Adds defamation to the causes of action from which a citizen shall be immune when making statements (i) regarding matters of public concern to a third party or (ii) at a public hearing before the governing body of any locality or other political subdivision, or the boards, commissions, agencies, and authorities thereof, and other governing bodies of any local governmental entity. The bill further provides that the immunity does not apply to any statements made with actual or constructive knowledge that they are false, or with reckless disregard for whether they are false. This bill is identical to
Precludes a person who has been convicted of any felony defined as an act of violence from being eligible for first offender status for assault and battery against a family or household member unless the attorney for the Commonwealth does not object to the person being placed on first offender status. Under current law, only prior convictions for assault and battery against a family or household member serve as a disqualifier.
Provides relief in the amount of $1,548,439 to Keith Allen Harward, who was incarcerated from 1983 until 2016 after being convicted of first degree murder. In 2016 he was granted a Writ of Actual Innocence by the Supreme Court of Virginia based upon DNA evidence that excluded Mr. Harward as the perpetrator of the crime. Mr. Harward's relief would be paid as follows: (i) an initial lump sum of $309,688 to be paid within 60 days immediately following the execution of a release by Mr. Harward from any present or future claims he may have and (ii) the sum of $1,238,751 to purchase an annuity before October 1, 2017, for the primary benefit of Mr. Harward with the terms structured in his best interests. In addition, the bill entitles Mr. Harward to receive up to $10,000 for tuition for career and technical training within the Virginia Community College System. This bill is identical to
Establishes the Emergency Department Care Coordination Program in the Department of Health to provide a single, statewide technology solution that connects all hospital emergency departments in the Commonwealth to facilitate real-time communication and collaboration between physicians, other health care providers, and other clinical and care management personnel for patients receiving services in hospital emergency departments, for the purpose of improving the quality of patient care services. The bill does not become effective unless and until the Commonwealth receives federal Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act funds to implement its provisions. This bill is identical to
Directs the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, in consultation with the staff of the State Corporation Commission, to report annually, commencing no later than December 15, 2018, on the progress the Commonwealth is making toward meeting the goal adopted in 2007 of reducing the consumption of electric energy by retail customers by the year 2022 by an amount equal to 10 percent of the amount of electric energy consumed by retail customers in 2006. The bill requires the reports to be made to the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Governor's Executive Committee on Energy Efficiency.
Prioritizes debts owed for child support arrearages over debts and taxes due to localities and other, unenumerated claims against the estate of a decedent.
Provides an exception to the prohibition against contracts between employing agencies and their officers or employees for contracts by an officer or employee of a soil and water conservation district or an immediate family member of such officer or employee to participate in a cost-share program for the installation of best management practices to improve water quality. The exception does not apply to subcontracts or other agreements entered into to provide services for implementation of a cost-share contract established under such program. This bill is identical to
Requires, as a prerequisite for approval, that any out-of-state business applying with the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity for certification in Virginia as a small, women-owned, or minority-owned business possess the equivalent certification in the business's state of origin. The bill exempts an out-of-state business located in a state that does not have a small, women-owned, or minority-owned business certification program.
Authorizes an investor-owned electric utility to petition the State Corporation Commission for approval of a rate adjustment clause for recovery of the costs of a system or equipment upgrade, system or equipment replacement, or other cost reasonably appropriate to extend the combined operating license for, or the operating life of, nuclear generation facilities. The measure limits the scope of the requirement that a utility demonstrate that it has considered and weighed alternative options, including third-party market alternatives, in its selection process to certain new generation facilities. The measure provides that a utility's costs incurred in extending the combined operating license for, or the operating life of, a nuclear generation facility, which costs are prudently incurred prior to the Commission's entry of a final order on the petition, shall be deferred on the books and records of the utility until the later of the entry of a final order in the proceeding or until the implementation of any applicable approved rate adjustment clauses. The measure prohibits a utility, prior to January 1, 2020, from recovering through a rate adjustment clause certain costs related to extensions of the combined operating license for or the operating life of a nuclear generation facility. An enactment clause provides that costs recovered through the utility's rates for generation and distribution services as of January 1, 2017, that are associated with a utility's existing nuclear generation facilities are not recoverable through a specified rate adjustment clause.
Provides that certain oyster ground leaseholders in the Lynnhaven River are subject to the conduct of approved municipal dredging projects to restore existing navigation channels. The bill limits such projects to oyster grounds that are condemned, restricted, or otherwise nonproductive, and it requires the locality to compensate the lessee for the use of the ground. The bill directs that if the parties cannot agree on a compensation amount, a court of competent jurisdiction shall determine the value of the ground. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2019. This bill is identical to
Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (the Council) and each public institution of higher education to develop a passport credit program that will be offered at each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education. Under the program, each passport credit course shall satisfy a lower division general education requirement at any public institution of higher education. The bill requires the Council to develop such program by July 1, 2020, and each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education to offer such program by the 2020-2021 academic year.
Requires school service providers to provide, either directly to the student or his parent or through the school, access to an electronic copy of such student's personal information in a manner consistent with the functionality of the school service. The bill permits contracts between local school boards and school service providers to require that such electronic copy be in a machine-readable format.
