Del. Jay Leftwich

Virginia National Guard; state active duty for emergency response; pay and allowances for members. Provides that whenever called to state active duty in response to certain emergencies, members of the National Guard and the Virginia Defense Force receive pay and allowance equal to their rank and years of service, as determined by the Department of Military Affairs. The bill also authorizes the Adjutant General to increase state active duty pay on an annual basis by a rate not to exceed the most recent percentage increase in basic pay for members of the Armed Forces. Current law provides that (i) officers of the National Guard receive the same pay and allowances as prescribed for members of like rank in the United States Armed Forces, (ii) members of the National Guard receive the same pay and allowances as if they were on a day of Annual Training, and (iii) members of the Virginia Defense Force called to state active duty receive the same pay and allowances as persons of like grade in the National Guard for a day of Annual Training, capped at 25 years of service. The provisions of the bills are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act.

Family life education programs; materials; summaries.Requires the summary of each family life education program thatis provided to the parents of students who participate in such programto include a complete description of the process for parental reviewof program materials. The bill requires each local school board topost for public viewing on the local school division's official websiteeach such summary, a complete copy of all printed family life educationprogram materials, and a description of all family life education program audio-visual materials. The bill requires each local schoolboard to implement the foregoing provisions no later than the startof the 2020-2021 school year.

Fiduciaries; good faith reliance on certificate of qualification. Provides that any individual or entity conducting business in good faith with a personal representative who presents a currently effective certificate of qualification may presume that the personal representative is properly authorized to act as to any matter or transaction. The bill further provides that if such individual or entity refuses to accept a certificate of qualification for a personal representative or a guardian or conservator who has been appointed for an incapacitated person, such individual or entity is subject to (i) a court order mandating acceptance of the certificate of qualification and (ii) liability for reasonable attorney fees and costs incurred in any action or proceeding that confirms the validity of the certificate of qualification or mandates acceptance of the certificate of qualification. The bill further provides that any individual or entity shall either accept or reject a certificate of qualification of such personal representative or such guardian or conservator no later than seven business days after presentation of such certificate. The bill specifies certain circumstances under which an individual or entity is not required to accept such a certificate for a transaction.

Revision of Title 55. Makes technical amendmentsrelating to the revision and recodification of Title 55 enacted inthe 2019 Session. The bill also implements clarifying changes andother changes made in the revision and recodification. This billis a recommendation of the Virginia Code Commission.

Coal ash ponds; private wells and public water supply wells; resident notification. Requires a utility, defined in the bill as the owner or operator of a coal ash pond in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, to complete a survey of all private wells and public water supply wells within 1.5 miles of each of its ponds by October 1, 2020, and to notify residents via mail and a local newspaper posting that the survey will be conducted.

Specialty dockets; veterans docket. Providesthat any veterans docket authorized and established as a local specialtydocket in accordance with the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginiashall be deemed a "Veterans Treatment Court Program," as that termis used under federal law or by any other entity, for the purposesof applying for, qualifying for, or receiving any federal grants,other federal money, or money from any other entity designated toassist or fund such state programs. The bill contains an emergencyclause.

Certificate of public need; criteria for determining need. Makes clear that in determining whether a public need for a proposed project has been demonstrated the State Health Commissioner shall consider the impact of the proposed project on all people to whom services may be provided and not only residents of the service area. This bill is identical to SB 279.

Hampton Roads Regional Arena Authority created; financing of a Hampton Roads arena and facility. Creates the Hampton Roads Regional Arena Authority and grants it certain powers relating to construction of an arena and facility. Among those powers is the authority to (i) issue bonds to construct the arena and facility, (ii) receive state sales and use tax revenue that is attributable to the arena and facility, (iii) use such revenue to repay such bonds, and (iv) distribute any excess revenue to any Hampton Roads locality that elects to contribute to the financing of the construction of an arena and facility. The bill provides that the Authority's entitlement to state sales and use tax revenue will expire on the earlier of the maturity date of any bonds it issues related to constructing the arena and facility or July 1, 2060. The powers granted by the bill to the Authority are similar to those granted to the City of Virginia Beach with respect to a sports or entertainment project. The bill repeals existing provisions related to a Hampton Roads Sports Facility Authority. This bill is identical to SB 787.

Virginia Defense Force; maximum age for recruitment. Permits the Adjutant General of Virginia to recruit members to the Virginia Defense Force who are between the ages of 65 and 75. Under current law, the Adjutant General is only permitted to retain existing members of the Virginia Defense Force once they have attained the age of 65.

Insurance for certain retired employees of political subdivisions. Allows localities to extend certain insurance benefits to retired employees of political subdivisions. This bill is identical to SB 349.