Crisis stabilization services; facilities licensed by Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; nursing homes; dispensing and administration of drugs; emergency. Permits facilities licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services that provide crisis stabilization services to maintain a stock of Schedules II through VI controlled substances necessary for immediate treatment of patients admitted to such facility. Under current law, maintenance of a stock of Schedule VI controlled substances is allowed under certain conditions, but a stock of Schedules II through V controlled substances may be maintained only if authorized by federal law and Board of Pharmacy regulations. The bill also allows automated drug dispensing systems and remote dispensing systems to be used by state facilities established pursuant to Title 37.2 (Behavioral Health and Developmental Services), facilities that provide crisis stabilization services, nursing homes, and other facilities authorized by the Board of Pharmacy that meet certain conditions. The bill contains an emergency clause, directs the Board of Pharmacy to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill, incorporates

Motor vehicle value; J.D. Power Official Used Car Guide. Adds the J.D. Power Official Used Car Guide to the list of publications from which the retail value of an automobile is admissible as evidence of fair market value of such automobile in any civil or criminal case in which the price of an automobile is in issue.

Board of Accountancy; powers and duties. Repeals the requirement for an annual audit of the Board of Accountancy and amends several Code provisions relating to the Board. The bill changes the Secretariat of the Board from the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to the Secretary of Finance. The bill authorizes the Board to initiate complaints against (i) individuals or firms claiming to hold a Virginia license, as defined in the bill, and (ii) unlicensed individuals or firms using the certified public accountant title in Virginia, as defined in the bill. The bill also grants the Executive Director of the Board the power to request and receive reports from the Central Criminal Records Exchange in conjunction with the Executive Director's investigative and enforcement powers. Finally, the bill directs the Board to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; competitive sealed bidding; required criteria in invitations to bid. Requires all public bodies to include in any Invitation to Bid criteria that will be used in determining whether a bidder who is not prequalified by the Virginia Department of Transportation is a responsible bidder. Current law authorizes, but does not require, localities to include such criteria in Invitations to Bid.

Local fiscal distress; determination by Auditor of Public Accounts; state intervention. Sets out a procedure for determining when localities are in fiscal distress, as defined in the bill, and when state intervention may be necessary. The bill requires the Auditor of Public Accounts to develop criteria for a preliminary determination that a locality may be in fiscal distress. The bill also requires the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget to identify any amounts remaining unexpended from general fund appropriations in the state budget as of June 30 of each year, which constitute state aid to local governments. From such unexpended balances, the Governor may reappropriate up to $750,000 from amounts that would otherwise revert to the balance of the general fund and transfer such amounts as necessary to establish a component of fund balance that may be used for the purpose of providing state assistance, oversight, and intervention actions for localities deemed to be fiscally distressed and in need of state assistance, oversight, or intervention to address such distress. The bill provides that if a report to the Governor concludes that a locality located in Planning District 19 (Crater Planning District Commission) is either unwilling or unable to comply with the conditions necessary to address its fiscal distress, the Commission on Local Government shall appoint an emergency fiscal manager and implement a remediation plan to restore sustainable fiscal health to such locality. The emergency fiscal officer shall give timely notice of any proposed actions to be taken and an opportunity for public input prior to such action and shall establish benchmarks that will allow such locality to exit the state intervention plan upon meeting such benchmarks. Local fiscal distress; determination by Auditor of Public Accounts; state intervention. Sets out a procedure for determining when localities are in fiscal distress, as defined in the bill, and when state intervention may be necessary. The bill requires the Auditor of Public Accounts to develop criteria for a preliminary determination that a locality may be in fiscal distress. The bill also requires the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget to identify any amounts remaining unexpended from general fund appropriations in the state budget as of June 30 of each year, which constitute state aid to local governments. From such unexpended balances, the Governor may reappropriate up to $750,000 from amounts that would otherwise revert to the balance of the general fund and transfer such amounts as necessary to establish a component of fund balance that may be used for the purpose of providing state assistance, oversight, and intervention actions for localities deemed to be fiscally distressed and in need of state assistance, oversight, or intervention to address such distress. The bill provides that if a report to the Governor concludes that a locality located in Planning District 19 (Crater Planning District Commission) is either unwilling or unable to comply with the conditions necessary to address its fiscal distress, the Commission on Local Government shall appoint an emergency fiscal manager and implement a remediation plan to restore sustainable fiscal health to such locality. The emergency fiscal officer shall give timely notice of any proposed actions to be taken and an opportunity for public input prior to such action and shall establish benchmarks that will allow such locality to exit the state intervention plan upon meeting such benchmarks.

Civil jurisdiction of general district courts and circuit courts; transfer. Provides that while a matter is pending in general district court, upon motion of either the plaintiff or defendant seeking to increase the amount of the claim, the court is required to order a transfer to circuit court without requiring that the case first be dismissed or that the plaintiff suffer a nonsuit. Similarly, the bill provides that while a matter is pending in circuit court, upon motion of either the plaintiff or defendant seeking to decrease the amount of the claim, the court is required to order a transfer to general district court. Under current law, both of these provisions apply only to the motion of a plaintiff.

Information Technology Access Act; digital accessibility. Makes numerous organizational changes to the Information Technology Access Act. The bill defines "information and communications technology" as it relates to digital accessibility, defined in the bill, for all persons with disabilities. The bill permits the head of each covered entity, defined in the bill, to designate an employee to serve as such covered entity's digital accessibility coordinator and provides that such digital accessibility coordinator is responsible for developing and implementing such covered entity's digital accessibility policy. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025. Information Technology Access Act; digital accessibility. Makes numerous organizational changes to the Information Technology Access Act. The bill defines "information and communications technology" as it relates to digital accessibility, defined in the bill, for all persons with disabilities. The bill permits the head of each covered entity, defined in the bill, to designate an employee to serve as such covered entity's digital accessibility coordinator and provides that such digital accessibility coordinator is responsible for developing and implementing such covered entity's digital accessibility policy. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025.

Employee protection; prohibited retaliation; prohibited nondisclosure and nondisparagement provisions; civil action. Prohibits the inclusion of a provision in any employment contract that has the purpose or effect of concealing illegal activity or activity an employee believes to be unlawful, including unlawful sexual harassment, discrimination, wage theft, and protected whistleblowing, as those terms are described in existing law. Under the bill's provisions, no employer shall discharge or otherwise retaliate against an employee, prospective employee, or independent contractor for disclosing or discussing conduct that such employee reasonably believes to be discrimination, including harassment, retaliation, a wage or hour violation, sexual assault, fraud against taxpayers, shareholders, the government, consumers, or other employees, or other conduct that is against a clear mandate of public policy. An employer that violates the provisions of the bill shall be liable for the greater of actual damages or statutory damages of $10,000, as well as reasonable attorney fees and costs. The bill also requires employers to include in any settlement agreement or employment agreement with an employee a disclaimer that such agreement does not prohibit an employee from disclosing conduct as protected under the bill. The provisions of the bill apply to contracts entered into, renewed, modified, or amended on or after July 1, 2024. Employee protection; prohibited retaliation; prohibited nondisclosure and nondisparagement provisions; civil action. Prohibits the inclusion of a provision in any employment contract that has the purpose or effect of concealing illegal activity or activity an employee believes to be unlawful, including unlawful sexual harassment, discrimination, wage theft, and protected whistleblowing, as those terms are described in existing law. Under the bill's provisions, no employer shall discharge or otherwise retaliate against an employee, prospective employee, or independent contractor for disclosing or discussing conduct that such employee reasonably believes to be discrimination, including harassment, retaliation, a wage or hour violation, sexual assault, fraud against taxpayers, shareholders, the government, consumers, or other employees, or other conduct that is against a clear mandate of public policy. An employer that violates the provisions of the bill shall be liable for the greater of actual damages or statutory damages of $10,000, as well as reasonable attorney fees and costs. The bill also requires employers to include in any settlement agreement or employment agreement with an employee a disclaimer that such agreement does not prohibit an employee from disclosing conduct as protected under the bill. The provisions of the bill apply to contracts entered into, renewed, modified, or amended on or after July 1, 2024.

Department of Fire Programs; work group; options for local government employees who respond to emergencies with toxic material exposure. Directs the Department of Fire Programs to convene a work group to identify and analyze options to help ensure that local government employees who respond to emergencies that expose them to toxic materials have appropriate preemptive and ongoing health care and are able to pay any health expenses related to such emergency and its aftereffects that are not covered by relevant health insurance plans. The work group is directed to report its findings to the General Assembly by November 1, 2024.

Department of General Services; Office of Pharmaceutical Services; report. Establishes in the Department of General Services an Office of Pharmaceutical Services to develop and execute a plan to consolidate state agency prescription drug purchasing and pharmacy benefit management programs to increase efficiency in prescription drug purchasing and constrain spending on prescription drugs. The bill directs the Department to provide to the Governor and the General Assembly an interim report on the development of the plan by November 1, 2024, and a final report on the plan by November 1, 2025.

Fire and Emergency Medical Services Grant Fund; funding for fire and emergency medical services. Increases the vehicle registration fee used to provide support for emergency medical services from $4.25 to $6.25 for each pickup or panel truck and each motor vehicle. The bill also creates the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Grant Fund to provide funding (i) to increase the number of firefighters and emergency medical services personnel to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate assistance and (ii) to purchase heavy apparatus necessary for fire and emergency medical services. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Grant Fund; funding for fire and emergency medical services. Increases the vehicle registration fee used to provide support for emergency medical services from $4.25 to $6.25 for each pickup or panel truck and each motor vehicle. The bill also creates the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Grant Fund to provide funding (i) to increase the number of firefighters and emergency medical services personnel to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate assistance and (ii) to purchase heavy apparatus necessary for fire and emergency medical services.

Exemptions from garnishment and lien; householder; total value. Increases from $25,000 to $50,000 the amount that a householder may hold exempt from the creditor process for real or personal property that the householder or his dependent uses as a principal residence. The bill also increases from $6,000 to $10,000 the amount a householder is entitled to hold exempt from the creditor process for his motor vehicle. The bill further provides that, beginning on April 1, 2027, any increases in exempt amounts shall be adjusted at three-year intervals to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI-U), as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The bill provides that such adjustments shall be calculated by the Department of Planning and Budget. Exemptions from garnishment and lien; householder; total value. Increases from $25,000 to $50,000 the amount that a householder may hold exempt from the creditor process for real or personal property that the householder or his dependent uses as a principal residence. The bill also increases from $6,000 to $10,000 the amount a householder is entitled to hold exempt from the creditor process for his motor vehicle. The bill further provides that, beginning on April 1, 2027, any increases in exempt amounts shall be adjusted at three-year intervals to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI-U), as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The bill provides that such adjustments shall be calculated by the Department of Planning and Budget.

Baccalaureate public institutions of higher education; provision of physical evidence recovery kits. Requires each baccalaureate public institution of higher education to either (i) staff its on-campus student health center with at least one on-campus certified sexual assault forensic examiner for the purpose of administering a physical evidence recovery kit to any student who is in need of such a kit or (ii) enter into a memorandum of understanding with a local organization or entity that is capable of providing the services of a certified sexual assault forensic examiner for the purpose of administering a physical evidence recovery kit to any student who is in need of such a kit. Baccalaureate public institutions of higher education; provision of physical evidence recovery kits. Requires each baccalaureate public institution of higher education to either (i) staff its on-campus student health center with at least one on-campus certified sexual assault forensic examiner for the purpose of administering a physical evidence recovery kit to any student who is in need of such a kit or (ii) enter into a memorandum of understanding with a local organization or entity that is capable of providing the services of a certified sexual assault forensic examiner for the purpose of administering a physical evidence recovery kit to any student who is in need of such a kit.

Military benefits income tax subtraction; age requirement; emergency. Eliminates the age requirement to claim the individual income tax subtraction for military benefits beginning in taxable year 2023. Under current law, only taxpayers 55 years of age or older may claim the subtraction prior to taxable year 2024. The bill contains an emergency clause.

Board of Health; hospital regulations; use of smoke evacuation systems during surgical procedures. Requires the Board of Health to amend its regulations to require that every hospital where surgical procedures are performed adopt a policy requiring the use of a smoke evacuation system for all planned surgical procedures. The bill defines "smoke evacuation system" as smoke evacuation equipment and technologies designed to capture, filter, and remove surgical smoke at the site of origin and to prevent surgical smoke from making ocular contact or contact with a person's respiratory tract. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2025, and is identical to