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
Directs the Board of Education to establish guidelines for alternatives to short-term and long-term suspension for consideration by local school boards. This bill is identical to
Provides an exception to the prohibition against contracts between employing agencies and their officers or employees for contracts by an officer or employee of a soil and water conservation district or an immediate family member of such officer or employee to participate in a cost-share program for the installation of best management practices to improve water quality. The exception does not apply to subcontracts or other agreements entered into to provide services for implementation of a cost-share contract established under such program. The bill provides that the exception applies to all contracts entered into on and after July 1, 2017, and to any contract entered into by an officer or employee or an immediate family member of such officer or employee with a soil and water conservation district to participate in a cost-share program for the installation of best management practices to improve water quality prior to July 1, 2017. This bill is identical to
Includes a single original metal can in the list of allowable disposable containers that a beer licensee, a wine and beer licensee, and certain mixed beverage licensees may use to sell alcoholic beverages. This bill is identical to
Shifts responsibilities for transportation planning activities from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to the Office of Intermodal Planning and Investment of the Secretary of Transportation. The bill specifies VDOT's core functions and limits the agency's duties to those core functions. The bill requires transparency in the development of the Six-Year Improvement Program and State of Good Repair Program by the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) and requires the CTB and VDOT to make public certain information related to the selection of projects. This bill is identical to
Approved by Governor-Chapter 200 (effective 7/1/17)
Defines "commercial lifestyle center" and creates a new nonretail license for commercial lifestyle centers. The bill sets out the privileges of the license and imposes a $300 annual state tax and a $60 annual local tax on the license. The bill contains technical amendments. This bill is identical to
Directs the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, in conjunction with the relevant stakeholders, to develop a comprehensive plan, by November 1, 2017, for the provision of forensic discharge planning services at local and regional correctional facilities for persons who have serious mental illnesses who are to be released from such facilities. This bill is identical to
Designates the State Route 143 bridge in the City of Newport News at exit 255 over Interstate 64 the "Trooper Chad Phillip Dermyer Memorial Bridge." This bill is identical to
Requires the Department of Education (the Department) to develop and oversee a pilot program to administer across five geographically and demographically diverse school divisions the model exit questionnaire for teachers developed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, analyze the results of each such questionnaire, and include such results and analysis in the Superintendent's annual report beginning in 2018. The bill requires the Department to (i) administer such questionnaire to each teacher who ceases to be employed by the relevant school board for any reason and (ii) collect, maintain, and report on the results of each such questionnaire in a manner that ensures the confidentiality of each teacher's name and other personally identifying information. This bill is identical to
Authorizes the Commissioner of Health (the Commissioner) to establish and operate local or regional comprehensive harm reduction programs during a declared public health emergency that include the provision of sterile and disposal of used hypodermic needles and syringes. The objectives of the programs are to reduce the spread of HIV, viral hepatitis, and other blood-borne diseases in Virginia, to reduce the transmission of blood-borne diseases through needlestick injuries to law-enforcement and other emergency personnel, and to provide information to individuals who inject drugs regarding addiction recovery treatment services. The programs will be located in at-risk communities, in accordance with criteria established by the Department of Health. The bill requires the Commissioner to establish standards and protocols for the comprehensive harm reduction programs and requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Public Safety to approve such standards and protocols.
Creates a new retail on-premises wine and beer license for nonprofit historic cinema houses. The bill defines "historic cinema house" and sets out the privileges of the license and imposes a $200 annual state license tax and a $20 annual local license tax.
