TITLE: Virginia  (S02) Committee Docket — 2024-02-19
DATE: 2024-02-19T00:00:00
SESSION: 2024 Regular (20241)
CHAMBER: Senate
SOURCE_API: https://lis.virginia.gov/Calendar/api/GetDocketsByIdAsync?docketID=19356
COMMITTEE_PAGE: https://lis.virginia.gov/committee-details?committeeId=23&sessionCode=20241

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
  - R. Creigh Deeds (D) Chair

STAFF: Horton, Andrew, Hobie Lehman, Thomas Stevens

DOCKET / AGENDA:

[Senate Bill in Committee]
  999. HB1 - Minimum wage; increases wage to $13.50 per hour effective January 1, 2025.
       Patron(s): Ward
       Summary: Minimum wage. Increases the minimum wage from the current rate of $12.00 per hour to $13.50 per hour effective January 1, 2025, and to $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2026. The bill satisfies a reenactment clause included in Chapters 1204 and 1242 of the Acts of Assembly of 2020. This bill is identical to SB 1.
  999. HB61 - Enterprise zones; renewal periods.
       Patron(s): Wright
       Summary: Enterprise zones; renewal periods. Authorizes the Governor, upon the recommendation of the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development, to renew enterprise zones for up to four five-year renewal periods for zones designated on or after July 1, 2005, and for up to two five-year renewal periods for zones designated before July 1, 2005. Under current law, zones designated on or after July 1, 2005, may be renewed for up to three such periods and zones designated before July 1, 2005, may be renewed for up to one such period.
  999. HB100 - Child labor offenses; increases civil penalties.
       Patron(s): Seibold
       Summary: Child labor offenses; civil penalties. Increases from $10,000 to $25,000 the civil penalty for each violation of child labor laws that results in the employment of a child who is seriously injured or dies in the course of employment. The bill also increases from $1,000 to $2,500 the maximum civil penalty for each other violation of child labor laws and provides that such civil penalty shall not be less than $500. The bill directs the Department of Labor and Industry to convene a stakeholder work group to develop education and outreach plans to inform young workers and employers about child lab
  999. HB107 - Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund; established and created.
       Patron(s): Sullivan
       Summary: Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund created. Creates the Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program and Fund to assist private developers with non-utility costs associated with the installation of public electric vehicle charging stations in certain localities. The bill provides that a private developer is eligible to receive grants of 70 percent of such non-utility costs for public electric vehicle charging stations installed in a city or county that meets the criteria of a distressed locality, as defined in the bill. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2028.
  999. HB123 - Health insurance; ethics and fairness in carrier business practices.
       Patron(s): Sullivan
       Summary: Health insurance; ethics and fairness in carrier business practices. Makes various changes to requirements governing the business practices of health carriers in the processing and payment of claims. The bill prescribes criteria for what constitutes a "clean claim." The bill prohibits a carrier from imposing any retroactive denial of a previously paid claim or in any other way seeking recovery or refund of a previously paid claim unless the carrier specifies in writing the specific claim or claims for which the retroactive denial is to be imposed or the recovery or refund is sought and the car
  999. HB124 - State Corporation Commission; annual report filing requirements.
       Patron(s): Sullivan
       Summary: State Corporation Commission; annual report filing requirements. Permits a person authorized by a domestic or foreign stock or nonstock corporation to sign the annual report of such corporation for purposes of the Virginia Stock Corporation Act and the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act.
  999. HB149 - Employee protections; medicinal use of cannabis oil.
       Patron(s): Helmer
       Summary: Employee protections; medicinal use of cannabis oil. Amends the provision that prohibits an employer from discriminating against an employee for such employee's lawful use of medical cannabis oil, with certain exceptions, by specifying that such use must conform to the laws of the Commonwealth and by including the employees, other than law-enforcement officers, of the Commonwealth and other public bodies in such protections. This bill is identical to SB 391.
  999. HB160 - Veterans; workplace poster for benefits and services.
       Patron(s): Seibold
       Summary: Department of Labor and Industry; workplace poster for veterans benefits and services. Directs the Department of Labor and Industry, in consultation with the Department of Veterans Services, to create a poster describing benefits and services available to veterans and allows employers to request and display such poster in the workplace. The bill enumerates a minimum group of resources the poster shall include, including (i) Department of Veterans Services' programs, contact information, and website address; (ii) substance abuse and mental health treatment resources; (iii) educational, workforc
  999. HB237 - Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board; increases membership.
       Patron(s): Austin
       Summary: Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board. Modifies aspects of the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board by adding a fourth Secretary to the Board's membership, to be appointed by the Governor, and providing that the Secretary of Labor may be one of the Secretaries appointed to the Board. The bill also reduces the amount of matching funds required for any grant awarded from the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Fund by requiring such funds to be equal to at least half of the grant awarded until July 1, 2028.
