Rep. M. Kirkland Cox

Public health emergency; emergency medical services agencies; real-time access to information. Directs the Department of Health to develop and implement a system for sharing information regarding confirmed cases of communicable diseases of public health threat with emergency medical services agencies in real time during a declared public health emergency related to a communicable disease of public health threat and with the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board and regional emergency medical services councils upon request, in order to protect the health and safety of emergency medical services personnel and the public.

Commending William S. Feasenmyer, Jr.

Celebrating the life of Michael Wayne Woods.

Celebrating the life of John Gilbert Stallings,Jr.

Emergency Services and Disaster Law; limitationon duration of executive orders. Limits the duration of any executiveorder issued by the Governor pursuant to his powers under the EmergencyServices and Disaster Law to no more than 45 days from the date ofissuance. The bill provides that if the General Assembly does nottake any action on the rule, regulation, or order within the 45 daysduring which the rule, regulation, or order is effective, the Governorshall thereafter be prohibited from issuing the same or a similarrule, regulation, or order relating to the same emergency. Undercurrent law, once issued, such executive orders are effective untilJune 30 following the next regular session of the General Assembly.

State parks; Disabled Veteran's Passport.Expands the Disabled Veteran's Passport program to all U.S. veteranswith a service-connected disability. Currently, a veteran must be100 percent disabled to be eligible for the program, which providesfree entry into state parks and a 50 percent discount on campingand swimming fees, picnic shelter rentals, and other equipment rentalsprovided by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

School boards; establishment of the READ Fundand READ programs. Establishes the Reimbursement for EducationAccess Decisions (READ) Fund (the Fund); permits any school boardto establish a READ program to provide, during the state of emergencydeclared by the Governor in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, fundsto any parent or legal guardian who meets compulsory attendance requirementsby having his child taught by a tutor or teacher of qualificationsprescribed by the Board of Education and approved by the divisionsuperintendent in lieu of enrollment in the local school divisionto cover certain costs of such education; and permits any such schoolboard to apply to the Department of Education for an award from theFund to reimburse the school board for half of the cost of makingreimbursements to parents pursuant to its READ program. The bill providesthat the school board is responsible for covering the remaining halfof the cost of its READ program with such federal and local fundsas may be available for such purpose. The bill permits the Departmentof Education to establish such rules and procedures as it deems necessaryfor receiving applications for reimbursement and making awards fromthe Fund. The bill also provides that if federal funding is providedpursuant to an Act of Congress with regard to relief from the COVID-19pandemic and such Act does not preclude such federal funding frombeing used to make awards from the Fund, the Governor shall reservea reasonable amount of such federal funding to be credited to theFund to fully support reimbursement requests from such school boards.

Office of the State Inspector General; concurrent distribution of reports to executive and legislative branches. Requires that the reports, information, or documents of the Office of theState Inspector General that are required to be transmitted to theexecutive and legislative branches be transmitted concurrently.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable MamyeE. BaCote.