Sen. Scott Surovell

Constitutional amendment (first reference);legislative sessions; length of regular sessions convened in odd-numberedyears. Provides that a regular session of the General Assemblyconvened in odd-numbered years shall be for no longer than 46 days.Currently, sessions convened in such years are to last for no longerthan 30 days. The authority of the General Assembly, with the concurrenceof two-thirds of the elected members, to extend regular sessionsfor a period of no more than 30 days is unchanged.

Legislative Staff Development Fund. Establishes the Legislative Staff Development Fund (Fund) to encourage and support the professional development of legislative staff. The bill defines "legislative staff" as salaried staff of a member of the House of Delegates, Senate of Virginia, or the Division of Legislative Services. The bill increases the annual lobbyist registration fee for for-profit entities from $100 to $400 and directs the $300 increase to be deposited into the Fund for the purposes described in the bill. Under the bill, any moneys remaining in the Fund at the end of each fiscal year that have not been expended for the purposes described in the bill shall revert to the general fund and be used exclusively to fund the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council. The bill has a delayed effective date of May 1, 2022.

Facilitate the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine; emergency. Facilitates the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine. The bill requires the Department of Health (the Department) to establish a program to enable eligible health care providers to volunteer to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to residents of the Commonwealth during a state of emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic declared by the Governor. The bill defines "eligible health care provider" and provides that the program shall include (i) a process by which an eligible health care provider may register to participate in the program and (ii) the training requirements for participating eligible health care providers related to the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine, including training on the intramuscular injection of the COVID-19 vaccine and contraindications and side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine. The bill specifies requirements that the Department shall ensure that each site at which COVID-19 vaccinations are administered by eligible health care providers satisfies. The bill also requires the Department to establish a process by which entities, including medical care facilities, hospitals, hospital systems, corporations, businesses, pharmacies, public and private institutions of higher education, localities, and any other professional or community entity operating in the Commonwealth, may volunteer their facilities as sites at which the COVID-19 vaccine may be administered to residents of the Commonwealth. The bill permits a public institution of higher education or a private institution of higher education in the Commonwealth to volunteer to provide assistance to the Department and local health departments for data processing, analytics, and program development related to the COVID-19 vaccine through the use of its employees, students, technology, and facilities. The bill also permits localities with fire departments, emergency medical services departments, and volunteer rescue squads to establish and staff vaccine administration clinics. The bill provides civil and criminal immunity to individuals and professional entities acting pursuant to the bill and contains an emergency clause. This bill is identical to HB 2333.

Celebrating the life of Officer Brian DavidSicknick.