Board of Pharmacy; pharmaceutical processors; processing and dispensing cannabis oil; report. Effects numerous changes to the processing and dispensing of cannabis oil by pharmaceutical processors in the Commonwealth. The bill allows written certifications for use of cannabis oil to include an electronic practitioner signature. The bill also eliminates the requirement that a pharmacist have oversight of the cultivation and processing areas of a pharmaceutical processor, instead requiring pharmaceutical processors to designate a person to oversee cultivation and production areas; removes the requirement that a cannabis dispensing facility undergo quarterly inspections, instead requiring that inspections occur no more than once annually; and allows pharmaceutical processors to remediate cannabis oil that fails any quality testing standard. The bill requires pharmaceutical processors to maintain evidence of criminal background checks for all employees and delivery agents of the pharmaceutical processor. The bill directs the Board of Pharmacy to promulgate regulations implementing the provisions of the bill and regulations creating reasonable restrictions on advertising and promotion by pharmaceutical processors by July 1, 2021, and directs the Board of Pharmacy to solicit input from stakeholders and appropriate agencies of the Commonwealth in order to develop recommendations for legislative action to permit the acceptance of cannabis products by hospices and hospice facilities in the Commonwealth and report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by October 1, 2021.
Sponsored bills
Absentee voting; early in person; availabilityon Sundays. Permits the electoral board or general registrarof a county or city to provide absentee voting in person in the officeof the general registrar or voter satellite office on Sundays.
Reinstatement of certain driving privileges.Directs the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehiclesto reinstate driving privileges, and to waive fees related to thereinstatement, for individuals whose privileges were suspended priorto July 1, 2019, for failure to pay court fines and costs in otherjurisdictions.
Voter registration; failure of online voter registration system; deadline extension. Provides that in the event that a failure of the Virginia online voter registration system occurs prior to the close of registration records, the Governor has the authority to order the online voter registration system to be available for registration activities after the date for closing the registration records for a period of time equal to the amount of time during which the online voter registration system was unavailable for registration activities, rounded up to the nearest whole day, plus an additional day to allow for voter education efforts. The extension of registration activities shall apply to in-person registration and mail voter registration applications.
Virginia Fair Housing Law; unlawful discriminatory housing practices. Prohibits any locality, its employees, or its appointed commissions from discriminating (i) in the application of local land use ordinances or guidelines, or in the permitting of housing developments, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, source of funds, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, or disability; (ii) in the permitting of housing developments because the housing development contains or is expected to contain affordable housing units occupied or intended for occupancy by families or individuals with incomes at or below 80 percent of the median income of the area where the housing development is located or is proposed to be located; or (iii) by prohibiting or imposing conditions upon the rental or sale of dwelling units, provided that the provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to prohibit ordinances related to short-term rentals. The bill provides that it shall not be a violation of the Virginia Fair Housing Law if land use decisions or decisions relating to the permitting of housing developments are based upon considerations of limiting high concentrations of affordable housing. The bill also requires the Fair Housing Board, after determining the existence of an unlawful discriminatory housing practice and after consultation with the Attorney General, to immediately refer the matter to the Attorney General for civil action.
Virginia Employment Commission; communications with parties; report. Authorizes the Virginia Employment Commission to send notices and other communications related to claims brought under the Virginia Unemployment Compensation Act through email or other electronic means in lieu of mail if a party to the claim so elects. The bill requires the Commission, if an electronic communication fails to be transmitted successfully, to send a new notice by first-class mail to the party's alternative address on record. The bill directs the Commission to report the number of unemployment insurance claimants who elect to receive communications electronically, and the effect of this change on Commission operations, by December 31, 2022.
Clinical nurse specialist; licensure; practice. Changes from the requirement of registration as clinical nurse specialists to the licensure of nurse practitioners as clinical nurse specialists by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing and provides that a nurse practitioner licensed as a clinical nurse specialist shall practice pursuant to a practice agreement between the clinical nurse specialist and a licensed physician and in a manner consistent with the standards of care for the profession and applicable law and regulations. For the transition of registration to licensure, the bill requires the Boards of Medicine and Nursing to jointly issue a license to practice as a nurse practitioner in the category of a clinical nurse specialist to an applicant who is an advance practice registered nurse who has completed an advanced graduate-level education program in the specialty category of clinical nurse specialist and who is registered by the Board of Nursing as a clinical nurse specialist on July 1, 2021.
Licensed certified midwives; licensure; practice. Defines "practice of licensed certified midwifery," directs the Boards of Medicine and Nursing to establish criteria for the licensure and renewal of a license as a certified midwife, and requires licensed certified midwives to practice in consultation with a licensed physician in accordance with a practice agreement. The bill also directs the Department of Health Professions to convene a workgroup to study the licensure and regulation of certified nurse midwives, certified midwives, and certified professional midwives to determine the appropriate licensing entity for such professionals. The Department shall report its findings and conclusions to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2021.
Duties of agencies and their appointing authorities; diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plans. Requires stateagencies to establish and maintain a comprehensive diversity, equity,and inclusion strategic plan in coordination with the Governor's Directorof Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Department of General Services; removal of HarryF. Byrd, Sr., statue. Directs the Department of General Servicesto remove the statue of former Virginia Governor and U.S. SenatorHarry F. Byrd, Sr., from Capitol Square. The bill directs the Departmentto store the statue until such time as the General Assembly determinesits final disposition.