Out-of-state health care practitioners; temporary authorization to practice; licensure by reciprocity for physicians; emergency. Allows a health care practitioner licensed, certified, or registered in another state or the District of Columbia to practice in the Commonwealth for a period of up to 90 days provided certain conditions are met and provides that if such health care practitioner has applied for licensure, certification, or registration in the Commonwealth, the applicable health regulatory board shall expedite such application. The bill also requires the Department of Health Professions to pursue reciprocity agreements with jurisdictions that surround the Commonwealth to streamline the application process to facilitate the practice of medicine and to report to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions the number of out-of-state health care practitioners who have utilized the temporary authorization created by the bill to practice in the Commonwealth pending licensure who have not subsequently been issued a full license to practice in the Commonwealth. The bill contains an emergency clause.
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Public institutions of higher education; academiccredit; education, experience, training, and credentials in ArmedForces of the United States. Requires, no later than the beginningof the 2022-2023 academic year, (i) the governing board of each public institution of higher education to collaborate with the State Councilof Higher Education for Virginia (the Council), the federal Departmentof Defense, and nationally recognized regional accreditation bodies to map the existing opportunities to earn education, experience,training, and credentials in the Armed Forces of the United Statesto the award of academic credit in public institutions of highereducation in the Commonwealth and (ii) in accordance with such collaborativemapping, the Council to update its guidelines developed and the governingboard of each public institution of higher education to update itspolicies implemented pursuant to relevant law for the purpose ofawarding academic credit to students for such education, experience, training, and credentials.
Food donations; labeling; liability. Exemptsindividuals and entities that donate food and charitable organizations that accept food donations from criminal and civil liability fordonating or receiving food past its best-by date or other non-safety labels so long as all parties are informed. The bill provides thatimmunity from liability shall not apply in instances of gross negligenceor intentional misconduct.
Automatic renewal or continuous service offerto consumer; cancellation and online opt-out. Requires that the supplier of automatic renewals or continuous service offers thatinclude a free trial notify the consumer of the automatic renewalseven days prior to expiration of the free trial and obtain the consumer'saffirmative consent to the automatic renewal beyond the trial period.The bill also requires that suppliers of automatic renewals or continuousservice offers through an online website must make available a conspicuousonline option to cancel a recurring purchase of a good or servicewithin the website by which such purchase was made.
Consumer Data Protection Act; data deletion request. Provides that a controller that has obtained personal data about a consumer from a third party shall be deemed in compliance with a consumer's request to delete such data if the controller either (i) retains a record of the deletion request and the minimum data necessary for the purpose of ensuring that the consumer's personal data remains deleted and does not use such retained data for any other purpose or (ii) opts the consumer out of the processing of that data for any purpose except those purposes exempted pursuant to the Consumer Data Protection Act. This bill is identical to SB 393.
Virginia Literacy Act; early student literacy; evidence-based literacy instruction; science-based reading research. Makes several changes relating to early student literacy, including requiring (i) each education preparation program offered by a public institution of higher education or private institution of higher education or alternative certification program that provides training for any individual seeking initial licensure with an endorsement in a certain area, including as a reading specialist, to demonstrate mastery of science-based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction, as such terms are defined in the bill; (ii) the literacy assessment required of individuals seeking initial teacher licensure with endorsements in certain areas to include a rigorous test of science-based reading research and evidence-based literacy instruction; (iii) each local school board to establish a divisionwide literacy plan; (iv) each local school board to employ one reading specialist for each 550 students in kindergarten through grade three; and (v) each local school board to provide a program of literacy instruction whereby, among other things, (a) the program provides reading intervention services to students in kindergarten through grade three who demonstrate deficiencies based on their individual performance on the Standards of Learning reading assessment or an early literacy screener provided or approved by the Department of Education; (b) a reading specialist, in collaboration with the teacher of any student who receives such reading intervention services, develops, oversees implementation of, and monitors student progress on a student reading plan; and (c) each student who receives such reading intervention services is assessed utilizing either the early literacy screener provided or approved by the Department or the grade-level reading Standards of Learning assessment again at the end of that school year. The provisions of the bill become effective beginning with the 2024–2025 school year. This bill is identical to SB 616.
Health care data report; carriers. Directs the Department of Health, through its contract with the nonprofit organization that compiles and evaluates health care data on behalf of the Commonwealth and in consultation with the Bureau of Insurance of the State Corporation Commission (the Bureau), to (i) develop and implement a methodology to review and measure the efficiency and productivity of health care providers and carriers other than limited scope dental or vision plans and managed care health insurance plans and (ii) make available to the public on a website maintained by the nonprofit organization such data and information and other reports collected or produced as a result of implementation of such methodology by July 1, 2023. The bill also requires the Bureau to convene a stakeholder work group to (a) provide input on the development of the methodology required by the act; (b) identify additional measures to increase the transparency of information provided to the Bureau by carriers, managed care health insurance plans, and health care providers; and (c) determine what additional information should be provided to the nonprofit organization by carriers, managed care health insurance plan providers, and health care providers to foster transparency and competition among both carriers and health care providers and assist consumers in making educated decisions regarding options for health care coverage and access. The bill requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2022.
Information Technology Advisory Council; membership; powers and duties; report. Redefines the purpose and powers and duties of the Information Technology Advisory Council (the ITAC). The bill increases the membership of the ITAC from not more than 16 to not more than 20 members and allows for legislative members to be appointed to the ITAC. The bill also directs the Chief Information Officer of the Commonwealth to report annually to the Governor and the General Assembly regarding the work of the ITAC and any subcommittees. Finally, the bill provides that the ITAC may appoint advisory subcommittees consisting of individuals with expertise in particular subject areas and information technology to advise the ITAC on the utilization of nationally recognized technical and data standards in such subject, and repeals the provision that allows for the ITAC to create and appoint persons to a Health Information Technology Standards Advisory Committee. This bill is identical to SB 703.
Celebrating the life of the Honorable FloraLonette Davis Crittenden.
Commending Bob Brown.