Parental Choice Education Savings Accounts established.Permits the parents of certain children to apply to the schooldivision in which the child resides for a one-year, renewable ParentalChoice Education Savings Account that consists of an amount thatis equivalent to a certain percentage of all applicable annual Standardsof Quality per pupil state funds appropriated for public school purposesand apportioned to the resident school division in which the studentresides, including the per pupil share of state sales tax funding in basic aid and any state per pupil share of special education fundingfor which the student is eligible. The bill permits the parent touse the moneys in such account for certain education-related expenses of the student, including tuition, deposits, fees, and required textbooksat a private elementary school or secondary school that is locatedin the Commonwealth. The bill also contains provisions relating to auditing, rescinding, and reviewing expenses made from such accounts.
Sponsored bills
Virginia National Guard; state active duty for emergency response; pay and allowances for members. Establishes rates of pay and allowances for members of the Virginia National Guard and Virginia Defense Force.
Virginia taxable income; subtractions; volunteer firefighters and volunteer emergency medical services personnel.Provides a state income tax subtraction of $20 per hour, up toa maximum of 300 hours per taxable year, for bona fide volunteerswho perform qualifying services, defined in the bill as volunteerfirefighting and fire prevention services, emergency medical services,ambulance services, emergency rescue services, and all training andtraining-related activities required by law.
Possession, purchase, and transport of certainfirearms in certain localities; withholding state funds. Allowsa person to lawfully possess, purchase, or transport a firearm orfirearms magazine that he would otherwise be lawfully permitted to possess, purchase, or transport on January 1, 2020, while he isin a locality that has adopted or enforced any ordinance, resolution,or motion that declares such locality a sanctuary for Second Amendmentrights. The bill also provides that no funds payable by the Commonwealthto a locality for any and all purposes shall be withheld from a localitysolely on the basis of such locality adopting or enforcing any ordinance,resolution, or motion that declares such locality a sanctuary for Second Amendment rights.
Mountain ridges; prohibition on construction;local ordinance. Prohibits the construction of any building morethan 50 feet tall at any elevation within 100 feet of the crest ofa vulnerable mountain ridge, as defined in the bill. The bill providesan exception for construction that complies with a county or cityordinance adopted to mitigate the effect of such structures on viewsof the ridge. The bill also authorizes any city or county to optout of the prohibition on construction by referendum if the petitionfor such referendum is made prior to January 1, 2022. The bill directs the Department of Conservation and Recreation to produce maps showing vulnerable mountain ridges in Virginia and authorizes the Departmentto develop a model ridge conservation ordinance.
Prescribing of opioids; required patient disclosures. Requires prescribers to discuss with a patient or the patient'sparent or guardian prior to prescribing an opioid information regardingthe prescribed opioid, including the risks of addiction and overdoseassociated with opioids; the dangers of taking opioids with alcohol,benzodiazepines, and other central nervous system depressants; thereasons why the prescription is necessary; and alternative treatmentsthat may be available. The bill also requires the prescriber to includea notation in the patient's medical record indicating that theserequired patient disclosures were discussed.
Commending William H. Goodwin, Jr.
Celebrating the life of Russell Lee Scott.
Public schools; Standards of Learning assessments;report. Reduces the total number and type of required Standardsof Learning assessments to the minimum requirements established bythe federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended.The bill requires the Department of Education to annually reporton the estimated projected and actual savings from the implementationof the bill and report the amount of such savings to the Governorand the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and theSenate Committee on Finance no later than the first day of each RegularSession of the General Assembly. The bill also requires that such amount be included in the total for Direct Aid to Public Educationin any general appropriation act.
Expungement of police and court records; pardons. Allows a person to petition for the expungement of the police andcourt records relating to such person's conviction if he has beengranted a simple pardon for the crime. Under current law, policeand court records relating to convictions are only expunged if aperson received an absolute pardon for a crime he did not commit.