Del. Cia Price

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; enforcement by localities. Provides that if a condition exists in a rental dwelling unit that constitutes a material noncompliance by the landlord with the rental agreement or with any provision of law that, if not promptly corrected, constitutes a fire hazard or serious threat to the life, health, or safety of tenants or occupants of the premises, a locality may bring an action to enforce the landlord's duty to maintain the rental dwelling in a fit and habitable condition, provided that (i) the property where the violations occurred is within the jurisdictional boundaries of the locality; (ii) the locality has notified the landlord who owns the property directly or through the managing agent of the nature of the violations and the landlord has not remedied the violations within a reasonable time after receiving such notice to the satisfaction of the locality; and (iii) such enforcement action may include seeking an injunction, damages, or both.

Certain student-athletes; compensation forname, image, or likeness. The bill prohibits any (i) high school student-athlete who participates in interscholastic athletic competitionfrom entering into any contract to receive compensation in exchangefor the use of such student's name, image, or likeness and (ii) student-athleteenrolled at an institution of higher education in the Commonwealthwho participates in intercollegiate athletic competition from enteringinto any contract to receive compensation in exchange for the useof such student's name, image, or likeness, the duration of whichextends beyond the student's enrollment at such institution.

SNAP benefits program; inmates of state or local correctional facilities. Requires the Department of Social Services(the Department) to establish a process that (i) allows inmatesof state or local correctional facilities to submit within 45 daysof the inmate's expected release date an application to participatein the SNAP benefits program and (ii) enables eligible inmates toreceive SNAP benefits immediately upon release. The bill requiresthe Department to distribute to the Department of Corrections andthe Board of Local and Regional Jails information regarding suchprocess and certain other information described in the bill. Thebill has a delayed effective date of October 1, 2023.

Historical African American cemeteries. Changes the date of establishment that qualifies historical African American cemeteries for appropriated funds to care for such cemeteries from prior to January 1, 1900, to prior to January 1, 1948, and provides that the total number of graves in a qualifying cemetery shall be the number of markers of African Americans who were interred in such cemetery prior to January 1, 1948. Under current law, the total number of graves is the number of markers of African Americans who lived at any time between January 1, 1800, and January 1, 1900. This bill is identical to SB 477.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; payment of medical assistance for obesity prevention and other obesity-related services; report. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services (the Department) to convene a work group to study and provide recommendations related to the payment of medical assistance for obesity prevention and other obesity-related services, including (i) the types of obesity prevention and other obesity-related services for which federal matching funds are available, (ii) the cost to the Commonwealth of providing medical assistance for such obesity prevention and other obesity-related services for eligible individuals, and (iii) any federal approvals or other actions necessary to allow for the payment of medical assistance for obesity prevention and other obesity-related services. The bill requires the Department to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Education and Health by November 1, 2022.

Medical assistance services; individuals confinedin state correctional facilities. Requires the Department ofMedical Assistance Services to enroll any person who is in the custodyof a state correctional facility and who meets the criteria for eligibilityfor services under the state plan for medical assistance in the Commonwealth'sprogram of medical assistance services; however, no services underthe state plan for medical assistance shall be furnished to the personwhile he is confined in a state correctional facility unless federalfinancial participation is available to pay for the cost of the servicesprovided. The bill also provides that, upon release from the custodyof a state correctional facility, such individual shall continue to be eligible for services under the state plan for medical assistanceuntil such time as the person is determined to no longer be eligiblefor medical assistance and that, to the extent permitted by federallaw, the time during which a person is confined in a state correctionalfacility shall not be included in any calculation of when the personmust recertify his eligibility for medical assistance.

Commission to Study Slavery and Subsequent DeJure and De Facto Racial and Economic Discrimination Against AfricanAmericans; expiration. Extends from July 1, 2022, to July 1, 2024,the expiration of the Commission to Study Slavery and Subsequent DeJure and De Facto Racial and Economic Discrimination Against AfricanAmericans. The bill also provides for the nonlegislative citizen membersof the Commission to continue to serve for the duration of the extension.This bill is identical to SB 151.

Support orders; income withholding order; employerfees. Clarifies that a fee of up to a maximum of $5 for eachreply or remittance on account of a support obligor may be chargedby an employer and withheld from the obligor's income in additionto the support amount to be withheld pursuant to an income withholdingorder. Currently, such amount is described only as a $5 fee.

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.

Refunds of local taxes; authority of treasurer. Increases from $5,000 to $10,000 the maximum amount that the governingbody of a locality may authorize its treasurer to approve and issuefor a refund of taxes paid as a result of an erroneous tax assessment.