Del. Patrick Hope

Department of Medical Assistance Services; presumptive eligibility for pregnant individuals; qualified entities; performance standards for qualified entities. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to seek federal authority to implement presumptive eligibility for pregnant individuals, in addition to the existing hospital presumptive eligibility program and, if the Department receives such authority, allows the Department to authorize qualified entities to make determinations of presumptive eligibility for pregnant individuals. The bill directs qualified entities to provide (i) the necessary applications for medical assistance on the day in which the presumptive eligibility decision is made and (ii) assistance with completing such applications through available modalities. Under the bill, qualified entities are authorized to make determinations of presumptive eligibility for pregnant individuals who meet eligibility criteria for certain medical assistance programs and have not had a presumptive eligibility period during the current pregnancy. The bill also sets forth certain performance standards that qualified entities must meet to remain a qualified entity, described in the bill.

Department of Education; Child Care Subsidy Program waiting list; additional priority group; target timeline for assigning slots to priority groups. Requires the Department of Education to amend its Child Care Subsidy Program Guidance Manual to add a seventh priority group to the Child Care Subsidy Program waiting list that consists of any family that meets all other Program eligibility criteria and includes a parent who is employed for at least 30 hours per week by a publicly funded child care provider in the Commonwealth that serves children from birth to age five, excluding employment by a local school division but including employment by a Head Start program that is located within a public school building. The bill also directs the Department of Education to require local departments of social services to target a maximum of 30 days for moving priority group families from the waiting list into services; regularly assess, in coordination with the Department of Social Services, the length of time it takes for priority groups to be assigned slots; and provide quarterly updates, beginning October 1, 2025, to the Commission on Early Childhood Care and Education on such timeline and any other barriers experienced by families in priority groups on the waiting list in accessing services.

Maddy summaryThis resolution honors the life and contributions of Thomas S. Whipple. It passed the Senate on February 6, 2025, and the House on February 10, 2025, and is now awaiting the governor's action. As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new laws or affect any policies or individuals.

Court appearance of a person not free on bail. Makes various changes to provisions regarding bail hearings, including (i) the appointment of counsel for the accused, (ii) the information provided to counsel for the accused, (iii) a requirement that counsel for the accused, when practicable, be provided with adequate time to confer with the accused prior to any bail hearing, and (iv) the compensation of counsel for the accused. Effective in due course, the bill provides that the chief judge in each circuit shall create a plan to be completed by November 1, 2025, that establishes the means by which the jurisdiction will meet these requirements. The remainder of the bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.

First-time Homebuyer Grant Program. Establishes a First-time Homebuyer Grant Program for the purpose of assisting first-time homebuyers with first-time homebuyer expenses, as those terms are defined in the bill. The bill provides that the Department of Housing and Community Development shall award eligible first-time homebuyers a grant in an amount equal to five percent of such expenses incurred during a calendar year, not to exceed $10,000. Any grant awarded pursuant to the Program shall be repaid to the Commonwealth if the property for which expenses were incurred is sold within three years from the purchase date, unless the sale is made following a natural disaster or other act of God.

Collective bargaining by firefighters and emergency medical services providers. Authorizes firefighters and emergency medical services providers employed by a political subdivision of the Commonwealth to engage in collective bargaining through labor organizations or other designated representatives. The bill establishes the Fire Service Cooperation Board to administer its provisions. The bill provides for the appointment of a three-member board of arbitration regarding any dispute arising between an employer and firefighters or emergency medical services providers. Under the bill, determinations made by such board of arbitration are final on a disputed issue and are binding on the parties involved. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.

