Del. Buddy Fowler

Permits any student whose service member parent is relocated to the Commonwealth pursuant to orders received to register for courses and other academic programs and participate in the lottery process for charter schools and college partnership laboratory schools in the school division in which such student will reside at the same time and in the same manner as students who reside in the local school division. This bill is identical to

Allows all localities, in adopting a voluntary boundary agreement, to attach to their petitions to the circuit court a Geographic Information System (GIS) map depicting the boundary change. Under current law, such use of a GIS map is permitted only regarding the boundaries of certain named localities. This bill is identical to

Revises the definition of "small employer" for purposes of group health insurance policies to provide that an individual who performs any service for remuneration under a contract of hire for (i) a corporation in which he is a shareholder or an immediate family member of a shareholder or (ii) a limited liability company in which he is a member, regardless of the number of members of the limited liability company, shall be deemed to be an employee of the corporation or the limited liability company. The measure provides that a health insurance issuer shall not be required to issue more than one group health plan for each employer identification number issued by the Internal Revenue Service for a business entity, without regard to the number of shareholders or members of such business entity. This bill is identical to

Requires the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority and the Virginia Employment Commission to post notice of the existence of a human trafficking hotline in government stores, except for government stores established on a distiller's licensed premises, and in employment offices, respectively, to alert possible witnesses or victims of human trafficking to the availability of a means to report crimes or gain assistance.

Requires carriers issuing health benefit plans that develop step therapy protocols for a health benefit plan to ensure that those step therapy protocols are (i) developed and endorsed by a multidisciplinary panel of experts that manages conflicts of interest among the members; (ii) based on peer-reviewed research and medical practice; and (iii) continually updated based on a review of new evidence, research, and newly developed treatments. The measure requires that when coverage of a prescription drug for the treatment of a medical condition is restricted for use by a carrier or utilization review organization through the use of a step therapy protocol, the patient and prescribing provider have access to a clear, readily accessible, and convenient process to request a step therapy exception. The measure establishes conditions under which a request for a step therapy exception shall be granted and authorizes a patient to appeal a step therapy exception request denial. The provisions of the measure shall apply to any health benefit plan delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2020.

Requires health insurers and health services plan providers whose policies or contracts cover services that may be legally performed by licensed nurse practitioners to provide equal coverage for such services when rendered by a licensed nurse practitioner. The bill contains an enactment that exempts the measure from the requirement that the Health Insurance Reform Commission review any legislative measure containing a mandated health insurance benefit or provider. The bill has a delayed effective date of October 1, 2019.

Removes the requirement for newspaper publication of Requests for Proposals for professional services. The bill also requires a local public body to post a Request for Proposal on the Department of General Services' central electronic procurement website when it elects not to publish such Request for Proposal in a newspaper of general circulation in the area in which the contract is to be performed.

Sunsets the Virginia War Memorial Board effective January 1, 2020, and, upon dissolution, transfers its advisory duties to the Board of Veterans Services. The Virginia War Memorial Board currently serves as an advisory board to the Department of Veterans Services. This bill is identical to

Allows a parent or legal custodian of a minor to delegate to another person by a properly executed power of attorney any powers regarding care, custody, or property of the minor for a period not exceeding 180 days. The bill provides that a parent or legal custodian who is a service member, as defined in the bill, may delegate such powers for a period of longer than 180 days while on active duty service, but specifies that such a period is not to exceed such active duty service plus 30 days. The bill provides that any such power of attorney shall be signed by all persons with authority to make decisions concerning the child, the person to whom powers are delegated under the power of attorney, and a representative of a licensed child-placing agency that assists parents and legal guardians with the process of delegating parental and legal custodial powers of their children. The bill specifies that such licensed child-placing agency will be subject to background checks and must develop and implement written policies for certain services and provide staff and provider training. The bill further requires that any person to whom any such powers are delegated shall comply with background check requirements established by regulations of the Board of Social Services or otherwise provided by law.

Requires the plans and specifications for new or remodeled public school building construction to be reviewed by an individual or entity with professional expertise in crime prevention through environmental design. All comments by such reviewer shall be submitted to the Superintendent of Public Instruction along with the final plans and specifications.