Public Safety Bills - Virginia General Assembly - Information From The Tidewater EMS Council

2008 Virginia General Assembly bills and resolutions with impact on the Virginia EMS System and other public safety bills. Click on the bill number to get more information from the Virginia Legislative Information System. Bills in gray areas were defeated, tabled, carried over to the next session, stricken or incorporated into other bills.

Bills	Last action	Date
HB 10 - Wright - Line of Duty Act; coverage for fire company personnel of National Guard and Air National Guard.	(H) Left in Appropriations	02/12/08
HB 15 - Ware, R.L. - Vehicle warning lights; allows forensic crash reconstructionists to equip their vehicles therewith.	(H) Left in Transportation	02/12/08
HB 22 - O'Bannon - Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus; required to be reported to Department of Health.	(H) Stricken from docket by Health, Welfare and Institutions	01/10/08
HB 39 - Scott, J.M. - Wireless telecommunications device; prohibits use of text messaging while driving certain vehicles.	(H) Passed by in Transportation with letter	01/15/08
HB 78 - Abbitt - Health insurance; credits for certain retired public officers and employees.	(H) Left in Appropriations	02/12/08
HB 109 - Cole - Firearms; regulation thereof by state entities	(H) Left in Militia, Police and Public Safety	02/12/08
HB 128 - Purkey - Retirement System; creating new defined contribution retirement plan.	(H) Left in Appropriations	02/12/08
HB 143 - Kilgore - Medical bills and charges; patient, patient's attorney, etc. may obtain list at no cost.	(H) Left in Courts of Justice	02/12/08
HB 152 - Poisson - Governmental employees; permission to form associations.	(H) Left in Rules	02/12/08
HB 191 - Orrock - Emergency medical services; temporary suspension of permits and certificates pending hearing.	(S) Signed by President	03/09/08
HB 192 - Orrock - Volunteer rescue squads; replaces term with agency, etc. licensed or certified by Office of EMS.	Approved by the Governor	03/04/08
HB 225 - Cosgrove - Child restraint devices; exempts children being transported in minibuses and certain vans.	(H) Left in Transportation	02/12/08
HB 228 - Cosgrove - Reduced cigarette ignition propensity; prohibits manufacture, etc. thereof unless meets standards.	Approved by the Governor	03/05/08
HB 243 - O'Bannon - Human immunodeficiency virus; informed consent for testing.	(H) Incorporated by Health, Welfare and Institutions (HB1100-Sickles)	01/31/08
HB 247 - O'Bannon - Hospital emergency departments; ability to access electronic health records.	(H) Continued to 2009 in Health, Welfare and Institutions	01/24/08
HB 248 - O'Bannon - Emergency medical services personnel; clarifies definitions.	Approved by the Governor	03/02/08
HB 251 - O'Bannon - Adult Fatality Review Team; created, report.	Approved by the Governor	03/11/08
HB 261 - Ware, O. - Law-enforcement and rescue vehicles; use of flashing lights.	(H) Left in Transportation	02/12/08
HB 265 - Albo - Wood burning fireplaces; regulation by locality.	(H) Left in Counties, Cities and Towns	02/12/08
HB 271 - Miller, P.J. - Line of Duty Act; amends definition of deceased person.	(H) Left in Appropriations	02/12/08
HB 297 - Hargrove - Governmental employees; use of association membership fees.	(H) Stricken from docket by Privileges and Elections	01/18/08
HB 320 - Cox - Fire Prevention Code; fees for inspection, exceptions.	Approved by the Governor	03/10/08
HB 333 - McClellan - Automatic sprinkler systems; tax credit for initial installation.	(H) Left in General Laws	02/12/08
HB 338 - McClellan - Emergency plans; fee for review.	(H) Continued to 2009 in Militia, Police and Public Safety	02/01/08
HB 369 - Carrico - Retirement System; state & local law-enforcement officers may take full retirement if have 25 yrs.	(H) Left in Appropriations	02/12/08
HB 403 - Hamilton - Health care providers; those responding to disaster immune from liability.	Approved by the Governor	03/02/08
HB 479 - Hamilton - Stroke Triage Plan; Board of Health to develop and maintain as component of EMS Plan.	Approved by the Governor	03/02/08
HB 485 - Shuler - Carbon monoxide detectors; locality to require installation in certain buildings.	(H) Left in General Laws	02/12/08
