General Assembly>Division of Legislative Services>Publications>Session Summaries>2008>Study Resolutions

CONTENTS | < PREVIOUS | NEXT > | BILL INDEX

Study Resolutions

Passed

P HJ6

Study; Southeastern Public Service Authority; report. Requests the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission to study the operation and finances of the Southeastern Public Service Authority.
Patron - Peace

P HJ72

Study; privatization of the ports of Virginia; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study public-private partnerships regarding seaports in Virginia.
Patron - Purkey

P HJ75

Study; local incentives to private businesses; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study local incentives provided to private businesses for economic development purposes. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) determine all incentives that localities are permitted to provide to private businesses; (ii) evaluate the impact of such incentives on smaller local competitors of the businesses provided the incentives; and (iii) evaluate the effectiveness of the incentives that are provided.
Patron - Cole

P HJ89

Study; Southeastern Public Service Authority; report. Directs the Auditor of Public Accounts to collect, receive, and analyze data and information relating to the operation and finances of the Southeastern Public Service Authority.
Patron - Cosgrove

P HJ90

Continuing the Joint Subcommittee Studying Science, Math, and Technology Education at the Elementary, Secondary, and Undergraduate Levels. Continues the joint subcommittee to review the curricula of existing public schools in the Commonwealth, including Governor's Schools and other specialized public schools devoted to math, science, or technology; study accessibility to specialized public schools by students throughout the Commonwealth; review and recommend innovative ways to interest students at all education levels in science, math, and technology; identify the key points during the K-12 education experience that will determine whether a student will become interested, and maintain that interest, in math, science, technology related subjects; and identify programs and activities that promote partnerships between educators at the Commonwealth's public schools and institutions of higher education, as well as with business and research entities in the science and technology sectors located in the Commonwealth. In addition, to address the shortage of science and engineering graduates in the Commonwealth, the joint subcommittee shall, in its deliberations, ascertain the factors contributing to the shortage of science and engineering graduates in the Commonwealth and recommend alternatives to mitigate its effect; determine the current supply and demand for science and engineering graduates in Virginia, and project the need for such graduates in the next decade; examine ways to promote and encourage collaboration and partnerships between science and engineering programs at the Commonwealth's institutions of higher education and science- and technology-based businesses in Virginia, including tax incentives; assess the feasibility of using the collaboration between Virginia Tech and the Virginia Community College System in the Lynchburg area as a model for institutional partnerships; and identify incentives designed to attract and retain more students into science and engineering programs and prepare them for careers in these fields. This resolution incorporates HJ 115.
Patron - Cosgrove

P HJ91

Study; Private institutions address Virginia's educational and workforce needs; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study ways in which the Commonwealth may work with Virginia's private nonprofit colleges to meet state higher education needs. This bill incorporates HJ 99.
Patron - Hamilton

P HJ105

Study; autism services; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee to study autism services in Virginia to identify and evaluate best practices in the provision of services for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of autism; methods of providing services to persons with autism; ways to disseminate information regarding best practices; and provide autism education and training for law enforcement and judicial personnel. This resolution incorporates HJR 110.
Patron - Valentine

P HJ113

Study; juvenile justice; Virginia State Crime Commission. Directs the Commission to continue its study of juvenile justice. The Commission, in continuing its study of the juvenile justice system in the Commonwealth pursuant to House Joint Resolution 136 (2006), shall also (i) review the severity of offenses committed by juveniles in the Commonwealth; (ii) evaluate the effects on the learning environment and educational process, particularly for other students, when juvenile offenders are returned to the public school classroom; (iii) identify and examine more effective methods of rehabilitating juveniles, particularly juveniles who commit serious offenses; and (iv) recommend such changes as the Commission may deem necessary to provide a more effective juvenile justice system. This resolution incorporates HJ 160.
Patron - Moran

P HJ119

Study; impact of eVA on small businesses in the Commonwealth. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to study the impact of eVirginia (eVA) on small businesses in the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, JLARC shall (i) identify the total number of contracts and the total dollar amount awarded to small businesses in the Commonwealth, annually, since the implementation of the eVA procurement system; and (ii) examine the impact of the fee structure and the mandatory use of eVA on the procurement opportunities of small businesses in the Commonwealth.
Patron - Nutter

P HJ155

Study; requesting the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) to study automatic aide for emergency responses across jurisdictional lines; report. Requests the HRPDC to study emergency responses across jurisdictional lines in the Hampton Roads region and to issue a report with its findings and recommendations.
Patron - Suit

P HJ159

U.S. Route 460 Communications Committee; report. Extends the U.S. Route 460 Communications Committee until commencement of construction of the U.S. Route 460 project as approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board in November 2005. The Committee must submit an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the Regular Session of the 2009 and 2010 Sessions of the General Assembly.
Patron - Jones, S.C.

P HJ177

Study; single sales factor; report. Establishing a joint subcommittee to study the benefits of adopting a single sales factor to apportion the income of multistate corporations for purposes of the corporation income tax.
Patron - Byron

P HJ178

Study; Urban Development Areas; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study development and land use tools in Virginia's localities. The two-year study will examine and monitor the transition to channeling development into Urban Development Areas, and determine if additional legislation is needed to help localities as they transition to Urban Development Areas. The joint subcommittee shall also make a comprehensive evaluation of all existing land use planning tools and infrastructure financing options, as well as consider matters addressed in HJR 22 (2008). This resolution incorporates HJR 22.
Patron - Athey

P HJ194

Study; transportation network of Hampton Roads. Establishes a 10-member joint subcommittee to conduct a one-year study of the transportation network of Hampton Roads.
Patron - Jones, S.C.

