Behavioral Health Commission; process to solicit and receive input. Provides that the Behavioral Health Commission shall have the power and duty to implement a process to solicit and receive input from (i) individuals who are currently receiving or have received behavioral health services or (ii) individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities or autism spectrum disorders or the family members of such individuals to inform the work of the Commission. Behavioral Health Commission; process to solicit and receive input. Provides that the Behavioral Health Commission shall have the power and duty to implement a process to solicit and receive input from (i) individuals who are currently receiving or have received behavioral health services or (ii) individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities or autism spectrum disorders or the family members of such individuals to inform the work of the Commission.

Department of Workforce Development and Advancement created; consolidation of the Commonwealth's workforce development policies and programs; report. Creates the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement (the Department) to administer workforce development programs. The bill consolidates statewide workforce program evaluation and data sharing under the Department and provides protections against improper disclosure of data. The bill provides for the Virginia Board of Workforce Development to conduct an independent evaluation of the operations and program objectives of the Department on a biennial basis with the first report due on December 1, 2025. The bill also (i) transfers administration of apprenticeship programs from the Department of Labor and Industry to the Department, (ii) directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to collaborate with the Department to grow and expand the Innovative Internship Fund and Program, and (iii) directs the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary) to conduct a comprehensive review of the Commonwealth's workforce development programs and make recommendations to address a wide range of subjects relating to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of such programs. The Secretary is also required to convene a stakeholder work group to advise the Secretary during the transition period. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Small Business Commission and is identical to

Celebrating the life of Bobbie Louis Sutton.

Board of Pharmacy; translated directions for use of prescriptions; report. Directs the Board of Pharmacy to convene a work group to study the provision of translated directions for the use of prescriptions. The bill directs the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by December 1, 2023. Board of Pharmacy; translated directions for use of prescriptions; report. Directs the Board of Pharmacy to convene a work group to study the provision of translated directions for the use of prescriptions. The bill directs the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by December 1, 2023.

Tax credit; research and development expenses; aggregate increase. Increases from $7.77 million to $10 million the aggregate amount of credits available for certain research and development expenses beginning with fiscal year 2024.

Special exceptions; short-term rentals. Allows any locality to impose a condition upon any special exception or special use permit relating to short-term rentals that provides that such special exception or special use permit will automatically expire upon a change of ownership of the property, a change in the owner of the business or a transfer of majority control of a business entity, a change in possession, a change in the operation or management of a facility, or the passage of a specific period of time.

Association health plans; base rates based on employer member's risk profile. Provides that for association health plans, an insurer may (i) establish base rates formed on an actuarially sound, modified community rating methodology that considers the pooling of all participant claims and (ii) utilize each employer member's specific risk profile to determine contribution rates for each individual employer member's share of the premium by actuarially adjusting above or below established base rates.

Judgment liens; release of specific property. Creates a procedure by which a settlement agent may release a property from a judgment lien when the lien creditor has failed to respond to a request in writing to pay the amount owed. Judgment liens; release of specific property. Creates a procedure by which a settlement agent may release a property from a judgment lien when the lien creditor has failed to respond to a request in writing to pay the amount owed.

Department of Historic Resources; appropriations for African American cemeteries and graves. Requires appropriations by the Department of Historic Resources for African American cemeteries to be allocated on the bases of (i) the number of markers in a cemetery of African Americans who were alive prior to January 1, 1900, regardless of the date of interment, and (ii) the number of markers in a cemetery of African Americans who were born on or after January 1, 1900, and interred in such cemetery prior to January 1, 1948. Under current law, such appropriations are allocated on the basis of the number of markers in a cemetery of African Americans who were interred in such cemetery prior to January 1, 1948.

Norfolk State University and Virginia State University; reduced rate tuition charges for certain students. Permits the Norfolk State University Board of Visitors and the Virginia State University Board of Visitors to charge reduced rate tuition to any non-Virginia student who has completed at least 30 credit hours of coursework and is enrolled in a program at the relevant institution that leads to employment in a high-demand field, as determined by the board of visitors of the relevant institution based on data compiled and provided by the Virginia Office of Education Economics. The bill provides that in the event that a non-Virginia student who was charged reduced rate tuition at the relevant institution in accordance with the provisions of the bill withdraws from the program that leads to employment in a high-demand field and enrolls in a program that does not lead to employment in a high-demand field, such student will forfeit eligibility for such reduced rate tuition charge and shall be charged tuition at the full rate for non-Virginia students. The bill further provides that any non-Virginia student at Norfolk State University or Virginia State University who was initially enrolled in a program that does not lead to employment in a high-demand field but withdraws from that program and enrolls in a program that does lead to employment in a high-demand field may be charged reduced rate tuition in accordance with the provisions of the bill.

