Approved by Governor-Chapter 427 (effective 7/1/19)
Permits the Department of Forensic Science (the Department) to purchase forensic laboratory services from laboratories located in the Commonwealth that are operated by an institution of higher education located in the Commonwealth or a corporate entity that is wholly owned by an institution of higher education located in the Commonwealth, where such institution meets certain requirements. The bill provides that no contract or agreement may be made with any other laboratory unless the Department requests, and the Department of General Services grants, an exemption in a case where such laboratory does not meet the reasonable requirements of the Department, cannot provide the forensic laboratory services required by the Department, or the Department can purchase forensic laboratory services from another source at a price that is at least 10 percent less or from a laboratory that has received a ranking that is at least 10 percent higher than the ranking of any laboratory of such institution of higher education. The bill also provides that any laboratory that has entered into a contract with the Department for the provision of forensic laboratory services shall be deemed authorized by the Department to conduct certain analyses and examinations of certain trial evidence. This bill is identical to
Adds to the duties of the Virginia Department of Health the duty of serving as a state certifying authority in determining conformity with state requirements for certain tax-exempt water pollution control projects. Under current law, the State Water Control Board is the only state certifying authority for water pollution projects. The bill contains an emergency clause.
Requires local boards of social services, when identifying foster care placement options, to take all reasonable steps to (i) determine whether the child has any relatives who may be eligible to become a kinship foster parent, (ii) provide notice to such relatives of their potential eligibility to become a kinship foster parent, and (iii) explain to such relatives any opportunities they may have to participate in the placement and care of the child, including opportunities available through kinship foster care or kinship guardianship. This bill is identical to
Requires the governing board of each public institution of higher education, prior to a vote on an increase in undergraduate tuition or mandatory fees, to permit public comment on the proposed increase at a meeting of the governing board. The bill requires each such governing board to establish policies for such public comment, which may include reasonable time limitations. The bill requires each such governing board to provide, at any meeting at which it approves an increase in undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees, an explanation of any deviation from the project range of the planned increase in such tuition and fees that it previously provided to students and the public. The bill requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to provide to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance an annual report on any increase in undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees at a public institution of higher education, the public comment relating to such increase in undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees, and any deviation in the increase in undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees from the increase projected in the institutional six-year plan.
Adds cancers of the colon, brain, or testes to the list of cancers that are presumed to be an occupational disease covered by the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act when firefighters and certain employees develop the cancer. The measure will become effective if reenacted by the 2020 Session of the General Assembly. The measure also directs the 2020 Session of the General Assembly, in considering and enacting any legislation relating to workers' compensation and the presumption of compensability for certain cancers, to consider any research, findings, and recommendations from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission's review of the Virginia Workers' Compensation program. The provisions of this bill do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2020 Session of the General Assembly. This bill is identical to
Approved by Governor-Chapter 546 (effective 7/1/19)
Directs the State Board of Elections to promulgate regulations and standards necessary to ensure the security and integrity of the Virginia voter registration system and the supporting technologies utilized by the counties and cities to maintain and record registrant information. The local electoral boards are also required to develop and update annually written plans and procedures to ensure the security and integrity of the supporting technologies. The local electoral boards are further required to report annually to the Department of Elections on their security plans and procedures. The bill authorizes the Department of Elections to limit a locality's access to the Virginia voter registration system if it is determined that the county or city has failed to develop security plans and procedures or to comply with the security standards established by the State Board; such access would be limited as necessary to address and resolve any security risks or to enforce compliance. Records describing protocols for maintaining the security of the Virginia voter registration system and the supporting technologies utilized to maintain and record registrant information are exempted from the Freedom of Information Act and meetings to discuss such protocols are permitted to be closed pursuant to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. The bill requires the State Board of Elections to convene a work group prior to adopting security standards and to establish a standing advisory group of local government IT professionals and general registrars to assist and consult on updates to security standards.
Provides that, for real estate leased by the Fort Monroe Authority (the Authority) to a private owner, such real estate shall be taxed by the City of Hampton as if it were privately owned and billed directly to the lessee. However, if the lease term is less than 20 years, Hampton shall bill the Authority. The bill provides that the Authority and its lessees may use existing procedures for contesting assessments and taxes. Current law provides that land owned by the Authority is subject to a fee in lieu of real property taxes, but is silent on the treatment of land leased by the Authority to a private party. The bill contains technical amendments. This bill is identical to
Directs the Virginia Economic Development Partnership to establish pilot programs by Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power. The pilot programs will have the purpose of promoting economic development in opportunity zones of the Commonwealth by allowing each utility to complete the construction phase of electric transmission infrastructure for up to three business parks prior to the public announcement of a prospective occupant of the business parks. Electric cooperatives may also petition the State Corporation Commission to participate in the pilot program. The measure authorizes a utility to recover the costs of the transmission facility through a rate adjustment clause. The provisions of this measure expire on December 31, 2023.
Authorizes a public utility providing water, sewer, electric, or natural gas service to propose an Economic Development Program (Program) under which it may acquire utility right-of-way for one or more qualified economic development sites. A proposal for a Program is required to include an analysis of how acquiring the rights-of-way will enhance the Commonwealth's infrastructure and promote the Commonwealth's competitive business environment by improving the readiness of a qualified economic development site. The measure establishes criteria for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority to certify that an industrial site is a qualified economic development site. The State Corporation Commission (SCC) is authorized to approve a proposal for a Program that satisfies certain conditions, including findings that (i) implementation of the Program will provide significant economic development benefits that might not otherwise be attained absent its approval and (ii) the Program is designed only to acquire utility rights-of-way to a qualified economic development site and not to provide service to other customers or potential customers. A utility's capital investment is capped at one percent of gross plant investment in the aggregate of all of the utility's Programs and at $5 million for any specific qualified economic development site. This bill is identical to
Approved by Governor-Chapter 575 (effective 7/1/19)
