CONTENTS | < PREVIOUS | NEXT > | BILL INDEX

Administration of the Government Generally

P Passed

P HB26

Meetings of board of visitors of the University of Virginia. Extends from July 1, 2000, to July 1, 2002, the authority of the board of visitors of the University of Virginia to conduct meetings via audio/video communication when at least two-thirds of the membership is physically assembled at its regular meeting place and when the customary requirements of public notice, voting and recordation of the meetings are followed.

Patron - Woodrum

P HB29

Budget bill. Amends Appropriations Act off 1999, Chapter 935.

Patron - Callahan

P HB30

Budget Bill. Makes appropriations for the 2000-02 biennium.

Patron - Callahan

P HB54

Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); electronic communication meetings. Extends the exemption of certain public bodies from the FOIA's electronic communication meeting restrictions from July 1, 2000, to July 1, 2002. The exempted entities are (i) any public body (a) in the legislative branch of state government or (b) responsible to or under the supervision, direction, or control of the Secretary of Commerce and Trade or the Secretary of Technology or (ii) the State Board for Community Colleges. The bill also extends from October 15, 2000, to April 15, 2001, the filing date for submitting a report detailing their experience with meetings held under this pilot program.

Patron - Woodrum

P HB77

Line of Duty Act; death benefits. Increases, from $50,000 to $75,000, the death benefit for beneficiaries of law-enforcement officers and firefighters who die in the line of duty.

Patron - Callahan

P HB445

Freedom of Information Act; disclosure of criminal records; notice of meetings. Clarifies that certain records maintained by law-enforcement agencies are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The bill also clarifies that FOIA requires every public body to give notice of the date, time, and location of its meetings by placing the notice in a prominent public location at which notices are regularly posted and in the office of the clerk of the public body, or in the case of a public body which has no clerk, in the office of the chief administrator. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee Studying the Freedom of Information (HJR 501, 1999).

Patron - Woodrum

P HB450

State pool of funds; at-risk youth and families. Requires courts, prior to final disposition, to refer cases where the pool of funds for at-risk youth and families are to be accessed to a local assessment and planning team for a recommendation regarding the level of treatment and services needed by the child and family. The local family assessment and planning team must make a report or forward a copy of the individual family services plan to the judge within 30 days of the written referral. The court then shall consider the recommendation, but is not bound by it.

Patron - Dickinson

P HB456

State Treasurer; appointment. Clarifies that the State Treasurer serves a term coincident with the Governor making the appointment or until a successor to the State Treasurer is appointed and qualified.

Patron - Cantor

P HB457

Virginia Security for Public Deposits Act; exemption for certain deposits. Provides that the Virginia Security for Public Deposits Act shall not apply to deposits made by the State Treasurer in out-of-state financial institutions related to master custody and tri-party repurchase agreements, provided (i) such deposits do not exceed ten percent of average monthly investment balances and (ii) the out-of-state financial institutions used for this purpose have a short-term deposit rating of not less than A-1 by Standard & Poor's Rating Service or P-1 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc., respectively. This bill is identical to SB 239.

Patron - Cantor

P HB492

Virginia Public Broadcasting Board; definitions. Removes the word "transmitters" from the definition of a public broadcasting station to allow certain public television stations to receive funding.

Patron - Callahan

P HB513

Internet privacy policy. Directs every public body that has an Internet website to develop an Internet privacy policy ("Policy") and an Internet privacy policy statement ("Statement") by December 1, 2000. The Policy shall be consistent with the requirements of the Privacy Protection Act of 1976 and be tailored to reflect the individual public body's information practices. The Statement, which explains the Policy, shall be posted on the public body's website in a conspicuous manner by January 1, 2001. The bill also makes a technical amendment to correct an incorrect cross-reference. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Technology and Science.

Patron - Plum

P HB551

Freedom of Information; Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council. Creates the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council in the legislative branch and sets its membership, terms, and powers and duties. Daily operations of the Council shall be carried out by its staff, which will come from the Division of Legislative Services. The duties of the Council are to (i) provide training about the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), (ii) furnish, upon request, advisory opinions and guidelines on the requirements of FOIA, and (iii) publish educational materials on FOIA. There is a two-year sunset placed on the Council. The bill is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee Studying the Freedom of Information Act (HJR 501, 1999).

Patron - Woodrum

P HB612

Governor's Substance Abuse Prevention Program. Gives the Governor the responsibility to administer the substance abuse prevention program within the Commonwealth and authority to authorize, direct and coordinate activities of state agencies in such program. The bill also provides the Governor with authority to establish an office of substance abuse prevention and to review and determine the direction and appropriateness of substance abuse prevention program expenditures by state agencies. The Governor shall report annually by December 1 of each year to the General Assembly on the activities of the office.

Patron - Broman

P HB614

Security of government database. Requires the Governor to direct an appropriate entity to conduct periodic audits of all executive branch agencies and institutions of higher education regarding security procedures for protecting government databases and data communications. The designated entity may contract with a private firm or firms in completing this task. All government entities subject to such audits are to fully cooperate with the designated entity.

Patron - Nixon

P HB636

Conflict of Interests Act. Provides that those school board employees and persons appointed to "positions of trust" by school boards designated by an adopted policy of the school board are to file disclosure statements. Currently, these individuals may be required to file disclosure statements pursuant to an ordinance adopted by the local governing body.

Patron - Dillard

P HB644

Virginia Human Rights Council; issuance of subpoena duces tecum. Clarifies that employers covered under the Human Rights Act are subject to the procedure provided to the Council for issuance of subpoena duces tecum.

Patron - Davis

P HB690

Department of Personnel and Training. Changes the name of the Department of Personnel and Training to the Department of Human Resource Management.

Patron - Broman

P HB743

Virginia Public Building Authority; powers. Clarifies that the furnishing of a project is included in the definition of "cost." The bill removes the reference to the $1,140 million cap on the total principal amount of certain outstanding bonds because it appears in the appropriation act. The bill contains technical amendments.

Patron - Hargrove

P HB828

Division of Risk Management. Transfers the Division of Risk Management, currently within the Department of General Services, to the Department of the Treasury. The bill also contains technical amendments related to this transfer.

Patron - Hargrove

P HB830

Lobbyist reports. Provides that the principal's and lobbyist's signatures on the lobbyist annual disclosure statement must be original signatures or electronic signatures in the format specified by the Secretary of the Comonwealth. Present law requires original signatures.

Patron - Nixon

P HB847

Department of Personnel and Training; administration of the state workers' compensation program. Transfers the administration of the state Workers' Compensation program from the Department of General Services' Division of Risk Management to the Department of Personnel and Training.

Patron - Kilgore

P HB850

Nonprofit boards; national trust entities. Authorizes the Governor, the Attorney General, and the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to sit on the Virginia Tobacco Trust Certification Board. The bill also extends civil immunity to these officials as well as the other directors of such entity.

Patron - Kilgore

P HB858

Department of General Services; review of proposed acquisitions of real property; exceptions. Provides an exemption from the mandatory review by the Department of General Services and approval of the Governor for the acquisition of easements to further the purposes of the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation and the Open-Space Land Act. This bill is intended to simplify the process by which conservation easements are acquired.

Patron - May

P HB882

Virginia Tourism Authority; Heart of Appalachia. Requires the Virginia Tourism Authority to designate the region known as the Heart of Appalachia, consisting of Planning Districts 1 and 2, as the eighth marketing region in Virginia.

