Rep. Benjamin L. Cline

Extends the jurisdiction of the Office of the State Inspector General by amending the definition of "state agency" to include any local department of social services.

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.

Authorizes a school security officer to carry a firearm in the performance of his duties if (i) within 10 years immediately prior to being hired by the local school board he was an active law-enforcement officer in the Commonwealth; (ii) he retired or resigned from his position as a law-enforcement officer in good standing; (iii) he meets the training and qualifications to carry a concealed handgun as a retired law-enforcement officer; (iv) he has met the additional training and certification requirements of the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS); (v) the local school board solicits input from the chief law-enforcement officer of the locality regarding the qualifications of the school security officer and receives verification from such chief law-enforcement officer that the school security officer is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing, purchasing, or transporting a firearm; and (vi) the local school board grants him the authority to carry a firearm in the performance of his duties. The bill requires DCJS to establish additional firearms training and certification requirements for school security officers who carry a firearm in the performance of their duties. Existing law requires DCJS to establish minimum training and certification requirements for school security officers.

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.

Establishes a statewide policy for the regulation of professions and occupations specifying criteria for government regulation with the objective of increasing opportunities, promoting competition, encouraging innovation, protecting consumers, and complying with applicable federal antitrust laws. The bill also establishes the position of professional and occupational regulatory analyst within the Division of Legislative Services to assist the Joint Commission on Administrative Rules in (i) evaluating at least three professions and occupations in each year and (ii) to the extent feasible, reviewing legislation establishing or modifying an occupational regulation to determine whether the legislation meets the state policy of using the least restrictive regulation necessary to protect or preserve the public health, safety, and welfare. The evaluation shall include recommendations for changes to occupational regulations to improve compliance with the state policy of using the least restrictive regulation necessary.

Authorizes the Director of the Department of Conservation and Recreation to disburse moneys from the Dam Safety, Flood Prevention and Protection Assistance Fund in the form of grants or loans to a local government that owns a dam, to a local government for a dam located within the locality, or to a private entity that owns a dam in order to protect public safety and welfare. The grants can be used for the design, repair, and safety modifications of dams identified in safety reports.