P HJ195

Study; transfer of development rights; report. Establishes a nine-member joint subcommittee to study transfer of development rights (TDR) and examine ways in which the existing TDR legislation may be modified to make it more appealing to localities.
Patron - Lohr

P HJ196

Study; Bureau of Insurance; licensure of insurance agents; report. Requests the Bureau of Insurance of the State Corporation Commission to collect certain demographic and other information from agent licensing examination candidates.
Patron - Hargrove

P HJ248

Study; Development and enhancement of the biosciences and biotechnology. Creates a joint subcommittee to study and advance the development and enhancement of the biosciences and biotechnology in the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall, among other things, (i) review and implement appropriate and efficacious recommendations of state and national research investigations in the disciplines of bioscience and biotechnology, including the Governor's Commission on Biotechnology; (ii) examine, continue, and enlarge the work begun by the Governor's Commission on Biotechnology, including, but not limited to, determining how Virginia's research universities, federal and state laboratories, biotechnology incubators, research parks, private industry, and other major resources can be leveraged to help make Virginia a more attractive location for the development and enhancement of the biosciences and biotechnology industry; (iii) determine how these resources may increase the development of the biotechnology industry through technology transfer and commercialization of new ideas and discoveries; (iv) assess how strategic initiatives in bioscience and biotechnology may generate economic development and investment in Virginia, particularly in rural and urban regions of the Commonwealth; (v) examine Virginia's workforce development status, including education, supply, and training needs relative to supporting viable bioscience research and biotechnology industry in the Commonwealth; (vi) evaluate the capacity of bioscience and biotechnology to protect and preserve Virginia's natural resources; and (vii) develop and recommend a strategic and visionary plan that implements certain of the recommendations deemed feasible and appropriate, establishes Virginia as a national and global leader in bioscience and biotechnology research and application by 2018, and enables the Commonwealth to maintain its national and global leadership thereafter. During the course of its study, the joint subcommittee shall ensure the participation and contribution of representatives of Virginia's public research institutions of higher education, the Center for Innovative Technology, the private biotechnology industry, and the Secretary of Technology. The joint subcommittee shall also ensure the involvement of representatives of agricultural and tobacco interests, federal laboratories in Virginia involved in research and technology transfer in life sciences, and the not-for-profit life science and research institutions and laboratories in the Commonwealth.
Patron - Sickles

P SJ42

Study; mental health; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to receive, review, and evaluate the impact of certain recommendations and legislation on the mental health system in the Commonwealth. The Commission must consider and assess the recommendations of the Chief Justice's Commission on Mental Health Law Reform, the Virginia Tech Review Panel, the Office of the Inspector General for Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, other committees and commissions proposing recommendations related to the involuntary commitment process specifically and the system of mental health services in the Commonwealth, and legislation enacted by the 2008 Session of the General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor. The Commission must report its findings and recommendations to the 2010 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Lucas

P SJ46

Study; continuing the study of the mental health needs and treatment of minority young adults in the Commonwealth; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to continue its study of the mental health needs and treatment of young minority adults in the Commonwealth. In conducting the study, the Joint Commission on Health Care shall continue, among other things, to (i) estimate the number of mentally disabled young adults by gender, age, and racial and ethnic classification, in the geographical regions of the Commonwealth; (ii) identify the prevailing mental health and emotional disorders and their etiology among minority young adults; (iii) identify the mental health needs of minority citizens, particularly minority young adults in Virginia; (iv) determine whether mental health care providers are trained to provide culturally competent mental health treatment; (v) assess the need for culturally competent mental health treatment in Virginia; and (vi) review federal and state laws and regulations governing the confidentiality of health care, mental health treatment, and medical records. The Commission must submit its findings and recommendations to the 2009 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Marsh

P SJ56

Study; Virginia Housing Commission; vacant residential units in densely populated urban areas; report. Directs the Virginia Housing Commission to study the impact of abandoned and vacant residential buildings on densely populated urban areas.
Patron - Locke

P SJ65

Study; Southeastern Public Service Authority; report. Directs the Auditor of Public Accounts to collect, receive, and analyze data and information relating to the operation and finances of the Southeastern Public Service Authority. The Auditor must submit his findings to the 2009 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Quayle

P SJ70

Study; Development and land use tools in Virginia localities. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study development and land use tools in Virginia's localities. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall examine and monitor the transition to channeling development into Urban Development Areas, and determine if additional legislation is needed to help localities as they transition to Urban Development Areas. The joint subcommittee shall also make a comprehensive evaluation of all existing land use planning tools and infrastructure financing options and make any recommendations deemed appropriate. This resolution is identical to HJR 178 (Athey).
Patron - Vogel

P SJ75

Study; continuing the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Comprehensive Services Program for At-Risk Youth and Families; report. Continues the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Comprehensive Services Program for At-Risk Youth and Families, established by Senate Joint Resolution 96 (2006), to continue to review the administration of the Comprehensive Services Program and to develop additional legislative recommendations for the 2009 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Hanger

