Board of Medicine; implicit bias and culturalcompetency. Requires all practitioners licensed by the Boardof Medicine to complete two hours of continuing education in eachbiennium on topics related to implicit bias and cultural competency.
Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy. Requiresthe Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to take certain actionsupon the finding that an individual died from Sudden Unexpected Deathin Epilepsy (SUDEP). The bill directs the Office of the Chief MedicalExaminer to publish information on SUDEP and a SUDEP death investigationform on its website. Additionally, the bill requires the Chief MedicalExaminer and local medical examiners to complete training providedby The Epilepsy Foundation of Virginia. The bill has a delayed effectivedate of January 1, 2023.
Minimum staffing standards for nursing homesand certified nursing facilities; administrative sanctions; Long-TermCare Services Fund. Requires nursing homes to meet a baselinestaffing level based on resident acuity in alignment with the Centersfor Medicare and Medicaid Services staffing level recommendations.The bill requires nursing homes to collect and submit to the Departmentof Health certain data related to staffing. The bill gives the Commissionerof Health the power to impose administrative sanctions on nursinghomes and directs the Board of Health to promulgate regulations relatedto the criteria and procedures for imposition of administrative sanctionsor initiation of court proceedings for violations of the bill. Thebill provides that nursing homes shall only be subject to administrativesanctions upon initial funding for the state share of the cost toimplement the provisions of the bill. The bill establishes the Long-TermCare Services Fund for the purpose of making grants to assist in the provision of activities that protect or improve the quality ofcare or quality of life for residents, patients, and consumers oflong-term care services.
Special Assistant to the Governor for DisabilityRights Advocacy; position created; report. Creates the positionof Special Assistant to the Governor for Disability Rights Advocacy (the Special Assistant) for the purpose of representing Virginianswith disabilities in a comprehensive and authoritative manner byensuring that all state agencies provide adequate services, resources,and accommodations to such persons. The bill directs the SpecialAssistant to submit an annual report to the Governor on or beforeDecember 1, through the Secretary of Health and Human Resources,that (i) outlines the key issues and problems discovered within stateagencies that impact people with disabilities; (ii) identifies thedetails of any plan of action implemented by the Special Assistantto address and remediate such issues and problems; (iii) provideslegislative recommendations that would improve processes and proceduresacross all state agencies with regard to the provision of services, resources, and accommodations to people with disabilities; and (iv)details such other matters as required by the Governor.
Consultation with federally recognized TribalNations; permits and reviews with potential impacts on environmental,cultural, and historic resources. Requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Environmental Quality,the Department of Historic Resources, and the Virginia Marine ResourcesCommission to establish policies and procedures for consulting withfederally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth when evaluating certain permits and reviews with potential impacts on environmental,cultural, or historic resources or that would have tribal implications,as defined in the bill. The bill directs the Secretary of the Commonwealthto designate an Ombudsman for Tribal Consultation to facilitate communicationand consultation with Tribal Nations. The bill codifies ExecutiveOrder 82 (2021).
Overtime; compensable hours worked; compensatory time. Defines compensable hours worked, for the purposes of the Virginia Overtime Wage Act, as the amount of time an employee is on duty or at a prescribed place of work and any time an employee is suffered or permitted to work. The bill states that such time shall include work performed at home, travel time, waiting time, and training and probationary periods. Under the bill, an employee may elect, during any probationary period of employment, to receive compensatory time in lieu of overtime pay. As used in the bill, compensatory time is the time an employee works beyond his regular schedule that is authorized by the employee's employer to be used as paid time off.
Right to unionize. Repeals the provisionsof the Code of Virginia that, among other things, prohibit any agreementor combination between an employer and a labor union or labor organizationwhereby (i) nonmembers of the union or organization are denied the right to work for the employer, (ii) membership in the union or organizationis made a condition of employment or continuation of employment bysuch employer, or (iii) the union or organization acquires an employmentmonopoly in any such enterprise.
Virginia Children's Cabinet. Creates theVirginia Children's Cabinet as an executive branch advisory bodyto advise the Governor regarding policies to improve the health and well-being of children in the Commonwealth.
Commending Chief Justice Donald W. Lemons.
Celebrating the life of the Honorable LinwoodA. Holton, Jr.
