Health insurance; access for a mother to samefacility as her newborn. Requires health insurers to providecoverage for the birth mother of a newborn infant who is currentlyadmitted to a facility for delivery-related services and whose newborninfant is receiving services at a different facility to receive suchdelivery-related services, if available, at the facility where thenewborn infant is receiving services. The bill provides that suchcoverage (i) shall not require any prior authorization determination, regardless of whether the services are provided on an in-networkor out-of-network basis; (ii) is provided without regard to whetherthe health care provider furnishing the services is a participatinghealth care provider with respect to such services; (iii) for out-of-networkservices, shall not impose any administrative requirement or limitationon coverage that is more restrictive than the requirements or limitationsthat apply to such services provided in-network; and (iv) for out-of-networkservices, not require any copayment amounts or coinsurance rates,or apply any deductible except to the extent such amounts, rates,or deductibles would apply to in-network services. The bill providesthat if the services are provided out-of-network, any balance paymentshall be settled in the same manner as balance payments for emergencyservices.
Sponsored bills
Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention Fund; report. Creates the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention Fund, which shall be administered by the Department of Social Services, in coordination with the Department of Health and the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, and used to develop, support, and evaluate programs that prevent sexual and domestic violence through strategies that (i) promote healthy practices related to relationships, sexuality, and social-emotional development and (ii) counteract the factors associated with the initial perpetration of sexual and domestic violence. This bill is identical to HB 1015.
American Revolution 250 Commission; report. Establishes the American Revolution 250 Commission to plan, develop, and perform programs and activities to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, and the independence of the United States. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2027, incorporates SB 714, and is identical to HB 1424.
Purchase of handguns; limitation on handgun purchases; penalty. Prohibits any person who is not a licensed firearms dealer from purchasing more than one handgun in a 30-day period and establishes such an offense as a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill exempts from this provision (i) persons who have been issued a certificate by the Department of State Police under certain circumstances and with an enhanced background check, (ii) law-enforcement agencies and officers, (iii) state and local correctional facilities, (iv) licensed private security companies, (v) persons who hold a valid Virginia concealed handgun permit, (vi) persons whose handgun has been stolen or irretrievably lost or who are trading in a handgun, (vii) purchases of handguns in a private sale, and (viii) purchases of antique firearms. This bill incorporates SB 22. This bill is identical to HB 812.
Minimum staffing ratio for school counselors. Requires local school boards to employ school counselors in accordance with the following ratios, effective with the 2020-2021 school year: in elementary schools, one hour per day per 75 students, one full-time equivalent at 375 students, one hour per day additional time per 75 students or major fraction thereof; in middle schools, one period per 65 students, one full-time equivalent at 325 students, one additional period per 65 students or major fraction thereof; and in high schools, one period per 60 students, one full-time equivalent at 300 students, one additional period per 60 students or major fraction thereof. The bill also requires local school boards to employ one full-time equivalent school counselor position per 325 students in grades kindergarten through 12, effective with the 2021-2022 school year. This bill incorporates HB 398.
Suspension of driver's license for nonpayment of fines or costs. Repeals the requirement that the driver's license of a person convicted of any violation of the law who fails or refuses to provide for immediate payment of fines or costs be suspended. The bill also removes a provision allowing the court to require a defendant to present a summary prepared by the Department of Motor Vehicles of the other courts in which the defendant also owes fines and costs. The bill requires the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles to return or reinstate any person's driver's license that was suspended prior to July 1, 2019, solely for nonpayment of fines or costs. Such person does not have to pay a reinstatement fee. The bill contains an emergency clause and incorporates SB 10, SB 514, and SB 814.
Virginia Food Access Investment Program and Fund. Creates the Virginia Food Access Investment Program and Fund to provide funding for the construction, rehabilitation, equipment upgrades, or expansion of grocery stores, small food retailers, and innovative food retail projects, defined in the bill, in underserved communities. The provisions of the bill are contingent on funding in a general appropriation act.
Landlord and tenant; tenant's remedy by repair. Permits a tenant, under certain circumstances, to have a condition that constitutes a material noncompliance by the landlord with the rental agreement or with provisions of law, or that if not promptly corrected will constitute a fire hazard or serious threat to the life, health, or safety of occupants of the premises, remedied by a third-party licensed contractor or a licensed pesticide business. The bill provides that, unless the tenant has been reimbursed by the landlord, the tenant may deduct from rent the actual costs incurred, not to exceed the greater of one month's rent or $1,500, after submitting to the landlord an itemized statement accompanied by receipts for purchased items and third-party contractor or pest control services.
Driving while license, permit, or privilegeto drive suspended or revoked; mandatory minimum. Eliminatesthe mandatory minimum term of confinement in jail of 10 days fora third or subsequent conviction of driving on a suspended license.
Arrest and prosecution when experiencing or reporting overdoses. Provides that no individual shall be subject to arrest or prosecution for the unlawful purchase, possession, or consumption of alcohol; possession of a controlled substance; possession of marijuana; intoxication in public; or possession of controlled paraphernalia if (i) such individual (a) seeks or obtains emergency medical attention for himself, if he is experiencing an overdose, or for another individual, if such other individual is experiencing an overdose, or (b) is experiencing an overdose and another individual seeks or obtains emergency medical attention for him; (ii) such individual remains at the scene of the overdose or at any location to which he or the individual requiring emergency medical attention has been transported; (iii) such individual identifies himself to the law-enforcement officer who responds; and (iv) the evidence for a prosecution of one of the enumerated offenses would have been obtained only as a result of an individual seeking or obtaining emergency medical attention. The bill also provides that no law-enforcement officer acting in a good faith shall be found liable for false arrest if it is later determined that the person arrested was immune from prosecution. Current law provides an affirmative defense to such offenses only when an individual seeks or obtains emergency medical attention for himself, if he is experiencing an overdose, or for another individual, if such other individual is experiencing an overdose.