Del. Karrie Delaney

Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention Fund; report. Creates the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention Fund, which shall be administered by the Department of Social Services, in coordination with the Department of Health and the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, and used to develop, support, and evaluate programs that prevent sexual and domestic violence through strategies that (i) promote healthy practices related to relationships, sexuality, and social-emotional development and (ii) counteract the factors associated with the initial perpetration of sexual and domestic violence. This bill is identical to HB 1015.

Minimum staffing ratio for school counselors. Requires local school boards to employ school counselors in accordance with the following ratios, effective with the 2020-2021 school year: in elementary schools, one hour per day per 75 students, one full-time equivalent at 375 students, one hour per day additional time per 75 students or major fraction thereof; in middle schools, one period per 65 students, one full-time equivalent at 325 students, one additional period per 65 students or major fraction thereof; and in high schools, one period per 60 students, one full-time equivalent at 300 students, one additional period per 60 students or major fraction thereof. The bill also requires local school boards to employ one full-time equivalent school counselor position per 325 students in grades kindergarten through 12, effective with the 2021-2022 school year. This bill incorporates HB 398.

Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention Fund; report. Creates the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention Fund, which shall be administered by the Department of Social Services, in coordination with the Department of Health and the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, and used to develop, support, and evaluate programs that prevent sexual and domestic violence through strategies that (i) promote healthy practices related to relationships, sexuality, and social-emotional development and (ii) counteract the factors associated with the initial perpetration of sexual and domestic violence. This bill is identical to SB 297.

Public institutions of higher education; eligibility for in-state tuition. Provides that any student is eligible for in-state tuition who (i) attended high school for at least two years in the Commonwealth and either (a) graduated on or after July 1, 2008, from a public or private high school or program of home instruction in the Commonwealth or (b) passed, on or after July 1, 2008, a high school equivalency examination approved by the Secretary of Education; (ii) has submitted evidence that he or, in the case of a dependent student, at least one parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis has filed, unless exempted by state law, Virginia income tax returns for at least two years prior to the date of registration or enrollment; and (iii) registers as an entering student or is enrolled in a public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth. The bill states that students who meet these criteria shall be eligible for in-state tuition regardless of their citizenship or immigration status, except students with currently valid visas issued under 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15)(F), 1101(a)(15)(H)(iii), 1101(a)(15)(J) (including only students or trainees), or 1101(a)(15)(M). Information obtained in the implementation of the provisions of the bill shall only be used or disclosed to individuals other than the student for purposes of determining in-state tuition eligibility. This bill incorporates HB 1138 and is identical to SB 935.

Health insurance; nondiscrimination; gender identity or transgender status. Prohibits a health carrier from denying or limiting coverage or imposing additional cost sharing or other limitations or restrictions on coverage, under a health benefit plan for health care services that are ordinarily or exclusively available to covered individuals of one sex, to a transgender individual on the basis of the fact that the individual's sex assigned at birth, gender identity, or gender otherwise recorded is different from the one to which such health services are ordinarily or exclusively available. The measure also prohibits a health carrier from (i) subjecting an individual to discrimination under a health benefit plan on the basis of gender identity or being a transgender individual or (ii) requiring that an individual, as a condition of enrollment or continued enrollment under a health benefit plan, pay a premium that is greater than the premium for a similarly situated covered person enrolled in the plan on the basis of the covered person's gender identity or being a transgender individual. The measure requires health carriers to assess medical necessity according to nondiscriminatory criteria that are consistent with current medical standards.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; architecturaland professional engineering term contracts; limitations. Increasesfrom four to five the number of times that a public body may renewa one-year term contract for architectural or professional engineeringservices related to multiple construction projects. The bill alsoadds an alternative option for public bodies to instead choose onefive-year term contract for such services with no option for renewals.The bill increases the aggregate limit for architectural and engineeringservices contracts for localities for projects performed in a one-yearcontract term from $6 million to $10 million. The bill also increasesthe aggregate limit for architectural and engineering services contractsfor environmental location, design, and inspection work regardinghighways and bridges by the Commissioner of Highways for projects performed in an initial two-year term contract from $5 million to$10 million.

Virginia Energy Plan; covenants regarding solar power; reasonable restrictions. Provides that a restriction on solar energy collection devices is not reasonable if application of the restriction to a particular proposal (i) increases the cost of installation of the solar energy collection device by five percent over the projected cost of the initially proposed installation or (ii) reduces the energy production by the solar energy collection device by 10 percent below the projected energy production of the initially proposed installation. The owner shall provide documentation prepared by an independent solar panel design specialist that is satisfactory to the community association to show that the restriction is not reasonable according to the criteria established in the bill. This bill is identical to SB 504.

Worker cooperatives. Establishes worker cooperatives as a category of cooperative associations. A worker cooperative is a stock corporation that has elected to be governed by provisions established by this measure, which include (i) conducting its business primarily for the mutual benefit of its members, (ii) allowing only current and retired employees to be members, (iii) limiting voting rights to current employees, (iv) providing that each employee is entitled to one vote, (v) prohibiting any person from owning more than one membership share, (vi) requiring at least two-thirds of employees to own membership shares, and (vii) requiring that net earnings be paid or credited to members in accordance with the ratio that each member's amount of work performed during a period bears to the total amount of work performed by all members during that period.

Department of Education; Department of Health;guidelines for use of digital devices in public schools. Requiresthe Department of Education, in collaboration with the Departmentof Health and medical professional societies, to develop and implementhealth and safety best practice guidelines for the use of digitaldevices in public schools no later than the 2021 - 2022 school year.

Services for survivors of sexual assault. Requires every hospital in the Commonwealth to provide treatment or transfer services, as defined in the bill, to survivors of sexual assault pursuant to a plan approved by the Department of Health; establishes specific requirements for providers of services to pediatric survivors of sexual assault; requires the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund to pay the costs of services provided to survivors of sexual assault; establishes the Task Force on Services for Survivors of Sexual Assault to facilitate the development of services for survivors of sexual assault; and establishes the Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Program to increase the number of qualified sexual assault forensic services providers available in the Commonwealth.