Del. Michelle Maldonado

Veterans' Services Protection Act; prohibited practices; penalty. Creates the Veterans' Services Protection Act to prohibit any person from receiving compensation for preparing, presenting, prosecuting, advising, consulting, or assisting any individual regarding any veterans' benefits matter, as defined in the bill, except as permitted under federal law. The bill provides that a violation of its provisions constitutes a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.

Department of Medical Assistances Services; financial eligibility standards for certain waivers providing services to individuals with developmental disabilities. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to amend the financial eligibility standards for individuals receiving services under the Family and Individual Support Waiver, Community Living Waiver, and Building Independence Waiver (the DD Waivers). The bill requires the Department, when determining financial eligibility for the DD Waivers, to disregard any Social Security Disability Insurance income above the maximum monthly Supplemental Security Income as determined by the U.S. Social Security Administration; however, such Social Security Disability Insurance income shall not be disregarded for purposes of determining an individual's patient pay obligation. The bill also requires the Department to (i) analyze the implications of such amendments to the financial eligibility standards for individuals under the DD waivers, which shall include a determination of the costs and the number of individuals who would benefit from such amendments and (ii) report its findings to the Chairmen of the Senate Committees on Education and Health and Finance and Appropriations and the House Committees on Health and Human Services and Appropriations no later than November 1, 2024. The bill sunsets on July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 676.

Proton radiation therapy; clinical evidencefor decisions on coverage. Requires that a health insurance carrierconsider (i) coverage of a proton radiation therapy treatment by Medicare,Medicaid, or any other governmental health care coverage for any typeof cancer or (ii) a recommendation of proton radiation therapy bya patient's treating physician or radiation oncologist as a sufficientstandard of clinical evidence to justify coverage of proton radiationtherapy.

Financial institutions; reporting financial exploitation of elderly or vulnerable adults. Permits a financial institution to allow an elderly or vulnerable adult, as defined in the bill, to submit and periodically update a list of trusted persons whom such financial institution or financial institution staff, as defined in the bill, may contact in the case of the suspected financial exploitation of such adult. The bill also permits a financial institution to conduct a training to instruct its staff on how to identify and report the suspected financial exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable adult internally at such financial institution, to a designated trusted contact, and to various other authorities. The bill directs the Bureau of Financial Institutions of the State Corporation Commission to develop and publish guidelines for such training by January 1, 2026. The bill provides that no financial institution staff that have received such training shall be liable in any civil or administrative proceeding for disclosing the suspected financial exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable adult pursuant to the bill's provisions if such disclosure was made in good faith and with reasonable care. The bill provides that no financial institution that has provided such training shall be liable for any such disclosure by financial institution staff. This bill is identical to HB 692.

Firearm safety device tax credit; definition of firearm safety device. Expands the definition of "firearm safety device" as it relates to the firearm safety device tax credit to include any device that, when installed on a firearm, is designed to prevent the firearm from being operated without first deactivating the device. The provisions of the bill are effective for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2024. This bill incorporates HB 945.

Financial institutions; reporting financial exploitation of senior citizens. Requires each financial institution with more than 20 employees to conduct a training to instruct the employees and officers of such financial institution on how to identify and report the suspected financial exploitation of a senior citizen, as defined in the bill, internally at such financial institution, to a designated trusted contact, as defined in the bill, and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services, and local law-enforcement authorities. The bill permits financial institutions with fewer than 20 employees to opt to provide such training in accordance with the bill's provisions. The bill requires an employee or officer of a financial institution who has received such training and reasonably believes that the financial exploitation of a senior citizen has occurred to promptly report such suspected financial exploitation to the FBI, the Department, and local law-enforcement authorities and permits such employee or officer to report such financial exploitation to any designated trusted contact unless such employee or officer reasonably believes that such trusted contact is involved in financial exploitation or other abuse of such senior citizen. The bill provides that no employees or officers who have received training pursuant to the bill's provisions shall be liable for disclosures pursuant to the bill's provisions if such disclosure was made in good faith and with reasonable care. The bill states that no financial institution that has provided training pursuant to the bill's provisions shall be liable for disclosures made by employees or officers of such financial institution pursuant to the bill's provisions.

Virginia Minority Business Commission; report; sunset. Establishes the 13-member Virginia Minority Business Commission in the legislative branch of government for the purpose of promoting the growth and competitiveness of Virginia minority-owned businesses. The bill provides that the Commission sunsets on July 1, 2028.

Line of Duty Act; payment of benefits. Increases from $25,000 to $75,000 the death benefit payout under the Virginia Line of Duty Act for a death caused by occupational cancer, respiratory disease, or hypertension or heart disease for those deaths that will occur on or after January 1, 2025. This bill is identical to SB 649.

Department of Labor and Industry; workplaceposter for veterans benefits and services. Directs the Departmentof Labor and Industry, in consultation with the Department of VeteransServices, to create a poster describing benefits and services availableto veterans and allows employers to request and display such poster in the workplace. The bill enumerates a minimum group of resourcesthe poster shall include, including (i) Department of Veterans Services'programs, contact information, and website address; (ii) substanceabuse and mental health treatment resources; (iii) educational, workforce,and training resources; (iv) tax benefits; (v) eligibility for unemploymentinsurance benefits; (vi) legal services; and (vii) the U.S. Departmentof Veterans Affairs Veterans Crisis Line.

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); real property tax exemption; surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty. Provides for a referendum at the November 5, 2024, election to approve or reject an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia that would expand the real property tax exemption that is currently available to the surviving spouses of soldiers killed in action to be available to the surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty with a Line of Duty determination from the U.S. Department of Defense. This bill is identical to SB 4.