  999. HB238 - Health insurance; coverage for colorectal cancer screening.
       Patron(s): McQuinn
       Summary: Health insurance; coverage for colorectal cancer screening. Requires health insurers to provide coverage for examinations and laboratory tests related to colorectal cancer screening in accordance with the most recently published recommendations established by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for colorectal cancer screening for which a rating of A or B is in effect with respect to the individual involved. The bill requires such coverage to include coverage of a follow-up colonoscopy after a positive noninvasive stool-based screening test or direct visualization screening test. The bill p
  999. HB335 - Tipped employees; DOLI to study increasing wages and address wage theft by employers.
       Patron(s): Gardner
       Summary: Department of Labor and Industry; tipped employee wages; work group. Directs the Department of Labor and Industry to convene a work group to study (i) options for increasing tipped employee minimum cash wages, (ii) circumstances related to wage theft or payment inequities by employers of tipped wage employees, and (iii) amending the penalty provisions related to employee remedies and employer penalties for violations of minimum wage requirements. The bill directs the work group to submit a report of its findings no later than December 1, 2024.
  999. HB510 - Surplus line broker; any person required to be licensed as one shall not be subject to certain tax.
       Patron(s): Cohen
       Summary: Surplus line broker taxes. Provides that any surplus lines broker or any person required to be licensed as one shall not be subject to the annual taxes, license taxes, or penalties under current law for any policy of insurance procured during the preceding calendar year on behalf of a commuter rail system jointly operated by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation District.
  999. HB569 - Employment discrimination; employee notification of federal and state statute of limitations.
       Patron(s): Henson
       Summary: Employment discrimination; employee notification of federal and state statute of limitations. Requires an employer that employs 10 or more employees and that receives an employee complaint alleging sexual assault, harassment, or any other form of discrimination for which the employee may seek enforcement by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Office of the Attorney General to notify such employee that a charge may be filed with the EEOC or the Office of the Attorney General within 300 days after the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice occurred. The bill also req
  999. HB591 - Commonwealth Health Reinsurance Program; payment parameters.
       Patron(s): Sickles
       Summary: Commonwealth Health Reinsurance Program; payment parameters. Requires the State Corporation Commission, in setting the payment parameters for the upcoming benefits year, to set such payment parameters at levels designed to achieve the premium reduction target established in the general appropriation act or, if such target is not established in the general appropriation act, the premium reduction target of the previous benefit year.
  999. HB595 - Insurance; conducting business by electronic means.
       Patron(s): Sullivan
       Summary: Insurance; conducting business by electronic means. Authorizes a plan sponsor of a health benefit plan, including a dental or vision benefit plan, to agree on behalf of a party enrolled in the sponsored health benefit plan to conduct business by electronic means, provided that the plan sponsor, prior to agreeing on behalf of the party, has confirmed that the party routinely uses electronic communications during the normal course of employment and has provided notice to the party regarding the ability to opt out of using electronic means at any time.
  999. HB692 - Financial institutions; reporting financial exploitation of elderly or vulnerable adults.
       Patron(s): Maldonado
       Summary: Financial institutions; reporting financial exploitation of elderly or vulnerable adults. Permits a financial institution to allow an elderly or vulnerable adult, as defined in the bill, to submit and periodically update a list of trusted persons whom such financial institution or financial institution staff, as defined in the bill, may contact in the case of the suspected financial exploitation of such adult. The bill also permits a financial institution to conduct a training to instruct its staff on how to identify and report the suspected financial exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable a
  999. HB707 - Consumer Data Protection Act; protections for children.
       Patron(s): Maldonado
       Summary: Consumer Data Protection Act; protections for children. Prohibits, subject to a parental consent requirement, a data controller from processing personal data of a known child (i) for the purposes of targeted advertising, the sale of such personal data, or profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects concerning a consumer; (ii) unless such processing is reasonably necessary to provide the online service, product, or feature; (iii) for any processing purpose other than the processing purpose that the controller disclosed at the time such controller co
  999. HB770 - Retaliatory action against employee prohibited; remedies available.
       Patron(s): Delaney
       Summary: Retaliatory action against employee prohibited; remedies available. Provides that a violation of certain provisions regarding retaliatory action against employees may be alleged in a court of competent jurisdiction within one year of the employer's final prohibited retaliatory action. The bill states that in such cases, double damages may be awarded if such violation was willful.
