Child care providers; background check portability; subsidy pilot program; report. Exempts prospective employees and volunteers of certain child care providers from statutory background check requirements where the individual completed a background check within the previous five years, provided that (i) such background check was conducted after July 1, 2017; (ii) the results of such background check indicated that the individual had not been convicted of any barrier crime and was not the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect; and (iii) the individual is an employee or volunteer of a child care provider that is subject to background check requirements or has been separated from such employment or volunteer position for not more than 180 days. The bill requires such child care providers, prior to hiring or allowing to volunteer any individual without the completion of a background check, to obtain written certification that such individual satisfies all such requirements and is eligible to serve as an employee or volunteer. The bill also directs the Department of Education (the Department) to establish a two-year pilot program for the purpose of stabilizing and improving the quality of services provided in the Commonwealth's child care industry. The bill provides that under the pilot program a fixed sum of funds, based on the number of children served and certain other factors, will be disbursed to participating child care providers who agree to meet higher standards of quality and care, as determined by the Department. The bill requires the Department to report to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than December 1 of each year of the pilot program certain information set forth in the bill. The bill also requires the Department, in collaboration with the School Readiness Committee, to (a) identify and analyze financing strategies that can be used to support the systemic costs of high-quality child care services, ensure equitable compensation for child care staff, and better prepare children for kindergarten and (b) analyze the effectiveness of using a cost-of-quality modeling system for the child care subsidy program. The bill requires the Department to report its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than December 1, 2021.
Sponsored bills
Department of Medical Assistance Services; personal care aides; orientation program. Requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services to establish an orientation program for all personal care aides who provide self-directed services through the Medicaid program. The bill lays out the topics to be covered by such orientations, requires orientations to be held in-person or online at least quarterly, and specifies that personal care aides shall be invited and encouraged to attend at least one such orientation per calendar year.
Confirmatory adoption. Expands the stepparentadoption provisions to allow a person who is not the child's stepparentbut has a legitimate interest in the child to file a joint petitionfor adoption with the child's birth parent or parent by adoption.
Virginia Fair Housing Law; unlawful discriminatory housing practices. Prohibits any locality, its employees, or its appointed commissions from discriminating (i) in the application of local land use ordinances or guidelines, or in the permitting of housing developments, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, source of funds, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, or disability; (ii) in the permitting of housing developments because the housing development contains or is expected to contain affordable housing units occupied or intended for occupancy by families or individuals with incomes at or below 80 percent of the median income of the area where the housing development is located or is proposed to be located; or (iii) by prohibiting or imposing conditions upon the rental or sale of dwelling units, provided that the provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to prohibit ordinances related to short-term rentals. The bill provides that it shall not be a violation of the Virginia Fair Housing Law if land use decisions or decisions relating to the permitting of housing developments are based upon considerations of limiting high concentrations of affordable housing. The bill also requires the Fair Housing Board, after determining the existence of an unlawful discriminatory housing practice and after consultation with the Attorney General, to immediately refer the matter to the Attorney General for civil action.
Absentee voting; witness signature not required. Repeals the requirement that an absentee ballot be opened in thepresence of a witness and signed by such witness.
Birth certificates; amendments. Provides that, in cases regarding amendments to birth certificates not already set out in the Code of Virginia, an amendment to a birth certificate shall be evaluated by the State Registrar through an administrative process pursuant to regulations as may be adopted by the State Board of Health. The bill requires the State Registrar to establish and publicize an internal process for modifying birth certificates and to make available to the public on its website a standard form a birth certificate made available to the public on its website. The bill also provides that when an applicant requests a change to a vital record that requires a judicial order, the vital record shall not be amended and the State Registrar shall so advise the applicant in a written notice that the applicant has the right to petition the court.
Duties of agencies and their appointing authorities; diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plans. Requires stateagencies to establish and maintain a comprehensive diversity, equity,and inclusion strategic plan in coordination with the Governor's Directorof Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Natural gas pipelines; stop work orders. Authorizes the Department of Environmental Quality to conduct inspections of the land-disturbing activities related to construction of any natural gas transmission pipeline equal to or greater than 24 inches inside diameter. Current law authorizes such inspections only if such inside diameter is greater than 36 inches. The bill also specifies certain instances that may give rise to such inspection and authorizes the Department to issue a stop work order for every work area in Virginia in the event that substantial adverse impacts or likely adverse impacts are found on a repeated, frequent, and widespread basis.
Department of Health and the Office of the ChiefMedical Examiner; plan for the establishment of a Fetal and InfantMortality Review Team; report. Directs the Department of Healthand the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to develop a plan forthe establishment of a Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Team andto report such plan to the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriationsand Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committees onFinance and Appropriations and Education and Health by December 1,2021. The bill also requires the Department of Health to convenea work group to participate in development of the plan and, uponinclusion in a general appropriation act adopted by the General Assemblyof funds for such purpose, to hire such contract staff as may benecessary to assist the work group with development of the plan.
State facilities; admission of certain aliens.Repeals the requirements that (i) the Commissioner of BehavioralHealth and Developmental Services determine the nationality of eachperson admitted to a state facility and, if the person is an alien,notify the United States immigration officer in charge of the districtin which the state facility is located and (ii) upon request of theUnited States immigration officer in charge of the district in whicha state facility to which a person who is an alien is admitted islocated or the judge or special justice who certified or orderedthe admission of such alien, the clerk of the court furnish a certifiedcopy of records pertaining to the case of the admitted alien.