P SJ77

Study; substance abuse and prevention programs. Creates a joint subcommittee to study strategies and models for substance abuse prevention and treatment that effectively reduce the costly service demands created by substance abuse. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) identify and characterize the nature of substance abuse in the Commonwealth; (ii) identify current state policies and programs targeting substance abuse prevention and treatment; (iii) examine the cost of such policies and programs to the Commonwealth; (iv) identify and examine policies and prevention programs from other leading states in the field of substance abuse and prevention; and (v) benchmark the Commonwealth's substance abuse prevention and treatment programs and policies against those of the leading states.
Patron - Hanger

P SJ92

Study; transportation entities; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the functions and authorities of entities with transportation responsibilities. The joint subcommittee shall focus its efforts first on the Hampton Roads region and shall review the statutory functions of the metropolitan planning organizations, planning district commissions, and transportation authorities, making recommendations to resolve ambiguities and overlapping functions.
Patron - Stolle

P SJ99

Study; clerks' offices; report. Continues the joint subcommittee to study the operations of circuit court clerks' offices.
Patron - Stolle

P SJ101

Study; Adopting a single sales factor to apportion the income of multistate corporations for purposes of the corporation income tax; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the benefits of adopting a single sales factor to apportion the income of multistate corporations for purposes of the corporation income tax.
Patron - Stosch

P SJ102

Study; support services for family caregivers of the frail elderly and disabled and community-based caregiver support organizations; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study support services for family caregivers of the frail elderly and disabled and community-based caregiver support organizations.
Patron - Stosch

P SJ122

Study; rapid transit service network; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility of creating a regional rapid transit network for connecting existing and emerging population centers in major transportation corridors. This resolution incorporates SJR 83.
Patron - Colgan

P SJ129

Study; JLARC to study cost of VITA services; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to study services provided to state agencies and public bodies by the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA). In conducting its study, JLARC shall (i) evaluate the quality, cost, and value of the services delivered to state agencies and public bodies and (ii) characterize the impact to state agencies and public bodies resulting from the transition to a fee-based services model and to the information technology infrastructure partnership with Northrop Grumman. The Commission must submit its report to the 2010 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Stolle

Failed

F HJ15

Study; security freezes on consumer credit reports. Creates a joint subcommittee to study security freezes on consumer credit reports.
Patron - O'Bannon

F HJ22

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. This resolution was incorporated into HJR 178.
Patron - Marshall, R.G.

F HJ35

Study; indigent health care in the Commonwealth; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission 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 HJ43

Study; Online public institution of higher education; report. Requests that the State Council of Higher Education study the feasibility of establishing an online public institution of higher education. The Council must submit its findings and recommendations to the 2009 Session and its final findings and recommendations to the 2010 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Poisson

F HJ46

Comprehensive information system to replace or revise the Service Fee Directory. Requests that the Office of Comprehensive Services develop a comprehensive information system that would replace or revise the Service Fee Directory to capture and track, on an ongoing basis, key compliance, performance, and financial information, including rates, about residential services.
Patron - Landes

F HJ47

Study; severe shortage of medical doctors; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the current and impending severe shortage of medical doctors in Virginia. The joint subcommittee shall consider the impact of the current and impending shortage of medical doctors on the health care system in the Commonwealth, and identify options to prepare for and remedy the shortage. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall, among other things, (i) determine whether a shortage of medical doctors exists in the Commonwealth per specialty and geographical region; (ii) identify and assess factors that contribute to the shortage of medical doctors, including medical school admissions, the costs of medical education, and the effect of excessive malpractice insurance premiums, malpractice laws and caps, the shortage of nurses, and ancillary regulations such as the Certificate of Public Need; and (iii) identify the medical specialties primarily affected by the shortage of doctors and recommend ways to alleviate such problems. The joint subcommittee must submit its findings and recommendations to the 2009 Session and its final findings and recommendations to the 2010 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Purkey

F HJ52

Study; clerks' offices; report. Continuing the joint subcommittee to study the operations of circuit court clerks' offices.
Patron - Kilgore

F HJ53

Study; competition in the commercial health insurance market; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study measures to increase competition in the commercial health insurance market in the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, the Commission shall (i) determine the extent of concentration in the commercial health insurance market; (ii) analyze the effects of such level of concentration on the cost and availability of commercial health insurance products in the Commonwealth; (iii) identify issues responsible for the extent of such market concentration; (iv) determine whether the requirement that health insurers offer to small employers the essential and standard health plan should be repealed; and (v) recommend solutions to address any negative effects of market concentration.
Patron - O'Bannon

F HJ63

Study; Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission's recommendations for Fort Belvoir; Report. Creates a joint subcommittee to study the impact of the BRAC Commission's base realignment at Fort Belvoir on transportation, public schools, the environment, and affordable housing in Northern Virginia.
Patron - Nichols

F HJ64

Study; DC Metro extension to Woodbridge and Potomac Mills. Requests that the Secretary of Transportation study the extension of Metro from the Springfield station south on I-95 to Woodbridge and Potomac Mills.
Patron - Nichols

F HJ69

Study; Alternative solutions to long-term care needs in the Commonwealth; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study alternative solutions to long-term care needs, including intentional communities of clustered homes.
Patron - Plum

