Requires, for ophthalmic prescriptions written on or after July 1, 2017, that an ophthalmologist or optometrist establish a bona fide provider-patient relationship with a patient prior to prescribing spectacles, eyeglasses, lenses, or contact lenses, and sets out requirements for establishing such relationship, which includes options for examination of the patient either in person or through face-to-face interactive, two-way, real-time communication or store-and-forward technologies. This bill is identical to
Allows a person who is authorized by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to train individuals on the administration of naloxone for use in opioid overdose reversal and who is acting on behalf of an organization that provides services to individuals at risk of experiencing opioid overdose or training in the administration of naloxone for overdose reversal and that has obtained a controlled substances registration from the Board of Pharmacy pursuant to § 54.1-3423 to dispense naloxone to a person who has completed a training program on the administration of naloxone for opioid overdose reversal, provided that such dispensing is (i) pursuant to a standing order issued by a prescriber, (ii) in accordance with protocols developed by the Board of Pharmacy in consultation with the Board of Medicine and the Department of Health, and (iii) without charge or compensation. The bill also provides that dispensing may occur at a site other than that of the controlled substance registration, provided that the entity possessing the controlled substance registration maintains records in accordance with regulations of the Board of Pharmacy. The bill further provides that a person who dispenses naloxone shall not be liable for civil damages of ordinary negligence for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such treatment if he acts in good faith and that a person to whom naloxone has been dispensed pursuant to the provisions of the bill may possess naloxone and may administer naloxone to a person who is believed to be experiencing or about to experience a life-threatening opioid overdose. The bill contains an emergency clause. This bill is identical to
Requires any individual participating in the Fostering Futures program to undergo a background check, which includes submitting to fingerprinting and a national criminal history record check. The bill provides that the results of such background check shall be used for the sole purpose of determining whether other children should be placed or remain in the same foster home as the individual subject to the background check. The bill defines "individual participating in the Fostering Futures program" as a person who is 18 years of age or older but has not reached 21 years of age and is receiving foster care services through the Fostering Futures program.
Approved by Governor-Chapter 211 (effective 7/1/17)
Authorizes any locality to adopt an ordinance requiring proper upkeep of running bamboo and prohibiting the spread of running bamboo from a landowner's property, with violations punishable by a civil penalty not to exceed $50 for a first violation and not to exceed $200 for a subsequent violation within 12 months. The bill includes running bamboo in the "other foreign growth" category that current law allows localities to regulate and in some cases to cut. The bill also directs the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) to develop a model running bamboo ordinance and, with the Department of Forestry, to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding that clarifies the roles of the VDACS noxious weeds regulations and the work of the Virginia Invasive Species Working Group. Finally, the bill directs VDACS and DCR to examine the eligibility of certain plants for designation as noxious weeds. This bill is identical to
Broadens the definition of "adult exploitation" for the purposes of social services laws to include the unauthorized, improper, or fraudulent use of an adult 60 years of age or older, or 18 years of age or older who is incapacitated, or his funds, property, benefits, or other assets for the benefit of another, including a caregiver or person serving in a fiduciary capacity, or that deprives the adult of his rightful use of or access to such funds, property, benefits, or other assets. The bill provides that "adult exploitation" includes (i) an intentional breach of a fiduciary obligation to an adult to his detriment or an intentional failure to use the financial resources of an adult in a manner that results in neglect of such adult; (ii) the acquisition, possession, or control of an adult's financial resources or property through the use of undue influence, coercion, or duress; and (iii) forcing or coercing an adult to pay for goods or services or perform services against his will for another's profit, benefit, or advantage if the adult did not agree, or was tricked, misled, or defrauded into agreeing, to pay for such goods or services or to perform such services. In addition, the requirement that such adult 60 years of age or older be incapacitated is removed from the definition, and the bill amends the definitions of "adult abuse," "adult neglect," and "adult protective services" to apply to adults 60 years of age or older, or 18 years of age or older who are incapacitated. The bill also broadens the definition of "financial institution staff" for the purposes of protecting aged or incapacitated adults to include any employee, agent, qualified individual, or representative of a bank, trust company, savings institution, loan association, consumer finance company, credit union, investment company, investment advisor, securities firm, accounting firm, or insurance company.
Allows comprehensive community colleges in the Virginia Community College System to administer the in-vehicle component of driver instruction to students enrolled in a commercial driver training course offered by such community college who have failed the behind-the-wheel examination or general knowledge examination for a commercial driver's license three times. The bill requires that after such additional training, the Department of Motor Vehicles only shall administer the applicable exam. The bill requires that comprehensive community colleges offering such coursework meet certain standards as established by the Department and that the Department notify such comprehensive community colleges and similarly affected schools of course curriculum requirements and notify such colleges and schools if new topics are added to the mandatory curriculum. Such comprehensive community colleges and affected schools shall have 45 days to comply and update their course curriculum with the relevant changes.
Directs local departments of social services to ensure that any individual who was in foster care on his eighteenth birthday is enrolled, unless the individual objects, in the Commonwealth's program of medical assistance, provided that such individual is eligible to receive such health care services and was enrolled in such program on his eighteenth birthday. The bill requires local departments to provide basic information about such health care services and inform such individuals that, if eligible, they will be enrolled in the Commonwealth's program of medical assistance unless they object. The bill directs the State Board of Social Services to promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources (the Secretary) to convene a work group to study barriers to treatment of substance-exposed infants in the Commonwealth. Such work group shall include representatives of the Departments of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and Health and Social Services and such other stakeholders as the Secretary may deem appropriate and shall (i) review current policies and practices governing the identification and treatment of substance-exposed infants in the Commonwealth; (ii) identify barriers to treatment of substance-exposed infants in the Commonwealth, including barriers related to identification and reporting of such infants, data collection, interagency coordination and collaboration, service planning, service availability, and funding; and (iii) develop legislative, budgetary, and policy recommendations for the elimination of barriers to treatment of substance-exposed infants in the Commonwealth. The Secretary shall report his findings to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2017. The bill contains an emergency clause.
Extends the expiration of the Joint Commission on Health Care from July 1, 2018, to July 1, 2022. This bill is identical to
Directs the Department of Social Services, in coordination with the Commission on Youth, to develop a process and standardized survey to gather feedback from children aging out of foster care.
Moves the requirement that a child be a citizen or legal resident of the United States from the definition of "child with special needs" to the eligibility criteria for the adoptive parents of such child to receive adoption assistance. The bill modifies the exception to the eligibility requirement that efforts be made to place the child in an adoptive home without the provision of adoption assistance to include consideration of the child's best interest due to factors such as the child's development of significant emotional ties with his foster parents while in their care, provided that the foster parents wish to adopt the child. Under current law, the exception is limited to situations in which the child has developed emotional ties with his foster parents and the foster parents wish to adopt the child. The bill modifies other requirements for a child with special needs to receive certain types of adoption assistance and for a child who is between the ages of 18 and 21 to receive adoption assistance. The bill also provides that a representative of the Department of Social Services shall negotiate all adoption assistance agreements with both existing and prospective adoptive parents on behalf of local departments of social services.
