General Assembly>Division of Legislative Services>Publications>Session Summaries>2006>Study Resolutions

CONTENTS | < PREVIOUS | NEXT > | BILL INDEX

Study Resolutions

Passed

P HJ25

Science, math, and technology education in the Commonwealth; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study science, math, and technology education in the Commonwealth at the elementary, secondary, and undergraduate levels.
Patron - Cosgrove

P HJ32

Campaign Finance Disclosure Act. Encourages the State Board of Elections to continue its review of the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act to address issues raised during its review conducted during the 2005 interim pursuant to House Joint Resolution 667 (2005). This is a recommendation of the task force that assisted the State Board of Elections in conducting a review of the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act pursuant to House Joint Resolution 667 (2005). This resolution is identical to SJR 75.
Patron - Jones, S.C.

P HJ35

Punishment for DUI; report. Directs the Virginia State Crime Commission to study the effectiveness of existing punishments for driving while intoxicated.
Patron - Albo

P HJ48

Joint Subcommittee to Study Medical, Ethical, and Scientific Issues Relating to Stem Cell Research Conducted in the Commonwealth; report. Continues the joint subcommittee for one year to allow it to complete its work and monitor scientific developments in this area.
Patron - Marshall, R.G.

P HJ60

Evaluation of the administration of the Comprehensive Services Act; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to evaluate the administration of the Comprehensive Services Act. In conducting this two-year study, the Commission shall, among other things, (i) evaluate the costs, quality, and reimbursement of children's residential services; (ii) examine the interdepartmental regulation of these facilities; (iii) assess the administration of the CSA by state and local governments; (iv) evaluate the quality and capacity of services available to and provided for CSA children; and (v) determine whether CSA children receive appropriate care, case management, education, and supervision. In each year of the study, JLARC will brief the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Cost Effectiveness of the Comprehensive Services for At-Risk Youth and Families Program established pursuant to SJR 96 (2006), and the chairmen of the House and Senate money and health committees. This study is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee Studying Private Youth and Single Family Group Homes in the Commonwealth pursuant to HJR 685 (2005).
Patron - Nixon

P HJ75

U.S. Route 460 Communications Committee; report. Extends the mandate of the US Route 460 Communications Committee until commencement of construction of the US Route 460 project as approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board in November 2005. This resolution incorporates HJR 33 and is identical to SJR 33.
Patron - Wardrup

P HJ96

Education and treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Encourages the Board and Department of Education and the Board and the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services and other relevant entities to take certain actions to improve the education and treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The Board and Department of Education are urged to continue to implement regulatory initiatives designed to strengthen teacher qualifications, to include preservice and inservice professional development opportunities relating to the effective treatment of autism spectrum disorders. The Board and Department of Education are also urged to examine appropriate educational placements considering the individualized educational plans of autistic students, the effects of mainstreaming, and the feasibility of alternative placements in public and private schools having qualified staff and adequate facilities. Finally, the Board and Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services are urged to continue to expand training opportunities that include approaches specifically addressing the needs of children with autism spectrum disorders.
Patron - Hamilton

P HJ97

Asset transfers; report. Requests the Department of Medical Assistance Services and the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to monitor changes in the federal restrictions on sheltering assets to qualify for Medicaid long-term care services. This resolution is identical to SJR 122.
Patron - Landes

P HJ100

Undergrounding electrical transmission lines; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the State Corporation Commission's analysis for determining the feasibility of undergrounding electrical transmission lines. In conducting its study, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall examine (i) the factors considered by the State Corporation Commission in its analysis of the feasibility of installing underground electrical transmission lines; (ii) the effect on property values resulting from installing underground, as opposed to overhead, transmission lines; (iii) the costs considered by the State Corporation Commission in reviewing transmission line applications; and (iv) such other issues as it deems appropriate. This two-year study shall not be conducted unless it is funded in the Appropriation Act.
Patron - May

P HJ115

Institutional programming for sex offenders; report. Directs the Virginia State Crime Commission to study the need for additional institutional programming at the Department of Corrections to treat sex offenders.
Patron - Kilgore

P HJ116

Animal control officers; report. Directs the Virginia State Crime Commission to study the need for regulation, training and funding of animal control officers.
Patron - Kilgore

P HJ130

Monitoring and collection of data and information on the high school dropout and graduation rates in the Commonwealth; report. Encourages the Department of Education to monitor and collect data and information on the high school dropout and graduation rates in the Commonwealth, pursuant to criteria prescribed by the Board of Education. In collecting the data and information, and in its monitoring efforts, the Department of Education shall (i) determine the relevancy of the current process and procedures for defining, counting, and reporting school dropout statistics and consider the need for revisions in such process and procedures and compliance by school divisions; (ii) compile data concerning the number of students who dropped out of school before the seventh grade and the reasons therefore, and the number of students who graduate annually, for school years 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005; (iii) ascertain whether, by whom, and the manner in which students at risk of dropping out are counseled to remain in school; (iv) identify local school division initiatives and efforts to retain and retrieve students at risk of dropping out, particularly student populations with low high school graduation rates; and (v) apprise policymakers fully regarding the Commonwealth's dropout and high school graduation rates, and of any statutory, fiscal, or regulatory changes that may be necessary to avoid an increase in the school dropout rate.
Patron - Hall

P HJ133

Long-term funding for the purchase of development rights to preserve open-space and farmlands; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study long-term funding sources for the purchase of development rights to preserve open-space land and farmlands. This resolution is identical to SJR 94.
Patron - Lewis

