Sen. Barbara Favola

Commending Neighborhood Health.

Celebrating the life of John F. Benton.

Department of Social Services; task force; application for and use of foster care benefits; report. Directs the Department of Social Services to establish a task force with relevant stakeholders to assess the feasibility of (i) requiring local departments of social services to apply for benefits administered by the U.S. Social Security Administration or the Department of Veterans Affairs on behalf of children in foster care, (ii) prohibiting the use of federal benefits to pay for the care and support of children in foster care that the Commonwealth is otherwise obligated to pay for, and (iii) requiring local departments of social services that are representative payees for children in foster care to conserve such federal benefits in an appropriate trust instrument or protected account that is exempt from federal asset and resource limits. The bill requires the Department of Social Services to report its findings to the Chairmen of the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Rehabilitation and Social Services and the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Health and Human Services by November 1, 2024.

State plan for medical assistance services;violence prevention services benefit; work group. Directs theBoard of Medical Assistance Services to amend the state plan formedical assistance services to include a provision for payment ofmedical assistance for violence prevention services, defined in thebill, provided by a qualified violence prevention professional toan individual who receives medical treatment for an injury sustainedas a result of community violence, defined in the bill, who is determinedby a health care provider to be at risk of repeat injury or retaliation.The bill directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services toconvene a work group to advise the Board on the design and implementationof the violence prevention services benefit and specifies that thework group include representatives from the Department and violenceintervention programs, medical providers, survivors of communityviolence, representatives from Medicaid managed care organizations,and other members as deemed appropriate by the Department. The billrequires the Department to post on its website the date upon whichviolence prevention services may be provided and billed pursuantto the provisions of the bill.

Acknowledging with profound regret the unethicaluse of Black bodies by medical institutions. Expresses the sentimentof the General Assembly in acknowledging with profound regret theunethical use of Black bodies by medical institutions in the Commonwealth.

Epilepsy Heroes Day. Designates March 26,in 2024 and in each succeeding year, as Epilepsy Heroes Day in Virginia.

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Month of Awareness. Designates May, in 2024 and in each succeeding year, as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Month of Awareness in Virginia.

Firearm locking device required for sale ortransfer of firearm; warning against accessibility to children; penalty.Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for any licensed manufacturer, licensedimporter, or licensed dealer to sell, deliver, or transfer any firearmto any person other than a licensed manufacturer, licensed importer,or licensed dealer unless the transferee is provided with a lockingdevice for that firearm and the firearm is accompanied by a warning,in conspicuous and legible type in capital letters printed on a labelaffixed to the firearm and on a separate sheet of paper included within the packaging enclosing the firearm, that firearms should be lockedand kept away from children and that there may be civil and criminalliability for failing to do so. The bill provides exceptions forlaw-enforcement and governmental agencies.

Black Women's History Month. Designates April, in 2024 and in each succeeding year, as Black Women's History Month in Virginia.

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Month of Awareness. Designates May, in 2024 and in each succeeding year, as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Month of Awareness in Virginia.