Sen. Frank W. Wagner

Requires health insurers, health care subscription plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder in individuals from age two through age 18. Currently, such coverage is required to be provided for individuals from age two through age 10. The provision applies with respect to insurance policies, subscription contracts, and health care plans delivered, issued for delivery, reissued, or extended on or after January 1, 2019. The provisions of the bill are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act.

Establishes the Hurricane and Flooding Risk Reduction and Bond Rating Protection Act of 2018. Establishes the Commonwealth of Virginia as a nonfederal sponsor of hurricane and flooding risk reduction projects. There is also established the Virginia Hurricane and Flood Risk Reduction Authority (the Authority) and a board of directors (the Board) of the Authority. The Board shall exercise for the Governor executive authority over all phases of hurricane and flood risk reduction programs, including investigations, construction, operations, and maintenance. The Authority shall be established to fulfill the directives of the Board. The Authority shall be hosted by a department of the Commonwealth as designated by the Governor. That department shall provide support to the Authority, including budgeting, work facilities, administrative management, logistics, human resources, legal, contracts, and information resources. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) shall consult with Louisiana's Legislative Fiscal Office to assess the increased state and local tax flows in Louisiana that resulted from post-Katrina federal spending, including spending for civil works storm and flooding risk reduction project. The bill requires JLARC to report to the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2018, on the results of its initial assessment. The provisions of the bill are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act.

Provides that outdoor tethering of a companion animal shall not meet the requirement that an animal be given adequate shelter, unless the animal is actively engaged in an agricultural or hunting activity, when it is conducted(i) when the temperature is 32 degrees Fahrenheit or lower or 85 degrees Fahrenheit or higher; (ii) during a heat advisory; or (iii) during a severe weather warning. The bill provides that a tether shall meet the requirement that an animal be given adequate space if it is four times the length of the animal or 15 feet in length, whichever is greater, and does not cause injury or pain or weigh more than one-tenth of the animal's body weight. The bill exempts agricultural animals from existing provisions related to tethering. The bill also authorizes any locality to adopt ordinances that parallel and make more stringent the state law regarding the care of companion animals.

Revises the provisions applicable to the deadlines by which insurance agents are required to comply with continuing education requirements applicable to licensed insurance agents. The measure also revises provisions regarding licensees who are exempt from continuing education requirements. The measure has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2019.

Directs the Department of Labor and Industry and the Department of Education to determine the feasibility of implementing a Youth Employment Solutions (YES) apprenticeship program. A "YES apprenticeship program" is a program under which the appropriate agencies of the Commonwealth enter into an agreement with a private staffing firm under which the firm provides services to an employer that result in the assumption by the private staffing firm of duties and responsibilities, with regard to apprentices, including duties and responsibilities arising with respect to the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act and insurance liability, that would otherwise apply to the employer. The measure directs the Departments to (i) identify potential benefits and problems of implementing a YES apprenticeship program; (ii) determine whether one or more private staffing firms are willing to participate; and (iii) ascertain whether existing law prevents implementation of a YES apprenticeship program and, if so, identify such law in a report.