F HJ71

Study; 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 HJ74

Continue study; childhood obesity in Virginia's public schools; report. Continues the Joint Subcommittee to Study Childhood Obesity in Virginia's Public Schools. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall continue to 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, in an effort to ascertain methods of combating childhood obesity in the public schools. The joint subcommittee shall also continue to gather data on programs implemented by local school divisions in the Commonwealth, as well as programs in other states, and their effectiveness at decreasing the rates of obesity in school-age children and increasing parental involvement and education to ensure proper nutrition of children.
Patron - O'Bannon

F HJ83

Study; school funding recommendations; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility and appropriateness of implementing the recommendations of the 2002 Review of Elementary and Secondary School Funding by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall consider, among other things, the implication of requiring that (i) the costs of implementing the Standards of Quality be estimated on principles consistent with producing a current, prevailing cost; (ii) salaries, support costs, and fringe benefits be funded at the full anticipated levels in the budgetary biennium; (iii) the cost of competing factor for Planning Division 8 support salaries be fully funded; (iv) the use of the linear weighted average to determine prevailing costs be reviewed for any dampening effect on estimates of prevailing costs; and (v) recommendations be developed regarding establishing a teacher salary goal for the Commonwealth. The joint subcommittee must report its findings and recommendations to the 2009 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Rust

F HJ84

Study; Virginia Housing Commission; methods to procure affordable housing units for public employees working in areas where the median cost of a home exceeds $300,000; report. Directs the Virginia Housing Commission to study methods to procure affordable housing units for public employees working in areas where the median cost of a home exceeds $300,000.
Patron - Rust

F HJ85

Study; 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 2009 Session and its final findings and recommendations to the 2010 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Rust

F HJ87

Study; real estate tax relief program; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study for one year the treatment of income and asset qualifications for real estate tax relief.
Patron - Watts

F HJ88

Study; Transition process from school to work for disabled students; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the transition process from school to work for students with disabilities. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall examine the transition process from school to work for students with disabilities, including a review of pertinent state and federal laws and regulations, and the implementation of the required transition planning elements. The joint subcommittee shall consider such other related matters and make such recommendations as it deems appropriate, including cost implications, to ensure an effective and efficient transition process with the complement of needed post-school services to meet the needs of transition-age disabled students and to facilitate full compliance with state and federal laws. The joint subcommittee must report its findings and recommendations to the 2009 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Amundson

F HJ92

Study; electronic license plate recognition systems; report. Requests the Secretary of Public Safety to study the feasibility of increasing the use of electronic license plate recognition systems as a law-enforcement tool.
Patron - Mathieson

F HJ93

Study; Department of Social Services to study foster care code of ethics; report. Requests the Department of Social Services to study and develop a statewide foster care code of ethics and responsibility agreement. In conducting its study, the Department shall: (i) identify mutual responsibilities of foster parents, foster care workers, and directors of child-placing agencies, including local departments; (ii) develop a foster care code of ethics and responsibilities agreement to be signed by each foster care parent and worker, as well as the local department of social services' or child-placing agency's chief executive officer; and (iii) develop a grievance procedure to be used for violations of the code of ethics.
Patron - Orrock

F HJ98

Study; bus rapid transit in Northern Virginia; report. Creates a 10-member joint subcommittee to study the establishment of bus rapid transit corridors in Northern Virginia.
Patron - Watts

F HJ99

Study; Year-Round Colleges and Universities; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the merits of operating colleges and universities in Virginia year-round. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) determine the benefits of a year-round college calendar in Virginia; (ii) identify and evaluate the economic and academic advantages and disadvantages of the year-round college calendar, including, but not limited to, cost savings, rising enrollments, more rapid graduation due to accelerated programming, higher tuition and institutional costs, administrative and curriculum problems, admissions, retention, and persistence concerns, barriers to student seasonal employment, availability and flexibility of federal financial aid and other public and private grants in aid for higher education, academic continuity, scheduling for research activities, and capacity and utilization of academic buildings, dormitories, and other facilities. The joint subcommittee must report its findings and recommendations to the 2009 Session of the General Assembly. This resolution was incorporated into HJR 91 (Hamilton).
Patron - Poisson

F HJ100

Study; Department of Conservation and Recreation to study the privatization of hospitality-related services and functions; report. Provides for the Department of Conservation and Recreation to study the privatization of hospitality-related services and functions at Virginia's state parks.
Patron - Poisson

F HJ101

Study; Directs JCHC to study various responses to medical errors; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study the use of disclosure, apologies, alternative dispute resolution, and other measures in the case of medical errors and adverse medical outcomes and the impact of such measures on the cost and quality of care, patient confidence, and the medical malpractice system.
Patron - O'Bannon

F HJ102

Study; providing an income tax credit to employers that provide health insurance for their employees in the Commonwealth; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study providing an income tax credit to employers that provide health insurance for their employees in the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, the Commission shall, among other things, (i) quantify the cost to the Commonwealth of employer decisions not to sponsor employee health insurance; (ii) determine the effects of providing a reduced income tax rate, implemented through a tax credit program, for corporations and other business entities that provide health insurance for their employees; (iii) identify a mechanism by which the net societal savings resulting from such an income tax credit may be earmarked for funding health care in the Commonwealth; and (iv) determine what amount of an income tax credit would be sufficient to incentivize employers that are not currently providing health insurance for employees to do so.
Patron - Hogan

