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What is the Legislative Alert?                Position codes:     S= VPFF Support    O= VPFF Opposed  M= VPFF Monitoring Bill  
Bill #
Patron
Committee

Pos

Description

Comm Action Chamber Action Opp/ Chamber Comm Comm Action Chamber Action
H.B. 1521
Appropriations
Callahan
M Virginia Retirement System; benefits. Increases monthly retirement benefits of certain future retirees by increasing the percentage of average final compensation multiplied by the amount of creditable service from 1.7 to 2.0 for years of service in excess of 25 years for most state employees, and from 2.0 to 2.3 for certain state
 law-enforcement officers.
Tabled in Appropriations
12-Y 11-N
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H.B. 1536
Appropriations
Frederick
M Keep Our Promise Act of 2005; car tax relief. Removes the cap on the overall amount of car tax relief that was created by Chapter 1 of the Acts of Assembly of 2004 Special Session I and restores the car tax relief program as it was originally enacted. Left in Appropriations

Refer to HB 1654

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H.B. 1654
Finance
Lingamfelter
O Car tax relief.  Removes the cap on the overall amount of car tax relief and gradually increases the amount of car tax relief to 100% of the reimbursable amount for qualifying vehicles over a six-year period.  The bill incorporates HBs 2257 and 1536. Reported from Appropriations with Substitute
12-Y 8-N

Passed House
73-Y 21-N

Senate
Finance

Left in Finance

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H.B. 1637
Appropriations
Callahan

 

 

M

 

 

 

Retirement; state police officers and certain local law-enforcement officers.  Modifies the retirement benefits of state police officers and certain local law-enforcement officers by (i) increasing from 1.7 percent to 2.7 percent the percentage of average final compensation multiplied by the years of creditable service in such positions, and by deleting the supplemental allowance currently paid to members upon retirement until their Social Security retirement age; (ii) deleting the minimum age requirement for retirement for members with 25 or more years of service; and (iii) providing that deputy sheriffs employed by political subdivisions participating in the Virginia Retirement System shall receive the same retirement benefits as sheriffs.

 

 

Incorporated into
HB 2660
Then Tabled in Committee
20-Y 4-N

 

 

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Bill #
Patron
Committee

Pos

Description

Comm Action Chamber Action Opp/ Chamber Comm Comm Action Chamber Action
H.B. 1653
Appropriations
Tata
M Virginia Retirement Service; life insurance.  Clarifies that an employee with 20 years creditable service with a retirement plan administered by the VRS or any other public plan participating in the group life insurance program will have life insurance based on two times his highest annual salary earned during such employment. Reported out
22-Y 0-N

Passed House
99-Y 0-N

Finance

Reported Out
15-Y 0-N

Passed Senate
38-Y 0-N

H.B. 1703
Comm/Labor
T. Kilgore
O Volunteer firefighters; minors.  Provides that ordinances of counties, cities and towns authorizing participation by minors aged 16 years or older in volunteer fire companies applies to minors resident anywhere in the Commonwealth, and exempts such minors from child labor provisions Reported out
with Substitute
21-Y 0-N
Committee Substitute rejected. Patron substitute approved
Passed 96-0

Commerce
Labor

Reported Out
15-Y 0-N

Passed Senate
40-Y 0-N

H.B. 1747
C.C.T.
Tata
O Virginia Retirement System; Virginia Local Sickness and Disability Program.  Creates a new optional local sickness and disability program for local employees similar to the program that exists for state employees. The Program is optional at the election of each local employer, with all costs to be borne by the local employer. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2006, but a pilot program is authorized beginning July 1, 2005. Stricken form docket XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
H.B. 1920
Appropriations
Cox
M Purchase of prior service for retirement. Provides that in cases where an employee is purchasing prior service credit at a cost of 5 percent of current compensation or average final compensation, whichever is greater, if the employee uses pre-tax or post-tax deductions to purchase the service, then the cost of the service shall be 5 percent of current compensation even if this is less than 5 percent of average final compensation.