Patron - Phillips

P HB951

Department of General Services; purchase of surplus materials by children's homes. Requires the Department of General Services, in their surplus materials procedure, to permit surplus materials to be sold to Virginia charitable corporations granted tax-exempt status under § 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and operating as children's homes. The bill contains technical amendments.

Patron - Jackson

P HB961

State health care plan; additional coverage for retired state employees. Requires the state health care plan to provide optional coverage for vision and dental care for retired state employees.

Patron - Keister

P HB1005

Freedom of Information; exemptions. Provides that, as it relates to any person, electronic toll collection records that identify an individual, vehicle, or travel itinerary including, but not limited to, vehicle identification data; vehicle enforcement system information; video or photographic images, Social Security or other identification numbers appearing on drivers' licenses, credit card or bank account data, home addresses, phone numbers, or records of the date or time of toll facility use are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

Patron - Rollison

P HB1034

Office of the Inspector General for Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services. Creates an Office of the Inspector General for oversight of facilities operated by the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services (DMHMRSAS). The Inspector General for Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services (Inspector General) shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, and report to the Governor. The Inspector General shall be appointed initially for a term that expires one full year following the end of the Governor's term of office and, thereafter, the term shall be for four years. Duties of the position include hiring personnel, entering into contracts, applying for grants, preparing reports for the Governor concerning inspections and reviews of facilities, and preparing a report concerning the Inspector General's activities, inspections, reviews, and recommendations for the General Assembly. The Office of the Inspector General's powers and duties include: (i) conducting announced and unannounced inspections of facilities operated by DMHMRSAS, (ii) accessing any and all patient and resident information related to services delivery in such facilities, (iii) monitoring reports and critical-incident data prepared by DMHMRSAS, (iv) monitoring and participating in the promulgation of regulations by the State Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services Board, and (v) receiving reports, information and complaints from the Department for Rights of Virginians with Disabilities. The Inspector General is exempt from the competitive procurement requirements.

Patron - Bloxom

P HB1065

Department of Planning and Budget; performance budgeting. Includes as additional duties of the Department of Planning and Budget the (i) development, coordination and implementation of a performance management system involving strategic planning, performance measurement, evaluation, and performance budgeting within state government; and (ii) development, implementation and management of an Internet-based information technology system to ensure that citizens have access to performance information. The bill also calls for the establishment of a Performance Management Advisory Committee to provide input regarding the direction and results of the state's performance management efforts.

Patron - McClure

P HB1124

Legal holidays. Designates the Friday preceding the third Monday in January as Lee-Jackson Day. The bill redesignates the third Monday in January as the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.

Patron - Robinson

P HB1165

Freedom of Information Act; record exemptions. Provides a record exemption from the Freedom of Information Act for records of the Department of Environmental Quality, the State Water Control Board, State Air Pollution Control Board or the Virginia Waste Management Board relating to (i) active federal environmental enforcement actions that are considered confidential under federal law and (ii) enforcement strategies, including proposed sanctions for enforcement actions. Upon request, such records shall be disclosed after a proposed sanction resulting from the investigation has been proposed to the director of the agency. This exemption shall not be construed to prohibit the disclosure of records related to inspection reports, notices of violation, documents detailing the nature of any environmental contamination that may have occurred or similar documents.

Patron - Albo

P HB1177

Department of Employee Relations Counselors; grievance procedure. Changes the name of the Department of Employee Relations Counselors to the Department of Employment Dispute Resolution. The bill also (i) authorizes the Director of the Department to hire hearing officers for grievance hearings through a competitive selection process, in addition to selecting hearing officers from the Supreme Court list, and allows the Director to establish policies for the removal of hearing officers deemed ineligible for continued selection; (ii) requires the Director to publish hearing officer decisions and Department rulings; (iii) authorizes appeals from hearing officers' decision to the circuit court in which the grievance arose; (iv) requires the circuit court to render a final decision within 15 days from the close of the hearing; (v) provides that cost of the appeal shall not be borne by the Commonwealth or the grievant; (vi) clarifies the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals to hear appeals from grievance hearings; (vii) requires that documents related to a grievance be made available by the opposing party upon request of a party to the grievance; and (viii) grants a records exemption from the Freedom of Information Act for information furnished in confidence to the Department with respect to an investigation, consultation, or mediation under the grievance procedure, and memoranda, correspondence and other records resulting from any such investigation, consultation or mediation. The bill contains technical amendments.

Patron - Reid

P HB1187

Freedom of Information Act; records exemption for the Attorney General. Clarifies the records exemption from the Freedom of Information Act for written advice of legal counsel to state, regional, or local public bodies or public officials.

Patron - Reid

P HB1199

Department for the Aging toll-free hotline. Establishes within the Department for the Aging a toll-free number to provide resource and referral information to older Virginians and their families, and to provide such other assistance and advice as may be requested.

Patron - Cox

P HB1200

Grant program for respite care services. Provides up to $100,000 in matching funds to organizations for the development or expansion of adult day care services or other services that provide respite care to aged, infirm, or disabled adults. The bill will not become effective unless an appropriation effectuating the purpose of the bill is included in the 2000 appropriation act enacted into law by the Governor. SB 518 provides a similar grant program for respite care services, with the effective date of the bill as of January 1, 2001.

Patron - Cox

P HB1295

Freedom of Information Act; records exemptions for certain local housing programs. Grants a records exemption for personal information, as defined under the Privacy Protection Act of 1976, filed with any local redevelopment and housing authority concerning persons who have applied for occupancy or who have occupied affordable dwelling unit programs funded by local governments or by any such authority. The bill also provides that the Freedom of Information Act shall not be construed to prohibit the House of Delegates or the Senate of Virginia from adopting rules relating to the casting of votes by a member of a standing committee.

Patron - Scott

P HB1308

Educational institutions; Gunston Hall and the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia. Moves the chapters relating to Gunston Hall and the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia from Title 9 to Title 23. This bill is part of the proposed title revision of Titles 2.1 and 9 by the Code Commission.

Patron - DeBoer

P HB1327

Freedom of Information Act; records exemption for local human rights councils. Exempts investigative notes and other correspondence and information furnished in confidence with respect to an investigation or conciliation process by local human rights or human relations commissions. The bill also contains technical amendments.

Patron - Almand

P HB1362

Attorney General; prosecution of criminal cases. Amends Attorney General's jurisdiction in prosecuting crimes. The bill would create an original jurisdiction for the Attorney General to prosecute violations of the Virginia Computer Crimes Act (§ 18.2-152.1 et seq.) with the concurrence of the local attorney for the Commonwealth and crimes committed by Medicaid providers and their employees with the concurrence of the attorney for the Commonwealth.

Patron - Griffith

P HB1458

Health insurance; long-term care insurance for local employees. Allows local governments or school boards, upon their option, to participate in the long-term care insurance or other benefit program made available to them by the Department of Personnel and Training. This bill is identical to SB 517.

Patron - Bolvin

P HB1481

Department of General Services; upkeep and maintenance of the Virginia War Memorial Carillon. Requires the Director of General Services (DGS) to enter into an agreement with the City of Richmond to allow the City to collect user fees for the use of the Virginia War Memorial Carillon. The bill requires the City to report annually to the Director of DGS regarding the fees collected by the City and its expenditures for the upkeep, maintenance, and improvement of the Carillon. The bill also provides that the proceeds from the lease or other conveyance of any interest in the Carillon by DGS shall be paid to the City for upkeep of the Carillon. Other uses of such funds by the City are prohibited. The bill contains an emergency clause.

