2018 Office of EMS Legislative Report
February 2, 2018
HB 9 Safety restraints; all occupants of motor vehicles required to utilize.
Chief patron: Krizek
A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-1094 of the Code of Virginia, relating to safety restraint use in motor vehicles.
18100423D
Summary as introduced:
Safety restraint use in motor vehicles. Requires all occupants of motor vehicles to utilize safety restraints. Current law requires safety belt use only by occupants under the age of 18, drivers, and passengers 18 years of age or older occupying the front seat.
11/20/17 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18100423D
11/20/17 House: Referred to Committee on Transportation
01/16/18 House: Assigned Transportation sub: Subcommittee #1
01/23/18 House: Subcommittee recommends passing by indefinitely (6-Y 4-N)
HB 135 Dissemination of juvenile record information; emergency medical services agency applicants.
Chief patron: Bell, John J.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 19.2-389.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to dissemination of juvenile record information; emergency medical services agency applicants.
18102438D
Summary as introduced:
Dissemination of juvenile record information; emergency medical services agency applicants. Provides that juvenile record information maintained in the Central Criminal Records Exchange may be disseminated (i) to the State Health Commissioner or his designee for the purpose of screening any person who applies to be a volunteer with or an employee of an emergency medical services agency and (ii) to the county, city, or town manager or chief law-enforcement officer located in a locality that has adopted an ordinance to conduct investigations of employment applicants for the purpose of screening any person who applies to be a volunteer with or an employee of an emergency medical services agency.
12/19/17 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18102438D
12/19/17 House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/16/18 House: Assigned Courts sub: Subcommittee #3
01/29/18 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment (8-Y 0-N)
01/31/18 House: Impact statement from DPB (HB135)
HB 175 Hospital licenses, certain; effective date.
Chief patron: Poindexter
A BILL to make certain hospital licenses effective until December 1, 2018.
18101909D
Summary as introduced:
Certain hospital licenses; effective date. Provides that a license issued to an acute care hospital located in Patrick County that was valid on September 1, 2017, and remained valid on December 31, 2017, despite the closure of such hospital prior to December 31, 2017, shall continue to remain valid until December 31, 2018. This bill is effective retroactively to December 31, 2017. The bill contains an emergency clause.
EMERGENCY
12/22/17 House: Prefiled and ordered printed with emergency clause; offered 01/10/18 18101909D
12/22/17 House: Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
01/10/18 House: Impact statement from VDH (HB175)
01/16/18 House: Reported from Health, Welfare and Institutions (22-Y 0-N)
01/18/18 House: Read first time
01/19/18 House: Read second time and engrossed
01/22/18 House: Read third time and passed House (99-Y 0-N)
01/22/18 House: VOTE: PASSAGE EMERGENCY (99-Y 0-N)
01/23/18 Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed
01/23/18 Senate: Referred to Committee on Education and Health
HB 250 Virginia Fire Services Board; changes membership.
Chief patron: Guzman
A BILL to amend and reenact § 9.1-202 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Virginia Fire Services Board; membership.
18103201D
Summary as introduced:
Virginia Fire Services Board; membership. Changes the membership of the Virginia Fire Services Board by removing a member of the Virginia Society of Fire Service Instructors and the State Fire Marshall and adding a fire service instructor and a nonlegislative citizen member with fire service experience.
01/02/18 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18103201D
01/02/18 House: Referred to Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety
01/15/18 House: Assigned MPPS sub: Subcommittee #2
01/24/18 House: Impact statement from DPB (HB250)
02/01/18 House: Subcommittee failed to recommend reporting (3-Y 3-N)
HB 374 Controlled substances; exposure, bodily injury to law-enforcement officers, etc., penalty.
Chief patron: Yancey
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 18.2-51.1 and 18.2-144.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to exposure to controlled substances; bodily injury to law-enforcement officers, etc.; penalty.
18102005D
Summary as introduced:
Exposure to controlled substances; bodily injury to law-enforcement officers, etc.; penalty. Provides that if a law-enforcement officer, firefighter, search and rescue personnel, or emergency medical services personnel is exposed to a controlled substance while engaged in the performance of his official duties and such exposure causes bodily injury, the person who knowingly or intentionally possessed such controlled substance is guilty of a Class 6 felony. This provision also applies to exposure to a controlled substance by a police animal performing its lawful duties or being kept in a kennel, pen, or stable while off duty.