Reported Out
24-Y 0-N





Passed House
96-Y 0-N

Senate Finance

Reported from Finance
14-Y  0-N

Passed Senate
38-Y 1-A

Bill #
Patron
Committee

Pos

Description

Comm Action Chamber Action Opp/ Chamber Comm Comm Action Chamber Action

H.B. 1929
Appropriations
Tata
M Federal social security.  Requires that a local governing body's resolution requesting that its eligible employees become members of the Virginia Retirement System shall not be approved by the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Retirement System unless the locality has first entered into a plan of agreement to extend benefits under the Social Security Act to its employees. The bill also names the director of the Virginia Retirement System as the state social security administrator, and allows him to adopt rules and policies necessary for the administration of the Social Security Act, instead of the Board. Reported out
22-Y 0-N

Passed House
99-Y 0-N

Finance

Reported from Finance
15-Y 0-N

Passed Senate
38-Y 0-N

H.B. 1996
Appropriations
Griffith

 

 

 

 

 

M

 

 

 

 

 

Virginia Retirement System; benefits.  Increases monthly retirement benefits of future retirees by increasing the percentage of average final compensation multiplied by the amount of creditable service according to the years of service as follows:Years of Creditable Service                   PercentageofAverageFinalCompensation

 Less than 25   years
 1.70 

25 or more but less than 30                                     1.80 percent

30 or more but less than 35                                     1.90 percent

35 or more but less than 40                                     2.0 percent

40 or                                 3.0 percent more                                                                         

 

 

Tabled 
19-Y 5-N

 

 

 

 

 

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Bill #
Patron
Committee

Pos

Description

Comm Action Chamber Action Opp/ Chamber Comm Comm Action Chamber Action
H.B.2039
H.W.I.
Hamilton
S Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan.  Adds several new requirements to the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan developed by the Board of Health. These requirements include establishing and maintaining (i) a process for crisis intervention and peer support services for emergency medical services and public safety personnel, (ii) a statewide emergency medical services for children program, (iii) a statewide system of health and medical emergency response teams, and (iv) a program to improve dispatching of emergency medical services. The bill also deletes an obsolete cross-reference relating to automated external defibrillators. Rolled into
HB 2253
22-Y 0-N
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H.B. 2066
Finance
Rust
M Car tax; dedication of income taxes to localities.  Repeals the car tax reimbursement program and replaces it by dedicating 17.5 percent of the state individual income tax collections to localities. The bill is effective January 1, 2007, and only if a Constitutional amendment is ratified in November, 2006 exempting from taxation all motor vehicles used for nonbusiness purposes. Tabled in Committee
22-Y 0-N
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H.B. 2238
H.W.I.
O'Bannon

 

 

S

 

 

Board of Health regulations; emergency medical services personnel training, agency response times, and enforcement provisions; civil penalties.  Requires the State Board of Health to prescribe, in regulation, (i) training for emergency medical services personnel; (ii) collection and reporting of emergency response times; and (iii) enforcement provisions, including fines, to be assessed by the State Health Commissioner against any person, agency, or other entity found to be in violation of the emergency medical services statutes or regulations.

 

 

Reported with Amendments
21-Y 1-N

 Passed House
93-Y 3-N

Senate
Education
Health

 

Reported Out
15-Y 0-N

Passed Senate
40-Y 0-N

Bill #
Patron
Committee

Pos

Description

Comm Action Chamber Action Opp/ Chamber Comm Comm Action Chamber Action
H.B. 2239
H.W.I.
O'Bannon
S Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan; publication; training and best practices.  Amends the requirements for the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan prepared by the Board of Health to include (i) publishing the Plan; (ii) expanding the availability of paramedic and advanced life support training; and (iii) identifying and establishing best practices for managing and operating emergency medical services agencies, improving and managing emergency medical response times, and disseminating certain information. The bill also deletes an obsolete cross reference to automated external defibrillators. Rolled into
HB 2253
22-Y 0-N
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H.B. 2252
H.W.I.
Bell
S State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board.  Increases the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board from 25 to 27 members appointed by the Governor. The change reflects the increase in the number of regional emergency medical services councils. The bill decreases from two to one the number of representatives of the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads, Inc. The bill contains technical amendments Tabled in Committee
22-Y 0-N
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H.B 2253
H.W.I.
Bell
S Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan.  Adds several new requirements to the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan developed by the Board of Health. These requirements include establishing and maintaining (i) a process for crisis intervention and peer support services for emergency medical services and public safety personnel, (ii) a statewide emergency medical services for children program, (iii) a statewide system of health and medical emergency response teams, and (iv) a program to improve dispatching of emergency medical services. The bill also deletes an obsolete cross-reference relating to automated external defibrillators. Reported with Substitute
22-Y 0-N

