General Assembly>Division of Legislative Services>Publications>Session Summaries>2007>Study Resolutions


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Study Resolutions

Passed

P HJ 584

Continuing the Joint Subcommittee to Study Medical, Ethical, and Scientific Issues Relating to Stem Cell Research Conducted in the Commonwealth; report. Continues the study for another year for the purpose of monitoring the progress of the Virginia Cord Blood Bank Initiative and reviewing new and emerging issues in stem cell research.
Patron - Marshall, R.G.

P HJ 603

Personal rapid transit; report. Requests the Secretary of Transportation to study, over two years, the benefits, costs, and overall viability of personal rapid transit as a public transportation option for Virginia.
Patron - Oder

P HJ 611

Business, law, and policy graduate programs in state institutions of higher education; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study science and technology education in business, law, and policy graduate programs in state institutions of higher education.
Patron - Purkey

P HJ 637

Childhood obesity; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study childhood obesity in Virginia's public schools. The joint subcommittee shall ascertain methods of combating childhood obesity in Virginia public schools and examine the relationship between the health and physical education curriculum; public health policies; social, economic, and cultural influences; media messages; and the incidence of overweight and obese students in the public schools. This joint subcommittee shall also examine methods to increase parental involvement and education to ensure proper nutrition of children, and survey other states to determine practices that have been useful in combating childhood obesity.
Patron - O'Bannon

P HJ 642

Virginia's competitiveness in attracting and retaining faculty for public institutions of higher education; report. Requests the State Council of Higher Education to conduct as a follow up to the development of its new strategic plan, an assessment of Virginia's competitiveness in attracting and retaining faculty at Virginia's public institutions of higher education.
Patron - Nutter

P HJ 650

Crab traps; report. Requests the Center for Coastal Resources Management at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science to continue its study of abandoned and discarded crab traps.
Patron - Lingamfelter

P HJ 652

Continuing the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Commonwealth's Program for Prisoner Reentry to Society for the purpose of receiving the recommendations and report of the Virginia Prisoner Reentry Policy Academy; report. Continues the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Commonwealth's Program for Prisoner Reentry to Society for the purpose of receiving the recommendations and report of the Virginia Prisoner Reentry Policy Academy. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) process its proposals for discussion to offer appropriate recommendations therefrom; (ii) monitor the work of the Virginia Prisoner Reentry Policy Academy and its pilot programs; (iii) receive the report and recommendations of the Academy regarding the results of the pilot programs; and (iv) synthesize the joint subcommittee's proposals and the Academy's recommendations and recommend such feasible and appropriate alternatives that may reasonably facilitate the successful reintegration of prisoners in their communities. In addition, the joint subcommittee shall (i) evaluate the existing education program for prisoners in Virginia, including the advantages and benefits of the program for prisoners, their families, and the community, and its effect on recidivism; (ii) identify program needs, including ways to accommodate more inmates, and recommend solutions; (iii) review prisoner education programs in other states; (iv) consider financial aid alternatives to assist inmates in accessing college, and ways to fund college education programs for prisoners in the Commonwealth; (v) examine the relationship between poor educational opportunities, delinquency, unidentified learning disabilities, and crime; and (vi) determine the number of inmates with learning disabilities, and the average reading level of inmates in state and local adult and juvenile correctional institutions. This resolution is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Commonwealth's Program for Prisoner Reentry to Society, and is identical to SJR 327.
Patron - Welch

P HJ 683

Cost of substance abuse to the Commonwealth; report. Directs JLARC to study the cost of substance abuse to the Commonwealth to determine the financial savings available to the Commonwealth as a result of providing treatment to offenders diverted from incarceration.
Patron - Landes

P HJ 686

Green power program; report. Directs the Commission on Electric Utility Restructuring to include in its deliberations an evaluation of the efficacy of a voluntary program to encourage the production of electricity from renewable resources.
Patron - Plum

P HJ 688

Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Technology and Science (JCOTS) to study the development and utilization of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. In conducting its study, the Joint Commission on Technology and Science shall (i) identify any federal or state regulatory impediments, including taxation, to the development of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport; (ii) identify threats to the spaceportís viability, such as encroachment, zoning, mineral exploration and exploitation, and noncompatible uses of the spaceport; (iii) identify potential economic development opportunities and marketing strategies to attract launch companies to Virginia; (iv) identify potential state legal barriers to human spaceflight, including liability and assumption of risk issues; (v) identify specific areas where the Commonwealth needs to invest in infrastructure and marketing to enable the achievement of the spaceport's full potential; and (vi) develop a long-term strategic plan to make the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport the premiere commercial hub for space travel in the United States. In its deliberations, the Commission shall provide for the contributions and participation of representatives of the aerospace, suborbital, or orbital launch industries, the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, the Secretary of Technology, Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Secretary of Finance, Executive Director of the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority, and Executive Director of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership or their designees. These persons shall contribute to and participate in the study in the manner deemed appropriate by the Commission in the furtherance of its work. This resolution incorporates HJR 621and HJR 695.
Patron - Plum

