Sen. Jennifer Boysko

Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Programand Fund established. Establishes the Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Program and Fund to reimburse participating veterinarians for the surgical sterilizations they perform on eligible cats ordogs. The bill provides that a surcharge of $50 per ton of pet fooddistributed in the Commonwealth be deposited in the Fund and suchpet food be exempted from the existing litter tax. An animal willbe eligible for sterilization under the Program if it is a feralor free-roaming cat or is owned by a low-income individual or a releasingagency such as an animal shelter.

Board of Medicine; continuing education; implicitbias and cultural competency in health care. Requires the Boardof Medicine to adopt and implement policies that require each practitionerlicensed by the Board who has direct contact with persons who areor may become pregnant to complete two hours of continuing educationrelated to implicit bias, defined in the bill, and cultural competencyin health care at least once every other license renewal cycle.

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the HonorableYvonne Bond Miller's service in the Virginia General Assembly.

Celebrating the life of Charles Cragg Hines.

Commending the Honorable Mark C. Simmons.

Commending John T. Frey.

Divorce; cruelty, reasonable apprehension ofbodily hurt, or willful desertion or abandonment; divorce from bedand board. Eliminates the one-year waiting period for being decreeda divorce on the grounds of cruelty, reasonable apprehension of bodilyhurt, or willful desertion or abandonment by either party. The billalso repeals the provision allowing for a divorce from bed and boardon the grounds of cruelty, reasonable apprehension of bodily hurt,or willful desertion or abandonment. The provisions of the bill applyto suits for divorce filed on or after July 1, 2024.

Commending Sandra Gioia Treadway.

Health insurance; limit on cost-sharing paymentsfor prescription drugs under certain plans. Requires each carrierthat offers a health plan in either the individual or small groupmarket to ensure that at least 50 percent of all health plans offeredby the carrier, or at least one health plan if the carrier offersfewer than two health plans, in each rating area and in each of thebronze, silver, gold, and platinum levels of coverage in the individualand small group market conform with the following: (i) a plan thatoffers a silver, gold, or platinum level of coverage limits a person'scost-sharing payment for prescription drugs covered under the planto an amount that does not exceed $100 per 30-day supply of the prescriptiondrug and (ii) a plan that offers a bronze level of coverage limitsa person's cost-sharing payment for prescription drugs covered underthe plan to an amount that does not exceed $150 per 30-day supplyof the prescription drug. The bill provides that such limits applyat any point in the benefit design, including before and after any applicable deductible is reached. The bill requires that any plansoffered to meet its requirements are (a) clearly and appropriatelynamed to aid the consumer or plan sponsor in the plan selection processand (b) marketed in the same manner as other plans offered by thehealth insurance carrier. The provisions of the bill apply with respectto health plans entered into, amended, extended, or renewed on orafter January 1, 2025.

Commending the Honorable Grace Burke Carroll.