Nominating persons to be elected to the Court of Appeals of Virginia.

Heavy trucks; operation in certain weather conditions. Prohibits operators of heavy trucks, as defined in the bill, from using cruise control or compression release engine brakes when driving in active snow, sleet, or freezing rain. Heavy trucks; operation in certain weather conditions. Prohibits operators of heavy trucks, as defined in the bill, from using cruise control or compression release engine brakes when driving in active snow, sleet, or freezing rain.

Driving Decarbonization Program and Fund. Establishes the Driving Decarbonization Program and Fund to assist developers with non-utility costs associated with the installation of electric vehicle charging stations. A developer is eligible to receive grants of 50 to 70 percent of the non-utility costs, depending on where the charging station is located in the Commonwealth. The total amount of grants awarded in a fiscal year is capped at $20 million, with at least $5 million in grants reserved for charging stations located in historically economically distressed communities. Driving Decarbonization Program and Fund. Establishes the Driving Decarbonization Program and Fund to assist developers with non-utility costs associated with the installation of electric vehicle charging stations. A developer is eligible to receive grants of 50 to 70 percent of the non-utility costs, depending on where the charging station is located in the Commonwealth. The total amount of grants awarded in a fiscal year is capped at $20 million, with at least $5 million in grants reserved for charging stations located in historically economically distressed communities.

Moratorium on fossil fuel projects. Establishes a moratorium, effective January 1, 2023, on any approval by any state agency or political subdivision required for (i) electric generating facilities that generate fossil fuel energy through the combustion or use of a fossil fuel resource; (ii) import or export terminals for a fossil fuel resource; (iii) modification of an import or export terminal for a fossil fuel resource; (iv) gathering lines or pipelines for the transport of any fossil fuel resource that requires the use of public land or eminent domain on private property; (v) modification of such gathering lines or pipelines; (vi) refineries of a fossil fuel resource; (vii) any facilities that change the physical state of a fossil fuel resource for the purpose of transporting such fuel; and (viii) exploration for any type of fossil fuel, unless preempted by federal law. The bill requires the establishment of transitional assistance for workers in the fossil fuel industry and affected communities.

Licensure and practice of associate physicians. Authorizes the Board of Medicine to issue a two-year license to practice as an associate physician to an applicant who is 18 years of age or older, is of good moral character, has graduated from an accredited medical school, has successfully completed Step 1 and Step 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination, and has not completed a medical internship or residency program. The bill requires all associate physicians to practice in accordance with a practice agreement entered into between the associate physician and a physician licensed by the Board and provides for prescriptive authority of associate physicians in accordance with regulations of the Board.

Public elementary and secondary schools and public school-based early childhood care and education programs; student instruction; masks; emergency. Requires, except in the case of the 10 unscheduled remote learning days otherwise permitted by law or in certain cases of student discipline, each school board to offer in-person instruction, as defined in the bill, to each student enrolled in the local school division in a public elementary or secondary school for at least the minimum number of required annual instructional hours and to each student enrolled in the local school division in a public school-based early childhood care and education program for the entirety of the instructional time provided pursuant to such program. The bill permits, notwithstanding any other provision of law or any regulation, rule, or policy implemented by a school board, school division, school official, or other state or local authority, the parent of any child enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school, or in any school-based early childhood care and education program, to elect for such child to not wear a mask while on school property. The bill provides that no parent making such an election shall be required to provide a reason or any certification of the child's health or education status and no student shall suffer any adverse disciplinary or academic consequences as a result of this parental election. The bill requires each local school division to comply with the foregoing provisions relating to masks no later than March 1, 2022. The bill clarifies that none of the foregoing provisions shall be construed to affect the authority granted to the Governor to achieve the purposes of relevant emergency services and disaster law with regard to a communicable disease of public health threat. The bill contains an emergency clause. Public elementary and secondary schools and public school-based early childhood care and education programs; student instruction; masks; emergency. Requires, except in the case of the 10 unscheduled remote learning days otherwise permitted by law or in certain cases of student discipline, each school board to offer in-person instruction, as defined in the bill, to each student enrolled in the local school division in a public elementary or secondary school for at least the minimum number of required annual instructional hours and to each student enrolled in the local school division in a public school-based early childhood care and education program for the entirety of the instructional time provided pursuant to such program. The bill permits, notwithstanding any other provision of law or any regulation, rule, or policy implemented by a school board, school division, school official, or other state or local authority, the parent of any child enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school, or in any school-based early childhood care and education program, to elect for such child to not wear a mask while on school property. The bill provides that no parent making such an election shall be required to provide a reason or any certification of the child's health or education status and no student shall suffer any adverse disciplinary or academic consequences as a result of this parental election. The bill requires each local school division to comply with the foregoing provisions relating to masks no later than March 1, 2022. The bill clarifies that none of the foregoing provisions shall be construed to affect the authority granted to the Governor to achieve the purposes of relevant emergency services and disaster law with regard to a communicable disease of public health threat. The bill contains an emergency clause.

