Del. Mark L. Keam

Apprenticeship Council; authority. Expandsthe duties of the Apprenticeship Council to include determining standardsand regulations for pre-apprenticeship programs and advising theCommissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry on how to innovateand expand apprenticeship-related instruction and opportunities acrossthe Commonwealth.

Special Assistant to the Governor for DisabilityRights Advocacy; position created; report. Creates the positionof Special Assistant to the Governor for Disability Rights Advocacy (the Special Assistant) for the purpose of representing Virginianswith disabilities in a comprehensive and authoritative manner byensuring that all state agencies provide adequate services, resources,and accommodations to such persons. The bill directs the SpecialAssistant to submit an annual report to the Governor on or beforeDecember 1, through the Secretary of Health and Human Resources,that (i) outlines the key issues and problems discovered within stateagencies that impact people with disabilities; (ii) identifies thedetails of any plan of action implemented by the Special Assistantto address and remediate such issues and problems; (iii) provideslegislative recommendations that would improve processes and proceduresacross all state agencies with regard to the provision of services, resources, and accommodations to people with disabilities; and (iv)details such other matters as required by the Governor.

Agribusiness. Clarifies that existing agribusinessin the Commonwealth includes farmers markets and roadside farm markets.

Virginia Retirement System; enhanced retirementbenefits for 911 dispatchers. Adds 911 dispatchers to the listof local employees eligible to receive enhanced retirement benefitsfor hazardous duty service. Under current law, localities may providesuch benefits to first responders, including firefighters and emergencymedical technicians, and certain other hazardous duty positions.

Consultation with federally recognized TribalNations; permits and reviews with potential impacts on environmental,cultural, and historic resources. Requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Environmental Quality,the Department of Historic Resources, and the Virginia Marine ResourcesCommission to establish policies and procedures for consulting withfederally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth when evaluating certain permits and reviews with potential impacts on environmental,cultural, or historic resources or that would have tribal implications,as defined in the bill. The bill directs the Secretary of the Commonwealthto designate an Ombudsman for Tribal Consultation to facilitate communicationand consultation with Tribal Nations. The bill codifies ExecutiveOrder 82 (2021).

Board of Pharmacy; safe sharps disposal.Directs the Board of Pharmacy to amend its regulations to requireall pharmacies to provide and maintain a safe sharps disposal containeron the premises of the pharmacy for public use.

Commending Chief Justice Donald W. Lemons.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable LinwoodA. Holton, Jr.

Celebrating the life of Colonel Edward DavidShames, USA, Ret.

License taxes; exemptions. Authorizes localitiesto exempt any class of taxpayers from license taxes and fees. Thebill provides that such exemption shall be made by general law and shall be uniform upon taxpayers operating in the same line of businessor trade and that localities shall have discretion to determine theclasses of taxpayers that shall be exempted. The bill does not applyto any severance tax that is levied as a license tax.