P HJ136

Juvenile justice; report. Directs the Virginia State Crime Commission to conduct a two-year study of Virginia's juvenile justice system. The study will focus on recidivism, disproportionate minority contact with the justice system, improving the quality of and access to legal counsel, accountability in the courts, and diversion. In addition, Title 16.1 of the Code of Virginia will be analyzed to determine the adequacy and effectiveness of Virginia's statutes and procedures relating to juvenile delinquency.
Patron - Moran

P HJ144

Telework; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to conduct a two-year study of the ways in which telework opportunities for state and private sector employees can be enhanced and increased. In its deliberations, the joint subcommittee will: (i) identify state agencies whose operations are most conducive to telework or alternative work schedules, (ii) recommend fiscal and other incentives necessary to increase telework, and (iii) examine the impact of increased telework opportunities on the continuity of government operations in the event of natural or man-made disasters.
Patron - Hugo

P HJ148

Resolution requesting state agencies to implement use of biodiesel; report. Requests state agencies within the Commonwealth to implement the use of biodiesel fuels, where feasible, in fleet vehicles owned or operated by the agency. The Secretary of Administration must report to the General Assembly by the first day of the 2007 Regular Session of the General Assembly on the progress made by each agency toward using biodiesel fuels in fleet vehicles.
Patron - Landes

P HJ158

Health care coverage for Virginians; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study options for extending health insurance coverage to Virginians who are currently uninsured. In conducting the study, the Commission shall (i) analyze the number of uninsured Virginians, the reasons they do not have health insurance, the duration of periods without insurance, and their eligibility for employer-based and private health insurance coverage or government health care programs; (ii) assess the costs incurred by the Commonwealth, its insured citizens, and health care providers for the provision of emergency room or other health care to treat the uninsured population in Virginia; (iii) evaluate programs or plans implemented in other states as well as proposals that have been made by national organizations to expand health insurance coverage to the uninsured; and (iv) develop policy options to extend health insurance coverage to Virginia's uninsured that balance facilitating access to health insurance with requiring Virginians to assume greater personal responsibility for obtaining a minimum level of health insurance coverage. This resolution incorporates HJR 37.
Patron - O'Bannon

P HJ183

Medical malpractice; report. Continues the Joint Subcommittee Studying Risk Management Plans for Physicians and Hospitals to study various aspects of medical malpractice in Virginia, which may include: (i) the effectiveness of the current statutory framework of medical malpractice panels and whether the current framework should be amended to enhance efficiency or be eliminated and replaced with other procedural vehicles such as pre-trial certification of expert witnesses to reduce nonmeritorious claims or effectively evaluate claims; (ii) the feasibility of establishing a multijurisdictional pilot health court and subsequently a system of health courts in the Commonwealth; (iii) the breadth and impact of the risk management program established by SB 601 (2004); and (iv) effective peer review processes. This resolution incorporates HJR 50 and is identical to SJR 90.
Patron - Athey

P HJ208

On-road testing of vehicle emissions in Northern Virginia; remote sensing devices; report. Requests the Department of Environmental Quality, in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency, to increase the use of on-road remote sensing of vehicle emissions to identify gross polluters and increase the percentage of vehicles that may be prescreened using on-road remote sensing of vehicle emissions in the Northern Virginia nonattainment area. The Department will report its progress to the 2007 and 2008 Regular Sessions of the General Assembly, and include information on associated costs and air quality benefits and impacts.
Patron - Cosgrove

P SJ4

Derivative effects of increases in health care costs on health insurance premiums; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study the derivative effects of increases in health care costs on health insurance premiums. In conducting its study, the Joint Commission on Health Care must examine (i) the factors leading to rising health care costs in the Commonwealth, (ii) the derivative effects of rising health care costs including increases in health insurance premiums and denial of coverage, and (iii) ways to reduce health care costs in the Commonwealth and alleviate burdens associated with the rising cost of health care.
Patron - Reynolds

P SJ38

Beekeeping; report. Requests that the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services study the problems encountered by beekeepers in Virginia, assess possible solutions to assist beekeepers, and examine the regulation of honey production by small beekeeping operations.
Patron - Blevins

P SJ51

Security of state government databases; report. Directs the Auditor of Public Accounts to study the adequacy of the security of state government databases and data communications from unauthorized uses.
Patron - O'Brien

P SJ59

Public transportation in U.S. 1 corridor; report. Requests the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to conduct a study for improved public transportation services to Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County and the Marine Corps Base at Quantico in Prince William and Stafford Counties. The Department of Rail and Public Transportation shall conduct the study in consultation with Fort Belvoir, Quantico Marine Corps Base, the Potomac Rappahannock Transportation Commission, the Virginia Railway Express, and the counties of Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford. However, this study may not be conducted unless funding is provided in the Appropriations Act to assist impacted localities in funding needs associated with the implementation of and response to the recommendations of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC).
Patron - Puller

P SJ60

Virginia's future transportation needs; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the role of the Commonwealth and its agencies in meeting Virginia's future transportation needs.
Patron - Williams

P SJ75

Campaign Finance Disclosure Act. Encourages the State Board of Elections to continue its review of the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act to address issues raised during its review conducted during the 2005 interim pursuant to House Joint Resolution 667 (2005). This is a recommendation of the task force that assisted the State Board of Elections in conducting a review of the Campaign Finance Disclosure Act pursuant to HJR 667 (2005). This resolution is identical to HJR 32.
Patron - O'Brien

P SJ82

Public water systems; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study very small and small community water systems in Virginia. The Commission shall determine whether the needs of Virginia's citizens are being met through the existing regulatory scheme with regard to both water quality and rates charged and shall make recommendations on any needed improvements.
Patron - Houck