P HJ 692

Continues the Joint Subcommittee Studying Long-Term Funding for the Purchase of Development Rights to Preserve Open-Space and Farmlands; report. Continues for an additional year the Joint Subcommittee Studying Long-Term Funding Sources for the Purchase of Development Rights to Preserve Open-Space Land and Farmlands. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall review recent funding for the preservation of open-space and other conservation land; the future needs of the Commonwealth for open-space and other conservation land, including but not limited to: working farms and forests, wildlife habitat and gamelands, natural areas, parks, and historic resources; the mix of programs best suited to meet such needs, including but not limited to Purchase of Development Rights programs; the cost of such needs; and long-term funding to pay the costs. In addition, the joint subcommittee shall develop a plan for the sharing of the costs of land preservation among the Commonwealth and its local governments. Further, the joint subcommittee shall identify strategies for increasing land preservation, water supply protection and the availability of large parks to serve Northern Virginia. This resolution incorporates HJR 576 and is identical to SJR 401.
Patron - Cline

P HJ 694

The impacts of biosolids; report. Requests the Secretary of Natural Resources and the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a panel of experts to study the impact of land application of biosolids (sewage sludge) on human health and the environment.
Patron - Byron

P HJ 696

Virginia Housing Commission; overcrowding of residential dwelling units and its impact on neighborhoods and localities; report. Directs the Virginia Housing Commission to study the impacts of and solutions for residential overcrowding.
Patron - Miller, J.H.

P HJ 701

Study; health care provider liability; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility of offering liability protections to health care providers rendering aid during a state or local emergency. The joint subcommittee shall examine the estimated benefits to the citizens of the Commonwealth of enhanced liability protections for health care providers during emergencies as well as determine how many other states provide these kinds of liability protections. This resolution is identical to SJR 390.
Patron - Hamilton

P HJ 709

State park along South Mayo and North Mayo Rivers; report. Requests the Department of Conservation and Recreation to study the feasibility of establishing a state park along the South Mayo and North Mayo Rivers in Henry County and designating those rivers as scenic under the Scenic Rivers Act.
Patron - Hurt

P HJ 729

Virginia Preschool Initiative; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the Virginia Preschool Initiative. In conducting its study, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall (i) review the statutory authorization for the Virginia Preschool Initiative and funding therefor; (ii) determine the costs of the program to the state and localities since its inception; (iii) assess the manner in which the program has been implemented in the several school divisions and the effectiveness of the current program in preparing at-risk four-year-olds for school readiness and success; (iv) evaluate the continued K-12 academic performance of students who participated in the current preschool program; (v) identify and assess the program's accountability measures to promote effective programs and efficient use of public funds; (vi) study the concept of the Universal Preschool or Pre-K, including which other states have adopted these programs and their success, if any; (vii) evaluate the additional costs, if any, of aligning components of the Virginia Preschool Initiative with the Quality Standards checklist recommended by the National Institute for Early Education Research; (viii) determine whether research has been conducted concerning the efficacy of preschool programs for children of middle- and upper-income parents and report the findings and recommendations; and (ix) consider such other related matters as the Commission deems appropriate to meet the objectives of this study. The Commission must submit its executive summary and report to the 2008 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Cox

P HJ 743

Tax incentives for fire and rescue squad volunteers; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to examine incentives used for fire and rescue squad volunteers to recruit and retain qualified individuals.
Patron - Rust

P SJ 327

Continuing the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Commonwealth's Program for Prisoner Reentry to Society; report. Continues the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Commonwealth's Program for Prisoner Reentry to Society. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) process its proposals for discussion to offer appropriate recommendations therefrom; (ii) monitor the work of the Virginia Prisoner Reentry Policy Academy and its pilot programs; (iii) receive the report and recommendations of the Academy regarding the results of the pilot programs; and (iv) synthesize the joint subcommittee's proposals and the Academy's recommendations and recommend such feasible and appropriate alternatives that may reasonably facilitate the successful reintegration of prisoners in their communities. In addition, the joint subcommittee shall (i) evaluate the existing education program for prisoners in Virginia; (ii) identify program needs; (iii) review prisoner education programs in other states; (iv) consider financial aid alternatives to assist inmates in accessing college; (v) examine the relationship between poor educational opportunities, delinquency, unidentified learning disabilities and crime; and (vi) determine the number of inmates with learning disabilities and the average reading level of inmates. The joint subcommittee is limited to four meetings during the 2007 Interim. This resolution incorporates SJR 363 and is identical to HJR 652.
Patron - Puller

