Virginia Agriculture Food Assistance Programand Fund; established. Requires the Commissioner of Agricultureand Consumer Services (the Commissioner) to establish the VirginiaAgriculture Food Assistance Program (VAFA Program) for Virginia farmersand food producers to donate, sell, or otherwise provide agricultureproducts to charitable food assistance organizations. The bill also creates the Virginia Agriculture Food Assistance Fund to disbursemoneys to such charitable food assistance organizations to reimbursefarmers or food producers for any costs associated with harvesting,processing, packaging, or transporting agriculture products donatedto such charitable food assistance organizations. The bill authorizesthe Commissioner to adopt guidelines and regulations to carry outthe VAFA Program.
Sponsored bills
Aging services; economic and social need. Provides that, in providing aging services, the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services shall prioritize providing services to older persons with the greatest economic or social need. The bill defines "economic need" as need resulting from an income level at or below the poverty line and "social need" as need caused by noneconomic factors, including (i) physical and mental disabilities, which may include developmental disabilities and human immunodeficiency virus; (ii) language barriers; and (iii) cultural, social, or geographic isolation, including that caused by racial or ethnic status, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation that restricts an individual's ability to perform normal daily tasks or threatens such individual's capacity to live independently.
Telemedicine. Clarifies that nothing shallpreclude coverage of telehealth services by an insurer proposing to issue individual or group accident and sickness insurance policiesproviding hospital, medical and surgical, or major medical coverageon an expense-incurred basis; a corporation providing individualor group accident and sickness subscription contracts; or a healthmaintenance organization providing a health care plan for healthcare services. The bill requires the Board of Medical AssistanceServices to amend the state plan for medical assistance to providefor payment of medical assistance for remote patient monitoring servicesprovided via telemedicine for certain high-risk patients, and providesfor the establishment of a practitioner-patient relationship viatelemedicine for the prescribing of Schedule II through VI controlledsubstances.
Motor vehicle weight limits; vehicles powered primarily by electric battery power or fueled primarily by natural gas. Authorizes motor vehicles powered primarily by means of electric battery power to exceed relevant weight limits by 2,000 pounds, provided that such weight is on the power unit and such weight does not exceed 82,000 pounds on an interstate highway. The bill also changes the weight exemption for motor vehicles fueled primarily by natural gas on an interstate highway from the difference between the weight of the natural gas tank and fueling system and a comparable diesel tank and fueling system to up to an additional 2,000 pounds, provided that such weight is on the power unit and does not exceed 82,000 pounds.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; food stamp program; eligibility; postsecondary education. Adds participation in educational activities that lead to a post-secondary credential from an accredited institution of higher education or other postsecondary school licensed or certified by the Board of Education or the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to the list of activities to which a participant in the Virginia Initiative for Education and Work may be enrolled and directs the Board of Social Services to amend the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP benefits program) to (i) establish broad-based categorical eligibility, (ii) set the gross income eligibility standard at 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, (iii) not impose an asset limit for eligibility, and (iv) increase opportunities for self-sufficiency through postsecondary education by allowing SNAP benefits program participants to satisfy applicable employment and training requirements through enrollment in an accredited public institution of higher education or other postsecondary school licensed or certified by the Board of Education or the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
Removal of clutter from property; civil penalty.Provides that a locality may by ordinance require the removal ofclutter from property, or may, whenever the governing body deemsit necessary, after reasonable notice, have such clutter removedby its own agents or employees, in which event the cost or expensesthereof shall be chargeable to and paid by the owners of such property and may be collected by the locality as taxes are collected. Thebill defines "clutter" as including mechanical equipment, householdfurniture, containers, and similar items that may be detrimentalto the well-being of a community when they are left in public viewfor an extended period or are allowed to accumulate. Violations ofthe bill are subject to the existing civil penalty applicable toviolations of provisions relating to the removal of trash, garbage,refuse, litter, and similar substances from property.
Behavioral health assessments in local correctional facilities. Provides that the State Board of Local and RegionalJails, in establishing the minimum standards for behavioral healthservices in local correctional facilities, shall include a requirementthat if a behavioral health screening indicates that the person mayhave a mental illness, an assessment of his need for mental healthservices shall be conducted within 72 hours of the time of the screening.
Virginia STEM Education Advisory Board; established;report. Creates the Virginia Science, Technology, Engineering,and Mathematics (STEM) Advisory Board to create a unified visionregarding STEM education initiatives, language, and measures of successto promote a culture of collaboration for STEM programming in theCommonwealth. The Board shall develop the infrastructure for creatingSTEM Regional Hubs and naming STEM Champions in communities acrossthe Commonwealth. Additionally, the Board shall report annually tothe Governor and the General Assembly on STEM challenges, goals,and successes across the Commonwealth.
Produce Rx Program established; report. Directs the Department of Social Services, in cooperation with the Department of Medical Assistance Services, to convene a work group to develop a plan for a three-year pilot Produce Rx program to incentivize consumption of qualifying fruits and vegetables by eligible individuals for whom increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is recommended by a qualified care provider. The bill requires the Department of Social Services to report on the activities of the work group and the elements of the plan to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by October 1, 2021.
Clinical nurse specialist; licensure; practice. Changes from the requirement of registration as clinical nurse specialists to the licensure of nurse practitioners as clinical nurse specialists by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing and provides that a nurse practitioner licensed as a clinical nurse specialist shall practice pursuant to a practice agreement between the clinical nurse specialist and a licensed physician and in a manner consistent with the standards of care for the profession and applicable law and regulations. For the transition of registration to licensure, the bill requires the Boards of Medicine and Nursing to jointly issue a license to practice as a nurse practitioner in the category of a clinical nurse specialist to an applicant who is an advance practice registered nurse who has completed an advanced graduate-level education program in the specialty category of clinical nurse specialist and who is registered by the Board of Nursing as a clinical nurse specialist on July 1, 2021.