P SJ90

Medical malpractice; report. Continues the Joint Subcommittee Studying Risk Management Plans for Physicians and Hospitals to study various aspects of medical malpractice in Virginia and the feasibility of establishing a system of health courts in the Commonwealth. This resolution is identical to HJR 183, which incorporated HJR 50.
Patron - Newman

P SJ94

Open-space land and farmland preservation; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study long-term funding sources for the purchase of development rights to preserve open-space land and farmlands. This resolution is identical to HJR 133.
Patron - Hanger

P SJ96

Comprehensive Services for At-Risk Youth and Families; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the cost effectiveness of the Comprehensive Services for At-Risk Youth and Families program and to collaborate with the Joint Legislative and Audit Review Commission (JLARC) regarding its evaluation of the administration of the Act. The study shall be conducted in two phases. In the first phase of the study, the joint subcommittee shall review the administration of the CSA by state and local governments, including projections of caseloads, service needs and costs, quality of services provided, and make recommendations for improvement of program services and strategies for cost containment. The Commission shall, among other things, (i) evaluate the costs, quality, and reimbursement of children's residential services, (ii) examine interdepartmental regulations of these facilities, (iii) determine whether CSA children receive appropriate care, and (iv) apprise the joint subcommittee of the status of its study and findings. In the second phase of the study, the joint subcommittee and Commission shall continue their respective studies and collaboration and report their final findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 2008 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Hanger

P SJ103

Lead poisoning prevention; report. Continues the Joint Subcommittee to Study Lead Poisoning Prevention for two years to (i) monitor the development of the reference database of statewide health-related data to determine its usefulness in containing health care costs and improving health care outcomes, including among children who may be exposed to lead risks or have elevated blood lead levels; (ii) seek to enact the two essential lead program elements needed by the Department of Health to be competitive in the 2006 federal grant process; and (iii) continue to assist the agencies of the Commonwealth to obtain funding for activities that protect Virginia's children from lead risks.
Patron - Lambert

P SJ106

Barrier crimes; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study the impact of barrier crimes laws on social service and health care employers, prospective employees, consumers, residents, patients, and clients. Specifically, the Joint Commission will (i) determine the effectiveness of barrier crimes laws in protecting consumers, residents, patients, and clients; (ii) examine the difficulty experienced by employers in service delivery agencies in finding qualified applicants and employees, as well as the difficulty experienced by prospective employees in finding jobs; (iii) compare Virginia's barrier crimes laws with laws related to criminal convictions and employment in other states; and (iv) gather data on employment discrimination based on an individual's criminal conviction record from state agencies, institutions, boards, bureaus, commissions, councils, or any instrumentality of the Commonwealth.
Patron - Devolites Davis

P SJ120

Sex offenders in nursing homes and assisted living facilities; report. Directs the Virginia State Crime Commission to study the monitoring of sex offenders in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The study will examine: (i) avenues to better protect residents from sex offenders; (ii) current procedures to protect residents from other residents who may commit sex offenses due to debilitating physical and mental self-control as a result of stroke and other illnesses; (iii) the number of prisoners being released on geriatric parole; (iv) the number of registered sex offenders housed in nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Virginia; (v) notification and monitoring of sex offenders in Virginia's nursing homes and assisted living facilities; and (vi) treatment options available to sex offenders housed in nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Virginia.
Patron - Stolle

P SJ122

Asset transfers; report. Requests the Department of Medical Assistance Services and the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to monitor changes in federal restrictions on sheltering assets to qualify for Medicaid long-term care services. For the purpose of advising the Governor and General Assembly, the Department and Commission shall (i) evaluate the potential impact of proposed changes in federal law and their correlation to Virginia law, (ii) ascertain reports and analyses prepared in connection with the proposed federal legislation, (iii) review the practice by which persons transfer, convert, give away, or otherwise shelter assets to become Medicaid eligible, (iv) recommend options available to limit the financial impact of sheltering assets for Medicaid qualification on the Commonwealth upon the passage of any such federal legislation, and (v) apprise the General Assembly concerning any changes needed in state law regarding asset sheltering. This resolution is identical to HJR 97.
Patron - Martin

P SJ125

Resolution; education and treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Encourages the Board and Department of Education and Board and Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services to take certain actions to improve the education and treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorders. During the regulatory review and public comment periods for the proposed revisions to the Regulations Governing the Review and Approval of Education Programs in Virginia and the Virginia Licensure Regulations for School Personnel, the Board and Department of Education are urged to continue to implement initiatives designed to strengthen teacher qualifications, to include preservice and inservice professional development opportunities relating to the effective treatment of autism spectrum disorders, and to consider the treatment of autism spectrum disorders. Further, the Board and Department of Education are urged to examine appropriate educational placements considering the individualized educational plans of autistic students, the effects of mainstreaming, and the feasibility of alternative placements in public and private schools having qualified staff and adequate facilities. Finally, the Board and Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services and other relevant entities are urged to continue to expand training opportunities that include approaches specifically addressing the needs of children with autism spectrum disorders.
Patron - Martin

P SJ126

Prisoner reentry; report. Continues the joint subcommittee to study the Commonwealth's program for prisoner reentry to society. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall continue to identify and develop strategies to address key needs and overcome barriers for offenders, prior to and upon leaving prison, to reduce the incidence of reincarceration and increase their successful social adaptation and integration into their communities. The joint subcommittee shall also monitor any budget provisions and changes in the law recommended over the past year to ensure maximum effectiveness. This bill also increases the membership of the joint subcommittee by adding the Attorney General, or his designee, to serve ex officio with nonvoting privileges. This resolution incorporates SJR 95.
Patron - Puller

P SJ171

Family Life Education. Requests the Board of Education to survey family life education programs in public schools.
Patron - Whipple