Patron - Rhodes

P HB1510

Children; Comprehensive Services Act for At-Risk Youth and Families. Creates the Office of Comprehensive Services for At-Risk Youth and Families, under the lead of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources. The Office would assume the responsibilities of the state management team to develop programs and fiscal policies that promote and support cooperation and collaboration in the provision of services at the state and local levels to troubled and at-risk youth and their families. The Office would also provide for training, oversight, and technical assistance to localities, serve as a liaison to participating state agencies, and hire a director and appropriate staff. The new state and local advisory team would provide many of the same functions in an advisory capacity to the Office. The state executive council would also be expanded to include the Director of Medical Assistance Services; two local government representatives to include a member of a county board of supervisors or a city council and a county administrator or city manager; and a private provider that maintains membership in an association of providers for children's or family services and receives funding as authorized by the Comprehensive Services Act.

Patron - Morgan

P HJ100

Confirming appointments to the State Health Benefits Advisory Council. Confirms appointments by the Speaker of Anne R. Howard and Dr. Joseph W. Boatwright, III to the Council for two-year terms.

Patron - Putney

P SB148

Enhanced Public Safety Telephone Services (E-911). Establishes the Wireless E-911 Services Board and the Public Safety Communications Division of the Department of Technology Planning, and continues the Wireless E-911 special fund. The Board shall be responsible for promoting and assisting the development, deployment and maintenance of a statewide enhanced emergency telecommunications system and enhanced wireline emergency telecommunication services in specific local jurisdictions not currently wireline E-911 capable. The Board shall also be responsible for overseeing and allocating the wireless E-911 special funds and managing moneys appropriated for enhanced wireline emergency telecommunication services in local jurisdictions not wireline E-911 capable as of July 1, 2000. Each mobile service provider shall collect a surcharge in the amount of 75 cents per month per customer, to be paid into the Wireless E-911 Fund. The Board shall use the moneys in the fund to pay the operators of the systems for their costs of operation pursuant to a budget proposal submitted to and reviewed by the Board. The Board shall have enforcement authority to ensure that funds are spent for their intended purposes and shall review each operator's actual expenditures at the end of each year. Local jurisdictions which have or will establish enhanced E-911 services are authorized to impose a special tax in an amount not to exceed $3.00 per month per customer to be accounted for in a separate special revenue fund or in a cost center and revenue accounting system acceptable to the Auditor of Public Accounts. Funds collected from the tax shall be used to pay for reasonable and direct capital costs and operating expenses incurred by the E-911 service facility. All local jurisdictions are required to be operating a wireline E-911 system by July 1, 2003. Certain documents submitted to the Wireless Carrier E-911 Cost Recovery Subcommittee created by the bill are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act and the Subcommittee is granted an exemption to convene in a closed meeting when discussing or considering such documents.

Patron - Stolle

P SB218

Governor's Substance Abuse Prevention Program. Gives the Governor responsibility to administer the substance abuse prevention program within the Commonwealth and authority to authorize, direct and coordinate existing and future activities of state agencies and political subdivisions in such program. The bill also provides the Governor with authority to establish an office of substance abuse prevention and to review and determine the direction and appropriateness of substance abuse prevention program expenditures by state agencies.

Patron - Schrock

P SB238

State Treasurer; appointment. Clarifies that the State Treasurer serves a term coincident with the Governor making the appointment or until a successor to the State Treasurer is appointed and qualified.

Patron - Stosch

P SB239

Virginia Security for Public Deposits Act; exemption for certain deposits. Provides that the Virginia Security for Public Deposits Act shall not apply to deposits made by the State Treasurer in out-of-state financial institutions related to master custody and tri-party repurchase agreements, provided (i) such deposits do not exceed ten percent of average monthly investment balances and (ii) the out-of-state financial institutions used for this purpose have a short-term deposit rating of not less than A-1 by Standard & Poor's Rating Service or P-1 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc., respectively.

Patron - Stosch

P SB242

Extending the sunset date of Chapter 704 of the Acts of Assembly of 1999. Extends the exemption of certain public bodies from the FOIA's electronic communication meeting restrictions from July 1, 2000, to July 1, 2002. The exempted entities are (i) any public body (a) in the legislative branch of state government or (b) responsible to or under the supervision, direction, or control of the Secretary of Commerce and Trade or the Secretary of Technology or (ii) the State Board for Community Colleges. The bill also extends from October 15, 2000, to April 15, 2001, the filing date for submitting a report detailing their experience with meetings held under this pilot program.

Patron - Newman

P SB285

Department of General Services; disposition of surplus computers and related equipment. Permits the donation of surplus computers and related equipment to public schools in Virginia and Virginia charitable corporations granted tax-exempt status under § 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and providing services to persons with disabilities, at-risk youths, and low income families. The bill defines "at-risk youth."

Patron - Couric

P SB340

Freedom of Information; Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council. Creates the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council in the legislative branch and sets its membership, terms, and powers and duties. Daily operations of the Council shall be carried out by its staff, which will come from the Division of Legislative Services. The duties of the Council are to (i) provide training about the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), (ii) furnish, upon request, advisory opinions and guidelines on the requirements of FOIA, and (iii) publish educational materials on FOIA. There is a two-year sunset placed on the Council. The bill is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee Studying the Freedom of Information Act (HJR 501, 1999).

Patron - Bolling

P SB367

Virginia Public Building Authority; powers. Clarifies that the furnishing of a project is included in the definition of "cost." The bill removes the reference to the $1,140 million cap on the total principal amount of certain outstanding bonds since this amount is contained in the appropriation act. The bill contains technical amendments.

Patron - Norment

P SB388

Department of Personnel and Training; administration of the state workers' compensation program. Transfers the administration of the workers' compensation program for state employees from the Department of General Services' Division of Risk Management to the Department of Personnel and Training.

Patron - Bolling

P SB390

Freedom of Information; exemptions. Provides that, as it relates to any person, electronic toll collection records that identify an individual, vehicle, or travel itinerary including, but not limited to, vehicle identification data; vehicle enforcement system information; video or photographic images; Social Security or other identification numbers appearing on drivers' licenses; credit card or bank account data; home addresses; phone numbers; or records of the date or time of toll facility use are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

Patron - Williams

P SB391

Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; Board for Barbers and Cosmetology. Creates the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology by merging the current Board for Barbers and Board for Cosmetology. The merged board will be composed of two licensed barbers, two licensed cosmetologists, one licensed nail technician, who may also be a licensed cosmetologist engaged primarily in the practice of nail care, and two citizen members. In addition, the Governor shall appoint to the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology: (i) one licensed nail technician and two citizen members effective July 1, 2000, (ii) one licensed barber effective July 1, 2001, (iii) one licensed barber effective July 1, 2002, and (iv) two licensed cosmetologists effective July 1, 2002. The current regulations of the Board for Barbers and Board for Cosmetology shall remain in effect until July 1, 2002, or until the Board for Barbers and Board for Cosmetology adopt new regulations. Obsolete language which prohibited requiring prospective barbers to provide a health certificate as a condition of licensure is removed. The bill also contains technical amendments.