P SJ 329

High school dropout and graduation rates; report. Requests the Board of Education to study high school dropout and graduation rates in the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, the Board of Education shall (i) evaluate 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) determine the number of students who dropped out of school before the seventh grade and the reasons therefor and the number of students who graduated annually, for school years 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006; (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) recommend such policy, statutory, fiscal, or regulatory changes as the Board may deem necessary to increase the high school graduation rates, particularly among student populations with high dropout rates. The Board must submit its executive summary and report to the 2008 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Locke

P SJ 347

Farm-to-School Task Force; report. Requests the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry and the Secretary of Education to establish a farm-to-school task force to develop a plan for implementing a Farm-to-School Program in Virginia.
Patron - Potts

P SJ 361

Study; waste minimization; report. Requests the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study waste minimization, reuse, and recycling. JLARC will evaluate the success of programs in Virginia and other states, and recommend a plan to achieve long-term waste minimization. This is a two-year study.
Patron - Ticer

P SJ 366

Virginia Housing Commission; state incentives for targeted affordable housing development and regional planning initiatives; report. Directs the Virginia Housing Commission to study state incentives for (i) developments that locate affordable housing near identified employment centers, high-density districts, and transit areas including acknowledgement of the impact of commuting on affordable housing, and (ii) local jurisdictions that participate in regional planning efforts for projected job growth impact analysis that includes all income ranges and housing types.
Patron - Whipple

P SJ 372

Health insurance experience pool for educators and local government employees; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility of a state-wide health insurance experience pool for educators and local government employees, including state and local early retirees not eligible for Medicare. The joint subcommittee must submit its findings and recommendations to the 2008 Session of the General Assembly. This resolution incorporates SJR 308.
Patron - Norment

P SJ 377

Financial incentives in other states to support adoption; report. Requests the Department of Taxation to examine current financial incentives in other states to support adoption. The Commonwealth currently does not offer any tax assistance to promote adoption. Cites prior studies that reveal the pressing need to find homes for children, but conclude that financial costs are a barrier to adoption.
Patron - O'Brien

P SJ 378

Revision of driver training program curricula; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study revision of the curriculum for driver training programs.
Patron - O'Brien

P SJ 380

Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Technology and Science to study the enhanced development of cargo, space exploration, and space tourism at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. In conducting its study, JCOTS shall (i) identify any federal or state regulatory impediments, including taxation, to the development of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport; (ii) identify threats to the spaceport's viability, such as encroachment, zoning, mineral exploration and exploitation, and noncompatible uses of the spaceport; (iii) identify potential economic development opportunities and marketing strategies to attract launch companies to Virginia; (iv) identify potential state legal barriers to human spaceflight, including liability and assumption of risk issues; (v) identify specific areas where the Commonwealth needs to invest in infrastructure and marketing in order to enable the achievement of the spaceport's full potential; and (vi) develop a long-term strategic plan to make the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport the premiere commercial hub for space travel in the United States.
Patron - Rerras

P SJ 385

Fuel efficiency and transportation funding; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to study long-term funding solutions for transportation that do not depend on the motor vehicle fuels tax. The development of alternative fuels and fuel-efficient vehicles has many benefits for the Commonwealth, but will inversely affect the revenue generated by the motor vehicles fuels tax due to decreased consumption. The joint subcommittee would also be directed to study ways to encourage and promote the use of alternative-fuels and fuel-efficient vehicles.
Patron - Wagner

P SJ 390

Health care provider liability; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility of offering liability protections to health care providers rendering aid during a state or local emergency. The joint subcommittee shall examine the estimated benefits to the citizens of the Commonwealth of enhanced liability protections for health care providers during emergencies as well as determine how many other states provide these kinds of liability protections. This resolution is identical to HJR 701.
Patron - Newman

P SJ 395

Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission; substance abuse issues that impact state and local fiscal expenditures; report. Directs JLARC to study the impact of issues related to substance abuse on state and local fiscal expenditures. In conducting its study, the Commission shall examine existing programs, the need for new programs, and funding initiatives that could potentially save significant sums of money focusing on prevention and treatment of substance abuse.
Patron - Hanger

