Del. Marcus Simon

Changes the name of guidance counselors to school counselors and requires school boards to employ school counselors in accordance with the following ratios: in elementary schools, one hour per day per 91 students, one full-time at 455 students, one hour per day additional time per 91 students or major fraction thereof; in middle schools, one period per 74 students, one full-time at 370 students, one additional period per 74 students or major fraction thereof; and in high schools, one period per 65 students, one full-time at 325 students, one additional period per 65 students or major fraction thereof. Additionally, the bill provides that notwithstanding any act of the 2019 Regular Session of the General Assembly the ratio of school counselors to students shall be as provided for in the appropriation act.

Authorizes the State Board of Corrections (the Board) to establish minimum standards for behavioral health services in local correctional facilities, including (i) requirements for behavioral health screening and assessment for all individuals committed to local correctional facilities, the delivery of behavioral health services in local correctional facilities, and the sharing of medical and mental health information and records concerning individuals committed to local correctional facilities; (ii) requirements for discharge planning for individuals with serious mental illness assessed as requiring behavioral health services upon release from local correctional facilities; (iii) requirements for at least one unannounced annual inspection of each local correctional facility to determine compliance; and (iv) provisions for billing the sheriff in charge of a local correctional facility or superintendent of a regional correctional facility by a community services board that provides behavioral health services in the local or regional correctional facility. The bill also allows the person in charge of a state, regional, or local correctional facility, or his designee, to receive from a health care provider medical and mental health information and records concerning a person committed to such correctional facility, even when such committed person does not provide consent or consent is not readily obtainable, when such information and records are necessary (a) for the provision of health care to the person committed, (b) to protect the health and safety of the person committed or other residents or staff of the facility, or (c) to maintain the security and safety of the facility. The bill clarifies that the administrative personnel of a state, regional, or local correctional facility may receive medical and mental health information and records from any health care provider concerning any person committed to such correctional facility as necessary to maintain the safety of the facility, its employees, or other prisoners.

Provides that, in order to secure the benefits of the homestead exemption for real estate, a householder shall record a writing declaring his intention to claim such a benefit in the county or city in which such real estate or any part thereof is located or, if such property is located outside the Commonwealth, in the county or city in the Commonwealth where the householder resides.

Requires the Virginia Community College System, in consultation with the Department of Labor and Industry, to develop and deliver uniform, related instruction for registered apprenticeships in high-demand programs, as determined by the Virginia Board of Workforce Development and the Virginia Employment Commission, and for which coursework is not otherwise available. The bill requires such instruction to be available statewide and to be delivered in a face-to-face, online, or blended format.

Extends the benefits of the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program to the spouse or child of a veteran with at least a 90 percent permanent, service-related disability. Under current law, the spouse or child would be eligible for benefits only if the veteran's disability was incurred during military operations against terrorism, on a peacekeeping mission, as a result of a terrorist act, or in any armed conflict. Under the provisions of the bill, eligibility for stipends from the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Fund is unchanged. This bill is identical to

Grants the juvenile and domestic relations district courts jurisdiction to make specific findings of fact required by state or federal law to enable a child to apply for or receive a state or federal benefit. This bill is identical to

Adds to the list of persons who are required to report suspected child abuse or neglect ministers, priests, rabbis, imams, and duly accredited practitioners of any religious organization or denomination usually referred to as a church; however, the bill exempts such clergy members from the mandatory reporting requirement when the information supporting the suspicion of child abuse or neglect (i) is required by the doctrine of the religious organization or denomination to be kept confidential or (ii) would be subject to the exemptions set forth in § 8.01-400 or 19.2-271.3 if offered as evidence in court. This bill is identical to