Patron - Martin

P SB400

Duties of the Department for the Aging. Requires the Department to enter into a contract with an appropriate research entity with expertise in gerontology, disabilities and public administration to conduct an evaluation of local public guardian and conservator programs and to provide a report with recommendations to the Commissioner of the Department for the Aging and to the Public Guardian and Conservator Advisory Board by December 1, 2003, and every four years thereafter if the General Assembly appropriates money for the evaluation.

Patron - Trumbo

P SB415

Health insurance and retirement benefits; surviving spouses of persons killed in the line of duty. Provides that health insurance benefits to a surviving spouse of a person killed in the line of duty do not terminate as a result of the surviving spouse remarrying.

Patron - Colgan

P SB441

Department of Personnel and Training. Changes the name of the Department of Personnel and Training to the Department of Human Resource Management.

Patron - Rerras

P SB454

Virginia Public Broadcasting Board; definitions. Removes the word "transmitters" from the definition of a public broadcasting station to allow certain public television stations to receive funding.

Patron - Saslaw

P SB479

Division of Risk Management. Transfers the Division of Risk Management, currently within the Department of General Services, to the Department of the Treasury. The bill also contains technical amendments related to this transfer.

Patron - Martin

P SB517

Health insurance; long-term care insurance for local employees. Allows local governments or school boards, upon their option, to participate in the long-term care insurance or other benefit program made available to them by the Department of Personnel and Training.

Patron - Forbes

P SB518

Grant program for respite care services. Provides up to $100,000 in matching funds to organizations for the development, expansion or start-up operation of adult day care services or other services that provide respite care to aged, infirm, or disabled adults. The bill sets out the process for applying for grants, and authorizes the Department for the Aging to examine the books and records of the community respite care organization has satisfied the grant requirements.

Patron - Forbes

P SB519

Department for the Aging toll-free hotline. Establishes within the Department for the Aging a toll-free number to provide resource and referral information to older Virginians and their families, and to provide such other assistance and advice as may be requested.

Patron - Forbes

P SB579

State employees; defense of such persons. Provides that any state agency, board, or other employer of a state employee, other than an agency head, may employ counsel to defend such person when he is investigated of a crime, arrested, indicted, or otherwise prosecuted on any charge arising out of his official duties. The state entity must first make a preliminary finding that (i) the employee did not violate any law, ordinance or regulation as a result of the act in question, and (ii) the employee will not be terminated from employment as a result of such act. In addition, the Attorney General must approve of the counsel hired and the reasonable compensation to be paid to such counsel. Compensation for counsel will be paid out of the funds appropriated for the state agency, board, or other employer of the state employee.

Patron - Stosch

P SB584

Department of General Services; disposition of surplus materials. Permits the donation of surplus materials to public television stations located in Virginia and other nonprofit organizations approved for the distribution of federal surplus materials.

Patron - Hawkins

P SB592

Virginia Tourism Authority. Increases the size of the Board of Directors of the Tourism Authority from 13 to 15 by adding the Secretary of Natural Resources and one citizern member appointed by the Governor.

Patron - Norment

P SB611

State Executive Council for Comprehensive Services for At-Risk Youth and Families; membership. Provides for the Governor to appoint two elected or appointed local officials of which one shall be a member of a local governing body and one shall be a chief administrative officer of a local governing body. Under current law, the Governor appoints one elected or appointed local official.

Patron - Wampler

P SB656

Portraits of certain state elected officials. Removes from the list of works of art that must be approved by the Governor acting with the advice and counsel of the Art and Architectural Review Council, portraits of the Governor, the presiding officier of the Senate, and members of the General Assembly displayed in the appropriate chambers or other buildings under the control and supervision of the person's respective body or office. In addition, the bill deletes an obsolete provision relating to pending litigation and makes several style changes.

Patron - Trumbo

P SB672

Legal holidays. Designates the Friday predceding the third Monday in January as Lee-Jackson Day. The bill redesignates the third Monday in January as the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.

Patron - Hanger

P SB713

Department of General Services; upkeep and maintenance of the Virginia War Memorial Carillon. Requires the Director of General Services (DGS) to enter into an agreement with the City of Richmond to allow the City to collect user fees for the use of the Virginia War Memorial Carillon. The bill requires the City to report annually to the Director of DGS regarding the fees collected by the City and its expenditures for the upkeep, maintenance, and improvement of the Carillon. The bill also provides that the proceeds from the lease or other conveyance of any interest in the Carillon by DGS shall be paid to the City for upkeep of the Carillon. Other uses of such funds by the City are prohibited. The bill contains an emergency clause.

Patron - Watkins

P SB715

Virginia Resources Authority. Expands the list of projects to include major league baseball stadiums.

Patron - Whipple

P SB731

Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services Trust Fund. Establishes the Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Trust Fund for the net proceeds of the sale of vacant buildings held by the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services (DMHMRSAS). The fund shall also consist of such moneys as shall be appropriated by the General Assembly and any private donations. The fund is administered by the Commissioner of DMHMRSAS. Moneys in the fund are to be used to enhance and ensure the quality of care and treatment provided to consumers of the Commonwealth's mental health, mental retardation and substance abuse services. The proceeds from the sale of any vacant DMHMRSAS buildings and land are to be first used to (i) deliver mental health and other services within the same service area as where such sold buildings and land were located; and (ii) provide benefits to those persons who will no longer be employees of the Commonwealth as a result of such sale. The bill also requires the Commissioner of DMHMRSAS to develop a comprehensive plan for the restructuring of the Commonwealth's mental health care programs and facilities and to provide the final plan by December 15, 2000, to the Governor and enumerated members of the General Assembly. Any restructuring plan or proposed sale of a facility shall be approved by the General Assembly.

Patron - Martin

P SB732

Department of Employee Relations Counselors; grievance procedure. Changes the name of the Department of Employee Relations Counselors to the Department of Employment Dispute Resolution. The bill also (i) authorizes the Director of the Department to hire hearing officers for grievance hearings through a competitive selection process, in addition to selecting hearing officers from the Supreme Court list, and allows the Director to establish policies for the removal of hearing officers deemed ineligible for continued selection; (ii) requires the Director to publish hearing officer decisions and Department rulings; (iii) authorizes appeals from hearing officers' decision to the circuit court in which the grievance arose; (iv) requires the circuit court to render a final decision within 15 days from the close of the hearing; (v) provides that cost of the appeal shall not be borne by the Commonwealth or the grievant; (vi) requires the award of reasonable attorney fees and costs to the employee if the employee substantially prevails on the merits; (vii) clarifies the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals to hear appeals from grievance hearings; (viii) requires that documents related to a grievance be made available by the opposing party upon request of a party to the grievance; and (ix) grants a records exemption from the Freedom of Information Act for information furnished in confidence to the Department with respect to an investigation, consultation, or mediation under the grievance procedure, and memoranda, correspondence and other records resulting from any such investigation, consultation or mediation. The bill contains technical amendments.

Patron - Martin

P SB776

Virginia Investment Partnership Act. Expands the Virginia Investment Partnership Act to also include certain nonmanufacturing basic employers who make a capital investment of at least $100 million and create at least 1,000 jobs.

Patron - Mims

F Failed

F HB32

Virginia Public Building Authority. Authorizes the Virginia Public Building Authority ("VPBA") to undertake projects consisting of the renovation, improvement, and furnishing of 16 public facilities and to issue revenue bonds not to exceed total project costs of $107,353,000. The bill also (i) authorizes the VPBA to issue additional revenue bonds not to exceed $29 million to be used by the Virginia Public Broadcasting Board to aid public television stations to meet FCC standards, and (ii) authorizes to VPBA to issue additional revenue bonds not to exceed $13,150,000 to construct a Shipping Point Market for Fruit in the Piedmont-Roanoke region of the Commonwealth.

