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.
Increases from four to eight the number of banquet licenses a brewery or winery may obtain for events in any one-year period, provided that the event for which a banquet license is obtained is (i) at a place approved by the Board and (ii) conducted for the purposes of featuring and educating the consuming public about beer or wine products, respectively. The bill also specifically provides that such wine or beer manufacturer is limited to eight banquet licenses for such events per year without regard to the number of wineries or breweries, respectively, owned or operated by such manufacturer or by any parent, subsidiary, or company under common control with such manufacturer. The bill contains a technical amendment.
Increases the maximum amount of civil penalties that may be assessed by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry for certain violations of occupational safety and health laws from $7,000 to $12,471 and for willful or repeated violations of such laws from $70,000 to $124,709. The measure also requires the Commissioner annually to increase the maximum civil penalty amounts, starting in 2018, by an amount that reflects the percentage increase, if any, in the consumer price index from the previous calendar year. This bill is identical to
Authorizes the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board to grant an annual mixed beverage performing arts facility license to persons operating food concessions at any performing arts facility located in the arts and cultural district of the City of Harrisonburg, provided that the performing arts facility (i) is occupied under a bona fide long-term lease or concession agreement, the original term of which was more than five years; (ii) has been rehabilitated in accordance with historic preservation standards; (iii) has monthly gross receipts from the sale of food cooked, or prepared, and consumed on the premises and nonalcoholic beverages served on the premises that meet or exceed the monthly minimum established by Board regulations for mixed beverage restaurants; and (iv) has a total capacity in excess of 900 patrons. Such license shall authorize the sale, on the dates of performances or private or special events, of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption in areas upon the licensed premises approved by the Board.
Imposes a $250 fine for willfully and intentionally violating the limitations for the use of farm use vehicles on a highway for a second or subsequent violation. Current law allows for a fine of up to $250 regardless of the number of previous violations.
Requires local departments of social services to collect information during a family assessment to determine whether the mother of a child who was exposed in utero to a controlled substance sought substance abuse counseling or treatment prior to the child's birth. The bill requires mandated reporters of suspected child abuse or neglect to make a report if a finding is made by a health care provider (i) within six weeks following a child's birth that the child was born affected by substance abuse or experiencing withdrawal symptoms resulting from in utero drug exposure; (ii) within four years following a child's birth that the child has an illness, disease, or condition that is attributable to maternal abuse of a controlled substance during pregnancy; or (iii) within four years following a child's birth that the child has a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder attributable to in utero exposure to alcohol. The bill provides that if a local department of social services receives a report or complaint of suspected child abuse or neglect on the basis of one or more of the aforementioned factors, the local department shall (a) conduct a family assessment, unless an investigation is required by law or is necessary to protect the safety of the child, and (b) develop a plan of safe care in accordance with federal law. The bill directs the State Board of Social Services to promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. This bill is identical to
Extends from taxable years prior to January 1, 2018, to taxable years prior to January 1, 2022, the sunset date for the worker retraining tax credit and transfers the certification of eligible worker retraining programs from the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority. The bill also extends from taxable years prior to January 1, 2017, to taxable years prior to January 1, 2022, the sunset date for the telework expenses tax credit.
Declares it the intent of the General Assembly that in order to support a strong Commonwealth and to fulfill the principles of the federal Morrill Land-Grant Acts of 1862 and 1890 and Smith-Lever Act of 1914 (7 U.S.C. § 301 et seq.), the Commonwealth's two land-grant universities, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and Virginia State University, shall maintain strong programs of instruction, research, and the extension of knowledge in agriculture, natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community viability, youth development, and such other fields as are necessary to fulfill their respective land-grant missions.
Provides for licensure of child welfare agencies operated by agencies of the Commonwealth.
Requires the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (the Center) to encourage the development and delivery of workforce training in collaboration with educational institutions serving the region, with a focus on critical shortage areas and the needs of industry. The bill replaces the superintendent of the Halifax County Public Schools as an ex officio member of the board of trustees of the Center with a superintendent of a public school division located in the Southside region appointed by the Governor. The bill also broadens the eligibility requirements to serve as one of the representatives of business and industry on the board of trustees. The bill requires the board of trustees to seek opportunities to collaborate with local comprehensive community colleges to meet specialized noncredit workforce training needs identified by industry. However, if the local comprehensive community college is unable to meet such needs, then the board may seek to collaborate with other education providers or provide Center-delivered specialized noncredit workforce training. This bill is identical to
Requires the following individuals to undergo a fingerprint-based national criminal history background check: (i) applicants for employment by, employees of, applicants to serve as volunteers with, and volunteers with any licensed family day system, child day center exempt from licensure pursuant to § 63.2-1716, registered family day home, or family day home approved by a family day system; (ii) applicants for licensure as a family day system, registration as a family day home, or approval as a family day home by a family day system, as well as their agents and any adult living in such family day home; and (iii) individuals who apply for or enter into a contract with the Department of Social Services under which a child day center, family day home, or child day program will provide child care services funded by the Child Care and Development Block Grant, as well as the applicant's current or prospective employees and volunteers, agents, and any adult living in the child day center or family day home. The bill also mandates that all background checks required pursuant to §§ 63.2-1720.1 and 63.2-1721.1 be completed by September 30, 2017, or by the date specified on any federal waiver obtained by the Commonwealth, and every five years thereafter. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2018. The bill further provides that if any provision of the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 establishing a corresponding requirement is repealed prior to July 1, 2018, the provision of the bill establishing such requirement shall expire upon the date of such repeal. This bill is identical to
