Del. Dave LaRock

Human trafficking assessments by local departments. Changes the name of sex trafficking assessments to human trafficking assessments and allows local departments of social services conducting such human trafficking assessments to interview the alleged child victim or his siblings without the consent and outside the presence of such child's or siblings' parent, guardian, legal custodian, or other person standing in loco parentis, or school personnel. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia State Crime Commission. This bill is identical to HB 1006.

Teledentistry. Defines "teledentistry,"establishes requirements for the practice of teledentistry, establishesrequirements for the taking of dental scans for use in teledentistryby dental scan technicians, and clarifies requirements related tothe use of digital work orders for dental appliances in the practiceof teledentistry. The bill also requires the Board of Dentistry toreview all applications for renewal of a license to identify thoseapplicants who are engaged in the practice of teledentistry and reportsuch information annually, by October 1, to the Chairmen of the HouseCommittee on Health, Welfare and Institutions, the Senate Committeeon Education and Health, and the Joint Commission on Health Care.

Comprehensive harm reduction programs; public health emergency; repeal sunset. Repeals the sunset on the program established in 2017 that allows the Commissioner of Health to establish and operate local or regional comprehensive harm reduction programs during a declared public health emergency that include a provision for the distribution of sterile hypodermic needles and syringes and the disposal of used hypodermic needles and syringes. This bill is identical to SB 864.

Virginia Telephone Privacy Protection Act. Provides that for the purposes of the Virginia Telephone Privacy Act (the Act), "telephone solicitation call" includes any text message sent to any wireless telephone with a Virginia area code, or to a wireless telephone registered to any natural person who is a resident of the Commonwealth, for the purpose of offering or advertising any property, goods, or services for sale, lease, license, or investment, including offering or advertising an extension of credit or for the purpose of fraudulent activity. The bill prohibits a telephone solicitor from engaging in any conduct that results in the display of false or misleading caller identification information on the called party's telephone. The bill increases the amount of damages and the amount of the civil penalty for violations of the Act from $500 for each such violation to $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second violation, and $5,000 for each subsequent violation and increases to $5,000 the maximum civil penalty the court may impose for a willful first or second violation. This bill is identical to SB 812.

Refunds of local taxes; authority of treasurer. Increases from $2,500 to $5,000 the maximum amount at which the governing body of a locality may authorize its treasurer to approve and issue a refund of taxes paid as a result of an erroneous tax assessment. This bill incorporates HB 773.

Commending William H. Harrison.

Commending Karen Ramos.

Commending the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial Association.

Commending Loudoun County wineries.

Commending the Clarke County High School academicteam.