Patron - Callahan

F HB189

Governor's Development Opportunity Fund. Clarifies that moneys in the Fund may be used for natural resource-based development, including, but not limited to, the construction of oyster reefs or fish hatcheries, the construction of hiking or biking trails, and the promotion of travel or tourism.

Patron - Pollard

F HB435

Virginia Public Building Authority; acquisition of Department of Correction's headquarters. Authorizes the Virginia Public Building Authority ("VPBA") to acquire the building, improvements, and appurtenant land currently being leased to the Commonwealth for the Department of Correction's headquarters located at 6900 Atmore Drive in the City of Richmond, and to issue revenue bonds to finance the project not to exceed $15 million. The bill also authorizes the VPBA to improve the General Assembly Building and to issue revenue bonds therefor not in excess of $3,953,000. The legislation finds that an emergency exists and that it is effective upon passage.

Patron - Callahan

F HB517

Virginia Public Building Authority; financing projects under the Fire Services Grant Program. Authorizes the Virginia Public Building Authority to issue revenue bonds in an amount not to exceed $10 million plus financing expenses, and to deposit the proceeds in the Fire Services Grant Fund to assist combinations of localities with burn building or fire training facility construction and improvements. Prior to the issuance of the bonds the Virginia Fire Services Board shall present a plan for the allocation of the proceeds, and a repayment schedule, to be approved by the Governor. The bill amends portions of current law concerning the Virginia Public Building Authority and the Fire Services Grant Fund to accommodate the issuance and payment of the bonds. The bill also provides that a portion of any increases from year to year in deposits into the Fire Programs Fund will be used in the Fire Services Grant Fund Program.

Patron - Clement

F HB560

Distribution of general funds to localities. Requires that two percent of the total general funds be returned to localities based equally on size of population and degree of fiscal stress.

Patron - Diamonstein

F HB571

Grievance procedure; decisions of hearing officers. Authorizes either party in a grievance hearing to petition the circuit court having jurisdiction in the locality in which the employee is employed for an order carrying out the decision, including any recommendations, of the hearing officer. Currently, either party may petition such court for an order requiring the implementation of the hearing officer's decision.

Patron - Cranwell

F HB766

Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority; duties. Provides that in conjunction with its responsibilities, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority shall promote, in descending order, those localities with the highest rates of unemployment, as determined by the Commission on Local Government, to prospective new businesses.

Patron - Day

F HB832

Virginia Resources Authority. Expands the list of projects to include major league baseball stadiums.

Patron - Callahan

F HB842

Law-Enforcement Officers' Procedural Guarantees. Provides that upon the filing of a complaint or charges against a law-enforcement officer or whenever an internal investigation focuses on matters which are likely to result in a criminal, punitive, disciplinary or civil action against the law-enforcement officer, he shall have the right to be represented by legal counsel or any other representative he chooses. Such representative shall be present and available for consultation at all times prior to and during any questioning, unless such right is waived by the law-enforcement officer. Time, not to exceed three days, shall be afforded to the law-enforcement officer under investigation to obtain representation. For good cause shown, the chief officer may, within such three-day period, extend that period of time.

Patron - Davis

F HB1045

Department of General Services; upkeep and maintenance of the Virginia War Memorial Carillon. Requires the Director of General Services (DGS) to enter into an agreement with the City of Richmond to allow the City to collect user fees for the use of the Virginia War Memorial Carillon. The bill requires the City to report annually to the Director of DGS regarding the fees collected by the City and its expenditures for the upkeep, maintenance, and improvement of the Carillon. The bill also provides that the proceeds from the lease or other conveyance of any interest in the Carillon by DGS shall be paid to the City for upkeep of the Carillon. Other uses of such funds by the City are prohibited. The bill contains an emergency clause. Incorporated into HB1481.

Patron - Cantor

F HB1109

Conflict of Interests Acts; disclosure forms. Requires more specific information on the annual disclosure forms concerning the types of businesses to which services have been furnished by state and local government officers and employees and legislators and their close financial associates.

Patron - Joannou

F HB1190

Limits on Budget Bill. Provides that expenses in the Budget Bill shall not increase at a greater rate than the revenues did for the prior two-year period.

Patron - Purkey

F HB1210

Department of Personnel and Training; accrual of annual leave. Requires the Department of Personnel and Training through its personnel policies to increase the accrual of annual leave for state employees with 15 years or more of service. The bill contains a technical amendment.

Patron - Cantor

F HB1278

General Assembly Conflict of Interests Act; prohibited conduct. Prohibits any General Assembly member from serving as a member and simultaneously serving as a commissioner of accounts or commissioner in chancery. The bill is prospective in application and permits a General Assembly member who is serving as a commissioner on the effective date of the act to continue in service.

Patron - Suit

F HB1302

General Assembly Conflict of Interests Act; prohibited conduct. Prohibits any General Assembly member from serving as a member and simultaneously serving as a commissioner of accounts.

Patron - Wardrup

F HB1382

Development of an urban policy for the Commonwealth. Requires the Governor to create a cabinet-level committee to develop a written comprehensive state urban policy for the Commonwealth. The urban policy should clearly articulate how the Commonwealth will take into account the effect that its policies, programs and incentives will have on the Commonwealth's urban areas. This is a recommendation of the Commission on the Condition and Future of Virginia's Cities.

Patron - Baskerville

F HB1544

State grievance procedure; unfair performance evaluations. Adds unfair or unjust performance evaluations for which a grievance may be held. Currently, only arbitrary or capricious performance evaluations are eligible for a grievance hearing.

Patron - McEachin

F SB29

Budget bill. Amends Appropriations Act of 1999, Chapter 935.

Patron - Chichester

F SB30

Budget bill. Makes appropriations for the 2000-02 biennium.

Patron - Chichester

F SB32

Virginia Public Building Authority. Authorizes the Virginia Public Building Authority to undertake projects consisting of the renovation, improvement, and furnishing of three public facilities located in the City of Richmond. The legislation authorizes the Public Building Authority to issue revenue bonds to finance the projects not to exceed total project costs (not including financing costs, etc.) of $28,854,000.

Patron - Chichester

F SB214

Personnel administration; preference for veterans for employment with the Commonwealth. Provides for a preference for veterans who apply for employment with the Commonwealth and requires that such preference be applied in a manner consistent with federal and state law. Under the bill, intentional violation of the veteran's preference constitutes malfeasance in office subjecting the officer responsible for the violation to suspension or removal from office. In addition, the bill provides that if a reduction in force is necessary in a state agency and personnel are discharged according to seniority, the number of years of service of any veteran shall be determined by adding that veteran's total years of service in state government service to his total years of service as a member of the armed forces of the United States. The bill also provides for a veteran who has been denied employment with the Commonwealth to file a complaint with the director of the Department of Personnel and Training and gives such veteran standing to file an action in general district or circuit court based on an alleged failure to comply with the veteran's preference provisions. The bill further requires the Department to develop personnel policies relating to the implementation of the veteran's preference including (i) allowing any veteran who has been denied employment with the Commonwealth to file a complaint with the Department within 60 days of the denial and (ii) providing for the Department to investigate and attempt resolution of all such complaints within 60 days of receipt. "Veteran" is defined as any person who has received an honorable discharge and (i) has provided more than 180 consecutive days of full-time, active-duty service in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, or reserve components thereof, including the National Guard, or (ii) has a service-connected disability rating fixed by the United States Veterans Administration.

