Rep. Bobby Orrock

Board of Education; School Performance and Support Framework; readiness indicator; chronic absenteeism calculation; certain excused student absences excluded. Provides that in any case in which a student experiences an unexpected excused absence of any length based on extenuating circumstances, any such period of excused absence shall be excluded from the calculation of chronic absenteeism for the purpose of the readiness indicator in the Board of Education's school accountability system known as the School Performance and Support Framework or any successor school accountability system. This bill was incorporated into HB 1769.

A BILL authorizing the issuance of Commonwealth of Virginia General Obligation Bonds in an amount not exceeding $80,960,000 for the purpose of financing the cost of deferred maintenance projects for existing state parks and recreational facilities; authorizing the Treasury Board, by and with the consent of the Governor, to fix the details of such bonds and to provide for the sale of the bonds; authorizing the Treasury Board, by and with the consent of the Governor, to borrow money in anticipation of the issuance of the bonds; authorizing the issuance of refunding bonds, by and with the consent of the Governor; providing for the pledge of the full faith and credit of the Commonwealth for the payment of such obligations; providing that interest on such obligations shall be exempt from all taxation by the Commonwealth and any political subdivision thereof; and providing that this act shall not become effective and that no bonds shall be issued hereunder unless this act is approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the Commonwealth voting thereon at an election, as required by Article X, Section 9 (b) of the Constitution of Virginia.

Maddy summaryHB 550 would allow any adoptee who is 18 years or older to obtain their original birth certificate directly from state records. The bill removes current barriers that prevent adult adoptees from accessing this document without court involvement or consent from birth parents. This change directly affects adoptees in the state who seek to understand their biological family history or medical background. The policy would require state agencies to provide the original birth certificate upon request by eligible adoptees.

Virginia Institute of Marine Science; review the cumulative surface water intake effects on aquatic fauna in the Chesapeake Bay; report. Directs the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) to review the feasibility of studying cumulative impacts of surface water intakes on aquatic fauna and water quality in Virginia's rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. VIMS is required to report whether the study may be conducted and, if so, report the total amount of funding necessary to conduct the study to the Governor by October 1, 2024.

Certificate of public need; hospitals licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; psychiatric beds. Excludes from the list of medical care facilities for which a certificate of public need is required hospitals licensed as a provider by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. The bill excludes the following from the list of projects for which a certificate of public need is required for certain medical care facilities: (i) an increase or relocation of psychiatric beds licensed by the Department, (ii) the introduction of any psychiatric service when such medical care facility has not provided such service in the previous 12 months, and (iii) the conversion of beds to psychiatric beds. The bill also modifies the list of projects for which a certificate of public need is required for certain medical care facilities by requiring a certificate for the conversion of any psychiatric inpatient beds to nonpsychiatric inpatient beds. Under current law, a certificate is required for the conversion of a psychiatric bed to a nonpsychiatric bed only when the psychiatric bed was approved pursuant to a Request for Applications (RFA).

Maddy summaryThis legislative resolution honors Arletha Quash Rucker for her significant contributions to Caroline County as an educator, church leader, and community activist. It recognizes her thirty-plus years of teaching social studies, her leadership roles at Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church, and her volunteer work with the NAACP and local cemetery restoration efforts. The House of Delegates formally commends her legacy and directs the Clerk to present a copy of the resolution to her as a gesture of appreciation.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House resolution that formally commends Harriet Tillman Harris for her long-term service to Caroline County. It recognizes her contributions as an educator who worked for over 41 years and as a church leader within the Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church. The resolution highlights her specific achievements, including leading the county's Head Start program and her extensive volunteer work. The House of Delegates will present a copy of this resolution to Harris as a gesture of appreciation for her dedication to the community.

Maddy summaryThis legislative resolution honors the life and legacy of Sallie Chew Baker, a respected businesswoman and educator from Caroline County who passed away in 1978. The bill formally acknowledges her significant contributions to the community, including her efforts to preserve the historic Guinea one-room schoolhouse and her role in establishing Macedonia Baptist Church. Additionally, the resolution directs the Clerk of the House of Delegates to provide a copy of the document to Baker's family as a gesture of appreciation for her impact on the region.

Community revitalization fund; expanding use for all localities. Expands the current provisions of law allowing for the establishment of a community revitalization fund for the purpose of preventing neighborhood deterioration to apply to all localities. Currently, only the City of Richmond is authorized to establish such a fund. This bill is identical to SB 49 and is a recommendation of the Virginia Housing Commission.

Health insurance; health care provider panels; continuity of care. Requires a provider to continue to render health care services to any of the carrier's enrollees who have an existing provider-patient relationship with the provider for a period of at least 90 days from the date of a provider's termination from the carrier's provider panel, except when a provider is terminated for cause. The bill provides that for an enrollee who has an existing provider-patient relationship with a provider, and, at the time of the provider's termination, (i) has been medically confirmed to be pregnant, the provider is required to continue care through the postpartum period; (ii) is determined to be terminally ill, the provider is required to continue care for the remainder of the enrollee's life; (iii) has been determined by a medical professional to have a life-threatening condition, the provider is required to continue care for up to 180 days; and (iv) is admitted to and receiving treatment in an inpatient facility, the provider is required to continue care until the enrollee is discharged from the inpatient facility. Under current law, the carrier is required to permit the provider to provide such continuity of care. The bill provides that the continuity of care provisions also apply to plans administered by the Department of Medical Assistance Services that provide benefits pursuant to Title XIX or Title XXI of the Social Security Act.