HB 486 - Shuler - Blacksburg, Town of; authority to bring civil action for failure to provide adequate crowd control.	(H) Incorporated by Counties, Cities and Towns (HB851-Orrock)	01/18/08
HB 498 - Cosgrove - Uniform Statewide Building Code; standards for installation of in-building antenna systems.	(H) Left in General Laws	02/12/08
HB 532 - Mathieson - Infectious disease presumption; emergency declaration by Governor.	(H) Tabled in Commerce and Labor (12-Y 9-N)	02/07/08
HB 545 - Nixon - Telephone service; alternatives to regulation.	(H) Continued to 2009 in Commerce and Labor	02/07/08
HB 546 - Nixon - Telephone systems, multiline; alternative method of providing emergency calls.	(S) Signed by President	03/09/08
HB 564 - Crockett-Stark - Fire Prevention Code; fees for inspection, exceptions.	(H) Incorporated by General Laws (HB320-Cox)	01/29/08
HB 585 - Marsden - Juvenile care facilities; Board of Juvenile Justice to est. regulations for smoke detectors, etc.	(H) Left in General Laws	02/12/08
HB 609 - Eisenberg - Wireless telecommunications device; prohibits use of text messaging while driving certain vehicles.	(H) Passed by in Transportation with letter	01/15/08
HB 626 - May - Investment of Public Funds Act; investment of funds for volunteer fire & rescue squad pension prog.	Approved by the Governor	03/04/08
HB 642 - Hogan - Motor vehicles; yielding right-of-way when approaching mail delivery vehicles.	(H) Left in Transportation	02/12/08
HB 697 - BaCote - Libraries; localities may adopt an ordinance prohibiting firearms, etc. on premises.	(H) Left in Militia, Police and Public Safety	02/12/08
HB 806 - Englin - Infectious diseases; medical care facility, school, or summer camp to report cases.	Approved by the Governor	03/05/08
HB 839 - Sherwood - Interoperability Executive Committee; established, report.	Approved by the Governor	03/04/08
HB 857 - Ebbin - Adult Fatality Review Team; created, report.	(H) Left in Health, Welfare and Institutions	02/12/08
HB 904 - Mathieson - Mobile telephone and other wireless electronic devices; use of hands-free accessory while driving.	(H) Continued to 2009 in Militia, Police and Public Safety	02/08/08
HB 922 - Rust - Registration fees; increase for firefighting and emergency medical services vehicles.	Approved by the Governor	03/03/08
HB 998 - Bell - Line of Duty Act; definition of disabled person to include local employees.	(H) Left in Appropriations	02/12/08
HB 1001 - Bell - Bomb threat; restitution for cost of response.	(H) Left in Courts of Justice	02/12/08
HB 1065 - Amundson - Safety belts; makes non-use thereof primary offense.	(H) Left in Militia, Police and Public Safety	02/12/08
HB 1072 - Caputo - Fire-safe cigarettes; prohibits manufacture, etc. unless tested to meet performance standard.	(H) Incorporated by Commerce and Labor (HB228-Cosgrove)	01/29/08
HB 1100 - Sickles - Human immunodeficiency virus; informed consent for testing.	(S) Concurs with Governor's recommendations	03/13/08
HB 1124 - Jones, S.C. - Virginia Commonwealth University; management agreement with State.	Approved by the Governor	03/12/08
HB 1154 - Phillips - Sick leave; retirement credit for unused balances of state & local employees.	(H) Left in Appropriations	02/12/08
HB 1173 - Lingamfelter - Motorcyclists; allows certain persons at least 21 years of age to ride without helmets.	(H) Failed to report (defeated) in Transportation (7-Y 14-N)	01/22/08
HB 1219 - Bowling - Law Officers' Retirement System; supplemental allowance paid until Social Security retirement age.	(H) Left in Appropriations	02/12/08
HB 1225 - Bowling - Fire Programs Fund; increases rate of assessment.	(H) Continued to 2009 in Commerce and Labor	01/31/08
HB 1294 - Athey - Good Samaritan statute; immunity extends to those providing care at location for screening, etc.	Approved by the Governor	03/03/08
HB 1340 - Barlow - Fire Programs Fund; increases rate of assessment.	(H) Incorporated by Commerce and Labor (HB1225-Bowling)	01/31/08
HB 1353 - Gear - Fire Prevention Code; prohibits locality from restricting manufacture, etc. of permissible firework.	(H) Stricken from docket by General Laws	02/05/08
HB 1420 - Howell, A.T. - Health, Department of; established as radiation control agency.	Governor's recommendation adopted	03/07/08