P SJ 401

Continues the Joint Subcommittee Studying Lng-Term Funding for the Purchase of Development Rights to Preserve Open-Space and Farmlands; report. Continues for an additional year the Joint Subcommittee Studying Long-Term Funding Sources for the Purchase of Development Rights to Preserve Open-Space Land and Farmlands. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall review recent funding for the preservation of open-space and other conservation land; the future needs of the Commonwealth for open-space and other conservation land, including but not limited to: working farms and forests, wildlife habitat and gamelands, natural areas, parks, and historic resources; the mix of programs best suited to meet such needs, including but not limited to Purchase of Development Rights programs; the cost of such needs; and long-term funding to pay the costs. In addition, the joint subcommittee shall develop a plan for the sharing of the costs of land preservation among the Commonwealth and its local governments. Further, the joint subcommittee shall identify strategies for increasing land preservation, water supply protection and the availability of large parks to serve Northern Virginia. This resolution incorporates SJR 396 and is identical to HJR 692.
Patron - Hanger

P SJ 418

Redistricting the judicial circuits; report. Establishes a joint committee of the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice and the House Committee for Courts of Justice to study redistricting the judicial circuits.
Patron - McDougle

Failed

F HJ 576

Continues the Joint Subcommittee Studying Long-Term Funding for the Purchase of Development Rights to Preserve Open-Space and Farmlands; report. Continues for an additional year the Joint Subcommittee Studying Long-Term Funding Sources for the Purchase of Development Rights to Preserve Open-Space Land and Farmlands. This resolution was incorporated into HJR 692.
Patron - Lewis

F HJ 582

Effects of no-fault divorce; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the effect of no-fault divorce on the formation, duration, and dissolution of marriage in the Commonwealth with particular attention paid to the effect of no-fault divorce on marriage and divorce rates.
Patron - Marshall, R.G.

F HJ 589

Light rail transportation along the Washington and Old Dominion Rail Trail; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to study for one year the feasibility and desirability of constructing light rail transportation along the existing Washington and Old Dominion Rail Trail.
Patron - Marshall, R.G.

F HJ 591

Costs of development; report. Establishes a joint committee of the House Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns, House Committee on Transportation, Senate Committee on Local Government, and Senate Committee on Transportation to study the identifiable costs of new residential and commercial development in Virginia.
Patron - Marshall, R.G.

F HJ 594

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; report. Requesting the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to study the feasibility of establishing an online public institution of higher education.
Patron - Poisson

F HJ 597

Sales tax nexus; report. Creates a joint subcommittee composed of eight members of the General Assembly to study sales tax nexus. The joint subcommittee will evaluate: (i) the current law for the establishment of nexus for sales and use tax purposes, (ii) the requirements for creating sufficient nexus for tax purposes, (iii) the pros and cons nexus creates in the area of taxation, and (iv) whether the application of the nexus law in relation to separate corporate subsidiaries should be changed.
Patron - Peace

F HJ 602

Unfunded state mandates; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to undertake a comprehensive examination of the impact of unfunded state mandates on localities, the scope and cost of presently unfunded mandates, and any possible means to lessen or limit the impact of both unfunded and underfunded mandates.
Patron - Saxman

F HJ 607

Funding for transportation programs; report. Creates a 10-member joint subcommittee to study financing for state highway, passenger rail, and mass transit programs.
Patron - Caputo

F HJ 608

Directing the General Assembly to study the costs of development; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the identifiable costs of new residential and commercial development in Virginia and the manner in which those costs are currently borne or would likely be borne.
Patron - Marshall, R.G.

F HJ 612

Small business acting collectively to obtain health insurance; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study whether state laws and regulations impede the ability of small businesses to act collectively in procuring health insurance. The study shall propose recommendations for legislation to eliminate any barriers created by state laws and regulations found to be so impeding small businesses.
Patron - Purkey

F HJ 613

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.
Patron - Purkey

F HJ 621

Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the development and utilization of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) identify any federal or state regulatory impediments, including taxation, to the development of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport; (ii) identify potential economic development opportunities and marketing strategies to attract launch companies to Virginia; (iii) identify potential state legal barriers to human spaceflight, including liability and assumption of risk issues; and (iv) develop a long-term strategic plan to make the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport the premiere commercial hub for space travel in the United States. This resolution was incorporated into HJR 688.
Patron - Kilgore

F HJ 623

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 HJ 625

Institution of higher education in the City of Virginia Beach; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility of establishing a four-year degree-granting institution of higher education in the City of Virginia Beach.
Patron - Tata

F HJ 630

System for charging user fees; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility of creating and implementing an equitable system for charging highway user fees.
Patron - Marshall, R.G.

