identical to

Repeals an enactment clause that provides that the maximum tax rate that may be assessed on insurance carriers or self-insured employers for the purpose of funding workers' compensation benefits that are awarded against uninsured employers from the Uninsured Employer's Fund will revert from 0.5 percent to 0.25 percent on July 1, 2018. Repealing the enactment will maintain the maximum rate at its current level of 0.5 percent.

Provides that an employee of an organization that provides outdoor educational experiences or programs for youth who is authorized by a prescriber and trained in the administration of epinephrine may possess and administer epinephrine and provides liability protection for such employees.

Allows the Virginia Department of Transportation (Department) to issue land use permits to the owner of a private residence or business for water and sewer service to cross the Department's right-of-way when no viable alternative exists to provide potable water or to transfer sewer effluent to a qualified drain field as long as the utilities are marked in accord with requirements established by the Department. Currently, the Department may issue land use permits only to a public service company, a company owning or operating an interstate natural gas pipeline, a franchised cable television systems operator, a company that has registered as an operator and has provided proper notification, or a person providing utility service solely for his own agricultural or residential use when the utilities are located on the property owned by the person.

Provides that a permitted manufacturer, wholesale distributor, warehouser, nonresident warehouser, third-party logistics provider, or nonresident third-party logistics provider or registered nonresident manufacturer or nonresident wholesale distributor (the provider) may deliver a Schedule VI prescription device directly to an ultimate user or consumer, provided that the provider is delivering on behalf of and has entered into an agreement with (i) a medical equipment supplier that has received a valid order from a prescriber authorizing the dispensing of the Schedule VI prescription device or (ii) a medical director of a home health agency, nursing home, assisted living facility, or hospice who has requested the distribution of the Schedule VI prescription device to be administered by persons authorized to administer such devices. The bill directs the Board of Pharmacy to promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of the measure within 280 days. This bill is identical to

Provides that the commissioners of the Workers' Compensation Commission, for purposes of constituting a quorum, shall include any deputy commissioner or retired commissioner who is appointed or recalled, respectively, to fill a vacancy on the Commission.

Requires real estate teams as defined in the bill to obtain a business entity salesperson's license from the Real Estate Board (the Board). The bill requires a principal broker to obtain a branch office license from the Board for each place of business maintained by such principal broker within the Commonwealth. The bill also expands the responsibilities of supervising brokers as defined in the bill and requires that as a condition of the renewal of a branch office license, the supervising broker shall provide to the Board the name and license number of each real estate licensee affiliated with the branch office at the time of the renewal. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2019. This bill is identical to

Requires local departments of social services to notify the Superintendent of Public Instruction without delay (i) when an individual holding a license issued by the Board of Education is the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect and (ii) if the founded complaint of child abuse or neglect is dismissed on appeal. This bill is identical to

Exempts from licensure any child day program that is offered by a local school division, staffed by local school division employees, and attended by children who are at least four years of age and are enrolled in a preschool program within such school division. The bill provides that such programs shall be subject to safety and supervisory standards established by the local school board. This bill is identical to