Del. Nadarius Clark

Maddy summaryThis bill (HJ 644) is a joint resolution commending the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia for its work in supporting individuals recovering from substance use disorders. It formally recognizes the organization's contributions to community health and recovery efforts in Virginia. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no binding policy impact or direct effect on laws or regulations. The measure passed both chambers of the General Assembly with voice votes in February 2025.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial joint resolution honoring Matthew Robert Chiaverotti. It has no policy provisions or direct impact on legislation, citizens, or government operations. The resolution formally celebrates his life and legacy through a symbolic gesture by the legislature. As a commemorative measure, it does not create new laws or alter existing policies.

Department of Corrections; Department of Workforce Development and Advancement; post-release job search assistance services. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall work with the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement to provide post-release job search assistance services to assist individuals in finding employment upon release from incarceration and refer such individuals to case management services where eligible from such funds as are available. The bill also requires the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement to coordinate implementation and delivery of such post-release job search assistance services with Virginia Workforce System partners, including local workforce development boards. This bill is identical to SB 877.

Virginia Consumer Protection Act; Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; mold remediation; emergency. Prohibits the selling or offering for sale of services as a professional mold remediator to be performed upon any residential dwelling without holding a mold remediation certification from a nationally or internationally recognized certifying body for mold remediation. The bill also requires such professionals to comply with pertinent standards in conducting remediation. Finally, the bill directs the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to study the state of the mold inspection and mold remediation workforce in the Commonwealth to determine whether the licensure or certification of mold inspectors and remediators would benefit the public health, safety, and welfare and submit a report by January 1, 2026. This bill incorporates HB 2355 and contains an emergency clause.

Board of Education; accreditation requirements for professional education programs; exemption for professional education programs leading to certain endorsements. Directs the Board of Education to amend its regulations relating to accreditation requirements for professional education programs in the Commonwealth to require the Department of Education to provide an alternative to the requirement to obtain and maintain national accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation for any professional education program that leads to an endorsement as a school counselor or a school psychologist and has a secured specialty area accreditation from a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Public elementary and secondary schools; nutritional standards for school meals and other foods; nutrition requirements; certain color additives prohibited. Prohibits any public elementary or secondary school from offering or making available to any student any food served as a part of a school meal or any competitive food, as defined in applicable law, that contains any of the seven color additives listed in the bill. The bill directs the Board of Education to amend its nutritional guidelines for competitive foods promulgated pursuant to relevant law in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027, and is identical to SB 1289.

Health insurance; carrier business practices; method of payment for transactions. Requires a health insurance carrier to notify the provider in a provider contract if the carrier, or entity completing a transaction on behalf of the carrier, uses a payment method that imposes a transaction or processing fee or similar charge on the provider and to offer the provider an alternative payment method that does not impose such a fee or similar charge. If the provider elects to accept the alternative payment method and has provided all required information to the carrier to enroll in such alternative method, the bill specifies that the carrier is required to pay the claim using such alternative payment method. This bill is identical to SB 925.

Commissioner of Social Services; appeal of provisional licenses. Requires that corrective action of an applicant for provisional licensure, acceptable to the Commissioner of Social Services and on a schedule determined by the Commissioner, shall be required prior to any appeal of the provisional license issued to an assisted living facility or adult day center. This bill is identical to SB 937.

School boards; bleeding control programs; bleeding control kits. Requires each school board to develop and implement a bleeding control program in each public elementary and secondary school in the local school division whereby the school board, among other things, requires bleeding control kits with certain enumerated contents such as bandages and tourniquets to be placed in each public elementary and secondary school building in easily accessible locations and requires annual inspection and restocking of each such bleeding control kit.

Virginia Values Veterans Program; military spouse eligibility. Provides that the comprehensive program developed by the Department of Veterans Services to reduce unemployment among veterans extends to military spouses.