Sen. Emmett Hanger

Requires the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services to administer Long-Term Employment Support Services and Extended Employment Services to assist individuals with disabilities with maintaining employment. This bill is identical to

Provides that, for the construction of certain natural gas transmission pipelines greater than 36 inches inside diameter (Pipelines), the issuance of a Virginia Water Protection Permit (VWPP) and an additional water quality certification for upland conditions shall together constitute the certification required under § 401 of the federal Clean Water Act. The bill requires the builder of a Pipeline to submit an application to the Department of Environmental Quality (the Department) describing all activities that will occur in upland areas and authorizes the Department to request certain additional information from the applicant. The bill directs the Department to determine whether any activities not addressed by the VWPP are likely to result in a discharge to state waters with the potential to adversely impact water quality and then to develop an additional certification containing any additional conditions for activities in upland areas. The bill directs the Department to prepare a public notice of such draft certification conditions and to allow for public comment. The bill requires an individual VWPP for impacts to state waters for the construction of any Pipeline and requires that each wetland and stream crossing be considered as a single project, with an individual review of each proposed water body crossing with an upstream drainage area of five square miles or greater; however, the bill requires only one individual VWPP addressing all water body crossings for each Pipeline. The bill requires that any Pipeline be constructed in a manner that minimizes impacts to state waters and protects water quality to the maximum extent practicable, including by using certain best management practices. The bill directs the State Water Control Board to exempt the construction of Pipelines from its general permits for the activities of certain utilities and public service companies and to complete its review of any individual permit application related to the construction of any Pipeline within one year. The bill also prohibits an applicant from commencing a land-disturbing activity prior to approval by the Department of an erosion and sediment control plan and stormwater management plan. Finally, the bill authorizes the Department to assess certain administrative charges in order to cover its costs.

Requires volunteer emergency medical services agencies or volunteer emergency medical services agency auxiliaries to notify the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles within 30 days of separation of any member from such agency or agency auxiliary. The bill requires fire departments to maintain a copy of an approved application for a special license plate for professional or volunteer fire fighters and members of volunteer fire department auxiliaries and to notify the Commissioner within 30 days of separation of any professional fire fighter, volunteer fire fighter, or member of a volunteer fire department auxiliary from such fire department.

Requires any school bus operator applicant who does not possess a commercial driver's license to receive (i) a minimum of 24 hours of classroom training and (ii) six hours of behind-the-wheel training on a school bus that contains no pupil passengers and requires any school bus operator applicant who possesses a commercial driver's license to receive (a) a minimum of four hours of classroom training and (b) three hours of behind-the-wheel training on a school bus that contains no pupil passengers. Current law leaves the setting of such hourly requirements to the Department of Education. The bill contains technical amendments. This bill is identical to

Authorizes the issuance of revenue-sharing special license plates for members and supporters of the Virginia Future Farmers of America (FFA) Foundation bearing the legend WE ARE THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE FFA. This bill is identical to

Adds Rockingham County to the list of counties that may impose a transient occupancy tax at a rate not to exceed 5%. The revenue attributable to a rate in excess of 2% shall be used solely for tourism and travel purposes. Under current law, all counties may impose a transient occupancy tax at a rate not to exceed 2%.