Passed House
95-Y 0-N

Senate
Education
Health

Reported Out
15-Y 0-N

Passed Senate
40-Y 0-N

H.B. 2309
Comm/Labor
Griffith
S Workers' compensation; definition of hypertension.  Defines hypertension to include stroke, cerebrovascular accident (CVA), or any cerebral vascular event. VPFF Actively working this bill. It is priority legislation. Tabled in Committee
12-Y 9-N
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H.B. 2489
Appropriations
Petersen
M Virginia Sickness and Disability Program; appeal of disability benefit determinations.  Clarifies the authority of the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Retirement System to develop an appeals process as an alternative to the process set forth in the Administrative Process Act (APA), provided that the process: (i) provides for adequate notice in writing to any participant whose claim for benefits has been denied setting forth the specific reasons for such denial, written in a manner calculated to be understood by the participant and (ii) affords a reasonable opportunity to any participant whose claim for benefits has been denied for a full and fair review of the decision denying the claim. The bill includes technical amendments. Reported out
with Amends
24-Y 0-N

Passed House
96-Y 0-N

Senate
Finance

Reported from Finance
14-Y  0-N

Passed Senate
39-Y 0-N

H.B. 2498
Finance
Amundson
M Car tax relief; replacing car tax reimbursements with other local taxing authority.  Repeals the car tax reimbursement program and replaces it by giving counties the same taxing authority as cities, and authorizing all localities the option of imposing a local income tax. The bill is effective January 1, 2007, and only if a Constitutional amendment is ratified in November 2006 making motor vehicles exempt from taxation. Incorporated into HB 2066 Then Tabled in committee

22-Y 0-N

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H.B. 2521
C.C.T.
O'Bannon
S Emergency medical services; maintenance of continuous services. States that each locality shall be responsible for ensuring that emergency medical services are maintained on a 24-hour continuous basis throughout the entire locality. Reported Out
22-Y 0-N

Passed House
98-Y 0-N

Senate
Local
Government

Reported Out
15-Y 0-N

Passed Senate
40-Y 0-N

H.B. 2523
H.W.I
O'Bannon
S Localities' authority to charge insurers for ambulance services.  Clarifies that localities are currently permitted to charge insurers for ambulance services provided to any person covered by an accident and sickness insurance policy that provides coverage for ambulance services Reported Out
21-Y 0-N

Passed House
99-Y 0-N

Education
Health

Reported Out
15-Y 0-N

Passed Senate
40-Y 0-N

H.B. 2684
Gen Laws
Lingamfelter
O Fire Prevention Code; local fire prevention regulations.  Provides that local governments may not adopt regulations more stringent than the state Fire Prevention Code that would affect the possession, transportation, handling, storage, sale, or use of firearms or small arms ammunition, including smokeless powder, black powder, and primers.VPFF IS ACTIVELY WORKING THIS BILL Tabled in Committee
22-Y 0-N
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H.B. 2700
Commerce
Labor
Sickles
S Workers' compensation; enhanced coverage for first responders during state of emergency.  Enhances workers' compensation coverage for first responders operating during a state of emergency, including providing that an injury incurred while traveling from home or another location outside a work location to that work location is deemed to be within the scope of employment, eliminating the seven-day waiting period, and permitting the injured employee to select his own physician.  Reported out
with Substitute
21-Y 0-N

Passed House
96-Y 0-N

Senate
Commerce
Labor

Reported Out
16-Y 0-N

Passed Senate
40-Y 0-N

H.B. 2745
Bell
Appropriations
M Disability benefits; certain local police departments.  Provides that police departments in those localities that elected to establish their own local pension plans (instead of participating through the Virginia Retirement System) shall provide disability benefits to members of their police departments equivalent to the disability benefits provided under the Virginia Retirement System. Passed by Indefinitely
24-Y 0-N
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H.J. 672
Rules
Athey
S Study; Department of Medical Assistance Services' Medicaid-approved transportation vendors; report. Continues the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission study of pre-hospital emergency medical services in Virginia as set out in House Joint Resolution No. 133 (2004). The resolution adds to the list of objectives an examination of the needs and problems associated with the Department of Medical Assistance Services’ Medicaid-approved vendors that transport patients for medical purposes such as dialysis. Stricken from docket
17-Y 0-N
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SENATE

S.B. 696
Finance
Ruff
M Virginia Law Officers' Retirement System. Provides that the supplemental allowance currently paid to certain members upon retirement until age 65 shall instead be paid until Social Security retirement age. Reported Out
14-Y 0-N

 Passed Senate
39-Y 0-N

 House Appropriations
Sub-Comm
Compensation

PBI
24-Y 0-N

XXXXXXXX
SB 705
Comm/Labor
Y.B. Miller
M Qualification for payment of overtime compensation.  Provides that employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act shall pay wages for overtime in accordance with the regulations governing overtime pay that were in effect prior to August 23, 2004, except that the minimum qualifying salary for an exempt employee (i.e., an employee not entitled to overtime) shall be that set forth at 29 C.F.R. § 541.600, effective August 23, 2004. Stricken by
Patron
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S.B. 873
Local Gov.
Cuccinelli
M Overtime compensation for law-enforcement employees.  Expands the current overtime compensation provisions for fire protection employees to law-enforcement employees Reported Out
7-Y 6-N