Department of Military Affairs; health care insurance premiums for members of Virginia National Guard or Virginia Defense Force. Provides that the Department of Military Affairs shall have the power to pay the employer portion of health care premiums for any member of the Virginia National Guard or Virginia Defense Force when certain circumstances are met. The bill requires the Department to establish policies, procedures, and protocols to implement and record such payments and to report annually to the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs all such payments made.

Alleged wrongdoing of law-enforcement employees. Requires all law-enforcement agencies that employ at least 10 law-enforcement officers, to ensure that, in the case of all written citizen complaints or complaints submitted in an electronic format, the agency (i) allows for the submission of citizen complaints through the agency's website or other electronic format; (ii) provides a receipt or written acknowledgment confirming the submission of the complaint to the individual filing such complaint; (iii) provides a written response to any individual who has filed a complaint indicating the complaint has been finalized, and (iv) provides notice to any individual who has filed a complaint if an investigation into a previously filed complaint has been reopened upon the submission of new materials after a final resolution for the previously filed complaint has been reached. Alleged wrongdoing of law-enforcement employees. Requires all law-enforcement agencies that employ at least 10 law-enforcement officers, to ensure that, in the case of all written citizen complaints or complaints submitted in an electronic format, the agency (i) allows for the submission of citizen complaints through the agency's website or other electronic format; (ii) provides a receipt or written acknowledgment confirming the submission of the complaint to the individual filing such complaint; (iii) provides a written response to any individual who has filed a complaint indicating the complaint has been finalized, and (iv) provides notice to any individual who has filed a complaint if an investigation into a previously filed complaint has been reopened upon the submission of new materials after a final resolution for the previously filed complaint has been reached.

Board of Education; evaluation of and recommendations for Board of Education; evaluation of and recommendations for certain current and proposed policies and performance standards for public elementary and secondary schools. Requires the Board of Education to collaborate with the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Secretary of Education to evaluate, to implement where possible, and to otherwise make recommendations to the General Assembly regarding the following goals: (i) promoting excellence in instruction and student achievement in mathematics, including elimination of the Virginia Mathematics Pathways Initiative and an evaluation of any other proposed changes to the Mathematics Standards of Learning, in advance of the next revision of such standards by the Board, to maintain and increase the rigor of mathematics instruction in public elementary and secondary schools and permit students demonstrating aptitude and high achievement in mathematics to accelerate their progress through core mathematics classes and concepts and take advanced mathematics courses before the eleventh grade; (ii) increasing the number of academic year Governor's Schools in the Commonwealth and maintaining standards of excellence for students in all such schools; (iii) preserving the Advanced Studies Diploma as an option for students in public high schools in the Commonwealth while maintaining or increasing course and credit requirements for such diploma; (iv) increasing the transparency and honesty of performance measures for public elementary and secondary schools in the Commonwealth and ensuring that such measures do not obscure or conceal disparities in performance among student groups; (v) ensuring that performance measures for public elementary and secondary schools prioritize the attainment of grade-level proficiency in reading and mathematics for all students, especially in grades kindergarten through five; (vi) ensuring that the Commonwealth's proficiency standards on Standards of Learning assessments in reading and mathematics are rigorous in comparison with assessments administered by other states and national assessments in reading and mathematics; and (vii) restoring a strong accreditation system that promotes meaningful accountability year-over-year. The bill requires the Secretary of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, no later than November 30, 2022, to report to the chairmen of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health the results of such evaluation and recommendations to achieve such goals.

Flood resiliency and protection. Implements recommendations from the first Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan. The bill provides guidelines for the development of a flood protection plan for the Commonwealth and requires that the Coastal Resilience Master Plan be updated by November 1, 2022, and every five years thereafter. The bill establishes the Virginia Coastal Resilience Technical Advisory Committee to assist with the updates and requires the development of a community outreach and engagement plan to ensure meaningful involvement by affected community residents. The bill also requires that the Chief Resilience Officer report every two years, beginning July 1, 2023, on the status of flood resilience in the Commonwealth.

