Sen. Jennifer A. Kiggans

Department of Veterans Services; Military Spouse Liaison; position created. Establishes the position of Military Spouse Liaison (the Liaison) in the Department of Veterans Services to conduct outreach and advocate on behalf of military spouses in the Commonwealth. The bill directs the Liaison to report by December 1 of each year through the Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Services to the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs, the Governor, and the General Assembly on the work of the Liaison and any legislative recommendations. The provisions of the bill are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act.

Licensed certified midwives; licensure; practice. Defines "practice of licensed certified midwifery" and directs the Boards of Medicine and Nursing to establish criteria for the licensure and renewal of a license as a certified midwife. The bill requires that licensed certified midwives practice in consultation with a licensed physician in accordance with a practice agreement. The bill also directs the Department of Health Professions to convene a work group to study the licensure and regulation of certified nurse midwives, certified midwives, and certified professional midwives to determine the appropriate licensing entity for such professionals. The bill requires the Department to report its findings and conclusions to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2021.

Behavioral health assessments in local correctional facilities. Provides that the State Board of Local and RegionalJails, in establishing the minimum standards for behavioral healthservices in local correctional facilities, shall include a requirementthat if a behavioral health screening indicates that the person mayhave a mental illness, an assessment of his need for mental healthservices shall be conducted within 72 hours of the time of the screening.

Commonwealth Center for Recurrent Flooding Resiliency; study topics. Directs the Commonwealth Center for RecurrentFlooding Resiliency to (i) undertake certain topics of study to assistthe Commonwealth and achieve the mission of the Center, (ii) overseethe development of a Flood Resiliency Clearinghouse Program, (iii)research and provide recommendations for solutions that manage bothwater quality and flooding and emphasize nature-based solutions,and (iv) make final recommendations for solutions to be approvedfor flood mitigation that are deemed appropriate for permitting bycertain agencies of the Commonwealth.

Licensure of occupational therapists; Occupational Therapy Interjurisdictional Licensure Compact. Authorizes Virginia to become a signatory to the Occupational Therapy Interjurisdictional Licensure Compact. The Compact permits eligible licensed occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants to practice in Compact member states, provided that they are licensed in at least one member state. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2022, and directs the Board of Medicine to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. The Compact takes effect when it is enacted by a tenth member state.

Elections; date of June primary election.Changes the date of the primary election held in June from the secondTuesday in June to the third Tuesday in June. The bill also changescandidate filing deadlines to reflect the change of date. The billsatisfies the reenactment requirement of Chapter 1253 of the Actsof Assembly of 2020.

Board of Pharmacy; pharmaceutical processors; processing and dispensing cannabis oil; report. Effects numerous changes to the processing and dispensing of cannabis oil by pharmaceutical processors in the Commonwealth. The bill allows written certifications for use of cannabis oil to include an electronic practitioner signature. The bill also eliminates the requirement that a pharmacist have oversight of the cultivation and processing areas of a pharmaceutical processor, instead requiring pharmaceutical processors to designate a person to oversee cultivation and production areas; removes the requirement that a cannabis dispensing facility undergo quarterly inspections, instead requiring that inspections occur no more than once annually; and allows pharmaceutical processors to remediate cannabis oil that fails any quality testing standard. The bill requires pharmaceutical processors to maintain evidence of criminal background checks for all employees and delivery agents of the pharmaceutical processor. The bill directs the Board of Pharmacy to promulgate regulations implementing the provisions of the bill and regulations creating reasonable restrictions on advertising and promotion by pharmaceutical processors by July 1, 2021, and directs the Board of Pharmacy to solicit input from stakeholders and appropriate agencies of the Commonwealth in order to develop recommendations for legislative action to permit the acceptance of cannabis products by hospices and hospice facilities in the Commonwealth and report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by October 1, 2021.

Personal property tax exemption; motor vehicleof a disabled veteran. Provides that one motor vehicle of a veteranwho has a 100 percent service-connected, permanent, and total disabilityshall be exempt from local taxes. This bill is the enabling legislationfor a constitutional amendment ratified by the voters of the Commonwealthat the November 2020 general election.

Board of Education; Health Standards of Learning;advanced directive education. Directs the Board of Educationto include advanced directive education in its curriculum frameworkfor the Health Standards of Learning for high school students.

Nurse Loan Repayment Program; certified nurseaide. Expands eligibility for the Nurse Loan Repayment Programto include certified nurse aides who meet criteria determined by theState Board of Health. Under current law, only licensed practicalnurses and registered nurses are eligible for the Nurse Loan RepaymentProgram.