P SJ184

Construction and operation of a controlled access highway alternative to Interstate Route 95; report. Requests the Secretary of Transportation and the Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner to explore the feasibility and desirability of entering into an interstate compact for the construction and operation of a controlled access highway between Dover, Delaware, and Interstate Route 95 southwest of Charleston, South Carolina, with their counterparts in the states of Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Patron - Wagner

P SJ185

Private inpatient psychiatric facilities; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the use and financing of licensed inpatient psychiatric facilities in the Commonwealth. The study shall (i) examine utilization trends, including sources of payment; (ii) evaluate the Medicaid rate-setting process for psychiatric services, services provided under temporary detention orders, and services provided by psychiatrists; (iii) evaluate the manner in which Community Services Boards contract with licensed psychiatric facilities; (iv) examine the adequacy of and funding for licensed psychiatric beds, including child and adolescent mental health services; and (v) determine any steps that can be taken to maintain appropriate and necessary licensed psychiatric services in Virginia.
Patron - Norment

PSR19

Interstate Route 81 corridor; report. Requests the Virginia Department of Transportation to address urgently needed improvements to the Interstate Route 81 corridor in Virginia, including: (i) plan for and construct additional capacity as needed to accommodate increasing traffic and address safety concerns; (ii) direct federal highway construction aid to critical safety and capacity improvements including additional lanes to assist trucks in climbing steep grades; and (iii) plan and develop, with the cooperation of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and private rail companies, an east-west rail project and a north-south rail project that will have the effect of reducing the number of trucks traveling the I-81 corridor.
Patron - Hanger

Failed

F HJ31

Southeastern Virginia Training Center; Report. Requests the Secretary of Commerce and Trade and the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to study the relocation of the Southeastern Virginia Training Center in the City of Chesapeake and the development of its existing location in a way that would be economically beneficial to the Commonwealth and the City of Chesapeake. It is a one-year study.
Patron - Cosgrove

F HJ33

U.S. Route 460 Communications Committee; report. Extends the mandate of the US Route 460 Communications Committee until commencement of construction of the US Route 460 project as approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board in November 2005. This resolution was incorporated into HJR 75.
Patron - Jones, S.C.

F HJ37

Commonwealth's uninsured population; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the Commonwealth's uninsured population. The study is to address the number of uninsured Virginians, the reasons they do not have health insurance, the duration of periods of being without insurance, their eligibility for health insurance coverage or government health care programs, the health services they utilize, and the effect that the provision of these health services has on private health insurance premiums and government spending. This resolution was incorporated into HJR 158.
Patron - Purkey

F HJ42

Language interpreters in medical settings; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study the use of foreign language interpreters in medical settings, and its effects. The study shall focus on the availability of interpreters in hospitals, free clinics, community health centers, and private offices, and the use of children as interpreters for non-English speaking family members.
Patron - Brink

F HJ47

Compensation of law-enforcement officers; report. Requests the Department of Human Resource Management to study whether the compensation paid with state funds to law-enforcement officers is adequate to recruit and retain qualified officers.
Patron - Wittman

F HJ50

Health courts; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the feasibility of establishing a multijurisdictional pilot health court and subsequently a system of health courts in the Commonwealth. This resolution was incorporated into HJR 183.
Patron - Hamilton

F HJ53

Substituting a local option income tax in lieu of all other local taxes currently utilized; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study whether localities should be given an option to impose a local income tax in lieu of all other currently utilized local tax sources.
Patron - Ingram

F HJ63

Immigration issues; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study immigration issues in the Commonwealth.
Patron - Parrish

F HJ65

Faith-based volunteers in correctional facilities; report. Requests the Secretary of Public Safety to study the use of faith-based volunteers in state correctional facilities. In conducting its study, the Secretary shall examine faith-based prison programs instituted in other states and determine how effective these programs are in preparing prisoners for reintegration and reducing recidivism rates. The study shall examine services offered by faith-based organizations in these states, including parenting and family life classes, anger-management programs, life skills classes, religious instruction, and substance abuse services. The Secretary shall develop recommendations for how faith-based services might be better utilized in state correctional facilities.
Patron - Saxman

F HJ66

Redistricting process. Creates a joint subcommittee to (i) evaluate the present Virginia redistricting process, (ii) review alternative redistricting processes used in other states including, in particular, Arizona and Iowa, (iii) consider both constitutional and statutory changes in the process, and (iv) study the criteria that should be followed in developing redistricting plans. The subcommittee shall complete its work by November 30, 2007.
Patron - Amundson

F HJ74

Commissioners of revenue, treasurers, and directors of finance; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the functions and operations of the commissioners of revenue, treasurers, and directors of finance. The study shall address (i) the benefits provided by the three types of local financial officers to the Commonwealth and its localities, (ii) the costs associated with these benefits and whether the benefits outweigh the costs, (iii) whether these officers are organized efficiently and effectively and provide services that are not duplicative of other services or functions provided by state or local government, (iv) whether alternative methods of state financing for these officers would be feasible and advisable, (v) whether the state tax assistance function carried out by these local officers is valuable and cost-effective, and (vi) such other related issues as the Commission deems appropriate.
Patron - Wardrup

F HJ76

Tax incentives for volunteer fire department and rescue squad members; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to study for one year what other states have done regarding income tax incentives used to recruit and retain volunteers in the local fire departments and rescue squads.
Patron - Rust

F HJ77

Property tax relief; energy efficient and sustainable buildings; report. Directs the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission to (i) review the certification procedures for meeting LEED requirements for sustainable building design and construction, (ii) identify the appropriate amount and type of tax relief that would best provide an incentive for and reward individuals and other entities that chose to meet LEED certification requirements, and (iii) identify the taxable entities that would qualify for preferential tax treatment for obtaining LEED certification in new and existing buildings.
Patron - Ware, O.