Voter registration; cancellation of registration; notice requirement. Requires general registrars to provide notice of the cancellation of a voter's registration to the voter by mail to the address listed in the voter's registration record and by email to the email address provided on the voter's registration application, if one was provided. Voter registration; cancellation of registration; notice requirement. Requires general registrars to provide notice of the cancellation of a voter's registration to the voter by mail to the address listed in the voter's registration record and by email to the email address provided on the voter's registration application, if one was provided.

Natural gas, biogas, and other gas sources of energy; definitions; energy conservation and efficiency; Steps to Advance Virginia's Energy Plan; biogas supply infrastructure projects; work group. Permits natural gas utilities to include in their fuel portfolios, submitted to the State Corporation Commission to monitor fuel prices and purchases, supplemental or substitute forms of gas sources, defined in the bill, that meet certain standards and that reduce emissions intensity. The bill amends provisions of the Code related to conservation and energy efficiency programs, removes certain cost-effectiveness requirements for conservation and energy efficiency programs, and adds appliance rebates to the types of programs the Commission may consider. The bill expands conservation and ratemaking efficiency provisions of the Code that currently apply to natural gas consumption specifically to instead apply generally to energy consumption. Natural gas, biogas, and other gas sources of energy; definitions; energy conservation and efficiency; Steps to Advance Virginia's Energy Plan; biogas supply infrastructure projects; work group. Permits natural gas utilities to include in their fuel portfolios, submitted to the State Corporation Commission to monitor fuel prices and purchases, supplemental or substitute forms of gas sources, defined in the bill, that meet certain standards and that reduce emissions intensity. The bill amends provisions of the Code related to conservation and energy efficiency programs, removes certain cost-effectiveness requirements for conservation and energy efficiency programs, and adds appliance rebates to the types of programs the Commission may consider. The bill expands conservation and ratemaking efficiency provisions of the Code that currently apply to natural gas consumption specifically to instead apply generally to energy consumption. The bill introduces enhanced leak detection and repair programs, defined in the bill, as a type of eligible infrastructure replacement for a natural gas utility facility. The bill provides that the costs of detecting and repairing leaks may be added to a natural gas utility's plan to identify proposed eligible infrastructure replacement projects and related cost recovery mechanisms, known as the utility's Steps to Advance Virginia's Energy (SAVE) Plan. The bill adds provisions to the Code related to biogas supply infrastructure projects, defined in the bill, and specifies that eligible infrastructure costs for such projects include (i) the investment in such projects, (ii) the return on the investment in such projects, (iii) a revenue conversion factor, (iv) operating and maintenance expenses, (v) depreciation, (vi) property tax and other taxes or government fees, and (vii) carrying costs on the over-recovery or under-recovery of the eligible biogas supply infrastructure costs. Under the bill, natural gas utilities can recover these eligible infrastructure costs on an ongoing basis through the gas component of the utility's rate structure or other recovery mechanism approved by the Commission. The bill provides that the biogas supply investment plan submitted by a natural gas utility may include an option to receive the biogas or sell the biogas at market prices and establishes a timeline for the Commission to approve such plan. The bill requires a natural gas utility with an approved biogas supply investment plan to annually file a report of the investments made, the eligible infrastructure costs incurred and the amount of such costs recovered, the volume of biogas delivered to customers or sold to third parties during the 12-month reporting period, and an analysis of the price of biogas delivered to customers and the market cost of biogas during the reporting period. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Environmental Quality to convene a stakeholder work group to determine the feasibility of setting a statewide methane reduction goal and plan. The recommendations of the work group shall be reported to the General Assembly by July 1, 2023.

Sales tax; taxable accommodations. Provides that, for purposes of the retail sales and use tax on accommodations, the term "accommodations" does not include rooms or space offered by a person in the business of providing conference rooms, meeting space, or event space if the person does not also offer rooms available for overnight sleeping. The substantive provisions of the bill are given retroactive effect to September 1, 2021, but no taxpayer shall be entitled to a refund for any taxes remitted prior to July 1, 2022. Sales tax; taxable accommodations. Provides that, for purposes of the retail sales and use tax on accommodations, the term "accommodations" does not include rooms or space offered by a person in the business of providing conference rooms, meeting space, or event space if the person does not also offer rooms available for overnight sleeping. The substantive provisions of the bill are given retroactive effect to September 1, 2021, but no taxpayer shall be entitled to a refund for any taxes remitted prior to July 1, 2022.