Surgical assistants; practice prior to licensure. Allows persons who have successfully completed an accredited surgical assistant training program to practice under certain conditions prior to licensure. The bill allows such person to practice as a surgical assistant with the title "surgical assistant, license applicant" until he has received a failing score on the national certification examination or six months from the date of graduation, whichever occurs sooner. Surgical assistants; practice prior to licensure. Allows persons who have successfully completed an accredited surgical assistant training program to practice under certain conditions prior to licensure. The bill allows such person to practice as a surgical assistant with the title "surgical assistant, license applicant" until he has received a failing score on the national certification examination or six months from the date of graduation, whichever occurs sooner.

Assault or assault and battery against a law-enforcement officer; arrest and prosecution of individual experiencing a mental health emergency. Provides that no individual shall be subject to arrest or prosecution for an assault or assault and battery against a law-enforcement officer if at the time of the assault or assault and battery (i) the individual (a) is experiencing a mental health emergency or (b) meets the criteria for issuance of an emergency custody order pursuant to § 37.2-808 and (ii) the law-enforcement officer subject to the assault or assault and battery was responding to a call for service requesting assistance for such individual. The bill provides that no law-enforcement officer acting in good faith shall be found liable for false arrest if it is later determined that the person arrested was immune from prosecution. Assault or assault and battery against a law-enforcement officer; arrest and prosecution of individual experiencing a mental health emergency. Provides that no individual shall be subject to arrest or prosecution for an assault or assault and battery against a law-enforcement officer if at the time of the assault or assault and battery (i) the individual (a) is experiencing a mental health emergency or (b) meets the criteria for issuance of an emergency custody order pursuant to § 37.2-808 and (ii) the law-enforcement officer subject to the assault or assault and battery was responding to a call for service requesting assistance for such individual. The bill provides that no law-enforcement officer acting in good faith shall be found liable for false arrest if it is later determined that the person arrested was immune from prosecution.

Sports betting and casino gaming; Gaming Regulatory Fund established. Establishes the Gaming Regulatory Fund for the purpose of offsetting Virginia Lottery Department costs associated with conducting investigations and enforcing its regulations. The bill requires the Department to deposit background check fees, licensing fees, renewal or transfer fees, and other permitting fees to the Fund for such purpose. The bill also provides that revenues remaining in the Gaming Proceeds Fund following allocation by the General Assembly shall be deposited into the School Construction Fund. Finally, the bill provides that Chapters 8 and 9 of the Acts of Assembly of 2022, Special Session I, shall become effective on July 1, 2023.

Public elementary and secondary schools; establishment of opportunity classrooms. Provides that, subject to school board or school administration approval, each local school board shall enter into an agreement to establish an opportunity classroom, or a classroom in which an alternative curriculum is offered, with a requesting party if such party represents more than 20 students and permits such local school board to enter into such an agreement if such requesting party represents fewer than 20 students. The bill provides that a "requesting party" includes (i) a public elementary or secondary school teacher or a group of such teachers in a local school division or (ii) a parent whose child attends a public elementary or secondary school or group of such parents, with the involvement of at least one teacher employed in such local school division. Finally, the bill delineates requirements for such agreements to establish opportunity classrooms relating to funding for classroom instruction and services, provision of transportation for students enrolled in an opportunity classroom, and assessments and standards of evaluation for students enrolled in an opportunity classroom. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2028. Public elementary and secondary schools; establishment of opportunity classrooms. Provides that, subject to school board or school administration approval, each local school board shall enter into an agreement to establish an opportunity classroom, or a classroom in which an alternative curriculum is offered, with a requesting party if such party represents more than 20 students and permits such local school board to enter into such an agreement if such requesting party represents fewer than 20 students. The bill provides that a "requesting party" includes (i) a public elementary or secondary school teacher or a group of such teachers in a local school division or (ii) a parent whose child attends a public elementary or secondary school or group of such parents, with the involvement of at least one teacher employed in such local school division. Finally, the bill delineates requirements for such agreements to establish opportunity classrooms relating to funding for classroom instruction and services, provision of transportation for students enrolled in an opportunity classroom, and assessments and standards of evaluation for students enrolled in an opportunity classroom. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2028.

Stormwater management regulations; enterprise data center operations. Directs the State Water Control Board to adopt regulations that require certain stormwater management techniques for land disturbances related to the construction, expansion, or operation of enterprise data center operations, as defined in the bill, that are located within one mile of any land owned or operated as a unit of the National Park Service or designated as a Virginia State Park or state forest.