Del. Dan Helmer

Health insurance; cost sharing for breast examinations. Prohibits health insurance carriers from imposing cost sharing for diagnostic breast examinations and supplemental breast examinations, as those terms are defined in the bill, under certain insurance policies, subscription contracts, and health care plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in the Commonwealth on and after January 1, 2026. The bill provides that such examinations include examinations using diagnostic mammography, breast magnetic resonance imaging, or breast ultrasound. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Health Insurance Reform Commission. This bill incorporates HB 2133 and is identical to SB 1436.

Institutions of higher education; Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program established; report. Establishes the Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program to address student food insecurity at public institutions of higher education and eligible private institutions of higher education, as defined by the bill. The bill provides that the Program shall be managed by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and available for participation by public institutions of higher education and eligible private institutions of higher education; however, participation in the Program is optional for such institutions. Under the bill, if a public institution of higher education or eligible private institution of higher education satisfies certain criteria set out in the bill, including creating initiatives on campus to address student food insecurity, it will receive a "Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry" designation and the Council will award a grant to such institution. Any such institution that receives a grant under the bill is required to utilize the funds to support on-campus efforts and initiatives to eliminate student food insecurity at such institution through the maintenance and operation of the on-campus food pantry established pursuant to the Program. The bill requires the Council to submit a report to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education no later than two years after the establishment of the Program. This bill is identical to SB 1016.

Rights of persons with disabilities; public places; playgrounds. Clarifies that persons with disabilities have the same rights as other persons to the full and free use of public playgrounds.

Hospitals; reports of threats or acts of violence against health care providers. Requires hospitals in the Commonwealth to establish a workplace violence incident reporting system to document, track, and analyze any incident of workplace violence reported. The bill requires each hospital to (i) report the data collected via the reporting system to the chief medical officer and the chief nursing officer of such hospital on, at minimum, a quarterly basis and (ii) send a report to the Department of Health on an annual basis that includes, at a minimum, the number of incidents of workplace violence voluntarily reported by an employee. The bill also requires the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, in collaboration with the Department of Criminal Justice Services, to convene a stakeholder work group for the purpose of making recommendations on the workplace violence system and policies adopted pursuant to the bill. This bill is identical to SB 1260.

Captain Matthew "Chevy" Chiaverotti Memorial Bridge. Designates the bridge on Interstate 264 over South Rosemont Road in Virginia Beach the "Captain Matthew "Chevy" Chiaverotti Memorial Bridge."

Constitutional amendment (first reference); marriage between two individuals; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; affirmative right to marry. Repeals the constitutional provision defining marriage as only a union between one man and one woman as well as the related provisions that are no longer valid as a result of the United States Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015). The amendment provides that the right to marry is a fundamental right inherent in the liberty of persons and prohibits the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions from denying the issuance of a marriage license to two parties contemplating a lawful marriage on the basis of the sex, gender, or race of such parties. The Commonwealth and its political subdivisions are required to recognize any lawful marriage between two parties and to treat such marriages equally under the law, regardless of the sex, gender, or race of such parties. The amendment provides that religious organizations and clergy acting in their religious capacity have the right to refuse to perform any marriage.

Study; Department of Health Professions; expanding scope of practice for physician assistants; report. Directs the Department of Health Professions to conduct a study on expansion of the scope of practice for physician assistants in the Commonwealth as a means to increase autonomy in the profession. In addition to reviewing the education and training requirements for physician assistants in the Commonwealth and the other states, the study includes an analysis of the costs and benefits to patients of increased autonomy for physician assistants. The Department is directed to submit a report with its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2025.

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; Department of Veterans Services; Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program; enrollment and eligibility data; report. Directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, in coordination with the Department of Veterans Services, to submit to the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the House Committee on Appropriations by November 1 of each year a report on (i) the number of individuals who are qualified survivors and dependents, as that term is defined in applicable law, and have been certified as eligible to participate in the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program but are not yet admitted to a public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth and (ii) the best available estimate of the total number of qualified survivors and dependents who are participating in the Program and enrolled in the fall semester at each public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth. This bill incorporates HB 1613.

Constitutional amendment; fundamental right to reproductive freedom (first reference). Provides that every individual has the fundamental right to reproductive freedom and that such right shall not be, directly or indirectly, denied, burdened, or infringed upon unless justified by a compelling state interest, as defined in the amendment, and achieved by the least restrictive means. The amendment specifies that, notwithstanding the other provisions of amendment, the Commonwealth may regulate the provision of abortion care in the third trimester, provided that in no circumstance shall the Commonwealth prohibit an abortion (i) that in the professional judgment of a physician is medically indicated to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant individual or (ii) when in the professional judgment of a physician the fetus is not viable.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial joint resolution honoring Matthew Robert Chiaverotti. It has no policy provisions or direct impact on legislation, citizens, or government operations. The resolution formally celebrates his life and legacy through a symbolic gesture by the legislature. As a commemorative measure, it does not create new laws or alter existing policies.