Public institutions of higher education; certain students; financial assistance programs Provides that students who meet the criteria to be deemed eligible for in-state tuition regardless of their citizenship or immigration status shall be afforded the same educational benefits, including financial assistance programs administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the State Board for Community Colleges, or a public institution of higher education, as any other individual who is eligible for in-state tuition. The bill has a delayed effective date of August 1, 2022, and directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, in coordination with institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth, to promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.
Sponsored bills
Department of Education; guidelines on excused student absences; civic or political engagement. Provides that, subject to guidelines established by the Department of Education, each school board (i) shall permit one school day-long excused absence per school year for any middle school or high school student in the local school division who is absent from school to engage in a civic or political event and (ii) may permit additional excused absences for such students who are absent for such purposes.
Replacement and conservation of trees during development. Gives a locality the ability to exceed general requirements in its tree replacement and conservation ordinances in specific circumstances, including development that impacts stormwater permit requirements, recurrent flooding, formerly redlined areas, and comprehensive plan compliance. The provisions of the bill shall become effective July 1, 2022.
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.
George Mason University; management agreement. Provides a management agreement between the Commonwealth and George Mason University pursuant to the Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operations Act (§ 23.1-1000 et seq.).
Health insurance; provider contracts. Requires that each provider contract include provisions (i) requiring providers to provide health care services to enrollees in a manner similar to and within the same time availability in which the provider provides health care services to any other individual and (ii) prohibiting a provider from discriminating against any enrollee as a result of the enrollee's enrollment in a health plan or on the basis of the enrollee's race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, marital status, age, disability, payment source, state of health, need for health care services, status as a litigant except in cases where the enrollee claims medical malpractice by the provider, status as a Medicare enrollee, status as a medical assistance recipient, sexual orientation, or gender identity, or on any other basis prohibited by law. The bill prohibits a provider contract from requiring a provider to provide any type or kind of health care service to enrollees that it does not customarily provide to others. The bill provides that a provider that violates the anti-discrimination provisions may be subject to fines and other discipline from the provider's licensing authority and an enrollee injured as result of any discrimination is entitled initiate a civil action against the provider. The bill also prohibits a provider contract from (a) directly or indirectly restricting the carrier from directing or steering enrollees to other health care providers or offering incentives to encourage enrollees to utilize specific providers; (b) requiring the carrier to enter into any additional contract with an affiliate of the provider as a condition of entering into a contract with such provider or to agree to payment rates or other terms for any affiliate not party to the contract of the provider involved; or (c) restricting other carriers not party to the contract from paying a lower rate for items or services than the contracting plan or issuer pays for such items or services. The bill prohibits a provider from terminating or failing to renew the contractual relationship with a carrier, or any provider contract, or otherwise penalize any carrier, for invoking any of the carrier’s rights. The bill also provides that a provider or carrier injured as a result of a violation or threatened violation of any provision governing carrier business practices is entitled to injunctive relief against any and all violators or persons threatening violation. The bill requires a provider contract to permit a provider a maximum of 90 days from the date a health care service is rendered to submit a claim for payment. The bill requires carriers to supply fee schedules in writing and in machine-readable electronic format and to provide the complete fee schedule applicable to the provider for each health plan in which the provider participates or is proposed to participate. The bill requires that amendments to a provider contract be presented in a manner so as to allow the provider to easily identify the specific terms being proposed for amendment and that proposed amendments be formatted to clearly identify the changes to the language of the agreement.
George Mason University; management agreement. Provides a management agreement between the Commonwealth and George Mason University pursuant to the Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operations Act (§ 23.1-1000 et seq.).
Tax exemptions for energy storage systems. Declares that energy storage systems are included in the definition of certified pollution control equipment and facilities, making energy storage systems exempt from state and local taxation. The bill defines "energy storage system" as equipment, facilities, or devices that are capable of absorbing energy, storing it for a period of time, and redelivering that energy after it has been stored. The tax exemption applies only to certain projects with alternating current (AC) storage capacity of more than five megawatts and less than 150 megawatts. The bill also allows localities to assess a revenue share of up to $1400 per megawatt on energy storage systems. The bill provides that on July 1, 2026, and every five years thereafter, the maximum amount of the revenue share that a locality may impose on energy storage systems as well as certain solar energy projects shall be increased by 10 percent. No increase may be made to any revenue share imposed by a locality on a solar energy project or energy storage systems for which an application has been filed with the locality and such application has been approved prior to January 1, 2021. The bill defines energy storage systems as electric suppliers whose property shall be assessed by the State Corporation Commission.
Manufacture, import, sale, transfer, or possession of plastic firearms and unfinished frames or receivers and unserialized firearms; penalties. Creates a Class 5 felony for any person who manufactures, imports, sells, transfers, or possesses any firearm that, after removal of all parts other than a major component, as defined in the bill, is not detectable as a firearm by the types of detection devices, including X-ray machines, commonly used at airports for security screening. The bill updates language regarding the types of detection devices that are used at airports for detecting plastic firearms. The bill also creates several Class 1 misdemeanors, which are punishable as a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense, making it unlawful (i) for any person to possess, sell, offer to sell, transfer, purchase, transport, or receive an unfinished frame or receiver or firearm, unless the party possessing or receiving the unfinished frame or receiver or firearm is a federal firearms importer or manufacturer or the unfinished frame or receiver or firearm is imprinted with a serial number issued by a federal firearms importer or manufacturer and (ii) for any person to manufacture, cause to be manufactured, assemble, or cause to be assembled a firearm that is not imprinted with a serial number issued by a federal firearms importer or manufacturer in compliance with all federal laws and regulations regulating the manufacture and import of firearms. The bill creates exceptions for (i) any firearm that has been rendered permanently inoperable, (ii) an antique firearm, or (iii) any firearm or unfinished frame or receiver manufactured before October 22, 1968.
Civil actions filed on behalf of multiple persons. Provides that a circuit court may enter an order joining, coordinating, consolidating, or transferring civil actions upon finding that separate civil actions brought by a plaintiff on behalf of multiple similarly situated persons involve common questions of law or fact and arise out of the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences. The bill requires the Supreme Court to promulgate rules no later than November 1, 2021, governing such actions. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2022.