Abortion; born alive human infant; treatmentand care; penalty. Requires every physician licensed by the Boardof Medicine who attempts to terminate a pregnancy to (i) exercisethe same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preservethe life and health of a human infant who has been born alive followingsuch attempt as a reasonably diligent and conscientious health carepractitioner would render to any other child born alive at the samegestational age and (ii) take all reasonable steps to ensure theimmediate transfer of the human infant who has been born alive toa hospital for further medical care. A physician who fails to complywith the requirements of this act is guilty of a Class 4 felony and may be subject to disciplinary action by the Board of Medicine. The bill also requires every hospital licensedby the Department of Health to establish a protocol for the treatmentand care of a human infant who has been born alive following performanceof an abortion and for the immediate reporting to law enforcementof any failure to provide such required treatment and care.
Sponsored bills
Students who receive home instruction; participationin interscholastic programs. Prohibits public schools from joiningan organization governing interscholastic programs that does notdeem eligible for participation a student who (i) receives home instruction;(ii) has demonstrated evidence of progress for two consecutive academicyears; (iii) is in compliance with immunization requirements; (iv)is entitled to free tuition in a public school; (v) has not reachedthe age of 19 by August 1 of the current academic year; (vi) is anamateur who receives no compensation but participates solely forthe educational, physical, mental, and social benefits of the activity;(vii) complies with all disciplinary rules and is subject to allcodes of conduct applicable to all public high school athletes; and(viii) complies with all other rules governing awards, all-star games,maximum consecutive semesters of high school enrollment, parentalconsents, physical examinations, and transfers applicable to allhigh school athletes. The bill provides that no local school boardis required to establish a policy to permit students who receivehome instruction to participate in interscholastic programs. Thebill permits reasonable fees to be charged to students who receivehome instruction to cover the costs of participation in such interscholasticprograms, including the costs of additional insurance, uniforms,and equipment. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2025.
Virginia taxable income; subtractions; volunteer firefighters and volunteer emergency medical services personnel.Provides a state income tax subtraction of $20 per hour, up toa maximum of 300 hours per taxable year, for bona fide volunteerswho perform qualifying services, defined in the bill as volunteerfirefighting and fire prevention services, emergency medical services,auxiliary police officers, ambulance services, emergency rescue services,and all training and training-related activities required by law.
Virginia National Guard; state active duty for emergency response; pay and allowances for members. Establishes rates of pay and allowances for members of the Virginia National Guard and Virginia Defense Force.
Possession, purchase, and transport of certainfirearms in certain localities; withholding state funds. Allowsa person to lawfully possess, purchase, or transport a firearm orfirearms magazine that he would otherwise be lawfully permitted to possess, purchase, or transport on January 1, 2020, while he isin a locality that has adopted or enforced any ordinance, resolution,or motion that declares such locality a sanctuary for Second Amendmentrights. The bill also provides that no funds payable by the Commonwealthto a locality for any and all purposes shall be withheld from a localitysolely on the basis of such locality adopting or enforcing any ordinance,resolution, or motion that declares such locality a sanctuary for Second Amendment rights.
Health insurance; payment to out-of-network providers. Provides that when a covered person receives covered emergency services from an out-of-network health care provider or receives out-of-network services at an in-network facility, the covered person is not required to pay the out-of-network provider any amount other than the applicable cost-sharing requirement. The measure also establishes a standard for calculating the health carrier's required payment to the out-of-network provider of the services, which standard is the lower of the market-based value for the service or 125 percent of the amount that would be paid under Medicare for the service. If such provider determines that the amount to be paid by the health carrier does not comply with the applicable requirements, the measure requires the provider and the health carrier to make a good faith effort to reach a resolution on the appropriate amount of the reimbursement and, if a resolution is not reached, authorizes either party to request the State Corporation Commission to review the disputed reimbursement amount and determine if the amount complies with applicable requirements. The measure provides that such provisions do not apply to an entity that provides or administers self-insured or self-funded plans; however, such entities may elect to be subject such provisions. The measure requires health carriers to make reports to the Bureau of Insurance and directs the Bureau to provide reports to certain committees of the General Assembly. This bill was incorporated into HB 1251.
Virginia's Region 2000 Airport Authority.Authorizes the City of Lynchburg, acting alone or with one or moreof the Counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, or Campbell to createan airport authority pursuant to the 2007 Virginia's Region 2000Airport Authority Act. Current law would only allow the creationof a Virginia's Region 2000 Airport Authority (the Authority) ifLynchburg and one of the above-mentioned counties participated. The bill would also give the Authority the power to use its facilitiesfor any governmental use approved by the Board of Directors of theAuthority. The bill contains technical changes.
Health insurance; in-network guarantees.Prohibits a health carrier that offers a managed care plan from enteringinto, extending, or renewing a provider contract with a facilityunless such provider contract contains provisions requiring thateach health care provider (i) that provides emergency or ancillaryservices at the facility is an in-network provider or has agreed to have his reimbursement from the health carrier included as partof the health carrier's payment to the facility and to not separatelybill the health carrier or the covered person for emergency or ancillaryservices provided at such facility and (ii) that any laboratory ordiagnostic services provided at the facility are in-network or, ifsuch services are referred by a provider at the facility, the referralis to an in-network provider.
Broadband service providers; fiber optic broadbandlines; railroad crossings. Establishes a procedure by which a broadband service provider may obtain approval to place its fiberoptic broadband lines across a railroad right-of-way. The measureprovides that a broadband service provider may submit to the railroadcompany a notice of intent to construct, accompanied by a specificationexhibit and a standard crossing fee of $800; if the railroad doesnot claim within 35 days that special circumstances exist or thatthe required specification exhibit is inadequate or incomplete, thebroadband service provider is deemed to have authorization to commenceplacing the fiber optic broadband line across the railroad's right-of-way.The measure provides that a railroad company that believes that specialcircumstances exist may file a petition for relief with the StateCorporation Commission. The bill requires the Commission to adoptregulations prescribing the terms and conditions for a crossing.
Sales and use tax; exemption for railroad rollingstock. Provides that the sales tax exemption for railroad rollingstock shall expire on July 1, 2021.