Del. Katrina Callsen

Commissioner of Health; work group to studythe occurrence of microplastics in the Commonwealth's public drinkingwater; report. Directs the Commissioner of Health to convene awork group to study the occurrence of microplastics in the Commonwealth'spublic drinking water and develop recommendations for the reduction of microplastics in the Commonwealth's public drinking water. Thebill requires the work group to report its findings and recommendationsto the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committees on Agriculture,Chesapeake and Natural Resources and Health, Welfare and Institutionsand the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Conservation and NaturalResources and Education and Health by December 1, 2024.

Commission on Legislature Modernization; report. Establishes the Commission on Legislature Modernization in the legislativebranch for the purpose of studying the operation and functionality of the General Assembly and identifying ways to make the legislaturemore effective, efficient, responsive, reflective, and transparenton behalf of all Virginians. The Commission will consist of 17 members,which shall include 9 legislators, 6 nonlegislative citizen members,and 2 ex officio members. The Commission shall be convened for aperiod of two years, every 10 years in the year ending in four, andshall terminate after the submission of its final report to the General Assembly at the end of its second year.

Study; procuring goods and services from employmentservice organizations; report. Requests the Department of GeneralServices, in tandem with the Department for Aging and RehabilitativeServices, to examine the current process for procurement, potentialset-asides or percentage goals that could be utilized or bolsteredby employment service organizations, and whether employment serviceorganizations should be housed within the Department of Small Businessand Supplier Diversity.

Social Work Advisory Board; established; report. Establishes the Social Work Advisory Board to advise the Governoron efforts to improve the social work profession in the Commonwealth.The bill requires the Social Work Advisory Board to report annuallyby December 1 to the Governor and the General Assembly regardingits activities and recommendations. The bill contains an expirationdate of June 30, 2027.

Board of Medicine; continuing education; implicitbias and cultural competency in health care. Requires the Boardof Medicine to adopt and implement policies that require each practitionerlicensed by the Board who has direct contact with persons who areor may become pregnant to complete two hours of continuing educationrelated to implicit bias, defined in the bill, and cultural competencyin health care at least once every other license renewal cycle.

Collective bargaining by public employees; public transportation providers. Permits the governing body of a public transportation provider, as defined in the bill, to adopt a resolutionauthorizing such public transportation provider to (i) recognizea labor union or other employee association as a bargaining agentof public officers and employees and (ii) collectively bargain orenter into a collective bargaining contract with such union or associationor its agents with respect to any matter relating to such transportationdistrict or its employees.

Commending the Honorable Mark C. Simmons.

Commending John T. Frey.

Divorce; cruelty, reasonable apprehension ofbodily hurt, or willful desertion or abandonment; divorce from bedand board. Eliminates the one-year waiting period for being decreeda divorce on the grounds of cruelty, reasonable apprehension of bodilyhurt, or willful desertion or abandonment by either party. The billalso repeals the provision allowing for a divorce from bed and boardon the grounds of cruelty, reasonable apprehension of bodily hurt,or willful desertion or abandonment. The provisions of the bill applyto suits for divorce filed on or after July 1, 2024.

Commending Sandra Gioia Treadway.