Virginia Bills

Makes technical amendments to Title 51.1, Pensions, Benefits, and Retirement, including clarifying that medical boards may be composed of not only physicians but also other health care professionals and that the only federal civilian service eligible to be purchased as membership credit is full-time service. This bill is identical to

Clarifies the definition of electronic communication in the Virginia Freedom of Information Act by amending it to mean the use of technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities to transmit or receive information. This bill is a recommendation of the Freedom of Information Advisory Council.

Excludes from the mandatory disclosure provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act certain information held by the board of visitors of The College of William and Mary in Virginia (the board) relating to the acquisition, holding, or disposition of a security or other ownership interest in an entity, where such security or ownership interest is not traded on a governmentally regulated securities exchange, if disclosure of such information would reveal confidential analyses prepared for the board and have an adverse effect on the value of the investment to be acquired, held, or disposed of by the board. This bill is identical to

Establishes notice provisions and required procedures to be followed in the case of escrow funds held by a real estate broker in the event of termination of a real estate purchase contract. In addition, the bill requires that the curricula for new licensees of the Real Estate Board include real estate-related finance as one of the topics and requires the Board to establish guidelines for a post-license educational curriculum for real estate salespersons consisting of at least 30 hours of instruction to be completed within one year from the last day of the month in which the initial license was issued. The bill (i) adds to the curriculum for broker continuing education courses the requirement that at least two hours of instruction include an overview of broker supervision requirements under Virginia law and Board regulations and (ii) provides for the Board to develop a form for signature by the parties to a real estate transaction that advises the purchaser to review the residential property disclosure statement on the Board's website. The bill also clarifies that the Board is required to make the disclosure form mandated by the Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act (§ 55-517 et seq.) available on the Board's website. Provisions of the bill amending the curriculum and instruction requirements have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2019. This bill is identical to

Provides that a minor who is not represented by an attorney shall sign his pleading, motion, or other paper by his next friend. The bill further provides that either or both parents of such minor may sign on such minor's behalf as his next friend, unless such signature is otherwise prohibited by § 64.2-716 of the Uniform Trust Code.

Removes the Freedom of Information Act requirement that the remote locations from which members of a public body participate in meetings through electronic communication means be open to the public. Instead, members of the public must be provided an electronic communication means substantially equivalent to that provided to members of the public body through which the public may witness the meeting. The bill provides that public access to remote locations from which members of the public body participate through electronic communication means shall be encouraged but not required; however, if three or more members are gathered at the same remote location, such remote location must be open to the public. The bill also amends the annual reporting requirements for public bodies that meet by electronic communication means. This bill is a recommendation of the Freedom of Information Advisory Council.

Eliminates a requirement that the Auditor of Public Accounts (Auditor) audit certain entities annually. The bill provides for the Auditor to perform an audit for these entities as the Auditor determines necessary. This bill is identical to

Provides that all child support and spousal support case files shall be open to inspection only to the persons and agencies listed in the bill. The bill further provides that any other person, agency, or institution having a legitimate interest in such case files or the work of the court, by order of the court, may inspect the case files.

Extends until July 1, 2020, the authority of any municipality to issue bonds for the construction of certain public facilities and retain sales and use tax revenue generated within such facilities to pay off such bonds. Under current law, such authority expired on July 1, 2017.

Changes from every 12 months to a time period set by the Board of Accountancy the renewal requirement for licenses granted to provide the license holder the privilege of using the CPA title. The bill provides that any such license issued between the effective date of the bill and June 30, 2018, shall expire on June 30, 2019. The bill contains an emergency clause.