F HJ78

Domestic violence; report. Directs the Virginia State Crime Commission to study domestic violence.
Patron - Ware, O.

F HJ79

Highway classification system; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the desirability, feasibility, and consequences of replacing administrative classification of highways with a functional classification system.
Patron - McQuigg

F HJ99

Low voter turnout; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study factors contributing to Virginia's low voter turnout and recommend steps to increase participation. The joint subcommittee is directed in particular to examine the redistricting process, frequency of elections, and the possibility of appointing rather than electing some officials.
Patron - Purkey

F HJ101

Environmental impact of biosolids; report. Requests the Departments of Conservation and Recreation and Environmental Quality to study the impact of the land application of biosolids on the quality of Virginia's waters.
Patron - Byron

F HJ103

Research potential at colleges and universities; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the research potential at colleges and universities in the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee committee shall identify: (i) actions to increase the research potential at the Commonwealth's colleges and universities; (ii) comparisons between the Commonwealth and other states regarding research productivity of its higher education system and state funding of university-based research and development; (iii) policies to encourage enhanced university-industry collaborations; (iv) mechanisms for stimulating college and university research that have proved effective or ineffective in other states; (v) strategies through which the Commonwealth can make use of the research discoveries already developed by its public institutions of higher education; (vi) policies establishing priority areas for research funding and identifying qualified individuals in those prioritized funding areas; and (vii) an administrative model that can effectively oversee a program that supports academic research in the Commonwealth and that can ensure that funds allocated to research initiatives are used in accordance with the purposes for which they were appropriated. The joint subcommittee must submit an executive summary and report of its findings and recommendations to the 2007 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Nutter

F HJ104

Medicaid reform; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to form a subcommittee to study Medicaid reform, in anticipation of changes in federal law. The Joint Commission on Health Care must submit an executive summary and report of its progress no later than the first day of the 2007 Session.
Patron - Morgan

F HJ107

Urban Best Management Practices Cost-Share and Tax Credit Program; report. Requests the Department of Conservation and Recreation to study over the next two years whether an Urban Best Management Practices Cost-Share and Tax Credit Program, modeled after the Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share and Tax Credit Program, would be beneficial and an economically efficient method for meeting the nutrient and sediment reduction goals of the Chesapeake Bay Agreement.
Patron - Bulova

F HJ114

Establishment of protocols for law-enforcement officers killed in the line of duty; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study and make recommendations concerning uniform protocols and practices to be followed in honoring a law-enforcement officer killed in the line of duty.
Patron - Hurt

F HJ117

Promote use of alternative fuels; report. Directs the Coal and Energy Commission to study ways to promote the use of alternative fuels in the Commonwealth. The Commission is to recommend actions to encourage citizens to increase their consumption of biodiesel and ethanol as alternatives to petroleum-based motor fuels.
Patron - Amundson

F HJ118

Financing the long-term facility needs of the Virginia Community College System; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study financing the long-term facility needs of the Virginia Community College System. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall consider an assessment of the current and future facility needs at Virginia's community colleges relative to the expected growth in student population geographically and at each community college, alternatives for financing the planning, bidding process, and construction of new facilities at Virginia's community colleges, and financing options, including, but not limited to: (i) general obligation bond issues 9(b) and 9(c) of the Commonwealth; (ii) lease-purchase financing; (iii) revenue bonds; (iv) establishment of a debt issuance vehicle structured for the Virginia Community College System that is similar to that for the Virginia College Building Authority; (v) expansion of funding and financing options through the Virginia College Building Authority, or a new dispensation for taxing and borrowing authority; (vi) establishment of a state start-up capital fund that would be used to leverage matching private funds; (vii) changes to the local real property tax to provide a designated increment that would be dedicated to community college facilities; (viii) public-private partnerships; and (ix) local or regional authorizing bond referenda. The joint subcommittee must submit its findings and recommendations to the 2007 Session of the General Assembly. This resolution incorporates HJR 166.
Patron - Athey

F HJ122

Proximity of state-maintained rest areas to 24-hour private facilities; report. Requests the Department of Transportation to report on the proximity of public rest areas to 24-hour private facilities.
Patron - Cline

F HJ125

Homestead exemptions and alternatives for real property tax relief; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to review homestead exemptions and other alternatives for real property tax relief.
Patron - Rapp

F HJ127

Mass transit in the Commonwealth; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to conduct a study of mass transit in the Commonwealth.
Patron - Marshall, R.G.

F HJ128

Feasibility of providing property tax incentives to encourage constructing more efficient buildings; report. Directs the Virginia Coal and Energy Commission to study the feasibility of enabling legislation to authorize localities to provide real property tax incentives to encourage buildings to be constructed using "green building" or "sustainable" designs consistent with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.
Patron - Ware, O.

