Virginia 2023 Regular Session All Bills
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1247
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
Parole Board; decision requirements; annual reports. Requires the Parole Board, prior to making any decision to grant discretionary parole to an inmate, to discuss and debate such decision at a meeting at which all Board members are present. The bill requires, in cases in which the Board grants discretionary parole to an inmate, each Board member to identify his reasoning for such decision at the time such member's vote is cast. The bill requires that parole review hearings include a live interview of the prisoner, which may be conducted in person or by videoconference or telephone, and, absent imminent death or other extraordinary circumstances, prohibits the Board from granting parole to any prisoner who has not received a live interview within the prior calendar year. The bill provides that final discharges may be issued by the Board only upon approval by a majority of Board members and requires the Board to publish an annual report regarding such final discharges, with items specified in the bill. The bill requires the Board to contact the victim of the crime for which the prisoner is incarcerated prior to making any decision to release the prisoner on discretionary parole and allows the victim to present testimony to the Board by virtual means. Under current law, the Board is required to endeavor diligently to contact the victim prior to making such decision. Parole Board; decision requirements; annual reports. Requires the Parole Board, prior to making any decision to grant discretionary parole to an inmate, to discuss and debate such decision at a meeting at which all Board members are present. The bill requires, in cases in which the Board grants discretionary parole to an inmate, each Board member to identify his reasoning for such decision at the time such member's vote is cast. The bill requires that parole review hearings include a live interview of the prisoner, which may be conducted in person or by videoconference or telephone, and, absent imminent death or other extraordinary circumstances, prohibits the Board from granting parole to any prisoner who has not received a live interview within the prior calendar year. The bill provides that final discharges may be issued by the Board only upon approval by a majority of Board members and requires the Board to publish an annual report regarding such final discharges, with items specified in the bill. The bill requires the Board to contact the victim of the crime for which the prisoner is incarcerated prior to making any decision to release the prisoner on discretionary parole and allows the victim to present testimony to the Board by virtual means. Under current law, the Board is required to endeavor diligently to contact the victim prior to making such decision.
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1248
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
Report Pass
2/3/23
Engrossed
2/6/23
Refer
2/13/23
MEI Project Approval Commission; board-level gender and diversity requirements. Prohibits the MEI Project Approval Commission from recommending approval of any major employment and investment (MEI) project for a business that does not have and does not commit to maintaining a balanced board of directors based upon gender and racial diversity, such that at least 30 percent of such board of directors consists of women and historically underrepresented groups. The bill requires any business seeking approval of a project to submit a board diversity disclosure and to update such disclosure annually, specifying the number and percentage of diverse directors on the board of such business who self-identify as female or represent a national, racial, ethnic, indigenous, or cultural identity in the country of the business's principal executive offices. MEI Project Approval Commission; board-level gender and diversity requirements. Prohibits the MEI Project Approval Commission from recommending approval of any major employment and investment (MEI) project for a business that does not have and does not commit to maintaining a balanced board of directors based upon gender and racial diversity, such that at least 30 percent of such board of directors consists of women and historically underrepresented groups. The bill requires any business seeking approval of a project to submit a board diversity disclosure and to update such disclosure annually, specifying the number and percentage of diverse directors on the board of such business who self-identify as female or represent a national, racial, ethnic, indigenous, or cultural identity in the country of the business's principal executive offices.
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1249
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
Report Pass
1/30/23
Engrossed
2/2/23
Refer
2/9/23
Report Pass
2/14/23
Enrolled
2/22/23
Chaptered
3/23/23
Passed
3/23/23
Internet ticketing platforms and resellers; deceptive trade practices. Prohibits an Internet ticketing platform or reseller, as defined in the bill, from using or displaying any trademarked or copyrighted URL or other mark or symbol of an operator, a rights holder, or a primary ticket provider without the consent of such operator, rights holder, or ticket provider and prohibits the use or display of text, images, website graphics, website display, or website addresses substantially similar to an operator's website in a manner that could reasonably be expected to mislead a potential purchaser. A violation of the provisions of the bill constitutes a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1250
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
Regulating video gaming terminals; Virginia Video Gaming Terminal Education Support Fund established; penalties. Authorizes and specifies the licensing requirements for the manufacture, distribution, operation, servicing, hosting, and playing of video gaming terminals (VGTs). The bill provides that VGTs are regulated by the Virginia Lottery Board, which the bill renames as the Virginia Lottery and Gaming Oversight Board. The bill requires employees of such licensees to be registered with the Virginia Lottery, which the bill renames as the Virginia Lottery and Gaming Department. The bill imposes criminal and civil penalties for violations of the law and regulations related to VGTs. The bill imposes a 34 percent tax on all gross profits from the play of VGTs and provides for how the tax proceeds are used; most are deposited into the Virginia Video Gaming Terminal Education Support Fund, created by the bill.