Passed Senate
25-Y 15-N

House
General
Laws
sub-1

Reported W/ Amendments
14-Y 6-N

Passed House
90-Y 6-N W/amendments

S.B. 878
Finance
Wampler
M Line of Duty Act.  Provides for funding of continued health insurance and death payment benefits under the Line of Duty Act from employer contributions to a Line of Duty Act Fund administered by the Virginia Retirement System. The Retirement System shall set the rate of annual employer contributions. All payments for continued health insurance and death benefit payments shall be made from the Fund. In general, health insurance coverage under the Line of Duty Act shall be the basic health insurance plan for state employees. Reported with Substitute
15-Y 0-N

Passed Senate
40-Y 0-N

House Appropriations
Sub-Comm
Compensation

 

Left in Appropriations
24-Y 0-N

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S.B. 918
Finance
Blevins
M Law-enforcement officers retirement system; emergency medical technicians.  Adds full-time salaried emergency medical technicians to the list of those who may receive benefits equivalent to those provided under the State Police Officers' Retirement System. Left in Committee XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
S.B. 1060
Transportation
Lucas
M Motor medics pilot program.  Creates a motor medics pilot program in the South Hampton Roads area. The program shall implement the use of motorcycles as a type of emergency medical services vehicle with the objective of reducing response time of emergency medical services personnel to emergencies Reported Out
14-Y 0-N

Passed Senate
37-Y 0-N

House
Health
Welfare
Institutions

Reported out
13-Y 9-N

Referred back to Committee
Transportation

Left in Trans.
S.B. 1073
Finance
Cuccinelli
M Virginia Retirement System; defined contribution plan.  Creates a defined contribution plan as an alternative to current defined benefit retirement plans. In general, all employees in any position covered by any retirement plan administered by the Virginia Retirement System are eligible to elect a defined contribution plan in lieu of one of the current defined benefit retirement plans. The employee has 90 days to make an irrevocable election to participate in the defined contribution plan or the defined benefit retirement plan for which he is otherwise eligible. The bill does not amend any of the provisions of deferred compensation plans currently made available to employees. Left in Committee XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX
S.B. 1145
Educ/Health
Deeds
S State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board.  Increases the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board from 25 to 27 members appointed by the Governor. The change reflects the increase in the number of regional emergency medical services councils. The bill decreases from two to one the number of representatives of the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads, Inc. Reported Out
14-Y 0-N

Passed Senate
38-Y 0-N

 

 House 
General Laws
Sub-Comm #4

Reported Out
W/Amendments
21-Y 0-N

Passed House
98-Y 0-N

S.B. 1146
Educ/Health
Deeds
S Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan; additional programs.  Amends the objectives of the Statewide Emergency Medical Services Plan by eliminating the registration program for automated external defibrillators and establishing four new objectives including the establishment of (i) a process for crisis intervention and peer support services for emergency medical services and public safety personnel; (ii) a statewide emergency medical services for children program; (iii) a statewide system of health and medical emergency response teams; and (iv) a program to improve dispatching of emergency medical services. Reported Out
14-Y 0-N

Passed Senate
38-Y 0-N

 House
Health 
Welfare 
Institutions

Reported Out
22-Y 0-N

Passed House
96-Y 0-N

S.B. 1159
Comm/Labor
Stolle
M Wireless E-911 Services Board.  Amends the Board’s enabling legislation to resolve a potential constitutional debt conflict. The bill also removes the exemptions to E-911 deployment, excludes governments from the surcharge collection, and establishes a deadline for late funding requests of July 1 each year. In addition, the bill clarifies the appeals process and expands the Board’s responsibilities to include development of a single, statewide electronic addressing database Reported Out
w/Amendments
14-Y 1-A

Passed Senate
39-Y 0-N

House
Commerce
Labor

Reported Out
21-Y 0-N

Passed House
83-Y 8-N

S.B. 1291
Edwards
Comm/Labor
S Workers' compensation; definition of hypertension. Defines hypertension to include stroke, cerebrovascular accident (CVA), or any cerebral vascular event Reported Out
9-Y 3-N 3-A

Passed Senate
25-Y 15-N



House
Commerce
Labor

 

Tabled
12-Y 8-N 1-A

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