Del. Ibraheem S. Samirah

Medical assistance services; managed care organization contracts with pharmacy providers; recoupment of direct and indirectremuneration fees. Requires the Department of Medical AssistanceServices to require a managed care organization with which the Departmententers into an agreement for the delivery of medical assistance servicesto include in any agreement between the managed care organizationand an intermediary a provision prohibiting the intermediary from recouping direct and indirect remuneration fees with respect to aprescription.

Science, technology, engineering, arts, andmathematics (STEAM) programs; grants. Establishes the STEAM EducationFund for the purpose of awarding grants in amounts not to exceed $50,000 annually to any public elementary or secondary school inthe Commonwealth at which at least 25 percent of students qualifyfor free or reduced lunch that provides an academic class, curriculum,or activity focused on a science, technology, engineering, arts,or mathematics (STEAM) discipline.

Absentee voting; no-excuse, in-person, beginningon second Saturday immediately preceding election; applicabilitydate; emergency. Provides that, beginning with the May 5, 2020,general election, no-excuse, in-person absentee voting will be availablebeginning on the second Saturday immediately preceding the election.The bill contains an emergency clause.

Carrying weapon into building owned or usedby the Commonwealth or political subdivision thereof; penalty. Makesit a Class 1 misdemeanor for a first or second offense for a person to transport any (i) gun or other weapon designed or intended topropel a missile or projectile of any kind; (ii) frame, receiver,muffler, silencer, missile, projectile, or ammunition designed foruse with a dangerous weapon; or (iii) other dangerous weapon intoa building owned or used by the Commonwealth or any agency or politicalsubdivision thereof for governmental purposes. The bill providesexceptions for law-enforcement officers, conservators of the peace,magistrates, court officers, judges, city or county treasurers, commissionersor deputy commissioners of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission,authorized security personnel, and active military personnel whilein the conduct of such individuals' official duties. The bill requiresthat notice of the provisions prohibiting the carrying of such weaponsbe posted at each public entrance to all buildings owned or leasedby the Commonwealth or any agency or political subdivision thereof.A third or subsequent offense of this or certain other firearms offensesis punishable as a Class 6 felony.

Study; Interstate 66 Corridor Improvement Plan.Requests the Commonwealth Transportation Board to study safety, congestion,and tolling concerns on Interstate 66 and to develop and adopt anInterstate 66 Corridor Improvement Plan.

Middle housing allowed on lots zoned for single-familyuse. Requires all localities to allow development or redevelopmentof "middle housing" residential units upon each lot zoned for single-familyresidential use. Middle housing is defined as two-family residentialunits, including duplexes, townhouses, cottages, and any similarstructure. Such structures shall not require a special use permitor be subjected to any other local requirements beyond those imposedupon other authorized residential uses. Localities may regulate the siting, design, and environmental standards of middle housing residential units, including setback requirements, provided that the regulationsdo not, individually or cumulatively, discourage the developmentof all two-family housing types permitted through unreasonable costsor delay.

Grand larceny; threshold. Increases from$500 to $1,500 the threshold amount of money taken or value of goodsor chattel taken at which the crime rises from petit larceny to grandlarceny. The bill increases the threshold by the same amount forthe classification of certain property crimes.

Preliminary protective orders; hearing dates.Allows the full hearing resulting from the issuance of a preliminaryprotective order to be heard on the same hearing or trial date asa related criminal offense if such hearing or trial date has alreadybeen set for a date later than 15 days after the issuance of thepreliminary protective order. Current law requires that a full hearingbe held within 15 days of the issuance of a preliminary protective order in every instance. The bill also requires an extended preliminary protective order to specify that the respondent may at any time filea motion requesting an earlier or later hearing date and that theorder shall remain in effect until the hearing. The bill requiresa copy of any motion requesting a hearing to dissolve such orderor requesting an earlier or later hearing date be served by personalservice by the primary law-enforcement agency responsible for serviceand entry of protective orders. The bill contains technical amendments.

Family caregiver tax credit. Creates a nonrefundable income tax credit beginning in taxable year 2020 for expenses incurred by an individual in caring for an eligible family member, defined in the bill, who requires assistance with one or more activities of daily living, also defined in the bill. The credit equals 50 percent of eligible expenditures incurred by the caregiver, but shall not exceed $1,000. In order to qualify for the credit, the family caregiver must (i) not receive any compensation or reimbursement for the eligible expenditures and (ii) have federal adjusted gross income that is no greater than $75,000 for an individual or $150,000 for married persons. Both the caregiver and the eligible family member must be residents of Virginia. The bill requires the Tax Commissioner to establish guidelines for claiming the credit and provides that any unused credit may be carried forward by the taxpayer for five taxable years following the taxable year for which the credit was issued. The credit expires beginning with taxable year 2025.

Development and use of accessory dwelling units.Provides that all localities shall allow for the development anduse of one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) per single-family dwelling(SFD), notwithstanding any contrary provision of a zoning ordinance.The bill defines "accessory dwelling unit" or "ADU" as an independentdwelling unit on a single-family lot with its own living, bathroom,and kitchen space that may be within or attached to SFDs or in detachedstructures on lots containing SFDs. ADUs may include basements, attics,flats, guest houses, cottages, and converted structures such as garages and sheds. The bill requires localities to regulate the sizeand design of ADUs through an approval process, as well as regulatefees, parking, and other requirements, provided that the regulations(i) are not so arbitrary, excessive, or burdensome, individuallyor cumulatively, as to unreasonably restrict the ability of propertyowners to utilize or create ADUs and (ii) do not require the propertyowner to occupy the ADU or SFD as his primary residence.