Health insurance; State Plan for Medical Assistance; coverage for prosthetic and custom orthotic devices and components; reports. Amends provisions related to health insurance coverage for prosthetic devices and components to include custom orthotic devices and components. Under the bill, such coverage does not include repair and replacement due to theft or loss and may include more than one prosthetic or custom orthotic device when medically necessary, as determined by an enrollee's provider. The bill prohibits an insurer from denying coverage for a prosthetic or custom orthotic device for an individual with limb loss, limb absence, or limb impairment that would otherwise be covered for a nondisabled individual seeking medical or surgical intervention. The bill requires health plans that provide such coverage to include language describing an enrollee's rights related to coverage for prosthetic and custom orthotic devices and provide a written explanation of any claim denials. The bill also directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to seek the necessary permissions from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide payment of medical assistance for prosthetic and custom orthotic devices, subject to the same requirements as insurers. Such payment is conditional on the Department obtaining all necessary approvals and federal financial participation. The bill sunsets on July 1, 2027, if such approval and federal financial participation is not obtained. The bill directs the health insurance carriers, the Department of Medical Assistance Services, and any managed care plan administering Medicaid benefits in the Commonwealth to submit reports to the Health Insurance Reform Commission regarding implementation of the provisions of the bill during plan years 2027 and 2028.
Public schools; mathematics and reading in kindergarten through grade eight; certain initiatives. Establishes several requirements relating to mathematics and reading proficiency in kindergarten through grade eight, including (i) requiring the Department of Education to establish and administer the math teacher and specialist corps to provide grants on a competitive basis to school divisions in which the mathematics proficiency of students in kindergarten through grade eight indicates a high need for intervention and improvement in order for such school divisions to offer annual stipends to effective educators with endorsements in mathematics or as mathematics specialists and deploy such individuals to the schools with the highest need; (ii) requiring each student in kindergarten through grade three to participate in a mathematics screener approved by the Department and requiring any student whose results on such screener indicate the need for further assessment to participate in a diagnostic mathematics assessment approved by the Department and to receive a mathematics improvement plan if the results on such assessment indicate the need for accelerated interventions to progress toward proficient performance in mathematics; and (iii) prohibiting any student in grade three who receives reading intervention services and whose performance on the statewide literacy screener or the grade-level reading Standards of Learning assessment at the end of the school year demonstrates substantial deficiencies from being promoted to grade four except in certain enumerated cases.
Carrying a firearm or explosive material into a building owned or leased by the Commonwealth; exceptions for highway rest areas and government stores. Provides that the prohibition on carrying a firearm or explosive material in any building owned or leased by the Commonwealth shall not apply to any highway rest area or government store, as those terms are defined in relevant law.
Concealed handgun permit fees. Lowers the maximum from $35 to $10 the fee that a local law-enforcement agency conducting a background investigation for the purpose of processing an application for a concealed handgun permit may charge to cover the cost of conducting such an investigation and lowers from $50 to $25 the maximum total amount for processing such an application.
Purchase of firearms; waiting period; penalties. Provides that no person shall sell a firearm unless at least five days have elapsed from the time the prospective purchaser completes the written consent form to have a licensed dealer obtain criminal history record information, with exceptions enumerated in relevant law. The bill provides that any person who willfully and intentionally sells to another person or purchases from another person a firearm in violation of this prohibition is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Additionally, the bill provides that any dealer who willfully and intentionally sells, rents, trades, or transfers a firearm in violation of such prohibition is guilty of a Class 6 felony.
Control of firearms by localities. Removes the option for a locality to adopt an ordinance that prohibits the possession, carrying, or transportation of any firearms, ammunition, or components or combination thereof in any (i) public park owned or operated by the locality, or by any authority or local government entity created or controlled by the locality, or (ii) public street, road, alley, or sidewalk or public right of way or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public and is being used by or is adjacent to a permitted event or an event that would otherwise require a permit.
Ticket resale limitations; requirements; review of event ticket marketplace by the Office of the Attorney General Consumer Protection Section. Requires each primary ticket provider, internet ticketing platform, or reseller operating in the Commonwealth, on the listing for a ticket and in each step of a transaction to purchase a ticket, to clearly and conspicuously disclose the total price of the ticket offered for sale, provide an itemized listing of charges that comprise the total price of the ticket, and identify the seat number and zone or section of the ticket to the extent applicable to the seat and venue. The bill includes limitations for the sale of speculative tickets and requires a full refund of the total amount paid for a ticket under certain circumstances. The bill also directs the Consumer Protection Section of the Office of the Attorney General to conduct a review of the event ticket market in the Commonwealth and submit a report to the General Assembly of its findings and recommendations by December 1, 2026.
Photo speed monitoring devices; historic district segments. Permits a state or local law-enforcement agency to place and operate a photo speed monitoring device at a historic district segment, defined in the bill, located within the locality for the purpose of recording violations resulting from the operation of a vehicle in excess of the speed limit. The bill provides the same requirements for such devices, information collected from such devices, and any enforcement actions resulting from information collected from such devices as current law applies to the use of such devices in school crossing zones, highway work zones, and high-risk intersection segments.
Migrant labor camp permits; expiration. Removes the annual December 31 expiration date for all issued migrant labor camp permits and provides that such permits expire 12 months from the date of issuance.
Land preservation tax credit; maximum amount increase. Increases from $75 million to $100 million, beginning in calendar year 2026, the maximum amount of land preservation tax credits that may be issued in a calendar year.
Sexual abuse of certain children; penalty. Increases from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony the penalty for sexual abuse of a child who is 13 or 14 years of age.
Virginia taxable income; subtractions; volunteer firefighters and volunteer emergency medical services personnel. Provides, beginning in taxable year 2027, a state income tax subtraction of $2,000 for individuals who rendered qualifying services as bona fide volunteers, defined in the bill. The bill defines "qualifying services" as volunteer firefighting and fire prevention services, emergency medical services, auxiliary police officer services, and emergency rescue services performed for nonprofit organizations that operate exclusively for the benefit of the general public. Such services include all training and training-related activities required by law to perform such services.
