Makes numerous changes to the laws governing the provision of foster care services in the Commonwealth. Among other things, the bill (i) allows the Commissioner of Social Services to develop and implement a corrective action plan for or assume temporary control over the foster care services of a local board of social services upon determining that the local board (a) has failed to provide foster care services or make placement and removal decisions in accordance with applicable laws or regulations or (b) has taken any action that poses a substantial risk to the health, safety, or well-being of any child under its supervision and control; (ii) requires the Commissioner to create within the State Department of Social Services (the Department) a foster care health and safety director position; (iii) directs the Commissioner to establish and maintain a confidential hotline to receive reports and complaints from foster parents and other persons regarding violations of laws or regulations applicable to foster care and any other matters related to the health, safety, or well-being of children in foster care; (iv) directs the Department to develop and implement a more reliable, structured, and comprehensive case review and quality improvement process to monitor and improve foster care services provided by local boards and departments of social services; and (v) requires the Department to establish and update annually a caseload standard that limits the number of foster care cases that may be assigned to each foster care caseworker. The provisions of the bill are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act.
Sponsored bills
Prohibits any person from holding a handheld personal communications device while driving a motor vehicle. Current law prohibits only the reading of any email or text message and manually entering letters or text in such a device as a means of communicating. The bill expands the exemptions to include handheld personal communications devices that are being held and used (i) as an amateur radio or a citizens band radio; or (ii) for official Department of Transportation or traffic incident management services.
Authorizes a person who applies for a hearing in front of the Virginia Gas and Oil Board to provide required notice of such application to certain gas or oil owners, coal owners, mineral owners, or gas storage field operators by commercial delivery service. Current law provides for delivery only by certified mail. The bill changes the blanket bond amounts that the Director of the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy may require for an application for permits for gas or oil operations and authorizes additional bonds for any well proposed to be drilled in the Tidewater region.
Specifies that for the operator of an emergency medical services vehicle to qualify for a toll pass that allows free use of certain toll bridges, toll roads, and other toll facilities in the Commonwealth while in the performance of his official duties, the vehicle must (i) hold a valid emergency medical services vehicle permit issued by the Office of Emergency Medical Services and (ii) be equipped, maintained, or operated to provide emergency medical care or transportation of patients who are sick, injured, wounded, or otherwise incapacitated or helpless. Current law requires that an emergency medical services vehicle be owned by a political subdivision of the Commonwealth or a nonprofit association or corporation to qualify for such a toll pass.
Increases the scholarship amount available for an eligible student with a disability from 100 percent to 300 percent of the per pupil amount distributed to the local school division as the state's share of the standards of quality costs, or the actual qualified educational expenses of the student, whichever is less. The bill broadens the definition of "eligible student with a disability" to include any child who is a resident of Virginia for whom an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) has been written and finalized in accordance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In addition, the family household income of the eligible student with a disability who is receiving the scholarship must not exceed 400 percent of the federal poverty level.