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1251
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
Elections; conduct of election; election results to be delivered by officers representing both major parties on election night. Requires ballots, election materials, and equipment keys to be returned to the clerk of the circuit court or the general registrar on the night of the election by one officer of election representing each political party. Under current law, a single officer of election may return ballots, election materials, and equipment keys to the clerk of the circuit court or general registrar and such items may be returned on the day following the election unless the local electoral board requires they be returned on the night of the election.
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1252
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
Anti-Semitism. Provides that the term "anti-Semitism" when used in reference to discrimination in the Code of Virginia and acts of the General Assembly is defined by the Working Definition of Anti-Semitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance on May 26, 2016, including the contemporary examples of anti-Semitism set forth in such definition.
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1253
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
Report Pass
1/19/23
Engrossed
1/23/23
Refer
2/7/23
Report Pass
2/8/23
Enrolled
2/15/23
Chaptered
3/22/23
Passed
3/22/23
Certain student assessment results; availability. Requires each school board to provide teachers, parents, principals, and other school leaders with their students' results on any Standards of Learning assessment or Virginia Alternate Assessment Program assessment as soon as practicable after the assessment is administered.
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1254
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
Report Pass
1/12/23
Engrossed
1/16/23
Refer
2/10/23
Report Pass
2/16/23
Refer
2/16/23
Report Pass
2/20/23
Enrolled
3/7/23
Chaptered
3/23/23
Passed
3/23/23
Maternal Mortality Review Team; annual compilation and release of statistical data. Requires the Maternal Mortality Review Team to annually compile statistical data and make such data available to the Governor, General Assembly, and the public. Currently, the Maternal Mortality Review Team is required to compile and release such data on a triennial basis.
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1255
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
Report Pass
2/2/23
Engrossed
2/6/23
Refer
2/10/23
Report Pass
2/14/23
Refer
2/14/23
Report Pass
2/15/23
Engrossed
2/20/23
Engrossed
2/24/23
Engrossed
2/24/23
Enrolled
3/7/23
Chaptered
3/26/23
Passed
3/26/23
Smartchart Network Program. Renames the Emergency Department Care Coordination Program as the Smartchart Network Program and expands the Program to allow participation by all health care providers, insurance carriers, and other organizations with a treatment, payment, or operations relationship with a patient in the Commonwealth to facilitate real-time communication and collaboration. Under current law, participation is limited to hospital emergency departments. The bill makes several other modifications to the Program, including adding a requirement that the Program allow health care providers, health care entities, and insurance carriers to access information necessary to evaluate and monitor the care and treatment of a patient in accordance with applicable patient privacy and security requirements and adding a requirement that such entities continue to improve care coordination in hospital emergency departments in order to reduce the frequency of visits by high-volume emergency department utilizers. The bill also directs the State Health Commissioner and the Director of the Department of Health Professions to convene a work group to study and establish a plan to develop and implement a system to share information regarding a patient's prescription history and medication reconciliation. The bill requires the Commissioner and the Director to report their findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the Joint Commission on Health Care, Senate Committee on Education and Health, and House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions by October 1, 2023. The provisions of the bill other than creation of the work group have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2024.
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1256
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
Magistrates; appointment and supervision. Gives supervisory control over the magistrate system to the chief circuit court judge and the Committee on District Courts and abolishes magisterial regions. Under current law, the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia exercises such authority with a provision for consultation with the chief judges of the circuit courts in the region where the appointment is made.