01/05/18 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18102005D
01/05/18 House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/08/18 House: Impact statement from VCSC (HB374)
01/19/18 House: Impact statement from DPB (HB374)
HB 519 Violent felony; definition, assault and battery against a law-enforcement officer, etc.
Chief patron: Bell, Robert B.
A BILL to amend and reenact § 17.1-805 of the Code of Virginia, relating to definition of violent felony; assault and battery against a law-enforcement officer, etc.
18102556D
Summary as introduced:
Definition of violent felony; assault and battery against a law-enforcement officer, etc. Adds to the list of violent felonies assault and battery against a judge, magistrate, law-enforcement officer, correctional officer, firefighter, or other public safety personnel. The consequences when an offense falls under the definition of violent felony include increased sentencing ranges, enhanced punishment for certain other offenses, restricted eligibility for participation in a drug treatment court, a presumption against bail for persons illegally present in the United States, and an expansion of the definition of victim for the purpose of compensation of crime victims.
01/08/18 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18102556D
01/08/18 House: Impact statement from VCSC (HB519)
01/08/18 House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
02/01/18 House: Impact statement from DPB (HB519)
HB 549 State agency; legislation requiring an agency to adopt regulations.
Chief patron: Freitas
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 30-19.03:1.3, relating to state agency regulations; legislation requiring a state agency to adopt regulations that are likely to have a significant adverse economic impact.
18102006D
Summary as introduced:
State agency regulations; legislation requiring a state agency to adopt regulations that are likely to have a significant adverse economic impact. Provides that no bill that directly or indirectly requires a state agency to adopt new or to amend existing regulations that are likely to have a significant adverse economic impact shall be considered by the General Assembly unless the bill contains a second or final enactment clause (i) directing the state agency to develop proposed regulatory requirements by December 1 of the year in which the bill is introduced and (ii) providing that the first enactment of the bill that would directly or indirectly require the state agency to adopt new or to amend existing regulations shall not become effective unless reenacted by the following year's session of the General Assembly. The bill requires the General Assembly to thereafter reconsider the bill during the following year's session of the General Assembly along with and in light of the proposed regulatory requirements developed and put forth by the state agency. The bill defines "significant adverse economic impact" to mean that the estimated cost to citizens, professions, trades, or occupations to comply with the regulations is in excess of $500. The bill provides that determination of whether regulations are likely to have a significant adverse economic impact shall be made by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission.
01/08/18 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18102006D
01/08/18 House: Referred to Committee on Rules
01/22/18 House: Impact statement from DPB (HB549)
01/26/18 House: Passed by indefinitely in Rules (16-Y 0-N)
HB 563 Motor vehicles, certain; flashing red or red and white warning lights.
Chief patron: Fowler
A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-1023 of the Code of Virginia, relating to flashing red or red and white warning lights.
18102712D
Summary as introduced:
Flashing red or red and white warning lights. Allows vehicles of the National Guard Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Yield Explosive (CBRNE) Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) to utilize flashing, blinking, or alternating red or red and white combination warning lights when responding to an emergency.
01/08/18 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18102712D
01/08/18 House: Referred to Committee on Transportation
01/16/18 House: Assigned Transportation sub: Subcommittee #1
01/22/18 House: Impact statement from DPB (HB563)
01/23/18 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)
01/25/18 House: Reported from Transportation (22-Y 0-N)
01/29/18 House: Read first time
01/30/18 House: Read second time and engrossed
01/31/18 House: Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N)
01/31/18 House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (99-Y 0-N)
02/01/18 Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed
02/01/18 Senate: Referred to Committee on Transportation
HB 595 Overdoses; safe reporting.
Chief patron: Carr
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 18.2-251.04, relating to safe reporting of overdoses.
