Sen. Jill Vogel

Celebrating the life of the Honorable Eva MaeFleming Scott.

Commending Willisville.

Carrying concealed handgun with a permit; employeesof any agency of the Commonwealth or political subdivision thereof.Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law or anyrule, regulation, or workplace policy to the contrary, an employeeof any agency of the Commonwealth or a political subdivision thereofwith a valid concealed handgun permit may possess or carry a concealedhandgun at his workplace. The bill provides, however, that any agencyof the Commonwealth or a political subdivision thereof may prohibit employees from possessing or carrying a concealed handgun at theirworkplace only if such agency of the Commonwealth or a politicalsubdivision thereof has employed law-enforcement officers or armedsecurity officers to provide protection at such workplace, and suchofficers are stationed within the workplace building during operatinghours.

Study; JLARC; feasibility of adjusting the compositeindex of local ability to pay and expanding access to the cost ofcompeting adjustment; report. Directs the Joint LegislativeAudit and Review Commission to study the feasibility of adjusting the composite index of local ability to pay and expanding accessto the cost of competing adjustment by (i) reviewing current statutory,constitutional, and budgetary provisions governing the calculationof Standards of Quality costs and funding; (ii) examining the componentsof the composite index of local ability to pay and the cost of competingadjustment; (iii) evaluating other states' public school fundingformulas; and (iv) hearing local concerns and seeking input fromvarious state and national experts, as applicable.

Prescribing of opioids; required patient disclosures. Requires prescribers to discuss with a patient or the patient'sparent or guardian prior to prescribing an opioid information regardingthe prescribed opioid, including the risks of addiction and overdoseassociated with opioids; the dangers of taking opioids with alcohol,benzodiazepines, and other central nervous system depressants; thereasons why the prescription is necessary; and alternative treatmentsthat may be available. The bill also requires the prescriber to includea notation in the patient's medical record indicating that theserequired patient disclosures were discussed.

Constitutional amendment (first resolution);immunity of legislators. Limits the immunity of legislators byallowing the arrest of a member of the General Assembly during thesessions of the respective houses upon issuance of process for arrestby a judge with authorization of the attorney for the Commonwealthor the law-enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense.

Department of Education; pilot program; feasibility ofeducational placement transition of certain students with disabilities.Requires the Department of Education and relevant local school boards to developand implement a pilot program for up to four years in two to eight local schooldivisions in the Commonwealth. In developing the pilot, the Department isrequired to partner with the appropriate school board employees in each suchlocal school division to (i) identify the resources, services, and supportsrequired by each student who resides in each such local school division and whois educated in a private school setting pursuant to his IndividualizedEducation Program; (ii) study the feasibility of transitioning each suchstudent from his private school setting to an appropriate public school settingin the local school division and providing the identified resources, services,and supports in such public school setting; and (iii) recommend a process forredirecting federal, state, and local funds, including funds provided pursuantto the Children's Services Act, provided for the education of each such studentto the local school division for the purpose of providing the identifiedresources, services, and supports in the appropriate public school setting. Thebill requires the Department of Education to make a report to the Governor, theSenate Committees on Education and Health and Finance, and the House Committeeson Education and Appropriations on the findings of each pilot program after twoand four years.

Commending William H. Goodwin, Jr.

Prompt payment by contractors to subcontractors. Provides that contracts under the Virginia Public Procurement Act shall include a payment clause requiring the contractor to pay a subcontractor within seven days after receipt of amounts paid to the contractor by the state agency or locality. Under current law, the contractor is allowed to either pay the subcontractor or notify the state agency or locality and subcontractor of his intention to withhold all or a part of the subcontractor's payment with the reason for nonpayment. The bill also provides that nonresidential construction contracts entered into after July 1, 2020, are deemed to include an interest clause obligating the general contractor to pay interest to the subcontractor on all amounts owed by the contractor that remain unpaid after seven days. In addition, the bill provides that payment by a public body or private owner to a contractor shall not be a condition precedent for payment to a subcontractor, and payment by a contractor to a subcontractor is not a condition precedent for payment to any other subcontractor.

Campaign finance; disbursement of surplus funds;prohibited conversion to personal use. Amends the current lawsregarding the disbursement of surplus funds at the dissolution ofa campaign or political committee so that such restrictions wouldapply throughout the life of a campaign or political committee. Suchrestrictions include the prohibition against the conversion of anymoney, securities, or like intangible personal property that hasbeen contributed to a campaign or political committee to the personaluse of any person.