F HJ103

Study; 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. The joint subcommittee is to report to the 2009 session.
Patron - Moran

F HJ106

Recycling of fluorescent bulbs; study. Requests the Virginia Recycling Markets Development Council to study the costs and benefits of recycling fluorescent light bulbs that contain mercury.
Patron - Valentine

F HJ107

Study; underage drinking. Requests the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to study underage drinking prevention programs. In conducting its study, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control shall identify programs and policies from other states targeted at preventing underage consumption of alcohol; review the effectiveness and cost of such programs and policies; and recommend programs and policies that would help prevent underage consumption of alcohol in Virginia.
Patron - Armstrong

F HJ108

Study; affordable housing incentives; report. Directs the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Department of Taxation to study incentives for affordable housing. They are to complete their work by November 30, 2008.
Patron - Caputo

F HJ109

Cost of investment in high-carbon-emitting generation; study. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the potential economic impact to the Commonwealth of further investment in high-carbon-emitting generation facilities, such as the power plant proposed for Wise County, if the federal government were to adopt a carbon tax, a cap-and-trade program, or other system to regulate the emission of greenhouse gases. The Commission shall provide recommendations for investment in electricity generation that would enable the Commonwealth to maximize its future financial and economic position. Recommendations may include consideration of varying fuel sources, emission control technology, and demand-side management.
Patron - Englin

F HJ110

Study; Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study autism education and training available to law-enforcement and judicial personnel. Report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the autism education and training available to law-enforcement and judicial personnel. This resolution was incorporated into HJR 105.
Patron - Englin

F HJ111

Study; Dillon Rule; report. Creates an 11-member joint subcommittee for a two-year study of the Dillon Rule and its impact on Virginia's localities.
Patron - Englin

F HJ112

Beverage container recycling; study. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to include in its 2007 authorized two-year study (SJR 361) an analysis of the effectiveness of the recovery and recycling of beverage containers as a waste minimization strategy.
Patron - Morgan

F HJ114

Access to waterways; study. Establishes a six-member joint subcommittee to study the public's right to float, fish, and navigate the waters of the Commonwealth
Patron - Lohr

F HJ115

Continuing study; shortage of science and engineering graduates; report. Continues the joint subcommittee to study science and technology education in business, law, and policy graduate programs in state institutions of higher education established by House Joint Resolution 611 (2007) as the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Shortage of Science and Engineering Graduates in the Commonwealth. This resolution was incorporated into HJR 90.
Patron - Purkey

F HJ116

Study; options for energy-efficient office buildings and public buildings. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study options for energy-efficient office buildings and public buildings. The joint subcommittee is directed to propose amendments to the Statewide Building Code and to public building procurement requirements that will make such buildings more energy efficient, at costs that are recoverable through savings in energy usage.
Patron - Hugo

F HJ117

Study; Craney Island Dredged Materials Management Area; report. Requests the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the impact of increased elevations at the Craney Island Dredged Materials Management Area. The Commission will study the efficiencies of ocean dumping compared to continued dumping on Craney Island; the stability of the dredged materials during and after a natural disaster; the risks of dike breaches; impacts on the harbor infrastructure and the environment; and reduced utility of the area after dredging has ceased.
Patron - Joannou

F HJ118

Study; legislative efficiency; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the operations of each house and all agencies in the legislative branch to develop recommendations for improving efficiency. The Commission is required to report and submit its findings and recommendations to the 2009 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Shannon

F HJ153

Study; competitive bidding under PPTA. Establishes a 10-member joint subcommittee to study competitive bidding on projects under the Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995 and similar projects.
Patron - Watts

F HJ154

Study; laws and policies relating to purchase, possession, and transport of firearms in the Commonwealth; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to review existing laws regarding the purchase, possession, and transport of firearms in the Commonwealth, and to make recommendations for future legislation relating to firearms.
Patron - Caputo

F HJ156

Study; Commission on Local Government; report. Requests the Commission on Local Government to study the need for contingency plans for local governing bodies to operate in the event of public health emergencies.
Patron - Sickles

F HJ157

Study; state transportation entities; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Transportation Accountability to study the functions and authorities of state entities with transportation responsibilities.
Patron - Bouchard

F HJ158

Study; decline in funding from federal Highway Trust Fund; report. Establishes a 10-member joint subcommittee to study the impact on Virginia of a decline in funding from the federal Highway Trust Fund.
Patron - Bouchard

F HJ160

Study; juvenile justice system; report. Provides for a two-year study of the juvenile justice system and how to make it more effective at protecting society and rehabilitating juveniles. This resolution was incorporated into HJR 113.
Patron - Phillips

F HJ161

Study; merit pay and bonus system for public school teachers in the Commonwealth. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the efficacy and appropriateness of establishing a merit pay and bonus system for public school teachers in the Commonwealth.
Patron - Saxman

F HJ162

Study; Bonds and other investment actions by state entities. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the feasibility of consolidating the issuance and administration of bonds and other investment activity of state government now performed by numerous state entities.
Patron - Saxman