F HJ131

Mercury in vaccines; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study the continued use of mercury in vaccines. The Commission shall investigate the reasons for the continued use of mercury in some vaccines, and determine the safety risks associated with such use. The Commission shall also determine whether vaccines that do not contain mercury are equally effective, in terms of both preventing disease and costs. The study shall include vaccinations given to both children and adults.
Patron - Bell

F HJ132

Food insecurity in the Commonwealth; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study food insecurity in the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) determine the rate of food insecurity in the Commonwealth, demographically and geographically; (ii) evaluate the ability of public and private sector food assistance programs to assist food-insecure households; (iii) identify the social, economic, and health effects of hunger within the Commonwealth, including, but not limited to, poverty, undernutrition and malnutrition rates, related physical, psychological, and mental health conditions, morbidity and mortality rates, workplace productivity, academic performance and school attendance of students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12 and college, family stability, and crime; (iv) recommend feasible and appropriate alternatives to reduce food insecurity in the Commonwealth; and (v) consider such other related matters as the joint subcommittee may deem appropriate. The joint subcommittee must submit an executive summary of its interim findings and recommendations to the 2007 Session of the General Assembly, and its final findings and recommendations to the 2008 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Englin

F HJ134

Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act; report. Requests the Department of Conservation and Recreation to study the development and implementation of perennial flow determination required by the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act regulations.
Patron - Shannon

F HJ137

Notaries; report. Requests the Secretary of the Commonwealth to study Virginia's notary statutes to determine whether amendments are appropriate to facilitate notarization of electronic documents and to report to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than the first day of the 2007 Regular Session. This resolution is identical to HJR 141.
Patron - Moran

F HJ139

Redistricting commission; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the desirability of creating a Virginia Redistricting Commission. This resolution was incorporated into HJR 66.
Patron - Moran

F HJ141

F HJ161

Institutions of Higher Education; Virginia competitiveness in attracting and retaining faculty; report. Directs the State Council of Higher Education to (i) review, analyze, and compare current data from each public institution of higher education regarding current salary levels by academic discipline and academic rank with current national salary levels; (ii) review, analyze and compare data reflecting current levels of retirement options and benefits, health coverage plans, and other benefits for faculty in the Commonwealth with comparable national data; (iii) identify best practices for recruiting and retaining high quality faculty to inform policy makers, Board of Visitors, and university and college decision makers at public institutions of higher education in Virginia; and (iv) recommend feasible and appropriate enhancements for improving the ability of public institutions of higher education to attract and retain high quality faculty.
Patron - Nutter

F HJ166

Capital and infrastructure needs at Virginia's institutions of higher education; report. Creates a 15-member joint subcommittee to study capital and infrastructure needs at Virginia's institutions of higher education. In conducting the study, the joint subcommittee is charged to consider (i) current funding mechanisms for capital projects and improvements at the Commonwealth's institutions of higher education, including general obligation bonds and other viable funding methods; (ii) mechanisms to assist private institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth with their capital needs; and (iii) the role of for-profit institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth in providing collegiate and graduate education to Virginia's students. This resolution was incorporated into HJR 118.
Patron - Scott, J.M.

F HJ167

Social services reform; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study Virginia's social services system and develop a plan for reform. The subcommittee shall (i) develop a comprehensive improvement plan for the operation and performance of Virginia's social services system and (ii) examine JLARC recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the system in helping benefit program recipients attain self-sufficiency, which will identify changes needed to improve the system, approaches and timeframes for implementing the changes, and the resources required to implement them. The joint subcommittee shall provide opportunities for the participation of the Department of Social Services, local departments of social services representing departments of different sizes and geographic locations, the Board of Social Services, local boards of social services, the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, the Virginia Workforce Council, the Commissioner of the Virginia Employment Commission, local Workforce Investment Boards, local workforce centers, and other interested parties or entities affected by the study.
Patron - Landes

F HJ199

Wythe County and I-77/I-81; report. Requests the Virginia Department of Transportation, in cooperation with Wythe County and major employers within the county, to seek to identify strategies, technologies, and actions that will most effectively, expeditiously, and cost-effectively reduce highway congestion, improve traffic flow, and improve safety on that portion of Interstate Route 77 and Interstate Route 81 where the two highways share the same alignment. This resolution is identical to SJR 2.
Patron - Crockett-Stark

F HJ200

Highway connections between Progress Park and I-77/81; report. Requests the Virginia Department of Transportation, in cooperation with Wythe County and major employers within the county, to seek to identify strategies, technologies, and actions that will most effectively, expeditiously, and cost-effectively improve highway connection between Progress Park in Wythe County and Interstate Routes 77 and Route 81. This resolution is identical to SJR 3.
Patron - Crockett-Stark

F HJ209

Resolution; humane treatment of animals; report. Requests the Department of Education to include standards on animal safety and the humane treatment of animals in future revisions of the Standards of Learning. However, in the event that the Department of Education determines that such a revision of the Standards of Learning is not feasible, the Department shall propose alternative methods of achieving the objective of including instruction on the humane treatment of companion animals to children in the public schools through the character education curriculum.
Patron - Alexander

F SJ2

F SJ3

F SJ25

Undergrounding overhead utility lines; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility and costs relative to requiring the placement of certain overhead utility lines underground. This resolution was incorporated into SJR 73.
Patron - Locke

F SJ39

Southeastern Virginia Training Center; report. Requests the Secretary of Commerce and Trade and the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to study the relocation of the Southeastern Virginia Training Center in the City of Chesapeake and the development of its existing location in a way that would be economically beneficial to the Commonwealth and the City of Chesapeake.
Patron - Blevins

F SJ40

Uniform Statewide Building Code; report. Requests the Department of Housing and Community Development to study whether the Uniform Statewide Building Code may be strengthened to increase public protection by (i) modifying the sound transmission coefficient ratings for sound attenuation to higher levels, (ii) developing a tiered application of the new ratings according to noise contours, and (iii) the application of advanced methods of sound attenuation through new construction and building materials.
Patron - Blevins

F SJ47

Implementation of the federal "Real ID Act of 2005"; report. Establishes a 10-member joint subcommittee to study the impact of implementation of the federal "Real ID Act of 2005" on the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Patron - O'Brien

