HB34 - Contract actions; collection of medical debt, definition.

30 Co-Sponsors

Contract actions; medical debt. Provides that in any action, including those brought by the Commonwealth, upon any contract to collect medical debt, as defined in the bill, such an action is barred if not commenced within three years from the due date applicable to the first invoice for a health care service unless the contract with a hospital or health care provider is for a payment plan that allows for a longer period of time for the collection of debt by the hospital or health care provider. The bill specifies that such limitation shall not apply to medical debt arising from services provided by programs administered by the Department of Medical Assistance Services. Contract actions; medical debt. Provides that in any action, including those brought by the Commonwealth, upon any contract to collect medical debt, as defined in the bill, such an action is barred if not commenced within three years from the due date applicable to the first invoice for a health care service unless the contract with a hospital or health care provider is for a payment plan that allows for a longer period of time for the collection of debt by the hospital or health care provider. The bill specifies that such limitation shall not apply to medical debt arising from services provided by programs administered by the Department of Medical Assistance Services.

HB607 - End Hunger, Virginia Commission to; established, report, sunset date.

10 Co-Sponsors

Virginia Commission to End Hunger established; report. Establishes the Virginia Commission to End Hunger. The bill states that the purpose of the Commission is to develop an action plan every two years for ending hunger in the Commonwealth, review the progress of such plan, and ensure cross-collaboration among government entities and community partners toward the goal of ending hunger in the Commonwealth.

HB25 - Retail Sales and Use Tax; establishes an annual tax holiday that takes place in August.

38 Co-Sponsors

Annual retail sales and use tax holiday. Establishes an annual retail sales and use tax holiday that takes place on the first full weekend in August beginning on July 1, 2025, through July 1, 2030. During such weekend, state retail sales and use tax will not apply to certain (i) school supplies, (ii) clothing and footwear, (iii) qualified products designated as Energy Star or WaterSense, (iv) portable generators, or (v) hurricane preparedness equipment.

HB732 - Public schools; opioid antagonist administration, etc.

5 Co-Sponsors

Public schools; opioid antagonist procurement, possession, and administration; school board employee training and certification; opioid overdose prevention and reversal instruction; guidelines and requirements. Requires each local school board to develop, in accordance with the guidelines developed by the Department of Health in collaboration with the Department of Education, plans, policies, and procedures for (i) providing at each public secondary school that includes grades nine through 12 a program of instruction on opioid overdose prevention and reversal and for encouraging each student to complete such program of instruction prior to graduation; (ii) the procurement, placement, and maintenance in each public elementary and secondary school of a supply of opioid antagonists in an amount equivalent to at least two unexpired doses for the purposes of opioid overdose reversal; and (iii) the possession and administration of an opioid antagonist by any employee of the school board who is authorized by a prescriber and trained in the administration of an opioid antagonist, including policies (a) requiring each public elementary and secondary school to ensure that at least one employee is authorized by a prescriber and trained and certified in the administration of an opioid antagonist, (b) for partnering with a program administered or approved by the Department of Health to provide such training and certification, and (c) for maintaining records of each such trained and certified employee. Public schools; opioid antagonist procurement, possession, and administration; school board employee training and certification; opioid overdose prevention and reversal instruction; guidelines and requirements. Requires each local school board to develop, in accordance with the guidelines developed by the Department of Health in collaboration with the Department of Education, plans, policies, and procedures for (i) providing at each public secondary school that includes grades nine through 12 a program of instruction on opioid overdose prevention and reversal and for encouraging each student to complete such program of instruction prior to graduation; (ii) the procurement, placement, and maintenance in each public elementary and secondary school of a supply of opioid antagonists in an amount equivalent to at least two unexpired doses for the purposes of opioid overdose reversal; and (iii) the possession and administration of an opioid antagonist by any employee of the school board who is authorized by a prescriber and trained in the administration of an opioid antagonist, including policies (a) requiring each public elementary and secondary school to ensure that at least one employee is authorized by a prescriber and trained and certified in the administration of an opioid antagonist, (b) for partnering with a program administered or approved by the Department of Health to provide such training and certification, and (c) for maintaining records of each such trained and certified employee. The bill provides for the disciplinary, civil, and criminal immunity of any employee of a public school, school board, or local health department, regardless of whether such employee was trained or certified in opioid antagonist administration, for any act or omission made in connection with the good faith administration of an opioid antagonist for the purposes of opioid overdose reversal during regular school hours, on school premises, or during a school-sponsored activity, unless such act or omission was the result of gross neglect or willful misconduct. The bill requires each school board to adopt and each public elementary and secondary school to implement policies and procedures in accordance with the provisions of the bill and, in doing so, to utilize to the fullest extent possible programs offered by the Department of Health for the provision of opioid antagonist administration training and certification and opioid antagonist procurement. In addition, the bill modifies the school board employees who are authorized to administer opioid antagonists to include any school board employee who has completed training and is certified in the administration of an opioid antagonist by a program administered or authorized by the Department of Health. Finally, the bill directs the Department of Health and the Department of Education to collaborate to develop guidelines and policies for the implementation of the provisions of the bill and requires each school board to implement the provisions of the bill by the beginning of the 2025–2026 school year.