F HJ 631

Pay parity for licensed practical nurses and nursing aides; report. Requests the Board of Nursing to (i) study pay rates for LPNs, nursing aides, and other nursing staff in other states; (ii) analyze pay scales for LPNs, nursing aides, and other nursing staff in Virginia; (iii) identify factors affecting pay rates in Virginia; and (iv) identify steps that can be taken to ensure that Virginia's rates are competitive with rates throughout the nation, making Virginia an attractive environment to LPNs and nursing aides seeking to establish careers.
Patron - Carrico

F HJ 634

Virginia Retirement System benefits; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to evaluate all benefit programs administered by the Virginia Retirement System, including, but not limited to service and disability retirement, pension death benefits, life insurance, deferred compensation, short and long-term disability benefits, long-term care insurance, health insurance credits, law-enforcement benefits, and defined contribution plans.
Patron - Tata

F HJ 635

Joint Commission on Health Care; stroke prevention and care; report. Directing the Joint Commission on Health Care to study stroke prevention and care across the Commonwealth. Describes stroke as a leading cause of death in Virginia. In addition, strokes create large numbers of patients with long-term disabilities that incur high medical costs. Recognizes national recommendations for coordinated systems of care to improve stroke prevention and treatment.
Patron - O'Bannon

F HJ 636

Joint Commission on Health Care; housing opportunities for persons with mental illness; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study ways to improve housing opportunities for persons with mental illness. Describes the rising costs and challenge of finding housing for consumers with mental illness, which may undermine their treatment.
Patron - O'Bannon

F HJ 640

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 2008 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Amundson

F HJ 641

Accessibility to vision care services and products by Virginia consumers; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the impact of current law impeding accessibility to vision care services and products by Virginia consumers. In conducting its study, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission is to (i) review the independent studies reported by and conducted by the Federal Trade Commission and (ii) review complaints relating to quality issues against all optometrists in selected states that do not have commercial and mercantile location prohibitions similar to those in Virginia.
Patron - Putney

F HJ 643

Severe shortage of medical doctors; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study how Virginia should address the existing and upcoming shortage of medical doctors. Recognizes the possibility of a dire shortage of medical doctors in the United States by 2020 and the lengthy training required to prepare doctors for practice. To find solutions, the joint subcommittee shall consider geographic regions, practice specialties, medical school admissions and costs, malpractice issues, the nursing shortage, and COPN regulation.
Patron - Purkey

F HJ 644

Indigent health care in the Commonwealth; report. Directs JLARC to (i) determine the volume of indigent health care provided by private, specialty, and not-for-profit hospitals in the Commonwealth; (ii) determine the financial cost of indigent health care to private, specialty, and not-for-profit hospitals in the Commonwealth; and (iii) identify and analyze potential tax and other incentives that may be offered to private and specialty hospitals and other health care providers to encourage the provision of care to indigent individuals.
Patron - Purkey

F HJ 645

Market-based, consumer-driven health insurance reforms; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to develop a market-based, consumer-driven health insurance model for the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) examine the costs to Virginia's taxpayers of the expense of unreimbursed health care provided by hospitals and other providers to the uninsured and (ii) develop recommendations for legislation to implement the joint subcommittee's recommendations.
Patron - Purkey

F HJ 646

K-12 education outreach collaboration; report. Requests the Department of Education to collaborate with university, industry, and local school board stakeholders engaged in K-12 education outreach to identify best practices, pursue collaborative activities, and define a set of actions that will facilitate student participation and workforce development in math and science fields.
Patron - Purkey

F HJ 648

Expedited processing of absentee ballots; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study expedited processing of absentee votes before election day. Created for one year to benefit the large anticipated voter participation in 2008, the 11-member joint subcommittee will examine: (i) the practices of other states that allow expedited processing of absentee ballots before election day; (ii) the experience in other states that accept absentee ballots without signature verification or electronically; (iii) the advantages and disadvantages of expediting procedures; and (iv) whether Virginia should authorize local election officials to expedite processing of absentee ballots before election day.
Patron - Watts

F HJ 649

Increased use of electronic personal health records; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study the increased use of electronic health information technology and electronic personal health records, including the current rate of use of health information technology and electronic personal health records in the Commonwealth, factors impeding the increased use of health information technology and electronic personal health records in the Commonwealth, and steps that could be taken to expand the use of health information technology and electronic personal health records in the Commonwealth.
Patron - Watts

F HJ 651

Board of Education; report. Requests the Board of Education, in cooperation with the Prince William County School Division, to determine the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of utilizing alternative low-cost technologies to administer the Standards of Learning assessments.
Patron - Lingamfelter

F HJ 653

Health insurance public subsidy; report. Requests the Department of Medical Assistance Services to study the effects of modifications to the health insurance public subsidy program. In conducting its study, the Department shall examine the potential for program expansion with consumer protection mechanisms and the impact of switching from mandatory to voluntary enrollment and shall accept input from stakeholders throughout the process.
Patron - Nutter

F HJ 654

Fairfax County form of government; report. Requests the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, together with members of the House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia who currently represent districts within Fairfax County, to study the efficiency and effectiveness of the County's form of government.
Patron - Albo

