Sen. Mamie Locke

Employment; domestic service; Human Rights Act. Provides that individuals who are engaged in providing domestic serviceare not excluded from employee protection laws, laws regarding thepayment of wages, and the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act. Themeasure also provides that the prohibitions on nondiscriminationin employment of the Virginia Human Rights Act apply to employersthat employ one or more domestic workers.

Abolition of the death penalty. Abolishes the death penalty, including for those persons currently under a death sentence. The bill provides that no person may be sentenced to death or put to death on or after its effective date for any violation of law.

Definition of "abused or neglected child." Conforms the definition of "abused or neglected child" in Title 16.1 (Courts Not of Record) with the definition of the same term in Title63.2 (Welfare (Social Services)).

Child care providers; background check portability; subsidy pilot program; report. Exempts prospective employees and volunteers of certain child care providers from statutory background check requirements where the individual completed a background check within the previous five years, provided that (i) such background check was conducted after July 1, 2017; (ii) the results of such background check indicated that the individual had not been convicted of any barrier crime and was not the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect; and (iii) the individual is an employee or volunteer of a child care provider that is subject to background check requirements or has been separated from such employment or volunteer position for not more than 180 days. The bill requires such child care providers, prior to hiring or allowing to volunteer any individual without the completion of a background check, to obtain written certification that such individual satisfies all such requirements and is eligible to serve as an employee or volunteer. The bill also directs the Department of Education (the Department) to establish a two-year pilot program for the purpose of stabilizing and improving the quality of services provided in the Commonwealth's child care industry. The bill provides that under the pilot program a fixed sum of funds, based on the number of children served and certain other factors, will be disbursed to participating child care providers who agree to meet higher standards of quality and care, as determined by the Department. The bill requires the Department to report to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than December 1 of each year of the pilot program certain information set forth in the bill. The bill also requires the Department, in collaboration with the School Readiness Committee, to (a) identify and analyze financing strategies that can be used to support the systemic costs of high-quality child care services, ensure equitable compensation for child care staff, and better prepare children for kindergarten and (b) analyze the effectiveness of using a cost-of-quality modeling system for the child care subsidy program. The bill requires the Department to report its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than December 1, 2021.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; personal care aides; orientation program. Requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services to establish an orientation program for all personal care aides who provide self-directed services through the Medicaid program. The bill lays out the topics to be covered by such orientations, requires orientations to be held in-person or online at least quarterly, and specifies that personal care aides shall be invited and encouraged to attend at least one such orientation per calendar year.

Alcoholic beverage control; operation of governmentstores; sale of low alcohol beverage coolers. Prohibits the Boardof Directors (the Board) of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage ControlAuthority from selling in government stores low alcohol beveragecoolers not manufactured by licensed distillers. Under current law,the Board may sell any low alcohol beverage coolers in governmentstores. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2022.

Birth certificates; amendments. Provides that, in cases regarding amendments to birth certificates not already set out in the Code of Virginia, an amendment to a birth certificate shall be evaluated by the State Registrar through an administrative process pursuant to regulations as may be adopted by the State Board of Health. The bill requires the State Registrar to establish and publicize an internal process for modifying birth certificates and to make available to the public on its website a standard form a birth certificate made available to the public on its website. The bill also provides that when an applicant requests a change to a vital record that requires a judicial order, the vital record shall not be amended and the State Registrar shall so advise the applicant in a written notice that the applicant has the right to petition the court.

State plan for medical assistance; payment of medical assistance; 12-month supply of hormonal contraceptives. Directs the Board of Medical Assistance Services to include in the state plan for medical assistance a provision for the payment of medical assistance for the dispensing or furnishing of up to a 12-month supply of hormonal contraceptives at one time for Medicaid and Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS) enrollees. The bill prohibits the Department of Medical Assistance Services from imposing any utilization controls or other forms of medical management limiting the supply of hormonal contraceptives that may be dispensed or furnished to an amount less than a 12-month supply. The bill provides that the bill shall not be construed to (i) require a provider to prescribe, dispense, or furnish a 12-month supply of self-administered hormonal contraceptives at one time or (ii) exclude coverage for hormonal contraceptives as prescribed by a prescriber, acting within his scope of practice, for reasons other than contraceptive purposes.

Essential health benefits; abortion coverage.Removes the prohibition on the provision of coverage for abortionsin any qualified health insurance plan that is sold or offered forsale through a health benefits exchange established or operatingin Virginia.

Research and development tax credits. Provides that the research and development expenses tax credit and the major research and development expenses tax credit shall be available against the bank franchise tax for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2021. Under current law, the credits are available only against the individual and corporate income tax.