Patron - Puckett

F SB263

Tobacco Settlement Payments. To the extent set forth in the appropriation and other acts, authorizes the Governor to sell, from time to time, up to 40 percent of the tobacco settlement payments due to the Commonwealth of Virginia under the Master Settlement Agreement entered into with leading United States tobacco manufacturers on November 23, 1998. Sales may include only such payments that are due to the Commonwealth from and after July 1, 2001. Sales would be made to the Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation, which is designated as a public body corporate and an independent instrumentality of the Commonwealth. The Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation would issue bonds to raise monies to buy the Commonwealth's rights and title to and in future tobacco settlement payments. Bondholders would be paid from future tobacco settlement payments that are assigned to the Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation by the Commonwealth. Any bonds issued by the Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation would be non-recourse to the Commonwealth. Any residual, after payment to bondholders and expenses of the Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation, would be distributed back to the Commonwealth.

Patron - Stosch

F SB341

Judicial Nominations Commission; local judicial nominations committees. Creates the Judicial Nominations Commission to recommend candidates for election to the appellate courts of the Commonwealth. The 15-member Commission is composed of members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections and the Governor. Recommendations by the Commission are advisory only and not binding on the General Assembly. The bill also creates a local judicial nominations committee for each circuit comprised of citizens appointed by members of the General Assembly from that circuit. The committees are to make nonbinding recommendations to the General Assembly as to persons to be elected to vacant judgeships.

Patron - Bolling

F SB379

General Assembly Conflict of Interests Act; prohibited conduct. Prohibits any General Assembly member from serving as a member and simultaneously serving as a commissioner of accounts.

Patron - Rerras

F SB451

Parole Board; abolition. Abolishes the Virginia Parole Board and transfers its duties, responsibilities, and authority to the State Board of Corrections. The bill contains technical amendments.

Patron - Marye

F SB528

State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act. Excepts from prohibited contracts an elected constitutional officer whose sole interest in a contract with his owner agency is by reason of his existing marriage to his spouse who is employed by the same agency, if the spouse was employed by the agency for 10 or more years prior to the election of the officer.

Patron - Puckett

F SB610

Allocation of individual and corporate income tax revenues. Provides that, starting with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2002, an amount equal to (i) one-quarter of one percent of Virginia taxable income for every individual; plus (ii) all corporate income taxes collected in the immediately preceding fiscal year, as certified by the Comptroller, shall be deposited annually into the Transportation Trust Fund to be used for transportation purposes. Such deposit shall be made no later than December 1 of the fiscal year.

Patron - Saslaw

F SB624

Health insurance coverage; part-time employees. Provides that the Commonwealth may pay for all or a portion of the cost of health insurance for part-time state employees. In cases where the Commonwealth pays only a portion of the cost of health insurance, the part-time employee will be required to pay the remaining cost of the health insurance in order to obtain coverage. A part-time state employee eligible for health insurance is a person working at least 20 hours per week for a period of at least six months.

Patron - Edwards

F SB625

Public Building Authority. Authorizes the Public Building Authority to purchase the Department of Corrections Headquarters building located in the City of Richmond.

Patron - Stosch

F SB671

Development of an urban policy for the Commonwealth. Authorizes the Governor to create a cabinet-level committee to develop a written comprehensive state urban policy to articulate how the Commonwealth will take into account the effect that its policies, programs and incentives will have on the Commonwealth's urban areas. This is a recommendation of the Commission on the Condition and Future of Virginia's Cities.

Patron - Hanger

F SB758

Communications facilities; lease of publicly owned land for communications purposes. Provides detailed criteria for the lease or other conveyance of the use of land by the Virginia Department of Transportation to communications companies for construction and operation of towers and other communications facilities.

Patron - Williams

C Carried Over

C HB220

Firefighters; overtime compensation for firefighters and emergency medical technicians. Requires firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, ambulance personnel, rescue workers, and hazardous materials workers to be paid overtime at a rate of not less than one and one-half times the employee's regular rate of pay for all hours of work in excess of 53 hours in a seven-day work period or 212 hours in a 28-day work period, or for work periods adopted between seven and 28 days, the number of hours which bears the same relationship to 212 as the number of days in the work period bears to 28. For purposes of computing fire protection employees' entitlement to overtime compensation, all hours in which an employee works or is in a paid status shall be counted as hours of work. The bill provides for remedies for violation.

Patron - Callahan

C HB362

Virginia Retirement System; health insurance credits for retired school division employees. Extends the health insurance credit of two and one-half dollars per month for each year of creditable service, with a monthly maximum of $75.00, currently available to retired teachers, to retired school division employees who participated in the VRS and have at least 15 years of creditable service. This would cover school division employees not included under the definition of a teacher, including, but not limited to, bus drivers, janitors, teachers aides, and cafeteria and clerical workers. Under current law, such employees are entitled to a credit of only one and one-half dollars per month for each year of creditable service, with a monthly maximum of $45.00. The bill also allows retired school division employees to receive the credit if, after leaving school division service, they worked for a local government that does not elect to provide a retiree health insurance credit.

Patron - Stump

C HB390

Health insurance; part-time and hourly employees. Provides that the health insurance benefits currently available to full-time, salaried state employees be provided to (i) all state employees who are paid on an hourly basis and who have been employed for at least six months, and (ii) all state employees who are paid on a salaried basis and who work at least 20 hours per week.

Patron - Baskerville

C HB434

Capital Expenditure Special Fund. Requires that a portion of the growth in state income tax revenue from sources other than employer withholdings be deposited in a special fund and appropriated for nonrecurring expenditures, which include financing capital projects and reducing bonded indebtedness incurred for capital projects. The portion of nonwithholding revenues to be deposited in the Fund is the percentage by which the rate of the estimated growth in nonwithholding revenue exceeds the rate of the growth in general fund revenue. When year-end revenue figures are available, the rates of growth in both withholding and general fund revenues will be recalculated. If general fund revenue collections meet the revenue estimate and the revised percentage of nonwithholding revenues is greater than the amount previously calculated, the excess will be segregated for future deposit to the Fund. If general fund revenue collections meet the revenue estimate but the revised percentage of nonwithholding revenues is less than the amount previously calculated, the shortfall needed to finance nonrecurring expenditures will be met from general fund balances or other allocations of funds.

Patron - Callahan

C HB555

Health care coverage; hearing aids. Requires the state employee health care plan to provide coverage for hearing examinations, hearing aids and related services.

Patron - Kilgore

C HB575

Local judicial nominations committees. Establishes a judicial nominations committee in each circuit, composed of citizens and lawyers appointed by majority vote of the members of the General Assembly who represent any portion of the circuit. The committees are to investigate candidates (including incumbent judges) for circuit and district court vacancies and submit reports on up to three nominations per vacancy to the General Assembly. There is an opt-out provision for those delegations that already have nomination procedures in place.

Patron - Clement

C HB623

Health insurance credit for retired state employees and teachers. Increases the monthly amount of health insurance credit per year of creditable service (i) for retired state employees from four dollars to four and one-half dollars up to a maximum of $135; (ii) for retired teachers from two and one-half dollars to three dollars up to a maximum of $90; and (iii) for certain local employees from one and one-half dollars to two dollars up to a maximum of $60.

