Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a workgroup that shall include representatives of the Departments of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, Health, and Health Professions as well as representatives of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and each of the Commonwealth's medical schools, dental schools, schools of pharmacy, physician assistant education programs, and nursing education programs to develop educational standards and curricula for training health care providers, including physicians, dentists, optometrists, pharmacists, physician assistants, and nurses, in the safe and appropriate use of opioids to treat pain while minimizing the risk of addiction and substance abuse. The workgroup shall report its progress and the outcomes of its activities to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2017. The bill contains an emergency clause. This bill is identical to
Removes requirements regarding specific areas of expertise for members appointed to the Board of Veterans Services (the Board) by the Governor. The bill also (i) extends the number of consecutive terms for legislative members from four to six two-year terms for members of the House of Delegates and from two to three four-year terms for members of the Senate; (ii) removes the requirement that the Board be organized into at least three standing committees; and (iii) makes other changes to the administration of the Board and the eligibility for reappointment of nonlegislative citizen members of the Board. This bill incorporates
Removes provisions related to licensure of graduates of an institution not approved by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board of Medicine. Under the bill, only graduates of institutions approved by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board of Medicine are eligible for licensure.
Provides that an employee of the Department of Social Services or a local department of social services may, in the course of conducting his professional duties, lawfully possess child pornography for a bona fide purpose.
Allows cemetery companies to request the trustee of a perpetual care trust fund to elect a total return distribution method for distributions from the trust. The bill provides that a total return distribution method allows the distribution of an amount not to exceed five percent of the fair market value of the perpetual care trust fund at the close of its preceding fiscal year. The bill contains notice and reporting requirements for the election and implementation of this method to the trustee, Cemetery Board, and commissioner of accounts. The bill sets forth requirements that a trustee using such method must meet, including adoption of a written investment and distribution policy, responsible investment decision making, and monitoring of the trust's fair market value. The bill prohibits a trustee from making distributions from the trust under the total return distribution method if (i) the fair market value of the trust after the distribution would be less than the aggregate of 80 percent of the fair market value of the trust at the close of the preceding fiscal year plus the total contributions made to the trust principal from such date to the date that the method of distribution is elected or (ii) beginning with the third year of using a total return distribution method, a three-year analysis of investment returns and distribution practices indicates insufficient protection of the trust principal. The bill requires the Cemetery Board to review conversions of perpetual care trust fund distribution methods for compliance with the requirements of the bill and allows the Cemetery Board to limit or prohibit conversions to and distributions under the total return distribution method under certain circumstances, including where the trustee or investment manager is without sufficient knowledge and expertise regarding implementation of this method. Under current law, a trustee of a perpetual care trust fund may make distributions only from the trust's net income and, absent approval by the Cemetery Board or a court, the trust principal may be used only for investment purposes. The bill refers to this method as the "net income distribution method" and establishes this as the default distribution method in the event that a cemetery company does not elect a distribution method. This bill is identical to
Provides that the provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code establishing a six-year limitations period on actions to enforce the obligation of a party to pay the instrument apply to negotiable and non-negotiable certificates of deposit. This bill is identical to
Conforms the statutory procedures for disciplining attorneys to the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginia. This bill is identical to
Requires each local school board to implement a plan to notify students and their parents of the availability of career and technical education programs and to include annual notice on its website to enrolled high school students and their parents of the opportunity for such students to obtain a nationally recognized career readiness certificate at a local public high school, comprehensive community college, or workforce center.
Provides that the Supreme Court and any other court clerk may provide online access to subscribers who have entered into an agreement with the clerk to have secure remote access to court records of nonconfidential criminal case information to confirm the complete date of birth of a defendant. This bill is identical to
Directs the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Director of Criminal Justice Services, in conjunction with the relevant stakeholders, to develop a comprehensive model for the use of alternative transportation providers to provide safe and efficient transportation of individuals involved in the emergency custody or involuntary admission process as an alternative to transportation by law enforcement. The bill requires that the model be completed by October 1, 2017, and reported to the Joint Subcommittee to Study Mental Health Services in the Commonwealth in the 21st Century, the House Committee for Courts of Justice, and the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice. This bill is identical to
Allows cemetery companies to request the trustee of a perpetual care trust fund to elect a total return distribution method for distributions from the trust. The bill provides that a total return distribution method allows the distribution of an amount not to exceed five percent of the fair market value of the perpetual care trust fund at the close of its preceding fiscal year. The bill contains notice and reporting requirements for the election and implementation of this method to the trustee, Cemetery Board, and commissioner of accounts. The bill sets forth requirements that a trustee using such method must meet, including adoption of a written investment and distribution policy, responsible investment decision making, and monitoring of the trust's fair market value. The bill prohibits a trustee from making distributions from the trust under the total return distribution method if (i) the fair market value of the trust after the distribution would be less than the aggregate of 80 percent of the fair market value of the trust at the close of the preceding fiscal year plus the total contributions made to the trust principal from such date to the date that the method of distribution is elected or (ii) beginning with the third year of using a total return distribution method, a three-year analysis of investment returns and distribution practices indicates insufficient protection of the trust principal. The bill requires the Cemetery Board to review conversions of perpetual care trust fund distribution methods for compliance with the requirements of the bill and allows the Cemetery Board to limit or prohibit conversions to and distributions under the total return distribution method under certain circumstances, including where the trustee or investment manager is without sufficient knowledge and expertise regarding implementation of this method. Under current law, a trustee of a perpetual care trust fund may make distributions only from the trust's net income and, absent approval by the Cemetery Board or a court, the trust principal may be used only for investment purposes. The bill refers to this method as the "net income distribution method" and establishes this as the default distribution method in the event that a cemetery company does not elect a distribution method. This bill is identical to
Transfers the responsibility for the Virginia Resources Authority from the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to the Secretary of Finance. This bill is identical to
