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SPONSORED LEGISLATION
SB179 - State hospitals; discharge planning.
Barbara A. Favola
Last updated 8 months ago
1 Co-Sponsor
State hospitals; discharge planning; report. Provides that (i) when an individual is to be discharged from Central State Hospital, Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute, or Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute in 30 days or less after admission, the appropriate community services board shall implement the discharge plan developed by the state facility and (ii) when an individual is to be discharged from any other state facility in 30 days or less after admission, or from a state hospital more than 30 days after admission, the appropriate community services board or behavioral health authority shall be responsible for the individual's discharge planning. Under current law, community services boards and behavioral health authorities provide discharge planning for all individuals discharged from state hospitals, regardless of the duration of their stay. The bill requires the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to make certain annual reports by August 1 to the Governor and the General Assembly and to provide the General Assembly with a one-time evaluation of the impacts of the changes to discharge planning implemented by the bill by November 1, 2025. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025.
STATUS
Passed
SB15 - Reproductive health care services; prohibitions on extradition for certain criminal violations.
Barbara A. Favola, Russet W. Perry, Lashrecse D. Aird
Last updated 8 months ago
16 Co-Sponsors
Reproductive health care services; prohibitions on extradition for certain crimes. Provides that no demand for extradition of a person charged with a criminal violation of law of another state shall be recognized by the Governor if such alleged violation involves the receipt or provision of or assistance with reproductive health care services within the Commonwealth unless the alleged criminal violation would also constitute a criminal offense under the laws of the Commonwealth. The bill also provides that such limit on extradition shall not apply when the person who is subject to such demand for extradition by another state was physically present in the demanding state at the time of the commission of the alleged offense and thereafter fled from such state. Reproductive health care services; prohibitions on extradition for certain crimes. Provides that no demand for extradition of a person charged with a criminal violation of law of another state shall be recognized by the Governor if such alleged violation involves the receipt or provision of or assistance with reproductive health care services within the Commonwealth unless the alleged criminal violation would also constitute a criminal offense under the laws of the Commonwealth. The bill also provides that such limit on extradition shall not apply when the person who is subject to such demand for extradition by another state was physically present in the demanding state at the time of the commission of the alleged offense and thereafter fled from such state.
STATUS
Vetoed
SB14 - Sales and use tax, local; additional tax authorized in counties & cities to support schools.
Jeremy S. McPike, Creigh Deeds, Jennifer D. Carroll Foy
Last updated 8 months ago
9 Co-Sponsors
Additional local sales and use tax to support schools; referendum. Authorizes all counties and cities to impose an additional local sales and use tax at a rate not to exceed one percent with the revenue used only for capital projects for the construction or renovation of schools if such levy is approved in a voter referendum. The bill removes the requirement that such a tax must have an expiration date on either (i) the date of the repayment of any bonds or loans used for such capital projects or (ii) a date chosen by the governing body. Under current law, only Charlotte, Gloucester, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Northampton, Patrick, and Pittsylvania Counties and the City of Danville are authorized to impose such a tax.
STATUS
Vetoed
SB12 - Children's advocacy centers; definitions, investigations by local departments of social services.
Barbara A. Favola, Angelia Williams Graves
Last updated 7 months ago
2 Co-Sponsors
Children's advocacy centers; definitions; investigations by local departments of social services. Replaces the term "child advocacy center" with "children's advocacy center" and defines such term. The bill provides that if it is determined during a human trafficking assessment that a forensic interview of the child is needed, such interview may be conducted by a children's advocacy center within the jurisdiction; however, if the interview cannot be completed within 14 days, the forensic interview may be conducted by a children's advocacy center located in another jurisdiction.
STATUS
Passed
SB87 - Health insurance provider panels; incentives for mental health services.
Barbara A. Favola
Last updated 8 months ago
1 Co-Sponsor
Health insurance provider panels; incentives for mental health services. Allows a provider panel contract between a carrier and a primary care provider to include provisions that promote comprehensive screening using evidence-based tools for mental health needs and appropriate referrals by primary care providers to mental health services that may be provided on-site, via telehealth on site, or through an off-site referral.
STATUS
Passed
SB177 - Nursing staff at state psychiatric hospitals; employee destinations, payment policies, etc.