Patron - Putney

C HB646

Virginia Human Rights Act; retaliation prohibited. Provides that retaliation against a person who reports the misuse of funds by employees of a public body or agency chartered or authorized by the Commonwealth shall be prohibited where such retaliation includes unfounded charges of unlawful discrimination. The bill defines "unfounded charges" to include those made by the employee who was alleged to have misused the funds or by someone who cooperates with the employee in making the unfounded charges. The bill also provides that nothing shall be construed to deny the person subject to the unfounded charges of unlawful discrimination a private right of action under Virginia Human Rights Act.

Patron - McClure

C HB838

Line of Duty Act; probation and parole officers. Includes adult and juvenile probation and parole officers under the protection of the Line of Duty Act.

Patron - Hamilton

C HB881

Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services; environmental laboratory certification program. Provides an exemption from the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services' laboratory certification regulations to laboratories in municipal treatment facilities serving less than 20,000 persons and owned by political subdivisions of the Commonwealth, including entities created pursuant to the Virginia Water and Waste Authorities Act.

Patron - Phillips

C HB900

Commonwealth of Virginia Cultural Facilities Bond Act of 2000. Authorizes, subject to approval by a majority of the qualified voters of the Commonwealth voting thereon at the November 7, 2000, general election, the issuance of Commonwealth of Virginia Cultural Facilities Bonds pursuant to Article X, Section 9 (b) of the Virginia Constitution in an amount not exceeding $90,100,000. The purpose of the bonds is to provide funds for paying, together with any other available funds, the cost of maintaining, restoring, repairing, improving, and refurbishing the physical plants, including incidental equipment, of cultural, historic and artistic facilities. The full faith and credit of the Commonwealth is pledged for the payment of the principal of and interest on the bonds and any bond anticipation notes or refunding bonds. The bill authorizes the Treasury Board, by and with the consent of the Governor, to fix the details of such bonds, to borrow money in anticipation of the issuance of the bonds, and to issue refunding bonds. The bill shall not become effective and no bonds shall be issued unless voter approval is obtained.

Patron - Diamonstein

C HB916

Health insurance credit; retired state employees. Increases the amount of the monthly health insurance credit for retired state employees with 30 or more years of creditable service from $120 to the amount of the premium for the Medicare supplement provided under the Commonwealth's retiree health benefits program.

Patron - Cranwell

C HB937

Division of Purchase and Supply; regulations; unsolicited proposals. Requires the Division of Purchase and Supply to adopt regulations that establish the conditions under which a public body may accept unsolicited bid proposals and award contracts without the necessity for further competitive procurement. Such regulations may be based on the Federal Acquisition Regulation adopted by the U.S. General Services Administration.

Patron - Plum

C HB1085

Privacy Protection Act of 1976; disclosure of social security number and other personal information. Prohibits any agency from disclosing the social security number, date of birth or any other personal information of any data subject, unless the disclosure or furnishing of such information is specifically required by federal or state law.

Patron - Ware

C HB1180

Public deposits; duties of public depositories. Provides that no institution shall be deemed to have accepted the liabilities and duties imposed under this chapter with respect to any funds, other than funds deposited in an existing public deposit account, deposited at such institution without written notice from the treasurer or public depositor that such funds represent a public deposit subject to this chapter. Currently, any institution accepting a public deposit which is required by law to be secured is deemed to have accepted the liabilities and duties imposed upon it by law.

Patron - Reid

C HB1380

Discrimination prohibited. Prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation.

Patron - Baskerville

C HB1448

Local lobbying regulation and disclosure law. Provides for the regulation and disclosure of lobbying activities in counties and cities. Lobbying is defined to cover attempts to influence official actions by members of the county or city governing body, school board, planning commission, or board of zoning appeals or the county or city chief executive officer.

Patron - Jones, D.C.

C HB1472

Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission. Provides for the specific appointment of a Commission Counsel, confirmed by the General Assembly, for a term of four years. Vacancies may be filled by the Commission during session interim; however, an appointed successor may serve only 30 days into session without receiving the requisite General Assembly confirmation. The Counsel may be appointed for subsequent terms, but must be confirmed after each appointment. The Counsel may hire staff with the prior approval of the Commission.

Patron - Kilgore

C HB1493

Privacy Protection Act. Provides that no agency shall disclose the personal information (as defined in the act) of any data subject unless the disclosure of such information (i) is specifically required by federal or state law, (ii) is to another agency where disclosure is necessary for the performance of either agency's official duties as prescribed by law, or (iii) is made pursuant to other provisions of the Privacy Protection Act.

Patron - Devolites

C HB1504

Virginia Civil Rights Act of 2000. This bill would create a single state agency to investigate, conciliate and adjudicate civil rights complaints concerning employment, housing and access to public accommodations. The agency would be an independent body separate from the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. The Commission would be headed by three commissioners elected by the General Assembly. The election criteria and process would be modeled on the workers' compensation commission ensuring balance in viewpoint among the commissioners.

Patron - Baskerville

C HB1505

Virginia Veterans Care Center; Board of Trustees. Removes the Virginia Veterans Care Center from under the direction and supervision of the Secretary of Administration. The bill also (i) authorizes the Board of Trustees of the Center to administer any other veteran care centers that may be established; (ii) changes the manner in which the Board of Trustees are appointed from all appointments being made by the Governor to the Governor making five appointments, the Speaker of the House making three appointments, and the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee making two appointments; and (iii) provides that members of the Board may be removed by the Governor for cause as provided in existing law and not at the pleasure of the Governor.

Patron - Cranwell

C HB1513

State employee health insurance plan; coverage for prescription drugs. Prohibits the Department of Personnel and Training from structuring the outpatient prescription drug program under the state employee health insurance plan in a manner that creates an incentive to purchase covered prescription drugs through mail-order services, until the Department has conducted a study of the costs and benefits of such an incentive feature. The report is to be submitted annually to the General Assembly. The bill has an emergency clause.

Patron - Morgan

C SB7

Economic development; Virginia Maritime Investment Act. Establishes a grant program to be paid, subject to appropriation, from the Virginia Maritime Investment Partnership Grant Fund. The program provides grants to eligible ship repair companies making a capital investment of at least $50,000. Eligible ship repair companies are companies that have continuously been repairing ships in Virginia for at least five years. The capital investment must increase the productivity of the ship repair company or result in the utilization of a more advanced technology by such company, or both. The Secretary of Commerce and Trade shall determine whether or not a grant is to be awarded to eligible ship repair companies based on guidelines establishing criteria for the awarding of a grant and based on recommendations of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. In cases where a grant is awarded, the grant shall equal 10 percent of the cost of the capital investment. The guidelines for the awarding of a grant shall be reviewed by the chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees before the Secretary of Commerce and Trade may award any grant. These guidelines must take into account the number of new jobs created, wages, the amount of the investment, the present net value of paid benefits to Virginia, and other factors. The amount of a grant any eligible ship repair company is eligible for shall not exceed $25 million in aggregate. The Secretary of Commerce and Trade can approve up to $20 million in grants in any one fiscal year. The aggregate amount of grants outstanding at any one time, however, may not exceed $80 million. The Commonwealth's annual obligation for grants to an individual ship repair company shall not exceed $750,000. The grants will be payable in five equal installments beginning in the second year after the capital investment is completed and verified as such by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.

