Del. Briana Sewell

Contract actions; medical debt. Provides that in any action, including those brought by the Commonwealth, upon any contract to collect medical debt, as defined in the bill, such an action is barred if not commenced within three years from the due date applicable to the first invoice for a health care service unless the contract with a hospital or health care provider is for a payment plan that allows for a longer period of time for the collection of debt by the hospital or health care provider. The bill specifies that such limitation shall not apply to medical debt arising from services provided by programs administered by the Department of Medical Assistance Services.

Space Force; extension of certain benefits andprivileges for persons serving in a branch of the Armed Forces. Amends several provisions of law related to certain benefits andprivileges available to persons serving or having served in a branchof the Armed Forces to include the Space Force as an eligible branch.

Annual retail sales and use tax holiday. Establishes an annual retail sales and use tax holiday that takes place on the first full weekend in August beginning on July 1, 2025, through July 1, 2030. During such weekend, state retail sales and use tax will not apply to certain (i) school supplies, (ii) clothing and footwear, (iii) qualified products designated as Energy Star or WaterSense, (iv) portable generators, or (v) hurricane preparedness equipment. This bill is identical to SB 116.

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.

Teachers; renewable licenses; requirements;assessments. Prohibits the Board of Education from includingin its regulations governing the award of a renewable license asa teacher any requirement that an individual take and receive a passingscore on any national or state-based communications and literacyassessment as a condition of the initial award or renewal of sucha license. The bill also clarifies that the Board is not prohibitedfrom requiring any such individual to take and receive a passingscore on any other assessment as a condition of the initial awardor renewal of such a license.

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.

Institutions of higher education; students who report act of hazing or bullying experienced as result of report of act of hazing; on-campus mental and behavioral health support. Requires each public institution of higher education and nonprofit private institution of higher education to provide information about on-campus individuals or entities that are qualified to provide the appropriate ongoing mental and behavioral health support to any student who reports to the institution an act of hazing or an act of bullying experienced as the result of a report of an act of hazing.

Public schools; opioid antagonist procurement, possession, and administration; school board employee training and certification; opioid overdose prevention and reversal instruction; guidelines and requirements. Requires each local school board to develop, in accordance with the guidelines developed by the Department of Health in collaboration with the Department of Education, plans, policies, and procedures for (i) providing at each public secondary school that includes grades nine through 12 a program of instruction on opioid overdose prevention and reversal and for encouraging each student to complete such program of instruction prior to graduation; (ii) the procurement, placement, and maintenance in each public elementary and secondary school of a supply of opioid antagonists in an amount equivalent to at least two unexpired doses for the purposes of opioid overdose reversal; and (iii) the possession and administration of an opioid antagonist by any employee of the school board who is authorized by a prescriber and trained in the administration of an opioid antagonist, including policies (a) requiring each public elementary and secondary school to ensure that at least one employee is authorized by a prescriber and trained and certified in the administration of an opioid antagonist, (b) for partnering with a program administered or approved by the Department of Health to provide such training and certification, and (c) for maintaining records of each such trained and certified employee.The bill provides for the disciplinary, civil, and criminal immunity of any employee of a public school, school board, or local health department, regardless of whether such employee was trained or certified in opioid antagonist administration, for any act or omission made in connection with the good faith administration of an opioid antagonist for the purposes of opioid overdose reversal during regular school hours, on school premises, or during a school-sponsored activity, unless such act or omission was the result of gross neglect or willful misconduct. The bill requires each school board to adopt and each public elementary and secondary school to implement policies and procedures in accordance with the provisions of the bill and, in doing so, to utilize to the fullest extent possible programs offered by the Department of Health for the provision of opioid antagonist administration training and certification and opioid antagonist procurement.In addition, the bill modifies the school board employees who are authorized to administer opioid antagonists to include any school board employee who has completed training and is certified in the administration of an opioid antagonist by a program administered or authorized by the Department of Health.Finally, the bill directs the Department of Health and the Department of Education to collaborate to develop guidelines and policies for the implementation of the provisions of the bill and requires each school board to implement the provisions of the bill by the beginning of the 2025–2026 school year. This bill is identical to SB 726.

Board of Medicine; Board of Dentistry; Board of Optometry; Boards of Medicine and Nursing; patient counseling; treatment with opioids. Directs the Board of Medicine, the Board of Dentistry, the Board of Optometry, and the Boards of Medicine and Nursing to amend their regulations to require the provision of certain information to patients being prescribed an opioid for the treatment of acute or chronic pain. The bill requires that the regulations include an exception to the required provision of such information for patients who are (i) in active treatment for cancer, (ii) receiving hospice care from a licensed hospice or palliative care, (iii) residents of a long-term care facility, (iv) being prescribed an opioid in the course of treatment for substance abuse or opioid dependence, or (v) receiving treatment for sickle cell disease. The bill directs the Boards to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.

Child labor offenses; civil penalties. Increasesfrom $10,000 to $25,000 the civil penalty for each violation of childlabor laws that results in the employment of a child who is seriouslyinjured or dies in the course of employment. The bill also increasesfrom $1,000 to $2,500 the maximum civil penalty for each other violationof child labor laws and provides that such civil penalty shall notbe less than $500. The bill directs the Department of Labor and Industry to convene a stakeholder work group to develop education and outreach plans to inform young workers and employers about child labor laws.