F HJ163

Study; companion animals; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to study issues related to companion animals including veterinary medicine, commercial breeding practices, overpopulation, animal shelters and pounds, dangerous animal laws, tethering practices, local registration and fee collection, and procedures for disaster preparedness.
Patron - Saxman

F HJ164

Study; Virginia Commission on Immigration; report. Requests the Virginia Commission on Immigration to study the pervasiveness of licensed contractors in Virginia hiring undocumented workers or otherwise violating the federal Immigration and Reform Act and the impact of such activities on Virginia's workforce and economy.
Patron - Cosgrove

F HJ165

Study; cost of caring for "baby boomers"; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study reducing the cost of caring for the aging population of the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall examine alternatives to nursing home care, including adult day care; evaluate cost containment efforts in other states; and seek the input of other interested parties, including both private and nonprofit entities who work with the aging population, in seeking cost containment strategies.
Patron - Marshall, R.G.

F HJ166

Study; Use of certain cleaning and maintenance products in the public schools of the Commonwealth; report. Requests the Board of Education, in cooperation with the Department of General Services, to study the use of certain cleaning and maintenance products in the public schools. The Board of Education is requested to establish a year-long pilot program, consisting of elementary and secondary schools representing rural, urban, and suburban school divisions, in which the participating schools are requested to purchase and use only cleaning products certified as environmentally sensitive, or "green," by the independent Green Seals national certification program. The Board is requested to require that participating schools compare and monitor the cost and efficacy of using "green" cleaning products vis--vis commercial cleaning products customarily used in the public schools. Working with the Department of General Services, the Board must confer with various representatives of other state agencies, the education community, business and industry, and other interested parties concerning the efficacy of implementing a "Green, and Clean Schools" program in Virginia. The Board and the Department must report jointly their findings and recommendations to the 2009 General Assembly, and their final findings and recommendations to the 2010 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Lingamfelter

F HJ167

F HJ168

Study; payday lending industry; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to study the payday lending industry in the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, JLARC shall (i) examine the effectiveness of payday lending in meeting the credit needs of residents of the Commonwealth, (ii) if legislation is enacted in the 2008 Session of the General Assembly that provides for the establishment of a database for monitoring payday lending practices, examine the effects of the database on payday lending in the Commonwealth, and (iii) consider such other issues as it deems appropriate.
Patron - Sickles

F HJ169

Study; policies to reduce the negative impacts of plastic bags on the environment; report. Requests the Department of Environmental Quality to convene stakeholders meetings to discuss and report on potential legislative actions that would mitigate the negative effects of improperly disposed of plastic bags on the Commonwealth's environment. Stakeholders shall include representatives of agriculture, conservation, local government, manufacturing, plastics industry, timber industry, and retailers. In the selection of feasible policies, the stakeholders shall review existing policies and programs adopted in the United States and other countries.
Patron - Barlow

F HJ170

Study; Shortage of classroom teachers in Virginia. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the shortage of classroom teachers in Virginia. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall consider, among other things, (i) factors affecting teacher recruitment and retention in Virginia; (ii) effective teacher retention initiatives in other states; (iii) ways in which conditions of employment in Virginia public schools might be enhanced to promote teacher retention; (iv) the work and recommendations of recent legislative and executive branch studies addressing teacher shortage and employment issues; and (v) such other related issues as it deems appropriate. The joint subcommittee must report its findings and recommendations to the 2009 General Assembly and submit its final findings and recommendations to the 2010 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Ingram

F HJ171

Study; endocrine disruptor compounds; report. Requests the Department of Environmental Quality to examine the effects of endocrine disruptor compounds (EDCs), the pollutant identified as responsible for "intersex fish." The Department will: (i) consult with federal, state, regional, and local authorities as well as solid waste and wastewater associations and agencies to monitor the ongoing federal research and efforts to catalog and assess the effects of EDCs on the environment and human health; (ii) evaluate the fiscal and regulatory impact of potential changes to the federal standards for wastewater treatment, drinking water treatment, and stormwater management practices to manage the negative effects of EDCs; (iii) evaluate the feasibility of implementing a statewide, public-private program to facilitate the collection and proper disposal of unused medicines containing EDCs; and (iv) examine current laws and regulations that may limit or prohibit viable medicinal take-back options at the state or local level.
Patron - Bulova

F HJ172

Study; 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 HJ173

Study; access to credit; report. Establishes a 13-member joint subcommittee to study access to credit in the Commonwealth.
Patron - Hugo

F HJ174

Study; directing the Joint Commission on Health Care to study considering competence of licensed health care professionals as a condition of license renewal; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study considering competence of licensed health care professionals as a condition of licensure renewal. Provides that in its deliberations, the Commission shall determine and consider how each of Virginia's 13 health regulatory boards currently measures the competence of practitioners subject to relicensure, and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various methods by which current competence might be demonstrated and measured. The Commission shall also consider existing proposals or pending proposals by health care professional organizations and others who have considered or made recommendations on the issue of continued competence of health care professionals. Finally, the Commission shall develop recommendations regarding any changes that may be necessary to ensure that health care professionals licensed in Virginia are competent at the time of relicensure.
Patron - Hall