Barbara A. Favola
Last updated 8 months ago
1 Co-Sponsor
Department of Human Resource Management; employee designation and payment policies; nursing staff at state psychiatric hospitals. Directs the Department of Human Resource Management to amend its policies to authorize the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and state psychiatric hospitals to designate as full-time employees nursing staff and psychiatric technicians who work at least 36 hours per week to permit state hospitals to use 12-hour shifts for such staff. The bill prohibits the Department from requiring reductions in pay or other benefits for such employees based solely on the fact that the employee works 36 hours per week. The bill also directs the Department to examine whether the policy change should be extended to comparable direct care positions in other executive branch agencies to improve recruitment and retention. As introduced,
STATUS
Passed
SB85 - Virginia Freedom of Information Act; definition of "caregiver," remote participation in meetings.
Barbara A. Favola
Last updated 8 months ago
1 Co-Sponsor
Virginia Freedom of Information Act; definition of "caregiver"; remote participation in meetings by persons with disabilities and caregivers; remote voting. Provides that for purposes of determining whether a quorum is physically assembled, an individual member of a public body who is a person with a disability or a caregiver, defined in the bill, and uses remote participation counts toward the quorum as if the individual was physically present. The bill also provides that the participation policy adopted by a public body, as required by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, shall not prohibit or restrict any individual member of a public body who is participating in an all-virtual meeting or who is using remote participation from voting on matters before the public body. As introduced, the bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council.
STATUS
Passed
SB51 - Online transition resources; DARS, et al., to ensure dissemination and availability.
Barbara A. Favola, Angelia Williams Graves
Last updated 8 months ago
2 Co-Sponsors
Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services; dissemination and availability of online transition resources. Directs the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, in partnership with relevant entities, to ensure that online resources are readily available and disseminated to all individuals of age to transition from school to post-school activities and their families. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Disability Commission. Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services; dissemination and availability of online transition resources. Directs the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, in partnership with relevant entities, to ensure that online resources are readily available and disseminated to all individuals of age to transition from school to post-school activities and their families. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Disability Commission.
STATUS
Passed
SB59 - Federal Medicaid Works program; DMAS to convene work group to study, etc.
Barbara A. Favola
Last updated 8 months ago
1 Co-Sponsor
Department of Medical Assistance Services; Medicaid Works access and utilization work group; report. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to study and make recommendations to improve access to and successful utilization of the federal Medicaid Works program. The bill requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Health and Human Services and the Senate Committees on Education and Health and Finance and Appropriations by November 1, 2024. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Disability Commission. Department of Medical Assistance Services; Medicaid Works access and utilization work group; report. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to study and make recommendations to improve access to and successful utilization of the federal Medicaid Works program. The bill requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Health and Human Services and the Senate Committees on Education and Health and Finance and Appropriations by November 1, 2024. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Disability Commission.
STATUS
Passed
SB98 - Health insurance; if prior authorization request is approved for prescription drugs.
Barbara A. Favola
Last updated 8 months ago
1 Co-Sponsor
Health insurance; prior authorization. Requires that any provider contract between a carrier and a participating health care provider contain specific provisions that require that if a prior authorization request is approved for prescription drugs and such prescription drugs have been scheduled, provided, or delivered to the patient consistent with the authorization, the carrier shall not revoke, limit, condition, modify, or restrict that authorization unless (i) there is evidence that the authorization was obtained based on fraud or misrepresentation; (ii) final actions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, other regulatory agencies, or the manufacturer remove the drug from the market, limit its use in a manner that affects the authorization, or communicate a patient safety issue that would affect the authorization alone or in combination with other authorizations; (iii) a combination of drugs prescribed would cause a drug interaction; or (iv) a generic or biosimilar is added to the prescription drug formulary. The bill provides that such provisions do not require a carrier to cover any benefit not otherwise covered or cover a prescription drug if the enrollee is no longer covered by a health plan on the date the prescription drug was scheduled, provided, or delivered.
STATUS
Passed
BIOGRAPHY
INCUMBENT
Senator from Virginia district SD-031
COMMITTEES
Virginia Senate
BIRTH
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ABOUT
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OFFICES HELD
Virginia Senate from Virginia
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