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1257
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
School counselors; staff time. Defines the terms "direct counseling" and "program planning and school support" for the purpose of the provision of law that requires each school counselor to spend at least 80 percent of his staff time during normal school hours in the direct counseling of individual students or groups of students and clarifies that each school counselor may also spend up to 20 percent of his staff time during normal school hours on program planning and support.
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1258
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
Report Pass
2/1/23
Engrossed
2/3/23
Refer
2/8/23
Report Pass
2/13/23
Engrossed
2/15/23
Engrossed
2/15/23
Engrossed
2/15/23
Engrossed
2/24/23
Engrossed
2/24/23
Enrolled
3/7/23
Chaptered
3/27/23
Passed
3/27/23
Sales tax revenues; entertainment arena. Adds entertainment arena to the definition of public facility for the purpose of allowing a locality to collect all sales tax revenues generated by transactions at such a facility, provided that a locality owns the facility, wholly or partly, and contributes to financing its construction. The bill also allows a municipality to issue bonds to finance a public facility on or after July 1, 2023, but prior to July 1, 2026. The provisions of the bill do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2024 Session of the General Assembly. Sales tax revenues; entertainment arena. Adds entertainment arena to the definition of public facility for the purpose of allowing a locality to collect all sales tax revenues generated by transactions at such a facility, provided that a locality owns the facility, wholly or partly, and contributes to financing its construction. The bill also allows a municipality to issue bonds to finance a public facility on or after July 1, 2023, but prior to July 1, 2026. The provisions of the bill do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2024 Session of the General Assembly.
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1259
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
Report Pass
2/1/23
Engrossed
2/6/23
Refer
2/10/23
Report Pass
2/13/23
Enrolled
2/21/23
Chaptered
3/23/23
Passed
3/23/23
Criminal appeals; duties of the Attorney General and attorney for the Commonwealth. Provides that in all criminal cases before the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court of Virginia in which the Commonwealth is a party or is directly interested, the Attorney General shall appear and represent the Commonwealth upon receipt of the record in the appellate court. The bill provides that the attorney for the Commonwealth shall continue to represent the Commonwealth in any appeal regarding bail, bond, or recognizance before the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court for which he was the prosecuting attorney. Under current law, the Attorney General assumes representation of the Commonwealth upon the filing of the notice of appeal. Criminal appeals; duties of the Attorney General and attorney for the Commonwealth. Provides that in all criminal cases before the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court of Virginia in which the Commonwealth is a party or is directly interested, the Attorney General shall appear and represent the Commonwealth upon receipt of the record in the appellate court. The bill provides that the attorney for the Commonwealth shall continue to represent the Commonwealth in any appeal regarding bail, bond, or recognizance before the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court for which he was the prosecuting attorney. Under current law, the Attorney General assumes representation of the Commonwealth upon the filing of the notice of appeal. The bill provides that the attorney for the Commonwealth shall represent the Commonwealth before the appellate courts on criminal pretrial petitions for appeal. The bill also provides that any appeal from any action collaterally attacking a criminal conviction lies directly to the Supreme Court. The bill eliminates the requirement that four copies of each brief shall be filed and three copies shall be mailed or delivered to opposing counsel on or before the date of filing in criminal pretrial appeals.
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1260
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
Report Pass
2/2/23
Report Pass
2/2/23
Engrossed
2/6/23
Refer
2/7/23
Report Pass
2/8/23
Refer
2/8/23
National Teacher Certification Incentive Reward Program and Fund; name; eligibility; incentive grant awards. Renames the National Teacher Certification Incentive Reward Program and Fund as the National Board Certification Incentive Reward Program and Fund, expands eligibility for incentive grant awards from such Fund pursuant to such Program from solely teachers who have obtained national certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards to (i) all public school staff who are candidates for initial national certification or maintenance of national certification to cover certain costs of obtaining or maintaining such certification and (ii) all public school staff who have successfully obtained or maintained such certification. The bill also declares eligible for an annual incentive grant award in the amount of $7,500 all public school staff who have obtained or maintained such certification. Current law declares eligible for an annual incentive grant award of $5,000 in the first year and $2,500 in each subsequent year all teachers who have obtained or maintained such certification.