F HJ 681

Climate change; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the risks and opportunities created in the Commonwealth as a result of the changing climate. Specifically, the joint subcommittee will report on steps the public sector can take to minimize harmful impacts on the environment, such as green building practices and forest preservation; identify business opportunities for Virginia industry arising in various economic sectors that benefit from the efforts to mitigate the harm from climate change, such as alternative fuel technology and feedstocks; review the costs and benefits of possible regulatory schemes, such as market-based and command control initiatives; and suggest ways that the Commonwealth can act now to reduce the future cost of such regulation and explore the value of participating in a nonnational regulatory scheme.
Patron - Ebbin

F HJ 682

Human trafficking; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the extent of the problem of human trafficking in the Commonwealth. The joint subcommittee must also determine whether further efforts are needed to prevent and punish the crimes associated with human trafficking, and whether Virginia's endeavors are in concert with those of the federal government. The joint subcommittee must submit its executive summary and report to the 2008 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Ebbin

F HJ 687

eCycling; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Technology and Science to study the collection, recycling, and disposal of electronic waste (eCycling). In conducting its study, the Joint Commission on Technology and Science shall (i) recommend limitations on electronic waste in state landfills; (ii) research state and regional eCycling programs across the country; and (iii) make recommendations relating to a statewide or regional eCycling program that will provide all citizens of the Commonwealth with an opportunity to recycle or properly dispose of electronic waste.
Patron - Plum

F HJ 689

Fort Monroe; report. Requests the Virginia Congressional Delegation to direct the National Park Service to study the feasibility of creating a Fort Monroe National Park.
Patron - Gear

F HJ 690

Fort Monroe; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to study the future of Fort Monroe.
Patron - Gear

F HJ 691

Urban Partnership Agreement; report. Establishes an 11-member joint subcommittee to study an Urban Partnership Agreement between the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William, the Cities of Fairfax and Alexandria, the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, and the United States Department of Transportation.
Patron - Frederick

F HJ 693

Legislative efficiency; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to study the operations of each house and all agencies in the legislative branch to develop recommendations for improving efficiency. JLARC is required to report to the General Assembly by the first day of the 2008 regular session. The resolution authorizes JLARC to contract for services to perform the review and report through a competitive procurement process complying with the Virginia Public Procurement Act.
Patron - Shannon

F HJ 695

Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the enhanced development of cargo, space exploration, and space tourism at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) identify any federal or state regulatory impediments, including taxation, to the development of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport; (ii) identify threats to the spaceport's viability, such as encroachment, zoning, mineral exploration and exploitation, and noncompatible uses of the spaceport; (iii) identify potential economic development opportunities and marketing strategies to attract launch companies to Virginia; (iv) identify potential state legal barriers to human spaceflight, including liability and assumption of risk issues; (v) identify specific areas where the Commonwealth needs to invest in infrastructure and marketing in order to enable the achievement of the spaceport's full potential; and (vi) develop a long-term strategic plan to make the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport the premiere commercial hub for space travel in the United States. This resolution was incorporated into HJR 688.
Patron - Lewis

F HJ 697

Insurance for family day homes. Requests the Bureau of Insurance of the State Corporation Commission to study the availability of liability insurance for operators of family day homes.
Patron - Bell

F HJ 698

Public health effects of trona; report. Requests the Department of Health to study the public health effects of using trona to mitigate emissions in power plants.
Patron - Englin

F HJ 699

Accuracy of discard dates on prescription drugs; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study discard dates on prescription drugs and evaluate the feasibility of extending such discard dates.
Patron - Scott, J.M.

F HJ 700

Virginia's interdiction laws and the effects of substituting the term "chronic alcoholic" for the term "habitual drunkard"; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study (i) the system of interdiction currently in place, (ii) potential changes to the system that may increase effectiveness including substituting the term "chronic alcoholic" for "habitual drunkard," (iii) the need for specialized training of law-enforcement and court personnel to provide interdiction services, and (iv) funding, sources of funding, and legislation required to implement the revised system.
Patron - Hall

F HJ 702

Open education content resources; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the appropriateness and efficacy of open education content resources for public schools in Virginia. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) examine the costs of textbooks to public schools and institutions of higher education; (ii) assess the overall affordability of education for Virginia students; (iii) examine the rapid rise in textbook prices for institutions of education and associated cost increases due to bundling textbooks with redundant supplemental materials; (iv) evaluate the feasibility of using creative commons and public domain texts, and of developing digital supplemental materials; (v) review textbook adoption timelines and procedures for public schools and the procedures used at institutions of higher education; (vi) recommend ways of maintaining the professional and curricular integrity of school divisions while containing the costs of education; and (vii) consider such other related issues as the joint subcommittee deems appropriate. The joint subcommittee must submit its executive summary and report to the 2008 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Peace