Patron - Walker

C SB103

Public Procurement Act; payment of living wage. Requires vendors and contractors awarded state contracts to pay employees a wage that is indexed to 150 percent of the federal minimum wage for employees who receive health benefits and 175 percent for employees who do not receive health benefits.

Patron - Miller, Y.B.

C SB167

Virginia Retirement System; health insurance credits for retired school division employees. Extends the health insurance credit of two and one-half dollars per month for each year of creditable service, with a monthly maximum of $75.00, currently available to retired teachers, to retired school division employees who participated in the VRS and have at least 15 years of creditable service. This would cover school division employees not included under the definition of a teacher, including, but not limited to, bus drivers, janitors, teachers aides, and cafeteria and clerical workers. Under current law, such employees are entitled to a credit of only one and one-half dollars per month for each year of creditable service, with a monthly maximum of $45.00. The bill also allows retired school division employees to receive the credit if, after leaving school division service, they worked for a local government which does not elect to provide a retiree health insurance credit.

Patron - Puckett

C SB200

Public safety; overtime compensation for fire protection and law-enforcement employees. Requires firefighters and other fire protection employees, including emergency medical technicians, paramedics, ambulance personnel, rescue workers, and hazardous materials workers to be paid overtime at a rate of not less than one and one-half times the employee's regular rate of pay for all hours of work in excess of 53 hours in a seven-day work period or 212 hours in a 28-day work period, or for work periods adopted between seven and 28 days, the number of hours which bears the same relationship to 212 as the number of days in the work period bears to 28. The bill also requires employers shall pay law-enforcement employees overtime compensation at a rate of not less than one and one-half times the employee's basis rate of pay for all hours of work in excess of 43 hours in a seven-day work period or 172 hours in a 28-day work period, or for work periods adopted between seven and 28 days, the number of hours which bears the same relationship to 172 as the number of days in the work period bears to 28. The bill provides for remedies for violation.

Patron - Howell

C SB266

State employees health insurance. Requires the coverage for autism, which is included in the definition of biologically based mental illnesses, to include, effective July 1, 2000, medically appropriate speech, occupational, physical, and other related therapies relevant to the treatment of autism. This bill is the same as SB 605.

Patron - Bolling

C SB271

Health care coverage; hearing aids. Requires the state employee health care plan to provide coverage for hearing examinations, hearing aids and related services.

Patron - Houck

C SB356

Health insurance credit for retired state employees and teachers. Provides that retired state employees shall receive a health insurance credit calculated pro rata, based on years of creditable service, on the total premium for the Medicare supplement provided under the Commonwealth's retiree health benefits program. The bill provides retired teachers with monthly health insurance credits equal to three and one-half dollars for each full year of creditable service up to a maximum of $105. Current law provides retired state employees with a monthly credit equal to four dollars for each year of creditable service up to $120, and provides teachers a credit of two and one-half dollars for each year of creditable service up to $75.

Patron - Miller, K.G.

C SB512

Virginia Investment Act of 2000. Limits the rate of growth of state expenditures to the total of annual percentage changes in population and cost of living, but in no event greater than the three-year average of change in per capita personal income. Revenues in excess of the capped expenditure amount shall be deposited into the Virginia Investment Account, which is established. Money in the Account shall be appropriated only for capital transportation projects, public school construction, higher education capital projects, research and development projects relating to economic development, and reducing bonded indebtedness, and to address emergencies. The amount of annual deposits to the Account is capped at five percent of the excess of revenues over expenditures, including deposits to the Revenue Stabilization Fund and Water Quality Improvement Fund, in a fiscal year. The excess revenue over the amount required to be deposited in the Account is to be refunded pro rata on annual income tax returns. The limit on the rate of general fund growth may be exceeded if the Governor declares an emergency.

Patron - Barry

C SB573

Economic development; Virginia Maritime Investment Act. Establishes a grant program to be paid, subject to appropriation, from the Virginia Maritime Investment Partnership Grant Fund. The program provides grants to eligible ship repair companies making a capital investment of at least $50,000. Eligible ship repair companies are companies that have continuously been repairing ships in Virginia for at least five years. The capital investment must increase the productivity of the ship repair company or result in the utilization of a more advanced technology by such company, or both. The Secretary of Commerce and Trade shall determine whether or not a grant is to be awarded to eligible ship repair companies based on guidelines establishing criteria for the awarding of a grant and based on recommendations of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. In cases where a grant is awarded, the grant shall equal 10 percent of the cost of the capital investment. The guidelines for the awarding of a grant shall be reviewed by the chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees before the Secretary of Commerce and Trade may award any grant. These guidelines must take into account the number of new jobs created, wages, the amount of the investment, the present net value of paid benefits to Virginia, and other factors. The amount of a grant any eligible ship repair company is eligible for shall not exceed $25 million in aggregate. The Secretary of Commerce and Trade can approve up to $20 million in grants in any one fiscal year. The aggregate amount of grants outstanding at any one time, however, may not exceed $80 million. The Commonwealth's annual obligation for grants to an individual ship repair company shall not exceed $750,000. The grants will be payable in five equal installments beginning in the second year after the capital investment is completed and verified as such by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.

Patron - Schrock

C SB605

State employees health insurance. Requires the coverage for autism, which is included in the definition of biologically based mental illnesses, to include, effective July 1, 2000, medically appropriate speech, occupational, physical, and other related therapies relevant to the treatment of autism. This bill is the same as SB 266.

Patron - Saslaw

C SB607

Freedom of Information Act; records exemptions. Provides a records exemption from the Freedom of Information Act for logs or other similar records maintained by the clerk of any circuit court which can be used to identify both (i) the name of any person who has reviewed criminal records in the possession of the clerk and (ii) the criminal records such person has reviewed, to the extent that release of such logs or other similar records would jeopardize the safety of the person whose name appears therein.

Patron - Saslaw

C SB657

Health professions and health; licensure of midwives. Requires persons practicing midwifery, which is the assessment and care of a pregnant woman and her newborn during pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum period outside of the hospital, to be licensed. Applicants must meet educational, specialized training, and competency standards set by the Board of Health Professions, with advice from the Advisory Council on Midwifery established in this bill, and must have a written protocol with an actively practicing physician who has hospital privileges and is experienced in providing labor and delivery care. In addition, midwives must obtain the informed, written consent of any pregnant woman seeking midwife care. The consent form, which must be approved by the Board of Health Professions, shall include information about the midwife's training, an explanation of the arrangements for physician backup, the midwife's level of malpractice or liability insurance, and a description of the patient's right to file complaints with the Board and the procedures for doing so. The Board of Health Professions shall promulgate regulations which, when implemented, will supersede current provisions in the Code for midwives, but the Board of Health will administer the licensing examination and issue licenses to midwives. The bill contains technical amendments.

Patron - Rerras

C SB733

Virginia Veterans Care Center; Board of Trustees. Removes the Virginia Veterans Care Center from under the direction and supervision of the Secretary of Administration. The bill also (i) authorizes the Board of Trustees of the Center to administer any other veteran care centers that may be established; (ii) changes the manner in which the Board of Trustees are appointed from all appointments being made by the Governor to the Governor making five appointments, the Speaker of the House making three appointments, and the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee making two appointments; and (iii) provides that members of the Board may be removed by the Governor for cause as provided in existing law and not at the pleasure of the Governor.

Patron - Edwards