VA
Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Senate Bill SB1261
Introduced
1/10/23
Refer
1/10/23
Report Pass
1/23/23
Report Pass
1/31/23
Engrossed
2/2/23
Refer
2/10/23
Report Pass
2/14/23
Engrossed
2/17/23
Engrossed
2/20/23
Enrolled
2/23/23
Chaptered
3/24/23
Passed
3/24/23
Health insurance; electronic prior authorization and disclosure of certain information; out-of-pocket costs; report. Requires each health insurance carrier, beginning July 1, 2025, to establish and maintain an online process that (i) links directly to all e-prescribing systems and electronic health record systems that utilize the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs SCRIPT standard and the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs Real Time Benefit Standard; (ii) can accept electronic prior authorization requests from a provider; (iii) can approve electronic prior authorization requests (a) for which no additional information is needed by the carrier to process the prior authorization request, (b) for which no clinical review is required, and (c) that meet the carrier's criteria for approval; (iv) links directly to real-time patient out-of-pocket costs for the office visit; and (v) otherwise meets the requirements for contracts between carriers and participating health care providers. The bill prohibits a carrier from (a) imposing a fee or charge on any person for accessing the required online process who is required to do so or (b) accessing, absent provider consent, provider data via the online process other than for the enrollee. The bill also requires carriers, no later than July 1, 2024, to provide contact information of any third-party vendor or other entity the carrier will use to meet the requirements of the bill to any provider that requests such information. The carrier may post such information on its website to meet such requirement. Health insurance; electronic prior authorization and disclosure of certain information; out-of-pocket costs; report. Requires each health insurance carrier, beginning July 1, 2025, to establish and maintain an online process that (i) links directly to all e-prescribing systems and electronic health record systems that utilize the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs SCRIPT standard and the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs Real Time Benefit Standard; (ii) can accept electronic prior authorization requests from a provider; (iii) can approve electronic prior authorization requests (a) for which no additional information is needed by the carrier to process the prior authorization request, (b) for which no clinical review is required, and (c) that meet the carrier's criteria for approval; (iv) links directly to real-time patient out-of-pocket costs for the office visit; and (v) otherwise meets the requirements for contracts between carriers and participating health care providers. The bill prohibits a carrier from (a) imposing a fee or charge on any person for accessing the required online process who is required to do so or (b) accessing, absent provider consent, provider data via the online process other than for the enrollee. The bill also requires carriers, no later than July 1, 2024, to provide contact information of any third-party vendor or other entity the carrier will use to meet the requirements of the bill to any provider that requests such information. The carrier may post such information on its website to meet such requirement. The bill requires participating health care providers, beginning July 1, 2025, to ensure that any e-prescribing system or electronic health record system owned by or contracted for the provider to maintain an enrollee's health record has the ability to access, at the point of prescribing, the electronic prior authorization process established by a carrier and real-time patient-specific benefit information, including out-of-pocket costs and more affordable medication alternatives made available by a carrier. The bill provides that a provider may request a waiver of compliance for undue hardship for a period not to exceed 12 months. The bill requires any carrier or its pharmacy benefits manager to provide real-time patient-specific information to enrollees and contracted providers for the office visit, including any out-of-pocket costs and more affordable medication alternatives or prior authorization requirements, and to ensure that the data is accurate. The bill requires that such cost information data be available to the provider at the point of prescribing in an accessible and understandable format, such as through the provider's e-prescribing system or electronic health record system that the carrier or pharmacy benefits manager or its designated subcontractor has adopted that utilizes the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs SCRIPT standard and the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs Real Time Benefit Standard from which the provider makes the request. The bill requires the State Corporation Commission's Bureau of Insurance to, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, establish a work group to assess implementation and develop recommendations for electronic prior authorization and real-time cost benefit information for prescription drugs, to evaluate and make recommendations to establish a process for electronic prior authorization for surgery and other procedures, and to evaluate and make recommendations to establish an online process for a real-time link at the point of prescribing for any available prescription coupons. The work group shall report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the Senate Committees on Commerce and Labor and Education and Health and the House Committees on Commerce and Energy and Health, Welfare and Institutions annually by November 1 and shall make its final report by November 1, 2025.