F HJ 703

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 - Peace

F HJ 704

Prepaid long-term care policy; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the creation of a prepaid long-term care program for citizens of the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall examine the Virginia College Savings Plan as a model and determine whether a similar program to help Virginia's citizens save for their long-term health care is feasible.
Patron - Amundson

F HJ 705

Affordable housing for the work force; report. Directs the Virginia Housing Commission to study the availability of affordable housing for the work force and the types of initiatives and incentives used in other states to provide such housing. It is a one-year study.
Patron - Amundson

F HJ 706

High school dropout and graduation rates; report. Requests the Board of Education to study high school dropout and graduation rates in the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, the Board of Education shall (i) evaluate 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) determine the number of students who dropped out of school before the seventh grade and the reasons therefor, and the number of students who graduated annually, for school years 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006; (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) recommend such policy, statutory, fiscal, or regulatory changes as the Board may deem necessary to increase the high school graduation rates, particularly among student populations with high dropout rates. The Board must submit its executive summary and report to the 2008 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Hall

F HJ 707

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 HJ 708

Eminent domain; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the current state of the law on the exercise of eminent domain and how that law is applied in the Commonwealth. The study should address whether the exercise of eminent domain is or may be subject to abuse and, if so, what amendments or changes should be made to correct the abuses.
Patron - Hall

F HJ 710

Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission; financial oversight for adult group homes in the Commonwealth; report. Notes the vulnerable status of elderly and disabled adults in group homes that may be subject to financial fraud. Requests that JLARC examine and propose standards for financial review of the operation of group homes for less than four adults and review the disbursement of their federal public benefits.
Patron - Hogan

F HJ 711

Virginia Housing Commission; employer-assisted housing programs; report. Directs the Virginia Housing Commission to study (i) current initiatives in other states and communities that establish employer-assisted housing programs, and (ii) incentives used by other states and communities to encourage employers to provide workforce housing for their employees, including but not limited to the use of tax credits and other tax-based incentives.
Patron - Hugo

F HJ 712

Privatization of driver education programs in the public schools; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the desirability and feasibility of privatizing driver education programs in the public schools. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) examine the benefits and costs of privatizing driver education programs in Virginia; (ii) review the history and legal authority for driver education programs and the interaction of public policies governing public education and motor vehicles; (iii) consider the transition process necessary to move from state-operated to private-operated driver education programs, including, but not limited to, the transfer of teachers and students, and the disposition of facilities and educational materials; (iv) assess the need for statutory, regulatory, fiscal, and policy changes regarding driver education programs and instruction; (v) determine the appropriateness of establishing a regulatory board to govern private driver training schools; and (vi) consider such other related matters as the joint subcommittee may deem appropriate. The joint subcommittee shall submit its executive summary and report to the 2008 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Hugo

F HJ 713

Department of Medical Assistance Services; cost of insulin and human growth hormone to the Commonwealth's Medicaid program; report. Requests the Department of Medical Assistance Services to confer with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the implementation of certain guidelines relating to costs of insulin and human growth hormones for the Commonwealth's Medicaid program. This resolution is identical to SJR 397.
Patron - O'Bannon

F HJ 776

Impact of undocumented immigrants; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to study the impact of undocumented immigrants residing in Virginia on the state's economy and government services and resources. This resolution was incorporated into HB 1673.
Patron - Saxman

F HR 43

Effects of no-fault divorce; report. Requests that the House Committee on Courts of Justice study the effect of no-fault divorce on the formation, duration, and dissolution of marriage in the Commonwealth with particular attention paid to the effect of no-fault divorce on marriage and divorce rates.
Patron - Marshall, R.G.

F SJ 308

Health insurance costs of state and local early retirees; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the health insurance costs of state and local early retirees. This resolution was incorporated into SJR 372.
Patron - Miller

F SJ 325

Electoral College vote allocation method; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to (i) evaluate Virginia's method of allocating its votes in the Electoral College, (ii) review alternative methods and reforms that have been proposed to address concerns that the current method violates Equal Protection and the Voting Rights Act, (iii) examine the impact of proposed federal legislation, and (iv) consider both constitutional and statutory changes in the process.
Patron - Miller

F SJ 326

Fair tax; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the viability of a fair tax on the consumption of goods and services as an alternative tax system. During its two-year study, the joint subcommittee will (i) explore the revenue that could be generated from a fair tax on the consumption of goods and services, (ii) determine the amount of revenue that is currently generated from state and local general fund taxes, (iii) estimate the rate of a fair tax that would need to be imposed on the consumption of goods and services to generate approximately the same amount of revenue that is currently generated from state and local general fund taxes, (iv) study other issues relating to the adoption of a fair tax including the distribution of revenues, and (v) determine the viability of a fair tax on the consumption of goods and services as a replacement for current state and local general fund taxes.
Patron - Bell