State Board of Local and Regional Jails; oversight of local and regional jails; powers and duties. Increases from 11 to 19 the membership of the State Board of Local and Regional Jails (the Board) by requiring the appointment of (i) two members of the Senate and two members of the House of Delegates and (ii) four additional nonlegislative citizen members, including (a) one representative of a nonprofit organization that provides training or rehabilitation programs for incarcerated inmates; (b) one male citizen and one female citizen who were formerly incarcerated within the Commonwealth; and (c) one person who is a grandparent, parent, child, sibling, or spouse or domestic partner of a person currently incarcerated within the Commonwealth.The bill also adds numerous additional duties for the Board, including to (1) provide information, as appropriate, to inmates, family members, representatives of inmates, and local, regional, and community correctional facility employees and contractors and others regarding the rights of inmates; (2) establish policies for a statewide uniform reporting system to collect and analyze data related to complaints received in or about local, regional, and community correctional facilities; (3) monitor, document, review, and report on the operation of stores and commissaries in local correctional facilities and systems for providing electronic visitation and messaging and telephone calls; and (4) review, monitor, and report and make recommendations on policies related to (A) attorney access to clients for calls and visitation; (B) access to voting for incarcerated individuals who are eligible to vote; and (C) the collection of data on suicides, suicide attempts, and self-harm in custody. The bill also specifies additional information to be included in the Board's currently required annual report to the General Assembly and the Governor and requires such report to be made available to the public online.The bill enumerates certain items for assessment that may be included in the Board's annual inspection of each local correctional facility, as required by current law, and also specifies the Board's authority and right to access such facilities, interview persons, and access certain information and documents. Upon completion of an inspection, the bill requires the Board to produce a report, including information enumerated in the bill, to be made available to the public online and to be delivered to the Governor, the Attorney General, the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services, the House Committee on Public Safety, and the sheriff in charge of the local correctional facility or superintendent of the regional correctional facility.Finally, the bill allows the Board to initiate and attempt to resolve an investigation upon its own initiative, or upon receipt of a complaint from an inmate, a family member or representative of an inmate, or a local, regional, or community correctional facility employee or contractor, or others, regarding various concerns as enumerated in the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution honoring the late state legislator Frank Miller Ruff, Jr. It does not create new laws or affect any policies or people. The resolution formally commemorates his service and life through a symbolic tribute. As a non-binding resolution, it has no practical impact beyond recognition.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 8.01-622.1, 18.2-369, 32.1-127, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, 32.1-127.1:03, 32.1-138.1, 32.1-162.16, 32.1-162.18, 32.1-291.21, 32.1-309.1, 32.1-325, 37.2-804.2, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, 37.2-805.1, 37.2-817.1, 37.2-837, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, 37.2-838, 37.2-1101, 37.2-1108, 53.1-133.04, 54.1-2807.02, 54.1-2818.1, 54.1-2818.5, 54.1-2970.1, 54.1-2987.1, 54.1-2988.1, 54.1-2993.1, 54.1-2995, 63.2-501, 63.2-1605, 64.2-2000, 64.2-2009, and 64.2-2019 of the Code of Virginia; to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 29 of Title 54.1 an article numbered 8.1, consisting of sections numbered 54.1-2993.2 through 54.1-2993.31; and to repeal §§ 54.1-2981, 54.1-2982, 54.1-2983, 54.1-2983.2 through 54.1-2987, 54.1-2988, and 54.1-2989 through 54.1-2993 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Uniform Health Care Decisions Act.

Extreme Weather Relief Act established. Establishes the Extreme Weather Relief Program, administered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, for the purpose of holding parties responsible for covered greenhouse gas emissions between the covered period of January 1, 1995, and December 31, 2024, for the parties' share of the Commonwealth's costs due to climate change. The bill defines responsible parties as fossil fuel extractors or crude oil refiners causing emissions of one billion metric tons or more of covered greenhouse gases during the covered period. Under the bill, responsible parties are strictly liable for cost recovery payments to the Commonwealth. The bill requires the State Treasurer to conduct an assessment of the costs to the Commonwealth and its residents of the emissions of covered greenhouse gases during the covered period. The bill establishes the Extreme Weather Relief Fund into which the cost recovery payments from responsible entities are deposited and used to pay for extreme weather relief projects, as defined in the bill.