F SJ48

Local electoral boards and registrars; report. Creates a joint subcommittee comprised of five members of the House of Delegates and three members of the Senate to study the administration of the election laws by local electoral boards and registrars. The subcommittee will examine the functions of the local electoral officials, their compensation, protections and potential for conflict of interests, and make recommendations to assure their independence.
Patron - O'Brien

F SJ50

Limiting large, heavy, or slow-moving vehicles use of highways; report. Requires the Department of Transportation to study the feasibility of limiting large, heavy, or slow-moving vehicle use of highways during peak hours.
Patron - O'Brien

F SJ71

Substituting a local option income tax in lieu of all other local taxes currently utilized; report. Requests the Virginia Association of Counties and Virginia Municipal League to study substituting a local option income tax in lieu of all other taxes localities currently utilize. The study will examine the administrative savings both to taxpayers as well as local governments, the local income tax rate that would be needed, the impact to local taxpayers, as well as the desirability of such an option by Virginia's counties, cities, and towns.
Patron - Quayle

F SJ72

F SJ74

Virginia Code Commission to make recommendations for setting forth enactment clauses in the Code; report. Requires the Virginia Code Commission to review the common uses of enactment clauses in legislation, and to make recommendations as to how annotations to the enactment clauses that affect the implementation and application of adopted legislation may be consistently included or annotated in the Code of Virginia or other comprehensive document.
Patron - Chichester

F SJ80

Comprehensive energy plan for the Commonwealth; report. Requests the Secretary of Natural Resources to study the development of a comprehensive energy plan for the Commonwealth. The plan will evaluate the Commonwealth's current and future energy supply and demand. This resolution was incorporated into SB 261.
Patron - Whipple

F SJ84

Redistricting process; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to (i) evaluate the present Virginia redistricting process and its impact on competitive elections and district criteria, (ii) review alternative redistricting processes used in other states, (iii) examine the impact of federal legislation such as the Voting Rights Act, (iv) consider both constitutional and statutory changes in the process, and (v) study the criteria that should be followed in developing redistricting plans.
Patron - Williams

F SJ86

Sale or lease of Dulles Toll Road (Omer L. Hirst-Adelard L. Brault Expressway); report. Establishes a 10-member joint subcommittee to study the desirability and feasibility of selling or leasing the Dulles Toll Road (Omer L. Hirst-Adelard L. Brault Expressway) to a private operator.
Patron - Saslaw

F SJ88

Integration of Transportation Planning and Land Use Planning; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the integration of transportation and land use planning. Specifically, the Commission will consider the following issues: (i) tools the state and local governments will need to assure that the transportation infrastructure is adequate to serve increasing demand caused by a growing population; (ii) institutional arrangements that should be recommended to improve state/local coordination; (iii) incentives to encourage regional and multi-modal approaches that will be necessary to address Virginia's growing transportation problems; and (iv) ways to encourage alternative development patterns that will improve mobility through other means than motor vehicles and reduce the demands on, and the cost of maintaining, Virginia's transportation infrastructure.
Patron - Quayle

F SJ91

Increasing accessibility to higher education for incarcerated persons. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study increasing the accessibility to higher education for incarcerated persons. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) evaluate the existing college education program for prisoners in Virginia, including its advantages, the effect on recidivism, the benefits of such programs to prisoners, their families, and the community; (ii) identify program needs and recommend solutions; (iii) review prisoner college education programs in other states; (iv) consider financial aid alternatives to assist inmates in accessing college, and ways to finance prisoner college education programs in the Commonwealth; (iv) recommend ways in which more inmates may be accommodated in prisoner college education programs; and (v) consider such other related matters as the joint subcommittee may deem necessary and appropriate to satisfy the objectives of this study. The joint subcommittee must submit its interim findings and recommendations to the 2006 Session of the General Assembly and its final findings and recommendations to the 2007 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Newman

F SJ95

Effects of incarceration on children, families, communities, and the economy; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the effects of incarceration on children, families, communities, and the economy. The study shall identify and develop strategies to overcome adverse effects of incarceration on children, families, communities, and the economy and shall consider the overall benefits versus costs of incarcerating nonviolent offenders, whether the current sentencing system combined with statutory mandatory minimum sentences and prosecutorial practices provide appropriate punishment without overreliance on incarceration, and to what extent racial and ethnic disparity can be reduced in the criminal justice system. The study shall be completed in one year, and its direct costs shall not exceed $10,300 without approval by the Joint Rules Committee. This resolution was incorporated into SJR 126.
Patron - Hanger

F SJ99

Police cadet academy; report. Creates a one-year joint subcommittee to study the creation of a police cadet academy.
Patron - Lambert

F SJ102

Establishing a joint committee on revenue estimates. Establishes a joint committee in the legislative branch to oversee preparation of revenue estimates for the General Assembly. This resolution is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Balance of Powers Between the Legislative and Executive Branches pursuant to HJR 707 (2005).
Patron - Devolites Davis

F SJ105

Standards of Learning assessments for history and social studies; report. Requests the Board of Education to consider increasing the number of questions on Standards of Learning assessments from the framework for the Standards of Learning for history and social studies that relate to instruction pertaining to minority persons. The Board of Education is requested to submit an executive summary and report of its progress in meeting the request of the resolution to the 2007 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Lambert

F SJ107

Lead poisoning prevention; memorandum of agreement. Requests the Departments of Health, Housing and Community Development, and Labor and Industry to execute a memorandum of agreement (MOA) by February 13, 2006, relating to prevention of childhood lead poisoning that covers such matters as the agencies' responsibilities for notices, sharing of information, and various efforts to obtain compliance with requirements that are necessary for the efficient and effective implementation of the Department of Housing and Community Development's new $3 million grant in 2006 and to enable the Department of Health to prepare a grant application that is competitive in accordance with the requirements of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Patron - Lambert

