Sen. Chris Head

Tax credit for parents of stillborn child.Establishes a refundable income tax credit for individual filersor married persons filing jointly for taxable years on and afterJanuary 1, 2021, in an amount equal to $2,000 for each birth forwhich a Virginia certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth hasbeen issued. The credit may be claimed only in the taxable year inwhich the stillbirth occurred and only if the child would have becomea dependent of the taxpayer.

Constitutional amendment (first reference);executive power; state of emergency; special session. Limitsthe authority of the Governor to issue an executive order declaringa state of emergency that restricts, limits, or prohibits otherwiselawful action by a private business, nonprofit entity, or individualfor a period more than 45 days in duration without approval by theGeneral Assembly. The Governor is required to convene a special sessionfor the purpose of the General Assembly approving the extension ofsuch executive order beyond the forty-fifth day after its originalissuance and if the General Assembly does not approve such extension,the Governor is prohibited from issuing a subsequent executive orderin the same form for the same declared emergency. The General Assemblyis permitted to extend the executive order to a date requested bythe Governor or to a date of the General Assembly's choosing, butit shall not approve the extension to a date beyond the first fullweek of the next regular session of the General Assembly, unlesssuch date is requested by the Governor.

Children's Services Act; eligibility for state pool of funds; pilot program related to educational placement transition for certain students with disabilities. Expands eligibility for use of the state pool of funds under the Children's Services Act to services that are provided in a public school setting and requires that private day schools be approved and licensed by the Department of Education or an equivalent out-of-state licensing agency to be eligible for the state pool of funds. The bill requires the Department of Education and relevant local school boards to develop and implement a pilot program for up to four years in two to eight local school divisions in the Commonwealth. In developing the pilot, the Department is required to partner with the appropriate school board employees in each such local school division to (i) identify the resources, services, and supports required by each student who resides in each such local school division and who is educated in a private school setting pursuant to his Individualized Education Program; (ii) study the feasibility of transitioning each such student from his private school setting to an appropriate public school setting in the local school division and providing the identified resources, services, and supports in such public school setting; and (iii) recommend a process for redirecting federal, state, and local funds, including funds provided pursuant to the Children's Services Act, provided for the education of each such student to the local school division for the purpose of providing the identified resources, services, and supports in the appropriate public school setting. The bill requires the Department of Education to make a report to the Governor, the Senate Committees on Education and Health and Finance and Appropriations, and the House Committees on Education and Appropriations on the findings of each pilot program after two and four years.

Broadband service providers; fiber optic broadbandlines; railroad crossings. Establishes a procedure by which abroadband service provider may obtain approval to place its fiberoptic broadband lines across a railroad right-of-way. The measureprovides that a broadband service provider may submit to the railroadcompany a notice of intent to construct, accompanied by a specificationexhibit and a standard crossing fee of $750; if the railroad does not claim within 35 days that special circumstances exist or thatthe required specification exhibit is inadequate or incomplete, thebroadband service provider is deemed to have authorization to commenceplacing the fiber optic broadband line across the railroad's right-of-way. The measure provides that a railroad company that believes that special circumstances exist may file a petition for relief with the StateCorporation Commission. The bill requires the Commission to adoptregulations prescribing the terms and conditions for a crossing.

Emergency Services and Disaster Law; limitationon duration of executive orders. Limits the duration of any executiveorder issued by the Governor pursuant to his powers under the EmergencyServices and Disaster Law to no more than 45 days from the date ofissuance. The bill provides that if the General Assembly does nottake any action on the rule, regulation, or order within the 45 daysduring which the rule, regulation, or order is effective, the Governorshall thereafter be prohibited from issuing the same or a similarrule, regulation, or order relating to the same emergency. Under current law, once issued, such executive orders are effective untilJune 30 following the next regular session of the General Assembly.

Department of Medical Assistance Services; agreementswith managed care organizations; requirements for hospice and homecare providers. Directs the Department of Medical AssistanceServices to include provisions in any agreement with a managed careorganization related to communication of information to participatinghospice and home care providers about specific requirements for participationin such managed care organization's provider network, including communicating changes to such requirements, developing an audit process for identifyingviolations of such requirements, and providing training and technicalassistance regarding compliance with such requirements. The billrequires the managed care organization to provide an opportunityfor a hospice or home care provider to correct any violations ofsuch requirements that are not related to adherence to a plan ofcare and a process by which a finding by the managed care organizationthat a hospice or home care organization has violated such requirementsmay be appealed to the Department. The bill also directs the Departmentto develop a process for review of any appeal made of a finding bythe managed care organization that a hospice or home care organizationhas violated requirements for participation in the managed care organization'sprovider network.

Facilitate the administration of the COVID-19vaccine; emergency.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable AugustusBenton Chafin, Jr.

Celebrating the life of the Honorable AugustusBenton Chafin, Jr.

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.