18101655D
Summary as introduced:
Safe reporting of overdoses. Extends to an individual experiencing a drug-related or alcohol-related overdose the affirmative defense to prosecution for (i) simple possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, or controlled paraphernalia; (ii) intoxication in public; or (iii) the unlawful purchase, possession, or consumption of alcohol, if another individual, in good faith, sought or obtained emergency medical attention for the individual experiencing the overdose. Under current law, the affirmative defense applies only to an individual who sought or obtained emergency medical attention for another individual experiencing an overdose or to an individual who sought or obtained emergency medical attention for himself.
01/08/18 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18101655D
01/08/18 House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/16/18 House: Assigned Courts sub: Subcommittee #1
01/17/18 House: Subcommittee recommends passing by indefinitely (7-Y 1-N)
HB 633 Driver's licenses; suspensions for certain non-driving related offenses.
Chief patron: Krizek
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 18.2-251, 46.2-395, 46.2-410.1, and 46.2-1200.1 of the Code of Virginia and to repeal §§ 18.2-259.1 and 46.2-390.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to driver's license suspensions for certain non-driving related offenses.
18102698D
Summary as introduced:
Driver's license suspensions for certain non-driving related offenses. Removes the existing provisions that a person's driver's license is suspended (i) when he is convicted of or placed on deferred disposition for a drug offense or (ii) for nonpayment of fines and court costs for offenses not pertaining to the operator or operation of a motor vehicle. The provisions of this bill that affect the Code of Virginia have a delayed effective date of September 1, 2018.
01/09/18 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18102698D
01/09/18 House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/30/18 House: Impact statement from DPB (HB633)
HB 643 First responders; reduced rate tuition.
Chief patron: Hope
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 23.1-508.2, relating to first responders; reduced rate tuition.
18100194D
Summary as introduced:
First responders; reduced rate tuition. Requires each public institution of higher education to reduce by a rate of five percent the tuition charged to any enrolled student who is a first responder or the child of a first responder, regardless of the domicile of any such individual. The bill defines "first responder" as any emergency medical services agency employee, firefighter, law-enforcement officer, member of a search and rescue organization, member of a regional hazardous materials emergency response team, member of a community emergency response team, or member of a medical reserve corps who responds to and provides assistance during an emergency.
01/09/18 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18100194D
01/09/18 House: Referred to Committee on Education
01/19/18 House: Assigned Education sub: Subcommittee #3
01/19/18 House: Impact statement from DPB (HB643)
HB 672 Driver's licenses; suspension of license for unsatisfied judgments and after certain accidents.
Chief patron: Kilgore
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 5.1-88.3, 5.1-88.9, 46.2-361, 46.2-411, 46.2-412, and 46.2-708 of the Code of Virginia and to repeal Article 13 (§§ 46.2-417 through 46.2-429) of Chapter 3 of Title 46.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to suspension of license for unsatisfied judgments and after certain accidents.
18102021D
Summary as introduced:
Suspension of license for unsatisfied judgments and after certain accidents. Repeals the suspension of license requirement for unsatisfied judgments and after certain accidents. The bill further provides that the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles shall return or reinstate any person's driver's license that was suspended solely for such purposes.
01/09/18 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18102021D
01/09/18 House: Referred to Committee on Transportation
01/23/18 House: Referred from Transportation
01/23/18 House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/29/18 House: Impact statement from DPB (HB672)
02/01/18 House: Assigned Courts sub: Subcommittee #1
HB 729 Virginia Fire Services Board; powers & duties, modular training program for volunteer firefighters.
Chief patron: Head
A BILL to amend and reenact § 9.1-203 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Virginia Fire Services Board; powers and duties; modular training program for volunteer firefighters.
18104370D
Summary as introduced:
Virginia Fire Services Board; powers and duties; modular training program for volunteer firefighters. Directs the Virginia Fire Services Board to develop a modular training program for volunteer firefighters for adoption by local volunteer fire departments that shall include (i) Firefighter I and Firefighter II certification pursuant to standards developed by the National Fire Protection Association and (ii) an online training program.
01/09/18 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18104370D
01/09/18 House: Referred to Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety
01/17/18 House: Assigned MPPS sub: Subcommittee #2
01/24/18 House: Impact statement from DPB (HB729)
02/01/18 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 0-N)
02/01/18 House: Subcommittee recommends referring to Committee on Appropriations
02/02/18 House: Reported from Militia, Police and Public Safety (21-Y 0-N)
02/02/18 House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations
02/02/18 House: Assigned App. sub: Public Safety
HB 777 Emergency air medical transportation; informed decision.
