Virginia Literacy Act; early student literacy; evidence-based literacy instruction; science-based reading research. Makes several changes relating to early student literacy, including requiring (i) each education preparation program offered by a public institution of higher education or private institution of higher education or alternative certification program that provides training for any individual seeking initial licensure with an endorsement in a certain area, including as a reading specialist, to demonstrate mastery of science-based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction, as such terms are defined in the bill; (ii) the literacy assessment required of individuals seeking initial teacher licensure with endorsements in certain areas to include a rigorous test of science-based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction; (iii) each local school board to establish a divisionwide literacy plan; (iv) each local school board to employ one reading specialist for each 550 students in kindergarten through grade three; and (v) each local school board to provide a program of literacy instruction whereby, among other things, (a) the program provides reading intervention services to students in kindergarten through grade three who demonstrate deficiencies based on their individual performance on the Standards of Learning reading assessment or an early literacy screener provided or approved by the Department of Education; (b) a reading specialist, in collaboration with the teacher of any student who receives such reading intervention services, develops, oversees implementation of, and monitors student progress on a student reading plan; and (c) each student who receives such reading intervention services is assessed utilizing either the early literacy screener provided or approved by the Department or the grade-level reading Standards of Learning assessment again at the end of that school year. The provisions of the bill become effective beginning with the 2024–2025 school year. This bill is identical to SB 616.
Sponsored bills
Local Food and Farming Infrastructure GrantProgram. Increases from $25,000 to $50,000 the amount of a grantthat may be made to a political subdivision for projects that supportlocal food production and sustainable agriculture.
Admission into evidence of certain forensic medical examination reports by sexual assault nurse examiners and sexual assault forensic examiners; testimony by two-way video conferencing. Allows testimony offered by either party in a preliminary hearing or sentencing hearing, or offered by the accused in any hearing other than a trial, by a sexual assault nurse examiner or sexual assault forensic examiner who performed a forensic medical examination to be presented by two-way video conferencing. The bill also allows such testimony to be presented by two-way video conferencing when offered by either party in a trial or by the attorney for the Commonwealth in a hearing other than a preliminary hearing or sentencing hearing, with the consent of the court and all parties.
Dissemination of consumer information about noxious weeds and invasive plants. Requires the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to develop model signs for retail establishments that sell plants that may be used to explain the benefits of native plants and the harm of noxious weeds and other invasive plants. The bill also directs the Commissioner to develop model labels that may be used for the wholesale and retail sale of plants that indicate the common and scientific name of the plant, as well as whether it is native or invasive.
Insurance; examinations; health care providerpanels. Requires the State Corporation Commission to conductan examination of the business and affairs of an insurer upon (i)request by a statewide association representing health care professionalsaffirming no less than 10 complaints alleging insurer misconductin a six-month period from providers participating in such insurer's network or (ii) verifiable information that such insurer has violatedany law, regulation, or prior order of the Commission. The bill requiresthe Commission to publish a reasonably detailed summary of each violationand any corrective action plan on the Commission website within 60days of the completion of an examination. The bill requires a healthinsurer that uses a provider panel to establish procedures for (a)notifying a provider at least 90 days prior to the implementationof a policy that restricts enrollee access to the provider's services,(b) providing reasonable notice to primary care providers in the insurer's provider panel prior to the implementation of a policy thatrestricts enrollee access to the specialty referral services provider,and (c) notifying the purchaser of the health benefit plan of anychange in policy that restricts enrollee access to a contracted provider.Finally the bill requires a health insurer to provide with a renewalcoverage proposal written notice of intent to increase by more than15 percent the annual premium charged for coverage.
Classification of real property owned by certain surviving spouses for tax purposes. Provides that beginning with taxable year 2022, any locality may declare real property owned by a surviving spouse of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States who died in the line of duty with a line of duty determination from the U.S. Department of Defense, while performing official military activities and where such death was not the result of criminal conduct, and where the spouse occupies the real property as his principal place of residence and does not remarry, a separate class of property for local taxation of real property that may be taxed at a different rate than that imposed on the general class of real property, provided that the rate of tax is greater than zero and does not exceed the rate of tax on the general class of real property.
Virginia State Police communication system.Removes obsolete language relating to the teletype system formerlyused by the Virginia State Police. The bill contains technical amendments.This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Code Commission.
Health workforce development; Special Advisor to the Governor for Health Workforce Development; Virginia Health Workforce Development Fund. Creates the position of Special Advisor to the Governor for Health Workforce Development (the Special Advisor) in the Office of the Governor and creates the Virginia Health Workforce Development Fund to (i) provide incentives for the removal of barriers to educating and training health workforce professionals that include increasing eligible faculty, clinical placements, and residencies; (ii) incentivize the production of health workforce credentials, degrees, and licensures based on a rigorous analysis of the need by the Office of Education and Labor Market Alignment; (iii) address regulatory barriers to entering into and staying in health professions; and (iv) provide education and training for health and health science professionals to align education and training initiatives with existing and evolving health workforce needs. The bill also requires the Special Advisor to review and evaluate the structure and organization of the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority (the Authority) and make recommendations regarding the long-term administrative structure and funding of the Authority to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2022. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2026.
Child abuse and neglect; background check and training requirements for youth sports coaches and staff. Requires youth sports leagues to (i) require all coaches, staff members, employees, and other volunteers who will be alone with, in control of, or supervising children to complete a fingerprint-based background check; (ii) provide to all coaches, staff members, employees, and other volunteers who will be alone with, in control of, or supervising children and the parent of any child participating in the sports league written notice of the duty of all coaches, directors, and persons 18 years of age or older employed by or volunteering with the sports league to report suspected child abuse or neglect, information regarding how to report suspected child abuse or neglect, an explanation of the penalties that may be imposed for failure to file a required report, contact information for the local department of social services, and the telephone number for the Department of Social Services' toll-free child abuse and neglect hotline; and (iii) require all paid coaches, staff members, and employees who will be alone with, in control of, or supervising children to complete no less than four hours of training annually regarding child abuse prevention and response and require all volunteers who will be alone with, in control of, or supervising children to complete no less than two hours of training annually regarding child abuse prevention and response. The bill directs the Board of Education to promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of the bill and to develop and provide to sports leagues resources regarding child abuse prevention and response training opportunities.
Celebrating the life of the Honorable FloraLonette Davis Crittenden.