F SJ 335

Lottery profits; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the distribution of net lottery profits, including the current distribution formula to determine if it can be improved.
Patron - Ruff

F SJ 348

Costs of education versus incarceration; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the cost of a K-12 education compared to the cost of incarceration over 5, 10, 15, and 20 years.
Patron - Miller

F SJ 358

Northern Virginia; report. Requests the Department of Conservation and Recreation and a task force to develop a plan to obtain undeveloped land in Northern Virginia for parks and the protection of potable water resources.
Patron - Ticer

F SJ 363

Increasing the accessibility of education programs and higher education opportunities to incarcerated persons; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study increasing the accessibility of education programs and higher education opportunities to incarcerated persons. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) evaluate the existing education program for prisoners in Virginia, including the advantages and benefits of the program for prisoners, their families, and the community, and its effect on recidivism; (ii) identify program needs, including ways to accommodate more inmates, and recommend solutions; (iii) review prisoner education programs in other states; (iv) consider financial aid alternatives to assist inmates in accessing college, and ways to fund college education programs for prisoners in the Commonwealth; (v) examine the relationship between poor educational opportunities, delinquency, unidentified learning disabilities, and crime; (vi) determine the number of inmates with learning disabilities, and the average reading level of inmates in state and local adult and juvenile correctional institutions; and (vii) consider such other related matters as the joint subcommittee may deem necessary and appropriate to satisfy the objectives of this study. This resolution was incorporated into SJR 327.
Patron - Quayle

F SJ 364

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 2008 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Blevins

F SJ 365

Virginia Housing Commission; feasibility of granting additional authority to local government to develop innovative housing policies and programs; report. Directs the Virginia Housing Commission to study the feasibility of increasing the statutory options and tools that are available to localities to develop more innovative housing policies.
Patron - Whipple

F SJ 381

Reasons women obtain abortions; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study reasons women obtain abortions.
Patron - Puckett

F SJ 382

Efficiency of summons form; report. Directs the Crime Commission to study whether the current version of the summons form published by the Supreme Court of Virginia could be amended in such a way as to be more efficient. Currently, a separate summons form must be filled out for each crime even if a single accused is charged with multiple crimes.
Patron - Obenshain

F SJ 388

Health insurance public subsidy; report. Requests the Department of Medical Assistance Services to study the effects of modifications to the health insurance public subsidy program. In conducting its study, the Department shall examine the potential for program expansion with consumer protection mechanisms and the impact of switching from mandatory to voluntary enrollment and shall accept input from stakeholders throughout the process.
Patron - Blevins

F SJ 393

Real property tax; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility of multiple real property tax classifications; specifically, separate tax treatment for residential, agricultural, and commercial real property and a homestead exemption program. Created for two years, the eight-member joint subcommittee will examine: (i) the practices of other states that allow different tax rates for different classes of real property or provide a homestead exemption program for an owner-occupied principal residence; (ii) whether separate tax rate classes or a homestead exemption program would improve the real property tax and its equity; (iii) the advantages and disadvantages of these options; and (iv) whether Virginia should implement either or both of these programs.
Patron - Norment

F SJ 396

Northern Virginia parkland; report. Requests the Governor to establish a task force to work with the Department of Conservation and Recreation to study land preservation, water supply protection, and the availability of large parks to serve future generations in Northern Virginia. This resolution was incorporated into SJR 401.
Patron - Ticer

F SJ 397

Department of Medical Administrative Services; cost of insulin and human growth hormone to the Commonwealth's Medicaid program; report. Requests the Department of Medical Assistance Services to confer with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the implementation of certain guidelines relating to costs of insulin and human growth hormones for the Commonwealth's Medicaid program. This resolution is identical to HJR 713.
Patron - Whipple

F SJ 402

Financial impact of mandating services under the Comprehensive Services Act for all children with disabilities or in need of foster care services in Virginia; report. Directs JLARC to study the fiscal impact of mandating services under the CSA for all children with disabilities or in need of foster care services in Virginia and to report thereon.
Patron - Hanger

F SJ 404

Eminent domain; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study which state entities are using the power of eminent domain, why they are using it, how often they use it, the average duration of a condemnation, the average differential in value between condemnor and condemee, and the indirect costs of eminent domain in the Commonwealth.
Patron - Norment

F SJ 419

Gang prevention activities and funding; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the availability and efficacy of gang prevention activities with particular attention paid to the potential availability of funding for these activities.
Patron - Miller

F SJ 487

VRS investments in Sudan; report. Requests the Virginia Retirement System to study the feasibility of restricting certain investments in certain companies related to Sudan.
Patron - Cuccinelli

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