Health insurance; carrier disclosure of certain information. Requires each health insurance carrier, beginning July 1, 2025, to establish and maintain an online process that (i) links directly to e-prescribing systems and electronic health record systems that utilize the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs SCRIPT standard; (ii) can accept electronic prior authorization requests from a provider; (iii) can approve electronic prior authorization requests for which no additional information is needed by the carrier to process the prior authorization request, no clinical review is required, and that meet the carrier's criteria for approval; and (iv) otherwise meets the requirements of the relevant Code of Virginia section. The bill prohibits a carrier from (a) imposing a charge or fee on a participating health care provider for accessing the required online process required or (b) accessing, absent provider consent, provider data via the online process other than for the enrollee. The bill requires participating health care providers, beginning July 1, 2025, to ensure that any e-prescribing system or electronic health record system owned by or contracted for the provider to maintain an enrollee's health record has the ability to access the electronic prior authorization process established by a carrier and real-time cost information data for a covered prescription drug made available by a carrier. The bill provides that a provider may request a waiver of compliance for undue hardship for a period not to exceed 12 months. The bill requires any carrier or its pharmacy benefits manager to provide real-time cost information data to enrollees and contracted providers for a covered prescription drug, including any cost-sharing requirement or prior authorization requirements, and to ensure that the data is accurate. The bill requires that such cost information data is available to the provider in a format that a provider can access and understand such as through the provider's e-prescribing system or electronic health record system for which the carrier or pharmacy benefits manager or its designated subcontractor has adopted that utilizes the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs SCRIPT standard from which the provider makes the request. Health insurance; carrier disclosure of certain information. Requires each health insurance carrier, beginning July 1, 2025, to establish and maintain an online process that (i) links directly to e-prescribing systems and electronic health record systems that utilize the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs SCRIPT standard; (ii) can accept electronic prior authorization requests from a provider; (iii) can approve electronic prior authorization requests for which no additional information is needed by the carrier to process the prior authorization request, no clinical review is required, and that meet the carrier's criteria for approval; and (iv) otherwise meets the requirements of the relevant Code of Virginia section. The bill prohibits a carrier from (a) imposing a charge or fee on a participating health care provider for accessing the required online process required or (b) accessing, absent provider consent, provider data via the online process other than for the enrollee. The bill requires participating health care providers, beginning July 1, 2025, to ensure that any e-prescribing system or electronic health record system owned by or contracted for the provider to maintain an enrollee's health record has the ability to access the electronic prior authorization process established by a carrier and real-time cost information data for a covered prescription drug made available by a carrier. The bill provides that a provider may request a waiver of compliance for undue hardship for a period not to exceed 12 months. The bill requires any carrier or its pharmacy benefits manager to provide real-time cost information data to enrollees and contracted providers for a covered prescription drug, including any cost-sharing requirement or prior authorization requirements, and to ensure that the data is accurate. The bill requires that such cost information data is available to the provider in a format that a provider can access and understand such as through the provider's e-prescribing system or electronic health record system for which the carrier or pharmacy benefits manager or its designated subcontractor has adopted that utilizes the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs SCRIPT standard from which the provider makes the request. The bill requires the State Corporation Commission's Bureau of Insurance (the Bureau) to, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, establish a work group to evaluate and make recommendations to modify the process for prior authorization for drug benefits in order to maximize efficiency and minimize delays that include a single standardized process and any recommendations for necessary statutory or regulatory changes. The bill requires the work group to include relevant stakeholders, including representatives from the Virginia Association of Health Plans, the Medical Society of Virginia, the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs, the Virginia Pharmacists Association, and the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, and other parties with an interest in the underlying technology. The bill requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor and the House Committee on Commerce and Energy by November 1, 2022. The provisions of the bill other than the requirement for the Bureau to establish the work group will not become effective unless reenacted by the 2023 Session of the General Assembly.

State Board of Elections; membership. Increases the membership of the State Board of Elections from five to six members and provides that any third party or recognized political party whose candidate received greater than 20 percent of the votes in the Commonwealth for Governor at the last preceding gubernatorial election shall have representation on the Board.