F SJ108

Motor vehicle sales and use tax; low-emission vehicles; report. Creates a study to examine the availability of mass-marketed low-emission vehicles and to make recommendations concerning the feasibility of implementing a revenue-neutral tax incentive that would impose a lower motor vehicle sales and use tax on low-emission vehicles than on high-emission vehicles.
Patron - Deeds

F SJ123

Trailing spouse legislation for civilian Department of Defense employees; report. Requests the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) to study the feasibility of providing trailing spouse coverage with respect to certain civilian employees of the Department of Defense. The VEC is to determine the impact on the Unemployment Trust Fund of legislation that would provide that good cause for leaving employment exists if an employee voluntarily leaves a job to accompany his or her spouse who is a civilian employee of the Department of Defense and has executed a mobility agreement requiring the spouse to relocate at the direction of the employing agency to a new assignment from which the employee's place of employment is not reasonably accessible.
Patron - Ticer

F SJ124

Fiscal autonomy for elected school boards; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study implications of granting fiscal autonomy to elected school boards in the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall (i) examine state constitutional and statutory issues regarding school board supervisory authority, (ii) study the respective roles of local school boards and the relevant local governing body in delivering and funding public education, (iii) examine fiscal authority models in other states, and (iv) consider such other issues as it deems appropriate. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission must submit an executive summary of its findings and recommendations to the 2007 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Blevins

F SJ166

Resolution; humane treatment of animals; report. Requests the Department of Education to include standards on animal safety and the humane treatment of animals in future revisions of the Standards of Learning.
Patron - Edwards

F SJ206

Recruitment and retention of fire department and rescue squad volunteers; report. Requests the Department of Fire Programs and the Office of Emergency Medical Services to initiate efforts to improve the recruitment and retention of fire and rescue squad volunteers. In conducting the study, the agencies shall perform the following: (i) the Office of Emergency Medical Services shall develop management training curricula from the classes currently provided by the Office of Emergency Medical Services and the Department of Fire Programs, increase allocations from the current "$4-for-Life" fund directed to volunteer agencies for recruitment and retention incentives, and encourage agencies to apply for Rescue Squad Assistance Fund grants for recruitment and retention incentives; and (ii) the Office of Emergency Medical Services and Department of Fire Programs shall revise their regulations to require rescue squad and fire department captains to complete management and leadership training within six months of becoming captain, as well as develop and publicize descriptive information about the Volunteer Firefighters' and Rescue Squad Workers' Service Award Fund.
Patron - Herring

Carried Over

C HJ52

Consolidation of certain state agencies; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility and appropriateness of consolidating or outsourcing state agencies that issue licenses and permits and collect tax, and to issue a report to the 2007 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Purkey

C HJ71

Investigative hearing process of the Department of Health Professions and health regulatory boards; report. Requests the Department of Health Professions, in cooperation with the Virginia Bar Association, to study ways to increase the efficiency of the investigative and hearing process of the Department of Health Professions and the health regulatory boards. The Department must review all laws and regulations related to investigations and hearings with respect to the licenses of health care professionals and shall consider the need for amendments to relevant Virginia laws and regulations and recommend appropriate changes. A report must be submitted to the Governor and General Assembly no later than the first day of the 2007 Regular Session.
Patron - O'Bannon

C HJ95

Alcoholic beverages; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the definition of and qualifications relating to licensed retailers of alcoholic beverages and the limitations and restrictions imposed on the retail sale of alcoholic beverages in the Commonwealth.
Patron - Albo

C HJ102

Sale or lease of Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the desirability and feasibility of selling or leasing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel to a private operator.
Patron - Gear

C HJ120

Deputy commissioners of the Workers' Compensation Commission; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the deputy commissioners of the Workers' Compensation Commission. Issues to be addressed include the procedure by which deputy commissioners are appointed and whether appointments of deputy commissioners should be subject to General Assembly approval.
Patron - Athey

C HJ129

Emergency preparedness plans for residents of special needs facilities; report. Requests the Department of Health to study the adequacy of emergency preparedness plans for the residents of special needs facilities that serve Virginia's senior citizens. The Department of Health shall report its findings by the first day of the 2007 Session.
Patron - O'Bannon

C HJ147

C SJ46

Impact of undocumented immigrants; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the impact of undocumented immigrants who are unlawfully in the United States and residing in Virginia on the state's economy and government services and resources.
Patron - O'Brien

C SJ73

Undergrounding utility lines in redevelopment areas; report. Requests the State Corporation Commission to study the feasibility of requiring the underground placement of utility distribution lines in redevelopment areas, including Conservation Plan Areas, Redevelopment Plan Areas, Revitalization Initiatives Plan Areas, Rehabilitation Districts, and Historic Districts. This resolution incorporates SJR 25.
Patron - Quayle

C SJ93

Sheriffs; staffing standards for sheriffs' departments. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study staffing standards for sheriffs' departments. The study will focus on: (i) trends in personnel costs for jails based on annual reports of the Compensation Board and other pertinent data, (ii) formulas based on different jail construction criteria that will enable the Compensation Board to address staffing needs for jails, and (iii) staffing standards that accurately reflect actual workloads and requirements, including mental health and substance abuse counseling.
Patron - Stolle

C SJ98

Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the state employee grievance procedure; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the state employee grievance process to determine whether the policy objectives of the State Grievance Procedure are being achieved.
Patron - Lucas

CONTENTS | < PREVIOUS | NEXT > | BILL INDEX

General Assembly>Division of Legislative Services>Publications>Session Summaries>2006>Study Resolutions

E-mail Webmaster