HB 1436 - Bulova - Line of Duty Act; funding for Line of Duty Health Benefits Trust Fund.	(H) Left in Appropriations	02/12/08
HB 1501 - Amundson - Firefighters; task force to develop training standards, report.	(H) Passed by indefinitely in Militia, Police and Public Safety (15-Y 7-N)	02/08/08

HB 1535 - Barlow - Safety belts; makes non-use thereof primary offense.	(H) Left in Militia, Police and Public Safety	02/12/08
HJ 16 - Ingram - Celebrating the life of Garry Harrison Clatterbuck.	(S) Agreed to by Senate	01/17/08
HJ 34 - Hargrove - Commending Dr. Robert Powell.	(S) Agreed to by Senate by voice vote	01/17/08
HJ 84 - Rust - Affordable housing; Housing Commission to study methods for procuring units for public employees.	(H) Left in Rules	02/12/08
HJ 155 - Suit - Emergency responses; Hampton Roads Planning District Commission to study automatic aide.	(S) Referred to Committee on Rules	02/11/08
HJ 156 - Sickles - Public health emergencies; Commission on Local Government to study need for contingency plans.	(H) Left in Rules	02/12/08
SB 20 - Edwards - Carbon monoxide alarms; locality to require installation in certain buildings.	(H) Left in General Laws	03/03/08
SB 41 - Reynolds - Line of Duty Act; definition, and funding for Line of Duty Death and Health Benefits Trust Fund.	(H) Left in Appropriations	03/03/08
SB 51 - Whipple - Health insurance; extension of coverage funded by localities.	(H) Failed to report (defeated) in Commerce and Labor (8-Y 14-N)	02/26/08
SB 102 - Cuccinelli - Three-tiered system of transportation; established.	(S) Subject matter referred to Commission on Mental Health Law Reform pursuant to Senate Rule 20 (L)	01/28/08
SB 110 - McDougle - Retirement benefits; applicable to certain public safety officers and state police officers.	(S) Left in Finance	02/13/08
SB 167 - Blevins - Uniform Statewide Building Code; use of noncombustible materials in certain structures construction.	(S) Subject matter referred by letter to Housing Commission pursuant to Senate Rule 20 (L)	01/16/08
SB 168 - Stuart - Income tax, state; volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel tax credit.	(S) Left in Finance	02/13/08
SB 196 - Herring - Hazardous materials; localities to prohibit initiation of new storage in floodplains.	(S) Stricken at request of Patron in Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (15-Y 0-N)	01/21/08
SB 208 - Stosch - Reduced cigarette ignition propensity; prohibits manufacture, etc. thereof unless meets standards.	Approved by the Governor	03/02/08
SB 228 - McDougle - Child abuse and neglect; emergency medical services personnel added to list of mandatory reporters.	Approved by the Governor	03/04/08
SB 239 - Locke - Taxpayer information; local officials to provide direct access for use by fire, rescue, etc.	(S) Stricken at request of Patron in Finance (16-Y 0-N)	01/22/08
SB 257 - Deeds - Interoperability Executive Committee; codifies Committee, report.	(S) Stricken at request of Patron in General Laws and Technology (14-Y 0-N)	01/16/08
SB 269 - Deeds - Law-enforcement employees; extends coverage under overtime compensation.	(H) Left in Appropriations	03/03/08
SB 316 - Deeds - Sickness and Disability Program; open-enrollment period.	(S) Subject matter referred by letter to JLARC pursuant to Senate Rule 20 (L)	01/30/08
SB 329 - Quayle - Line of Duty Act; definition, and funding for Line of Duty Death and Health Benefits Trust Fund.	(H) Left in Appropriations	03/03/08
SB 338 - Cuccinelli - Public funds; payment for membership to professional associations in certain instances prohibited.	(S) Failed to report (defeated) in Local Government (4-Y 11-N)	01/22/08
SB 344 - Blevins - Stroke Triage Plan; Board of Health to develop and maintain as component of EMS Plan.	Approved by the Governor	03/11/08
SB 362 - Watkins - Carbon monoxide detectors; prohibits removal or tampering by tenant installed by landlord.	Approved by the Governor	03/12/08
SB 363 - Watkins - Automatic sprinkler systems; tax credit for initial installation.	(S) Continued to 2009 in General Laws and Technology (15-Y 0-N)	01/23/08
SB 367 - Watkins - Forest wardens, special; retirement credits.	(H) Left in Appropriations	03/03/08
SB 390 - Martin - