Public elementary and secondary schools; students; digital tools; accessibility. Requires the Department of Education to convene a work group to provide input and recommendations to the Department of Education, the Board of Education, and the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2022, regarding (i) ways in which school divisions can effectively identify and receive responsive and responsible bids from vendors to procure digital tools, including online platforms, courses, digital applications, information and communication technology services, and digital content, that comply with the federal accessibility standard and (ii) any statutory or regulatory changes that may assist school divisions to procure such digital tools that comply with such standard. Public elementary and secondary schools; students; digital tools; accessibility. Requires the Department of Education to convene a work group to provide input and recommendations to the Department of Education, the Board of Education, and the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2022, regarding (i) ways in which school divisions can effectively identify and receive responsive and responsible bids from vendors to procure digital tools, including online platforms, courses, digital applications, information and communication technology services, and digital content, that comply with the federal accessibility standard and (ii) any statutory or regulatory changes that may assist school divisions to procure such digital tools that comply with such standard.

Virginia Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for 911 dispatchers. Adds 911 dispatchers to the list of local employees eligible to receive enhanced retirement benefits for hazardous duty service. Under current law, localities may provide such benefits to first responders, including firefighters and emergency medical technicians, and certain other hazardous duty positions.

Health care provider panels; vertically integrated carriers; reimbursements to providers. Requires any vertically integrated carrier, upon written request, to offer participation in each requested provider panel or network established for each of the vertically integrated carrier's policies, products, and plans, including all policies, products, and plans offered to individuals, employers, and enrollees in government benefit programs, to the requesting provider under the same terms and conditions that apply to providers under common control with the vertically integrated carrier. The measure requires that the offered participation (i) be without any adverse tiering or other financial incentives that may discourage enrollees from utilizing the services of the provider, (ii) include all sites and services offered by the provider, and (iii) take into account the different characteristics of different providers with regard to the range, nature, cost, and complexity of services offered. The measure prohibits an officer or director of a vertically integrated carrier from simultaneously serving as an officer or director of an entity that owns, operates, manages, or controls an acute care hospital located, in whole or in part, in the Commonwealth. The measure defines "vertically integrated carrier" as a health insurer or other carrier that owns an interest in, is owned by, or is under common ownership or control with an acute care hospital facility, excluding an entity that is under the ultimate control of or under common control with a public hospital. Health care provider panels; vertically integrated carriers; reimbursements to providers. Requires any vertically integrated carrier, upon written request, to offer participation in each requested provider panel or network established for each of the vertically integrated carrier's policies, products, and plans, including all policies, products, and plans offered to individuals, employers, and enrollees in government benefit programs, to the requesting provider under the same terms and conditions that apply to providers under common control with the vertically integrated carrier. The measure requires that the offered participation (i) be without any adverse tiering or other financial incentives that may discourage enrollees from utilizing the services of the provider, (ii) include all sites and services offered by the provider, and (iii) take into account the different characteristics of different providers with regard to the range, nature, cost, and complexity of services offered. The measure prohibits an officer or director of a vertically integrated carrier from simultaneously serving as an officer or director of an entity that owns, operates, manages, or controls an acute care hospital located, in whole or in part, in the Commonwealth. The measure defines "vertically integrated carrier" as a health insurer or other carrier that owns an interest in, is owned by, or is under common ownership or control with an acute care hospital facility, excluding an entity that is under the ultimate control of or under common control with a public hospital.

MEI Project Approval Commission; incentives requiring review. Adds to the incentive packages for economic development, film, and episodic television projects that require MEI Project Approval Commission (the Commission) review and approval any incentive package in which one of the incentives being sought includes a cash payment of more than $3.5 million from any fund prior to any performance metrics being met by the proposed project. The bill clarifies that in calculating whether the value of proposed incentives exceeds $10 million and thus requires review under current law, the value of applicable existing tax credits and incentives shall not be considered, with the exception of the sales tax exemption for data centers and the motion picture tax credit. Finally, the bill provides that economic development projects that propose to relocate or expand operations in one area of the Commonwealth while closing or reducing operations in another area of the Commonwealth shall be subject to Commission review only if the value of the proposed incentives exceeds $2.5 million.

Secretary of Health and Human Resources; wholesale prescription drug importation program. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources (the Secretary) to establish a wholesale prescription drug importation program that complies with the requirements of federal law and to report annually by October 1 to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Education and Health on the wholesale prescription drug importation program. The bill also requires the Secretary to (i) convene a workgroup composed of relevant stakeholders to develop a plan for implementation of the wholesale prescription drug importation program and report the plan to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Health, Welfare and Institutions and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and Education and Health by December 1, 2022, and (ii) seek such federal approvals, waivers, exemptions, or agreements as may be necessary to enable all covered entities enrolled in or eligible for the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program to participate in the wholesale prescription drug importation program to the greatest extent possible without jeopardizing their eligibility for the 340B Drug Pricing Program by July 1, 2023.

Paid family and medical leave program. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave program with benefits beginning January 1, 2025. Under the program, benefits are paid to eligible employees for family and medical leave. Funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning in 2024. The amount of a benefit is 80 percent of the employee's average weekly wage, not to exceed 80 percent of the state weekly wage, which amount is required to be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the statewide average weekly wage. The measure caps the duration of paid leave at 12 weeks in any application year. The bill provides self-employed individuals the option of participating in the program.

State plan for medical assistance services; eligibility; State plan for medical assistance services; eligibility; social security disability income. Directs the State Board of Medical Assistance Services to amend the state plan for medical assistance to disregard, for the purposes of eligibility determination, any social security disability income received by the person.

Compensation of local jails for cost of incarceration. Provides for local jails to be compensated for the actual cost of incarcerating convicted felons at the rate calculated in the Compensation Board's annual jail cost report. Current law provides for jails to be compensated for the cost of incarceration of convicted felons as provided for in the general appropriation act.

Termination of parental rights; murder of child. Requires the court to terminate the parental rights of a parent upon finding, based upon clear and convincing evidence, that termination of parental rights is in the best interests of the child and that the parent has been convicted of an offense under the laws of the Commonwealth or a substantially similar law of any other state, the United States, or any foreign jurisdiction that constitutes murder or voluntary manslaughter, or a felony attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit any such offense, and the victim of the offense was the child of the parent over whom parental rights would be terminated. The bill also requires local boards of social services to file a petition to terminate parental rights in such instances.

Death of joint petitioner prior to entry of final order of adoption. Provides that in cases in which married persons, or persons who were previously married and who are permitted to adopt a child, have jointly petitioned to adopt a child and one of the petitioners dies before entry of a final order of adoption, the adoption may proceed in the name of both petitioners upon request of the surviving petitioner. The bill further provides that, upon entry of a final order, the child shall be, for all intents and purposes, the child of both petitioners.

Children's Services Act; special education programs. Expands eligibility for services under the Children's Services Act to students who transfer from an approved private school special education program to a public school special education program established and funded jointly by a local governing body and school division located within Planning District 16 (George Washington Regional) for the purpose of providing special education and related services when (i) the public school special education program is able to provide services comparable to those of an approved private school special education program and (ii) the student would require placement in an approved private school special education program but for the availability of the public school special education program.

Consultation with federally recognized Tribal Nations; permits and reviews with potential impacts on environmental, cultural, and historic resources. Requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Historic Resources, and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to establish policies and procedures for consulting with federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth when evaluating certain permits and reviews with potential impacts on environmental, cultural, or historic resources or that would have tribal implications, as defined in the bill. The bill directs the Secretary of the Commonwealth to designate an Ombudsman for Tribal Consultation to facilitate communication and consultation with Tribal Nations. The bill codifies Executive Order 82 (2021). Consultation with federally recognized Tribal Nations; permits and reviews with potential impacts on environmental, cultural, and historic resources. Requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Historic Resources, and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to establish policies and procedures for consulting with federally recognized Tribal Nations in the Commonwealth when evaluating certain permits and reviews with potential impacts on environmental, cultural, or historic resources or that would have tribal implications, as defined in the bill. The bill directs the Secretary of the Commonwealth to designate an Ombudsman for Tribal Consultation to facilitate communication and consultation with Tribal Nations. The bill codifies Executive Order 82 (2021).

Fraud-related crimes; penalties. Creates felony offenses for crimes related to wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and health care fraud, each described in the bill, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than one nor more than 20 years.

Historic preservation. Provides that the filing of a historic designation application shall stay a locality from issuing any permit to raze or demolish a proposed historic landmark, building, or structure until 30 days after the rendering of the final decision of the governing body of the locality. The bill also specifies that the affected property owner, the applicant, or any resident of the locality who provided public input on the locality's historic district plan may appeal to the circuit court for review of any final decision of the governing body pursuant to such application.

Income tax; motion picture production tax credit. Removes the sunset for the motion picture production tax credit, which currently is set to expire after taxable year 2026. The bill increases the aggregate limit on credits from $6.5 million to $15 million starting with fiscal year 2021 and also provides that credits allocated for episodic content, gaming, virtual reality, and augmented reality productions shall not count against the aggregate limit. The bill provides that if the amount of credits actually claimed is less than the aggregate limit for that year, the unclaimed remainder shall be added to the limit for the next year. The bill authorizes credits to be issued for multiyear periods. Under current law, if production continues for more than one year, the taxpayer must file a separate application for each year.