Sen. Bill DeSteph

Public institutions of higher education; governingboards; fees; collegiate athletics. Provides that anyfees levied for the purpose of collegiate athletics shall be madeoptional for students. Each board of visitors of each baccalaureatepublic institution of higher education or its designee shall activelydisclose to student and parent consumers a process to opt out ofpaying athletic fees, including by electronic or written notice withinthe billing process and online payment accounts.

Abuse and neglect of children; contact withother parent; penalty. Provides that any parent, guardian, orother person responsible for the care of a child under the age of18 whose willful act or omission interferes with such child's contactand relationship with the other parent, guardian, or other personresponsible for the care of such child, including unreasonably denyingthe other parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the careof such child access to or visitation with such child, is guilty of a Class 6 felony.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable AugustusBenton Chafin, Jr.

Celebrating the life of Bruce Winston Edwards.

Parole Board; monthly reports. Requires that statements issued by the Virginia Parole Board regarding actions taken on the parole of prisoners (i) be published within 30 days of such actions and (ii) include the name of each prisoner considered for parole, the offense for which the prisoner considered for parole was convicted, the jurisdiction in which such offense was committed, the length of the prisoner's sentence and the date such sentence was imposed, the amount of time the prisoner has served, and whether parole was granted or denied and the basis for denial. Under current law, the Board is required to publish a monthly statement that lists the name of each prisoner considered for parole and indicates whether parole was granted or denied and the basis for denial. This bill was incorporated into SB 1104.

Income tax; subtraction for low-income military veterans with a permanent service-connected disability. Provides an income tax subtraction for the military retirement income received by a veteran who has been rated with a 100 percent service-connected, permanent, and total disability. The bill provides that the subtraction is available only to those taxpayers whose federal adjusted gross income is no greater than 150 percent of the federal poverty level for a four-person household.

Individual and corporate income tax credit;employers of National Guard members and self-employed National Guardmembers. Provides for taxable years 2020 through 2024 a nonrefundabletax credit against individual and corporate income taxes for (i) wages paid by an employer to an employee who is an active or reserveVirginia National Guard member or (ii) income of a self-employedactive or reserve Virginia National Guard member attributable to his business. The amount of the credit shall be 25 percent if such memberwas in a military pay status for 65 days or more during such taxableyear or 15 percent if such member was in a military pay status forat least 45 days but less than 65 days during such taxable year.The credit shall not be allowed if such member was in a military pay status for less than 45 days during such taxable year. The billallows a taxpayer to carry unused credits over for up to five taxableyears.

Public schools; seizure management and action plans; training. Provides for the submission and utilization of seizure management and action plans for students with a seizure disorder. The bill requires that school nurses and certain school division employees biennially complete a Board of Education-approved online course of instruction regarding treating students with seizure disorders. The bill also provides immunity from civil liability for acts or omissions related to providing for the care of a student under a seizure management and action plan.

Health insurance; mandated coverage for hearing aids for minors. Requires health insurers, health maintenance organizations, and corporations providing health care coverage subscription contracts to provide coverage for hearing aids and related services for children 18 years of age or younger when a licensed audiologist prescribes such hearing aids and related services. The coverage includes one hearing aid per hearing-impaired ear, up to a cost of $1,500, every 24 months. The measure applies to policies, contracts, and plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on and after January 1, 2021.

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); personal property tax exemption; motor vehicle owned by a veteran who is disabled. Provides for a referendum at the November 3, 2020, election to approve or reject a personal property tax exemption for a motor vehicle that is owned and used primarily by or for a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States or the Virginia National Guard who has a 100 percent service-connected, permanent, and total disability.