Rep. Matt Fariss

Commending Virginia Polytechnic Institute andState University.

Commending the Virginia Manufacturers Association.

Tax credits; vested interest. Creates avested interest when a taxpayer claims a tax credit, including aninterest in any conditions placed upon the credit, and prohibitsalteration of such interest by a subsequent action of the GeneralAssembly. The provisions of the bill are retroactive but shall notbe construed to extend the time during which a taxpayer may filean amended tax return.

Carrying a firearm or explosive material withinCapitol Square and the surrounding area, into building owned or leased by the Commonwealth, etc.; penalty. Repeals the prohibition oncarrying a firearm or explosive material within (i) the Capitol ofVirginia; (ii) Capitol Square and the surrounding area; (iii) anybuilding owned or leased by the Commonwealth or any agency thereof;or (iv) any office where employees of the Commonwealth or any agencythereof are regularly present for the purpose of performing theirofficial duties. Current law makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for anyperson to carry a firearm or explosive material within these areas, subject to certain exceptions, including the following individualswhile acting in the conduct of such person's official duties: anylaw-enforcement officer, any authorized security personnel, any activemilitary personnel, any fire marshal when such fire marshal has beengranted police powers, or any member of a cadet corps while suchmember is participating in an official ceremonial event for the Commonwealth.

Damage to motor vehicles; penalties. Makesit a Class 6 felony for a person to commit larceny of a catalytic converter from a motor vehicle, regardless of the converter's value.The bill also makes it a Class 6 felony for a person to willfully break, injure, tamper with, or remove any part or parts of any vehicle,aircraft, boat, or vessel for the purpose of injuring, defacing,or destroying said vehicle, aircraft, boat, or vessel, or temporarilyor permanently preventing its useful operation, or for any purpose against the will or without the consent of the owner, or to in anyother manner willfully or maliciously interfere with or prevent the running or operation of such vehicle, aircraft, boat, or vessel,when such violation causes damage to such vehicle, aircraft, boat,or vessel of $1,000 or more. Current law makes such violation a Class1 misdemeanor with no limit on the amount of damage. Under the bill,the penalty for damage of less than $1,000 remains a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Emergency custody and temporary detention; transportation and custody. Amends numerous sections governing emergency custodyand temporary detention of minors and adults to clarify duties oflaw-enforcement agencies and mental health facilities with regardto custody. The bill requires facilities to take custody of a minoror person who is the subject of an emergency custody order or temporarydetention order immediately upon completion of transportation andarrival of the minor or person at the facility; specifies that ifa facility does not take custody of a minor or person immediatelyupon completion of transportation and arrival at the facility, theorder is void and the minor or person shall be released; providesthat emergency custody orders shall not be extended; and makes otherchanges to clarify the role and obligations of law enforcement inthe emergency custody and temporary detention process.

Study; Joint Commission on Health Care; benefitsof hospitals, health systems, and other providers addressing the health-related social needs of Virginians; report. Directs theJoint Commission on Health Care to study the benefits of hospitals,health systems, and other providers in addressing the health-related social needs of Virginians. The study shall identify opportunitiesfor policy making to make health care in Virginia more affordable and effective through innovations in care coordination, workforcedevelopment, payment options, and improved data collection.

Health insurance; association health plans. Provides that a licensed insurer may issue a policy of group accident and sickness insurance to an association, which association shall be deemed the policyholder, and that such association health plan is not considered to be insurance and is not subject to the existing requirements for insurance if certain requirements are met. The bill requires that (i) all members of the association be eligible for coverage and membership, including employer members with at least one employee that is domiciled in the Commonwealth or self-employed individuals; (ii) membership in the association not be conditioned on any health status–related factor; (iii) the coverage offered through the association be available to all members regardless of any health status–related factor; (iv) the association not make health insurance coverage offered through the association available other than in connection with a member of the association; and (v) premiums for the policy be paid from funds contributed by the association or associations, or by employer members, or by both, or from funds contributed by the covered persons or from both the covered persons and the association, associations, or employer members. The bill also requires the association (a) has at the outset a minimum of 100 members; (b) has been organized and maintained in good faith for purposes other than that of obtaining insurance; (c) has been in active existence for at least five years; and (d) has a constitution and bylaws that provide that the association hold regular meetings not less than annually to further purposes of the members, that the association collects dues or solicits contributions from members, and that the members have voting privileges and representation on the governing board and committees. The bill provides that any such policy shall (1) be considered a large group market plan subject to all coverage mandates applicable to a large group market plan, (2) be subject to the group health plan coverage requirements under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, (3) be prohibited from denying coverage under the policy on the basis of a pre-existing condition, (4) shall be guaranteed issue and guaranteed renewable, (5) provide essential health benefits and cost-sharing requirements, and (6) offer a minimum level of coverage designed to provide benefits that are actuarially equivalent to 60 percent of the full actuarial value of the benefits provided under the plan. The bill requires an insurer issuing such policy to an association to (A) treat all of the members and employees of employer members who are enrolled in coverage under the policy as a single risk pool; (B) set premiums on the basis of the collective group experience of the members and employees of employer members who are enrolled in coverage under the policy; (C) not vary premiums by age, except that the rate shall not vary by more than four to one for adults; (D) not vary premiums on the basis of gender; (E) not vary premiums on the basis of the health status of an individual employee of an employer member or a self-employed individual member; and (F) not establish discriminatory rules based on the health status of an employer member, an individual employee of an employer member, or a self-employed individual for eligibility or contribution. Finally, the bill provides that the State Corporation Commission retains its regulatory authority over any such association health plan and may impose insurance requirements, as it deems appropriate.

Commending Liberty University.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable FrankDuVal Hargrove, Sr.