HB1284 - Firefighters and emergency medical services; collective bargaining by providers, definitions.

41 Co-Sponsors

Collective bargaining by firefighters and emergency medical services providers. Authorizes firefighters and emergency medical services providers employed by a political subdivision of the Commonwealth to engage in collective bargaining through labor organizations or other designated representatives. The bill provides for the appointment of a three-member board of arbitration regarding any dispute arising between an employer and firefighters or emergency medical services providers. Under the bill, determinations made by such board of arbitration are final on a disputed issue and are binding on the parties involved. Collective bargaining by firefighters and emergency medical services providers. Authorizes firefighters and emergency medical services providers employed by a political subdivision of the Commonwealth to engage in collective bargaining through labor organizations or other designated representatives. The bill provides for the appointment of a three-member board of arbitration regarding any dispute arising between an employer and firefighters or emergency medical services providers. Under the bill, determinations made by such board of arbitration are final on a disputed issue and are binding on the parties involved.

HB686 - School meals; availability at no cost to students.

8 Co-Sponsors

School meals; availability at no cost to students. Provides that each school board shall require each public elementary and secondary school in the local school division to participate in the federal National School Lunch Program and the federal School Breakfast Program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) as provided in relevant law, if applicable, and to make lunch and breakfast available to any student who requests such a meal at no cost to the student, unless the student's parent has provided written permission to the school board to withhold such a meal from the student. The bill also requires the Department of Education to reimburse each public elementary and secondary school for each school breakfast and lunch served to a student, with a maximum of one breakfast and one lunch per student per school day, and provides the formula for determining the state reimbursement rate for such meals. The bill contains provisions directing each school board to adopt policies and procedures aimed at maximizing access to federal funds available for the cost of participating in school breakfast and lunch programs and maximizing determinations of student eligibility for federal free or reduced cost meal reimbursements rates and participation in CEP. The bill also lowers the minimum identified student percentage for a school to be eligible to participate in CEP from 40 to 25 percent in accordance with the updated federal CEP regulations (7 C.F.R. § 245.9(f)(3)(i)). The bill also requires the Secretary of Education, in coordination with the Secretary of Finance, to convene a stakeholder work group to study and make recommendations on ways to avoid or mitigate the impact of offering statewide free school breakfast and lunches on other state-funded programs and to submit a report on such findings and recommendations by January 15, 2025, to the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education. The bill also repeals provisions of law relating to the federal School Breakfast Program and to school meal debt that are rendered obsolete by the provisions of the bill. School meals; availability at no cost to students. Provides that each school board shall require each public elementary and secondary school in the local school division to participate in the federal National School Lunch Program and the federal School Breakfast Program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) as provided in relevant law, if applicable, and to make lunch and breakfast available to any student who requests such a meal at no cost to the student, unless the student's parent has provided written permission to the school board to withhold such a meal from the student. The bill also requires the Department of Education to reimburse each public elementary and secondary school for each school breakfast and lunch served to a student, with a maximum of one breakfast and one lunch per student per school day, and provides the formula for determining the state reimbursement rate for such meals. The bill contains provisions directing each school board to adopt policies and procedures aimed at maximizing access to federal funds available for the cost of participating in school breakfast and lunch programs and maximizing determinations of student eligibility for federal free or reduced cost meal reimbursements rates and participation in CEP. The bill also lowers the minimum identified student percentage for a school to be eligible to participate in CEP from 40 to 25 percent in accordance with the updated federal CEP regulations (7 C.F.R. § 245.9(f)(3)(i)). The bill also requires the Secretary of Education, in coordination with the Secretary of Finance, to convene a stakeholder work group to study and make recommendations on ways to avoid or mitigate the impact of offering statewide free school breakfast and lunches on other state-funded programs and to submit a report on such findings and recommendations by January 15, 2025, to the Senate Committee on Education and Health and the House Committee on Education. The bill also repeals provisions of law relating to the federal School Breakfast Program and to school meal debt that are rendered obsolete by the provisions of the bill.

HB327 - Affordable and inclusive housing; DBHDS to develop plan to ensure people w/disabilities have access.

14 Co-Sponsors

Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; inclusive housing plan; individuals with disabilities. Directs the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (the Commissioner) to work with stakeholders to develop a plan to ensure that people with disabilities across the Commonwealth, including individuals affected by the Settlement Agreement entered into on August 23, 2012, pursuant to U.S. of America v. Commonwealth of Virginia, have an opportunity to access affordable and inclusive housing, as defined in the bill. The bill requires the Commissioner to present the plan to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2025. Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; inclusive housing plan; individuals with disabilities. Directs the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (the Commissioner) to work with stakeholders to develop a plan to ensure that people with disabilities across the Commonwealth, including individuals affected by the Settlement Agreement entered into on August 23, 2012, pursuant to U.S. of America v. Commonwealth of Virginia, have an opportunity to access affordable and inclusive housing, as defined in the bill. The bill requires the Commissioner to present the plan to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2025.

HJR172 - Commending Marie Ridder.

51 Co-Sponsors

HR375 - Commending the Honorable Kathleen J. Murphy.

100 Co-Sponsors

HB120 - DPOR and DHP; certain suspensions not considered disciplinary action.

96 Co-Sponsors

Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; Department of Health Professions; certain suspensions not considered disciplinary action. Prohibits any board of the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation or the Department of Health Professions issuing a suspension upon any regulant of such board pursuant to such regulant's having submitted a check, money draft, or similar instrument for payment of a fee required by statute or regulation that is not honored by the bank or financial institution named from considering or describing such suspension as a disciplinary action.

HB1076 - Education, Board of; through-year growth assessment system, alternatives during 2024-2026.

2 Co-Sponsors

Board of Education; through-year growth assessment system; alternatives during 2024-2026 school years. Requires the Board of Education to permit school boards to administer, during the 2024-2026 school years, assessments as alternatives to the through-year growth assessment system established by the Board, provided that any such alternative assessment is aligned to the Standards of Learning.

HJR280 - Commending the Honorable L. Kaye Kory.

88 Co-Sponsors

HR139 - Commending Brenda Sheridan.

2 Co-Sponsors

HR138 - Commending Jeff Morse.

2 Co-Sponsors