Chief patron: Ransone
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 32.1-111.4:9, relating to emergency air medical transportation; informed decision.
18102247D
Summary as introduced:
Emergency air medical transportation; informed decision. Requires emergency medical services personnel, prior to initiating contact with an emergency air medical transportation provider for air transport of a patient, to obtain written consent from the patient after disclosing certain information. The bill provides that emergency medical services personnel shall be exempt from such requirements if compliance might jeopardize the health or safety of the patient or the patient is unable to provide consent.
01/09/18 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18102247D
01/09/18 House: Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
01/17/18 House: Assigned HWI sub: Subcommittee #3
01/18/18 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 0-N)
01/23/18 House: Reported from Health, Welfare and Institutions with substitute (14-Y 7-N)
01/23/18 House: Committee substitute printed 18105504D-H1
01/25/18 House: Read first time
01/26/18 House: Passed by for the day
01/29/18 House: Motion to rerefer to committee agreed to
01/29/18 House: Rereferred to Health, Welfare and Institutions
01/30/18 House: Impact statement from VDH (HB777)
02/01/18 House: Impact statement from VDH (HB777H1)
HB 778 Health care providers; informed consent.
Chief patron: Ransone
A BILL to amend and reenact § 32.1-127 of the Code of Virginia, relating to air medical transportation; informed decision.
18105449D
Summary as introduced:
Health care providers; notices; health benefit plan networks; air ambulance providers. Requires a health care provider, before arranging for air ambulance services for an individual known to be covered under a health benefit plan, to provide the covered person or his authorized representative a written disclosure and obtain the covered person's or his representative's signature on the disclosure document. The disclosure includes statements that (i) the air ambulance provider may be an out-of-network provider; (ii) if so, the air ambulance provider has not agreed to hold covered persons harmless from payment of any balance due after receiving any payment from the carrier under the covered person's health benefit plan; (iii) indicate the range of the typical charges for out-of-network air ambulance services for which the covered person may be responsible; and (iv) the covered person or his representative may agree to accept and pay the charges of the air ambulance provider as an out-of-network provider, contact the covered person's carrier for additional assistance, or rely on other rights and remedies that may be available under state or federal law. The disclosure is also required to include a statement that the covered person or the covered person's authorized representative may obtain a list of air ambulance providers from the covered person's carrier that are participating providers and may request that the health care provider arrange for air ambulance providers that are participating providers. The measure also provides that if the health care provider is unable to provide the written disclosure or obtain the signature of the covered person or his authorized representative, the health care provider is required to document the reason therefor.
01/09/18 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18103240D
01/09/18 House: Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
01/17/18 House: Assigned HWI sub: Subcommittee #3
01/18/18 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (6-Y 0-N)
01/22/18 House: Impact statement from VDH (HB778)
01/23/18 House: Reported from Health, Welfare and Institutions with substitute (22-Y 0-N)
01/23/18 House: Committee substitute printed 18105449D-H1
01/25/18 House: Read first time
01/26/18 House: Read second time
01/26/18 House: Committee substitute agreed to 18105449D-H1
01/26/18 House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB778H1
01/29/18 House: Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N)
01/29/18 House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (99-Y 0-N)
01/30/18 House: Impact statement from VDH (HB778H1)
01/30/18 Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed
01/30/18 Senate: Referred to Committee on Education and Health
HB 815 Individuals receiving services; right to unmonitored communication and access to 911.
Chief patron: Levine
A BILL to amend and reenact § 37.2-400 of the Code of Virginia, relating to individuals receiving services; right to unmonitored communication.
18103748D
Summary as introduced:
Individuals receiving services; right to unmonitored communication and access to 911. Provides that each individual receiving services in a hospital, training center, or other facility or program operated, funded, or licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall be allowed to send and receive sealed letter mail and make and receive at least one telephone call per week without such mail or call being monitored by the staff and shall be afforded access in emergency situations to a telephone to place 911 emergency service calls.