Girl Scout Week. Designates the week ofMarch 12, in 2022 and in each succeeding year, as Girl Scout Weekin Virginia.
Supporting the Jones Act. Expresses thesense of the General Assembly in supporting the Jones Act.
Commending the Sweet Briar College equestrianteam.
Commemorating the life and legacy of RobertWalter Johnson, M.D.
Income tax credits; Neighborhood Assistance Program and Education Improvement Scholarships. Makes several amendments to expand the availability of the Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) and Education Improvement Scholarships Tax Credits (EISTC). The bill increases the limit on NAP credits approved by the Department of Education (DOE) from $9 million to $25 million. When added to the current limit of $8 million of NAP credits approved by the Department of Social Services (DSS), the overall limit on NAP credits would be $33 million. The bill makes decisions of DOE and DSS regarding the qualification of a scholarship foundation or the awarding of tax credits subject to judicial appeal; currently, such decisions are final. The bill provides that the annual allocation of tax credits among neighborhood organizations shall not rely solely on the amount of credits awarded in the previous year. For the EISTC, the bill allows certified public accountants to receive tax credits for donations of accounting services to scholarship organizations. The bill also authorizes scholarship foundations, which are the sole recipient of funding from the issuance of EISTC, to receive funding for scholastic assistance, defined in the bill as counseling or supportive services. Under current law, scholarship foundations may receive EISTC funding only for the purpose of providing scholarships.
Celebrating the life of the Honorable HelenMarie Taylor.
Commemorating the 200th anniversary of the arrivalof American settlers at Providence Island, Liberia.
End Stage Renal Disease Patient Navigator Network. Directs the Department of Health to establish the End State RenalDisease Patient Navigator Network to assist persons diagnosed withend stage renal disease in navigating through the health care system.The bill permits the Department to contract with other entities toestablish the Network and provide services to qualified patients.
Virginia student environmental literacy; plan; grant fund and program. Requires the Board of Education, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Health, any other stakeholder that it deems appropriate, and the public, and in order to assist each local school board in developing and implementing a program of instruction for grades kindergarten through 12 that is aligned to the Standards of Learning and emphasizes environmental literacy as an essential skill and concept of citizenship that is necessary for responsible participation in American society and in the international community, to establish and update at least once every five years a Virginia student environmental literacy plan (the plan) that (i) prepares students to understand, analyze, and address the major environmental challenges facing the Commonwealth and the United States; (ii) provides field experiences as part of regular school curricula and creates programs that contribute to healthy lifestyles through outdoor recreation and sound nutrition; and (iii) creates opportunities for the enhanced and ongoing professional development of teachers that improves teachers' environmental subject matter knowledge and pedagogical skills in teaching about environmental issues, including the use of interdisciplinary, field-based, and research-based learning and innovative technology in the classroom. The bill requires the plan to include a description of (a) how the Board will measure the environmental literacy of students, including relevant Standards of Learning and related curricula and courses or subjects where environmental education instruction will be integrated throughout grades kindergarten through 12 curricula, and the relationship of the plan to the high school graduation requirements established by the Board; (b) programs for the professional development of teachers to improve teachers' environmental subject matter knowledge and pedagogical skills in teaching about environmental issues, including the use of interdisciplinary, field-based, and research-based learning and innovative technology in the classroom; and (c) how the Board will implement the plan, including securing funding and other necessary support. The bill establishes the Virginia Student Environmental Literacy Plan Grant Fund and Program, to be administered by the Department of Education, for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to any local school board that seeks assistance to initiate, expand, or improve teacher professional development opportunities or student environmental education programs that align with the content and objectives of the plan.
Virginia African Diaspora Advisory Board. Establishes the Virginia African Diaspora Advisory Board to advise the Governor on ways to improve economic and cultural links between the Commonwealth and African nations, with a focus on the areas of commerce and trade, agriculture, art, education, and government. The Board is composed of 18 nonlegislative citizen members, of whom at least 15 must be persons who identify as part of the African diaspora, to be appointed by the Governor. The Secretaries of Agriculture and Forestry, Commerce and Trade, and Education or their designees serve as ex officio members.