  999. HB819 - Health insurance; coverage for contraceptive drugs and devices.
       Patron(s): Mundon King
       Summary: Health insurance; coverage for contraceptive drugs and devices. Requires health insurance carriers to provide coverage, under any health insurance contract, policy, or plan that includes coverage for prescription drugs on an outpatient basis, for contraceptive drugs and contraceptive devices, as defined in the bill, including those available over-the-counter. The bill prohibits a health insurance carrier from imposing upon any person receiving contraceptive benefits pursuant to the provisions of the bill any copayment, coinsurance payment, or fee, except in certain circumstances. This bill is 
  999. HB906 - Public utilities; municipal utilities, disconnection of service, consumer protections.
       Patron(s): Shin
       Summary: Public utilities; municipal utilities; disconnection of service; limitations; consumer protections. Suspends electric, gas, water, and wastewater utilities subject to the regulation of the State Corporation Commission from disconnecting service to a residential customer for nonpayment of bills or fees during a state of emergency declared by the Governor and provides that such suspension lasts for 30 days after such declaration of the state of emergency. The bill suspends such electric and gas utilities from disconnecting service to a residential customer for nonpayment of bills or fees when th
  999. HB935 - Health insurance; coverage for doula care services.
       Patron(s): LeVere Bolling
       Summary: Health insurance; coverage for doula care services. Requires health insurers, corporations providing health care subscription contracts, and health maintenance organizations whose policy, contract, or plan includes coverage for obstetrical services to provide coverage for doula care services provided by a state-certified doula. The bill requires such coverage to include coverage for at least eight visits during the antepartum or postpartum period and support during labor and delivery. The bill provides that health insurance carriers are (i) not required to pay for duplicate services actually r
  999. HB938 - Unemployment insurance; benefit eligibility conditions, lockout exception, etc.
       Patron(s): LeVere Bolling
       Summary: Unemployment insurance; benefit eligibility conditions; lockout exception to labor dispute disqualification. Amends the Virginia Unemployment Compensation Act's labor dispute disqualification to provide that a lockout by an employer shall not constitute a labor dispute and that locked-out employees who are otherwise eligible for benefits shall receive such benefits unless (i) the recognized or certified collective bargaining representative of the locked-out employees refuses to meet under reasonable conditions with the employer to discuss the issues giving rise to the lockout, (ii) there is a 
  999. HB987 - Proton radiation therapy; clinical evidence for decisions on coverage.
       Patron(s): Maldonado
       Summary: Proton radiation therapy; clinical evidence for decisions on coverage. Permits a health insurance carrier to consider (i) coverage of a proton radiation therapy treatment by Medicare, Medicaid, or any other governmental health care coverage for any type of cancer or (ii) a recommendation of proton radiation therapy by a patient's treating physician or radiation oncologist as a sufficient standard of clinical evidence to justify coverage of proton radiation therapy.
  999. HB990 - Employer seeking wage or salary history of prospective employees; prohibited.
       Patron(s): Maldonado
       Summary: Prohibiting employer seeking wage or salary history of prospective employees; wage or salary range transparency; cause of action. Prohibits a prospective employer from (i) seeking the wage or salary history of a prospective employee; (ii) relying on the wage or salary history of a prospective employee in determining the wages or salary the prospective employee is to be paid upon hire; (iii) relying on the wage or salary history of a prospective employee in considering the prospective employee for employment; (iv) refusing to interview, hire, employ, or promote a prospective employee or otherwi
  999. HB1062 - Net energy metering; eligible customer-generators and agricultural customer-generators.
       Patron(s): Willett
       Summary: Net energy metering; eligible customer-generators and eligible agricultural customer-generators. Provides that no contract, lease, or arrangement by which a third party owns, maintains, or operates an electrical generating facility on an eligible customer-generator's property shall constitute the sale of electricity or cause the customer-generator or the third party to be considered an electric utility by virtue of participating in net energy metering. The bill prohibits an eligible customer-generator or eligible agricultural customer-generator from being required to provide proof of liability
  999. HB1402 - Health insurance; pharmacy benefits managers, reporting requirements, civil penalty.
       Patron(s): Reaser
       Summary: Health insurance; pharmacy benefits managers; reporting requirements; civil penalty. Provides that a person that violates the existing requirement to obtain a license prior to providing pharmacy benefits management services or otherwise acting as a pharmacy benefits manager may be subject to a civil penalty of $5,000 for each day on which such violation occurs. The bill adds additional requirements to existing reporting requirements for insurance carriers relating to pharmacy benefits managers. Such additional requirements include (i) the aggregate amount of a pharmacy benefits manager's retai