Del. Tony Wilt

Provides that certain trusts constitute a benefits consortium and are authorized to sell health benefits plans to members of a sponsoring association that is a nonstock corporation, has five or more members participating in one or more benefits plans, has been formed for purposes other than obtaining or providing health benefits, and operates as a nonprofit entity under § 501(c)(6) of the federal Internal Revenue Code. The bill provides that a person may be a member of sponsoring association if he conducts business operations within the Commonwealth, employs individuals who reside in the Commonwealth, and is a member of the sponsoring association. The bill provides that the trust is subject to the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and U.S. Department of Labor regulations applicable to multiple employer welfare arrangements and to the authority of the U.S. Department of Labor to enforce such law and regulations. The bill (i) prohibits a self-funded multiple employer welfare arrangement (MEWA) from issuing health benefit plans in the Commonwealth until it has obtained a license from the State Corporation Commission; (ii) provides that health benefit plans issued by a self-funded MEWA shall be subject to taxes and maintenance assessments levied upon insurance companies; (iii) provides that health benefit plans issued by a self-funded MEWA are subject to protections of and other provisions of the Virginia Life, Accident and Sickness Insurance Guaranty Association; (iv) makes domestic self-funded MEWAs subject to all financial and solvency requirements imposed by provisions of Title 38.2 on domestic insurers unless domestic self-funded MEWAs are otherwise specifically exempted; and (v) provides that health benefit plans issued by a self-funded MEWA shall be exempt from all statutory requirements relating to insurance premium rates, policy forms, and policy cancellation and nonrenewal. The bill provides that the sponsoring association shall not, by virtue of its sponsorship of the benefits consortium or any benefits plan, be subject to the insurance laws of the Commonwealth or the tax levied on insurance companies pursuant to § 58.1-2501. The measure removes the requirements that an association to which a group accident and sickness insurance policy is issued has at the outset a minimum of 100 persons, has been organized and maintained in good faith for purposes other than that of obtaining insurance, and has been in active existence for at least five years. The measure also replaces references to "bona fide association," as used in provisions applicable to health care plans in the small employer market, with the term "sponsoring association."

Increases the membership of the State Board of Elections from three members to five members and increases the terms of Board members from four years to five years. Representation shall be given to each of the political parties having the highest and next highest number of votes in the Commonwealth at the preceding gubernatorial election, with three Board members being of the party of the Governor. Terms are initially staggered. The bill also grants to the Board the authority to appoint the Commissioner of Elections, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, and to remove the Commissioner of Elections. The appointment or removal of the Commissioner shall require an affirmative vote of four of the five Board members. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2020. This bill is identical to

Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a special identification card without a photograph to a person with a sincerely held religious belief prohibiting the taking of a photograph who would otherwise meet the qualifications for a special identification card but also presents an approved and signed IRS Form 4029. The bill allows a special identification card without a photograph to be similar in size, shape, and design to a driver's license but requires (i) that it be clearly distinguishable from a driver's license, (ii) that it not include a photograph of its holder, and (iii) that it clearly state that (a) the card does not authorize the holder to operate a motor vehicle, (b) federal limits apply, and (c) the card is not valid identification to vote. The bill provides that giving false information, concealing a material fact, or otherwise committing a fraud in applying for a special identification card without a photograph is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and that obtaining a special identification card without a photograph for the purpose of committing any offense punishable as a felony constitutes a Class 4 felony. The bill contains technical amendments. This bill is the result of a study conducted by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Provides for the removal of a general registrar by the circuit court upon a petition signed by a majority of members of the local electoral board. Currently, a local electoral board may remove a general registrar with a majority vote. The bill requires the Virginia Division of Risk Management to assign counsel to the defense of any member of a local electoral board or general registrar subject to a petition for removal, upon that member's or registrar's application.

Prohibits, beginning July 1, 2021, the use for training purposes or for testing, with some exceptions, of a class B firefighting foam that contains intentionally added PFAS chemicals, as defined in the bill.

Requires any person who assists an applicant with the completion of a paper voter registration application or collects a completed paper voter registration application directly from an applicant to provide his name and telephone number and indicate the group or organization with which he is affiliated, if any, on the registration application. The bill prohibits any registration application from being denied on the basis of such information not being provided. The measure exempts from such requirement any state or local government employee who assists with the completion of registration applications or who collects completed registration applications as part of his official duties. The identifying information of the person assisting with the completion of an application or collecting a completed paper application shall not be entered into the registration record of the applicant.

Provides that when any legislative bill requiring the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to increase or begin regulation of an occupation is filed during any session of the General Assembly, the Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation shall prepare an evaluation of the legislation using criteria outlined in current law that the Board is required to use whenever the Board determines that a particular occupation should be regulated or that a different degree of regulation should be imposed on a currently regulated occupation.

Requires the owner or operator of any coal combustion residuals (CCR) unit, defined in the bill to include a coal ash pond or landfill, within the Chesapeake Bay watershed at Bremo Power Station, Chesapeake Energy Center, Chesterfield Power Station, and Possum Point Power Station to close such CCR unit by removing all of the CCR for (i) recycling, known as encapsulated beneficial use, or (ii) deposition in a permitted and lined landfill that meets certain federal standards. The measure requires that any owner or operator beneficially reuse no less than 6.8 million cubic yards in aggregate of such removed CCR from no fewer than two of the sites. Such a closure project shall be completed within 15 years of its initiation and shall be accompanied by an offer by the owner or operator to provide connection to a municipal water supply for every residence within one-half mile, or if such connection is not feasible, the owner or operator shall offer to provide water testing for any such residence.

Authorizes an insurer or vendor of portable electronics insurance to issue notices and correspondence by mail or by electronic means. The bill provides that a consumer's provision of an electronic mail address to such an insurer or vendor shall be considered to be the customer's consent to receive notices and correspondence by electronic means so long as a disclosure to that effect is provided to the customer within 30 days following the purchase of portable electronics insurance.