HR20 - Commending the Council of State Governments Southern Office.

1 Co-Sponsor

HB1526 - Motor vehicles; overweight permits for certain trucks operated by electric utilities.

3 Co-Sponsors

Motor vehicles; overweight permits for certain trucks operated by electric utilities. Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue overweight permits for an electric utility's operation of vehicles used for the construction, operation, or maintenance of electrical facilities and infrastructure. Motor vehicles; overweight permits for certain trucks operated by electric utilities. Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue overweight permits for an electric utility's operation of vehicles used for the construction, operation, or maintenance of electrical facilities and infrastructure.

HB699 - Treatment with opioids; Board of Medicine, et al., to amend their regulations.

19 Co-Sponsors

Board of Medicine; Board of Dentistry; Board of Optometry; Boards of Medicine and Nursing; patient counseling; treatment with opioids. Directs the Board of Medicine, the Board of Dentistry, the Board of Optometry, and the Boards of Medicine and Nursing to amend their regulations to require the provision of certain information to patients being prescribed an opioid for the treatment of acute or chronic pain. The bill requires that the regulations include an exception to the required provision of such information for patients who are (i) in active treatment for cancer, (ii) receiving hospice care from a licensed hospice or palliative care, (iii) residents of a long-term care facility, (iv) being prescribed an opioid in the course of treatment for substance abuse or opioid dependence, or (v) receiving treatment for sickle cell disease. The bill directs the Boards to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. Board of Medicine; Board of Dentistry; Board of Optometry; Boards of Medicine and Nursing; patient counseling; treatment with opioids. Directs the Board of Medicine, the Board of Dentistry, the Board of Optometry, and the Boards of Medicine and Nursing to amend their regulations to require the provision of certain information to patients being prescribed an opioid for the treatment of acute or chronic pain. The bill requires that the regulations include an exception to the required provision of such information for patients who are (i) in active treatment for cancer, (ii) receiving hospice care from a licensed hospice or palliative care, (iii) residents of a long-term care facility, (iv) being prescribed an opioid in the course of treatment for substance abuse or opioid dependence, or (v) receiving treatment for sickle cell disease. The bill directs the Boards to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.

HB590 - Electronic gaming devices; regulation, penalties.

7 Co-Sponsors

Regulation of electronic gaming devices; penalties. Authorizes and specifies the licensing requirements for the manufacture, distribution, operation, hosting, and playing of electronic gaming devices, as defined in the bill, under the regulatory authority of the Virginia Lottery Board. The bill imposes a 30 percent tax on all gross profits from the play of such electronic gaming devices and provides for the use of such tax proceeds. The bill also imposes criminal and civil penalties for violations of the law and regulations related to electronic gaming devices. Regulation of electronic gaming devices; penalties. Authorizes and specifies the licensing requirements for the manufacture, distribution, operation, hosting, and playing of electronic gaming devices, as defined in the bill, under the regulatory authority of the Virginia Lottery Board. The bill imposes a 30 percent tax on all gross profits from the play of such electronic gaming devices and provides for the use of such tax proceeds. The bill also imposes criminal and civil penalties for violations of the law and regulations related to electronic gaming devices.

HB733 - Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; units occupied by elderly tenants.

1 Co-Sponsor

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; units occupied by elderly tenants; rent stabilization allowance. Allows any locality to adopt rent stabilization provisions to prohibit any landlord, defined in the bill, from increasing the rent on any unit in which an elderly tenant, defined in the bill, resides by an amount that exceeds such locality's rent stabilization allowance. The bill defines "rent stabilization allowance" as the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index, for the region in which the locality sits, from March in the preceding year to March in the current year, plus two percent. Finally, the bill requires any rent stabilization ordinance to include a procedure by which a landlord may apply for an exemption if the net operating income generated by the rental dwelling unit has not been maintained due to escalating operating expenses or for other appropriate reasons as established by the locality.

HJR13 - Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Month of Awareness.

100 Co-Sponsors

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Month of Awareness. Designates May, in 2024 and in each succeeding year, as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Month of Awareness in Virginia. Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Month of Awareness. Designates May, in 2024 and in each succeeding year, as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Month of Awareness in Virginia.