Sen. John A. Cosgrove, Jr.

Provides that no five-axle-combination vehicle shall be issued an overweight permit for hauling Virginia-grown farm produce unless such vehicle has no less than 42 feet of axle space between extreme axles. The bill provides that no vehicle issued an overweight permit for hauling Virginia-grown farm produce shall cross any bridge or culvert in the Commonwealth if the gross weight of such vehicle is greater than the amount posted for the bridge or culvert as its carrying capacity. Current law requires specific weight limitations based upon axle weights or axle spacing. This bill is identical to

Provides that a registered sex offender who enters an emergency shelter designated by the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof and operated in response to a declared state or local emergency shall, as soon as practicable after entry, notify a member of the shelter's staff who is responsible for providing security of such person's status as a registered sex offender. This bill provides that no person shall be denied entry solely on the basis of his status as a sex offender unless such entry is otherwise prohibited by law. This bill incorporates

Designates the portion of U.S. Route 221 between the Town of Bedford and the City of Lynchburg the "Delegate Lacey E. Putney Memorial Highway." The bill contains an emergency clause. This bill is identical to

Requires state and private employers to allow officers or employees who are volunteer members of the Civil Air Patrol to take leaves of absence from their respective duties without loss of seniority, accrued leave, benefits, or efficiency rating on all days during which such officer or employee is (i) engaged in training for emergency missions with the Civil Air Patrol, not to exceed 10 workdays per federal fiscal year, or (ii) responding to an emergency mission as a Civil Air Patrol volunteer, not to exceed 30 workdays per federal fiscal year. The bill requires any officer or employee requesting leave to provide certification that the officer or employee has been authorized by the United States Air Force, the Governor, or a department, division, agency, or political subdivision of the state to respond to or train for an emergency mission and verification from the Civil Air Patrol of the emergency need of the officer's or employee's volunteer service. The bill allows employers to treat such leaves of absence as unpaid leave but prohibits employers from requiring an officer or employee to exhaust any other leave to which he is entitled prior to such leaves of absence.

Authorizes health carriers to offer catastrophic plans on the individual market, and to offer such plans to all individuals. The measure provides that a catastrophic plan is deemed to provide an essential health benefits package and to meet certain requirements of federal law. A catastrophic plan is a high-deductible health care plan that provides essential health benefits and coverage for at least three primary care visits per policy year. Under the federal Affordable Care Act, catastrophic plans satisfy requirements that health benefit plans provide minimum levels of coverage only if they cover individuals who are under 30 years of age or who qualify for a hardship exemption or affordability exemption. The measure requires the Commissioner of Insurance to apply to the federal government for a state innovation waiver allowing the implementation of the provision. The provision will become effective 30 days after the Commissioner notifies certain persons that the request has been approved.