Rep. J. Randall Minchew

Requires one reading specialist employed by each local school board that employs a reading specialist to have training in the identification of and the appropriate interventions, accommodations, and teaching techniques for students with dyslexia or a related disorder and to have an understanding of the definition of dyslexia and a working knowledge of several topics relating to dyslexia. This bill is identical to

Provides that any person who knowingly provides any material support to an individual or organization whose primary objective is to commit an act of terrorism and does so with the intent to further such objective is guilty of a Class 3 felony. If the provision of such material support results in the death of any person, the penalty is increased to a Class 2 felony. The bill also expands the definition of an act of terrorism to include an act committed outside the Commonwealth that would meet the definition of an act of violence if such act were committed within the Commonwealth. This bill incorporates

Establishes the parameters of a program under which small agricultural generators may sell the electricity generated from a small agricultural generating facility to its utility. Effective July 1, 2019, enrollment by eligible agricultural customer-generators in an existing net energy metering program conducted by an electric cooperative will cease, though a cooperative's customers who were participating as eligible agricultural customer-generators before that date are allowed to remain in the net metering program for not more than 25 years. A small agricultural generator is defined in this measure as a customer who operates an electrical generating facility as part of an agricultural business, which generating facility, among other conditions, has a capacity of not more than 1.5 megawatts, uses renewable energy as its total source of fuel, has a capacity that does not exceed 150 percent of the customer's expected annual energy consumption based on the previous 12 months of billing history, uses not more than 25 percent of contiguous land owned or controlled by the agricultural business for purposes of the renewable energy generating facility, and is a PURPA qualifying small power production facility. The program for small agricultural generators requires the generator to enter into a power purchase agreement with its supplier to sell all of the electricity generated at a rate not less than the supplier's State Corporation Commission-approved avoided cost tariff for energy and capacity. The program also provides for utilities to recover distribution service costs and costs incurred to purchase electricity, capacity, and renewable energy certificates from the small agricultural generator through its Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) rate adjustment clause if the utility has a Commission-approved RPS plan and rate adjustment clause or, if the utility does not have a Commission-approved RPS rate adjustment clause, then the costs shall be recoverable through the supplier's fuel adjustment clause or through the utility's cost of purchased power. Finally, the measure directs the Commission to conduct a single docketed proceeding to implement the provisions of this measure. This bill is identical to

Requires the Veterans Services Foundation to provide an annual report on its funding levels and services to the General Assembly. The bill also (i) authorizes the board of trustees of the Foundation to appoint an Executive Director, (ii) clarifies that the Foundation may make direct requests for appropriations from the General Assembly, (iii) clarifies that only the unrestricted portion of the Veterans Services Fund may be used for Foundation expenses, (iv) requires the Department of Veterans Services to provide qualified finance and development personnel to perform the duties of the treasurer and secretary of the Foundation, and (iv) provides that expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made upon written authorization of the Executive Director with the approval of the board of trustees. The bill requires that allocations and expenditures of donated restricted funds be in accordance with cited provisions of the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act relating to the standard of conduct in managing and investing institutional funds.

Provides that information contained in engineering and construction drawings and plans for any single-family residential dwelling submitted for the purpose of complying with the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97 et seq.) or the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (§ 27-94 et seq.) shall be confidential and shall not be subject to disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.), except to the applicant or the owner of the property upon the applicant's or owner's request.

Provides that the Virginia Historical Society shall plan and lead the commemoration of the centennial anniversary of women's right to vote in 2020. The bill creates a 12-member task force to assist the Virginia Historical Society, in collaboration with the Library of Virginia, the Department of Education, the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and Public Policy, the VCU Libraries Special Collections and Archives, and interested civic and community organizations, in planning, developing, and performing programs and activities appropriate to commemorate the 100th anniversary of women's right to vote and the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The provisions of the bill expire on January 1, 2021.

Prohibits public institutions of higher education from abridging the constitutional freedom of any individual, including enrolled students, faculty and other employees, and invited guests, to speak on campus, except as otherwise permitted by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Requires the Veterans Services Foundation to provide an annual report on its funding levels and services to the General Assembly. The bill also (i) authorizes the board of trustees of the Foundation to appoint an Executive Director and exercise personnel authority over the position, (ii) clarifies that the Foundation may make direct request for appropriations from the General Assembly, (iii) clarifies that only the unrestricted portion of the Veterans Services Fund may be used for Foundation expenses, (iv) requires the Department of Veterans Services to provide qualified finance and development personnel to perform the duties of the treasurer and secretary of the Foundation, and (iv) provides that expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made upon written authorization of the Executive Director with the approval of the board of trustees. The bill requires that allocations and expenditures of donated restricted funds be in accordance with cited provisions of the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act relating to the standard of conduct in managing and investing institutional funds.

Makes several changes to the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program, including adding requirements that (i) each student eligible for the Program receive a grant from the institution's appropriations for undergraduate student financial assistance before Commonwealth Award grants are awarded to students with equivalent remaining need, (ii) each eligible student receive a Program grant in an amount greater than Commonwealth Award grants awarded to students with equivalent remaining need, (iii) each eligible student receive a Program grant in an amount greater than the grant of each eligible student with equivalent remaining need in the next-lowest class level, and (iv) each Program grant be determined by a proportionate award schedule adopted by each institution and vary according to each student's remaining need and the total of tuition, fees, and other necessary charges, including books. This bill is identical to

Updates the purposes and priorities of the Virginia Veteran and Family Support program to, in a cost-effective manner, refer veterans to mental health, physical rehabilitation, and other services as needed to help them achieve individually identified goals and to monitor their progress toward achieving those goals. The program is available to veterans and members of the Virginia National Guard in the Commonwealth, residents of the Commonwealth in the Armed Forces Reserves who are not in active federal service, and family members of covered military members who have been affected by the covered military members' service and deployments and who are located in the Commonwealth. The bill requires an annual report on the program be sent to the Governor and the General Assembly.