F HJ175

F HJ176

Study; JCOTS to study open education resources; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Technology and Science to study opportunities to implement open education resources in the Commonwealth's K-12 public schools. In conducting its study, the Joint Commission on Technology and Science shall (i) evaluate opportunities to incentivise local school divisions to use open education resources, creative commons materials, and public domain texts; (ii) identify policies and legislation that would facilitate the use and sharing of educational materials developed by teachers in local school divisions across the Commonwealth; (iii) identify information technology barriers to greater implementation of open education resources and computer-based learning; and (iv) consider such other related issues as the joint commission deems appropriate.
Patron - Peace

F HJ179

Study; chronic truancy and dropout prevention; report. Requests the Board of Education to study the need for and ways of improving the coordination between chronic truancy and dropout prevention in Virginia. In conducting its study, the Board of Education shall, among other things, (i) review state laws and its policies relating to the enforcement of compulsory school attendance, truancy, and dropout prevention for consistency and clarity; (ii) evaluate the need for and duties of school attendance officers as provided by state law, and the need for conformity in statutory requirements pertaining to school attendance officers; (iii) evaluate the need to clarify and enhance the responsibilities of division superintendents to enforce compulsory school attendance laws; (iv) assess factors related to the causes of academic underachievement, chronic truancy, and school dropout and determine whether, and under what conditions, such students should also be considered "children in need of services" for compulsory school attendance purposes; (v) consider the need and efficacy of defining "truancy" and "chronic truancy" in the Code of Virginia; and (vi) recommend to the General Assembly such changes to state law and public policies, including funding, and such other initiatives as the Board may deem appropriate and necessary to effect a comprehensive approach to chronic truancy and dropout prevention. The Board must submit its findings and recommendations to the 2009 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Hall

F HJ193

F HJ207

Study; JCHC to study continuing competency of health care professionals; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study the feasibility, advisability, and necessity of considering the competence of licensed health care professionals as a condition of license renewal.
Patron - Amundson

F HJ215

Study; mental health services in local and regional jails; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to study mental health services in local and regional jails, including determining the need for mental health services in the Commonwealth's local and regional jails, identifying barriers to the provision of necessary services, and developing recommendations for actions to initiate or improve services to persons with mental illness incarcerated in the Commonwealth's local and regional jails.
Patron - Tyler

F HJ238

Family caregivers of the frail elderly and disabled and community-based caregiver support organizations. Joint Commission on Health Care to study support services.
Patron - Shannon

F SJ17

F SJ28

Study; enhanced punishment for crimes committed in the presence of children; report. Requests the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission to study the use of and need for enhanced punishment for crimes committed in the presence of children. In conducting its study, the Commission shall examine the number of convictions for crimes, and the nature of these crimes, that were committed in the presence of children and whether the presence of such children during the commission of a crime was taken into account during sentencing.
Patron - Marsh

F SJ31

Study; uniform risk assessment tool for parole determinations; report. Requests that the Department of Corrections report on an ongoing pilot study of the use of a risk assessment instrument for parole determinations, work release programs, and other community activities.
Patron - Puller

F SJ32

Study; options for energy efficient office buildings and public buildings. Directs the Virginia Commission on Energy and Climate Change, created pursuant to SB 464 (2008), to study options for energy efficient office buildings and public buildings. The Commission is directed to propose amendments to the Statewide Building Code and to public building procurement requirements that will make such buildings more energy efficient, at costs that are recoverable through savings in energy usage.
Patron - Puller

F SJ45

Study; juvenile transfers; report. Requests the Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice to study the process of determining whether a juvenile should be tried as an adult.
Patron - Locke

F SJ47

Study; JLARC to study Board of Medicine; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to conduct a follow-up review of the effectiveness of the Board of Medicine in regulating the practice of medicine.
Patron - Puller

F SJ50

F SJ55

Study; teacher shortage; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the teacher shortage in the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall review current teacher certification and licensure requirements as well as teacher preparation programs in Virginia; examine the effectiveness of existing programs designed to recruit and retain teachers, including Teach for America, and other alternative certification routes; identify barriers to teaching as a career choice and possible solutions; evaluate other states' initiatives aimed at teacher recruitment and retention; and identify incentives for bringing out-of-state teachers to Virginia. This resolution incorporates SJR 79.
Patron - Locke

F SJ57

Study; organization of Virginia local government. Creates a 15-member joint subcommittee to study the organization of Virginia local government, to review previous studies on this topic, and to make recommendations as appropriate.
Patron - Deeds

F SJ61

Study; early reading proficiency and comprehension; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study ways to promote and ensure early reading proficiency and comprehension among third graders in public schools. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) determine the number of third graders who read at grade level; (ii) rank the school divisions according to the number of third graders who passed the most recent third grade reading test; (iii) identify best practices utilized by school divisions with the highest percentage of third graders who read at grade level; (iv) examine the findings and recommendations of state and national studies pertaining to the efficacy of early reading proficiency and comprehension and its relationship to academic success, and recommend those recommendations appropriate for implementation in Virginia; and (v) determine strategies to increase the number of third graders who pass the third grade reading test and ways to improve and sustain the early reading proficiency of third grade students. The joint subcommittee must submit its findings and recommendations to the 2009 Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Miller, J.C.

