Electric utilities; retail competition; renewableenergy. Allows individual retail customers of an electric utilityto purchase electric energy provided 100 percent from renewable energyfrom any licensed supplier. The measure eliminates (i) provisionsthat prohibit such a purchase from a licensed supplier that is anincumbent electric utility that is not the incumbent electric utilityserving the exclusive service territory in which the customer islocated and (ii) a condition that permits such purchases only if the electric utility serving the applicable exclusive service territorydoes not offer a tariff for 100 percent renewable energy.
Infected sexual battery. Provides that,in order for a person to be convicted of infected sexual battery,such person (i) knew that he was infected at the time of the offensewith HIV, syphilis, or hepatitis B and (ii) knew that his infectionwas currently detectable and transmittable, and committed the offensewithout using a prophylactic barrier, including a condom or dentaldam.
Constitutional amendment (first resolution);immunity of legislators. Limits the immunity of legislators byallowing the arrest of a member of the General Assembly during thesessions of the respective houses upon issuance of process for arrestby a judge with authorization of the attorney for the Commonwealthor the law-enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense.
Fiscal impact statements. Requires the Departmentof Planning and Budget (the Department) or an agency designatedby the Department to prepare a fiscal impact statement for any bill and any amended version of a bill, except the Budget Bill and debtbills, that increases or decreases the total revenue available forappropriation or that establishes a new state program or initiative requiring an appropriation. The fiscal impact statement would includeanalysis of (i) the fiscal impact estimates, (ii) the impact onany state entity affected by the revenue increase or decrease orcharged with administering the new program or initiative, (iii) thepotential costs to citizens in terms of increased taxes, and (iv)any other information the Department or its designee deems appropriate.The bill also provides for each fiscal impact statement to be reviewedby the appropriate staff of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriationsand the House Committee on Appropriations prior to being heard bythe standing committee to consider the legislation.
Consideration of bills that create immunityfrom civil liability for physical injuries or death caused to a person.Requires that any bill that creates immunity from civil liabilityfor physical injuries or death caused to a person include an appropriationof $50,000 to the Department of Medical Assistance Services for theprovision of medical assistance services as a condition of consideration by the General Assembly. The bill requires that the $50,000 appropriationbe included in a final enactment clause to such bill that createsimmunity and requires the Department of Planning and Budget, in conjunctionwith other state agencies, to ensure that the fiscal impact statement for such bill states that the bill creates immunity from civil liabilityfor physical injuries or death caused to a person.
Offshore oil and gas drilling. Recognizesopposition to exploration and drilling for oil and gas off the coastof Virginia.
Legislation affecting local government expendituresand revenues. Requires legislation with a negative local fiscalimpact to be filed no later than the December 15 immediately precedingthe first day of a regular session of the General Assembly. If astanding committee of the General Assembly to which a bill is referredthat was not introduced by December 15 determines that a bill hasa negative local fiscal impact, the bill shall be rereferred to theHouse or Senate Committee on Rules as appropriate. If the Committeeon Rules determines that there is a negative local fiscal impact,the bill shall be ruled out of order. The bill also requires theCommission on Local Government to work with the Virginia Associationof Counties and the Virginia Municipal League to develop processes and procedures for a review of fiscal impact of legislation.
Certificate of public need; conditions; civil penalty. Defines "COPN-conditioned community care" as charity care provided to indigent persons and health care services to individuals eligible for benefits under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C § 1396 et seq. and (i) requires the Commissioner of Health to condition a certificate of public need on the agreement of the applicant to provide a level of community care to patients in the applicant's service area and establish the total amount of community care necessary to satisfy the condition; (ii) provides for imposition of a civil penalty of up to $100 per violation per day for failure to satisfy the conditions on a certificate of public need, but requires the Department of Health to waive the penalty in cases in which the certificate holder demonstrates, in accordance with regulations of the Board, that good faith efforts were made to comply with the conditions on a certificate but that the certificate holder was unable to satisfy the conditions of the certificate despite such good faith efforts; (iii) requires every certificate holder to develop a financial assistance policy that includes specific eligibility criteria and procedures for applying for charity care, which shall be provided to a patient at the time of admission or discharge or at the time services are provided, included with any billing statements sent to a patient, posted conspicuously in public areas of the medical care facility for which the certificate was issued, and posted on a website maintained by the certificate holder; and (iv) provides that when determining whether conditions imposed on a certificate of public need should be amended in response to a request submitted by the certificate holder, the Commissioner shall consider any changes in the circumstances of the certificate holder resulting from changes in the financing or delivery of health care services, including changes to the Commonwealth's program of medical assistance services, and any other specific circumstances of the certificate holder. The bill also requires the Department of Health to establish an expedited review for certain projects involving addition of imaging equipment, addition of a new ambulatory or outpatient surgery center, addition of operating rooms at an existing ambulatory or outpatient surgery center, and addition of psychiatric beds or conversion of existing beds at a medical care facility to psychiatric beds and requires the Board of Health to include in regulations governing the certificate of public need program a provision for the development of review criteria and standards for specific medical care facilities and health care services for each health planning region that take into account the unique needs and characteristics of such region.
Public institutions of higher education; admissions applications; criminal history. Prohibits each public institutionof higher education from (i) utilizing an institution-specific admissionsapplication that contains questions about the criminal history ofthe applicant; (ii) denying admission to any applicant on the basisof any criminal history information provided by the applicant onany third-party admissions application accepted by the institution;or (iii) otherwise inquiring about the criminal history of an applicantfor admission prior to the applicant receiving a conditional offerof acceptance from the institution.
Certificates of public need; civil penalty.Exempts specialized centers or clinics or that portion of a doctor'soffice established for the provision of ambulatory or outpatient ophthalmic, urologic, or endoscopic surgery from the definition ofmedical care facility and creates a new permitting process for projectsinvolving specialized centers or clinics or that portion of a doctor'soffice established for the provision of ophthalmic, urologic, orendoscopic surgery and services, subject to a civil penalty for failureor refusal to comply with certain conditions of the permit.
Confirming Governor's appointments; December1. Confirms appointments of certain persons made by GovernorRalph Northam and communicated to the General Assembly December 1,2019.
Authorization of volunteer school security officers by local school boards and private or religious schools. Authorizes volunteer school security officers to carry firearms at schools in performance of their duties.