F SJ62

Study; unforeseen circumstances that prevent a local governing body from convening a quorum for conducting business; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study methods to alleviate the instances when unforeseen circumstances prevent a local governing body from convening a quorum for conducting business.
Patron - Barker

F SJ66

F SJ68

Study; state assistance for public school construction and renovation; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the level of state assistance to localities to assist with financing land acquisition, and the construction and renovation of school facilities. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee must ascertain alternative methods of financing the construction and renovation of public school facilities in Virginia, including the feasibility of public-private partnerships. The joint subcommittee must report its findings and recommendations to the 2009 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
Patron - Barker

F SJ74

Study; increasing the number of foster families in the Commonwealth; report. Requests the Department of Social Services to study ways of increasing the number of foster families in the Commonwealth.
Patron - Hanger

F SJ76

Study; 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 the study, the joint subcommittee would study alternative options for cost-sharing arrangements with local governments to provide funding for land preservation and new parks, the effectiveness and efficiency of local purchase of development rights programs as a tool for land preservation, the future needs of the Commonwealth for open-space land and parks, and sources of dedicated funds for long-term funding of land preservation and new parks. The joint subcommittee will also receive information from the Department of Conservation and Recreation on the funding of water quality improvements from agricultural land uses.
Patron - Hanger

F SJ79

Study; Dedicated revenue stream for teacher salaries. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility of creating a dedicated revenue stream for teacher salaries. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall examine the salary levels of beginning and veteran teachers in Virginia, review methods and initiatives employed by other states to increase and maintain competitive teacher salaries, and evaluate the feasibility of and identify appropriate sources for creating a dedicated revenue stream to fund teacher salaries. The joint subcommittee must report its findings and recommendations to the 2009 Session of the General Assembly. This resolution has been incorporated into SJR 55.
Patron - Northam

F SJ80

Study; Virginia Housing Commission; incentives used by other states for targeted affordable housing development for the workforce; report. Directs the Virginia Housing Commission to study incentives used by other states and jurisdictions for targeted development of affordable housing and whether such incentives may be used to foster the location of affordable housing for the workforce in appropriate areas of need.
Patron - Northam

F SJ81

Study; income tax credits for certain homeowners based upon real property taxes and annual income; report. Requests the Department of Taxation to study implications of a state income tax credit for homeowners with annual real property taxes exceeding a certain percentage of their annual incomes. In conducting its study, the Department of Taxation shall (i) examine state constitutional and statutory issues regarding real property tax exemptions, (ii) study the effectiveness and efficiency of local real property tax relief programs, (iii) study thresholds for real property tax liability used by other states for triggering eligibility for state income tax credits or other state assistance, (iv) consider the percentage of annual income that annual real property taxes would have to exceed for purposes of determining eligibility for state income tax credits, (v) examine the ability of low and moderate income homeowners to pay real property taxes, and (vi) consider such other issues as it deems appropriate.
Patron - Miller, J.C.

F SJ82

F SJ83

Study; mass transit options for Northern Virginia; report. Requests the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to study mass transit options and potential improvements for Northern Virginia. This resolution has been incorporated into SJR 122.
Patron - Barker

F SJ89

Study; Department of Treasury; Virginia Unclaimed Property Act; report. Requests the Department of Treasury to study the reporting requirements established by the Virginia Unclaimed Property Act. In reviewing the Act, the Department shall study the feasibility of establishing a minimum threshold amount for reporting and transferring unclaimed property to the state.
Patron - Obenshain

F SJ90

Study; restorative justice; report. Directs the Virginia State Crime Commission to study restorative justice and specifically, victim-offender reconciliation programs.
Patron - Norment

F SJ96

Study; ecological services incentives to forest landowner; report. Requests the Board of Forestry to study the provision of ecological services incentives to private landowners to help them hold and preserve their forestland and receive compensation for the ecosystem services their forestlands provide.
Patron - Ticer

F SJ98

F SJ100

Study; nuclear power; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study nuclear power within the Commonwealth. The joint subcommittee shall (i) address all aspects of the production of nuclear power, including the mining of uranium the impact of the new nuclear plants on electricity rates; (ii) examine the economic development potential of nuclear power; (iii) consider whether the General Assembly should take action to support the development of additional nuclear power facilities in the Commonwealth; and (v) examine the advisability of permitting the mining of uranium in Virginia. This resolution has been incorporated into SJR 133.
Patron - Cuccinelli

F SJ107

Uranium Mining. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the mining of uranium in the Commonwealth. The joint subcommittee must review the findings of the study conducted by the National Academy of Sciences that has been authorized and funded in the appropriations act for the 2008-2010 biennium.
Patron - Saslaw

F SJ119

Study; retroreflective material on stop sign posts; report. Requests the Department of Transportation to study the feasibility, costs, and benefits of applying retroreflective material to stop sign and yield sign posts statewide.
Patron - Barker

F SJ128

Study; JCHC to study continuing competency of health care professionals; report. Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study the feasibility, advisability, and necessity of considering the competence of licensed health care professionals who are not granted deemed status as a condition of license renewal.
Patron - Houck

F SJ133

Study; low-level radioactive waste; report. Requests the Department of Health to study long-term options for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste. This resolution incorporates SJR 100.
Patron - McEachin

CONTENTS | < PREVIOUS | NEXT > | BILL INDEX

General Assembly>Division of Legislative Services>Publications>Session Summaries>2008>Study Resolutions

E-mail Webmaster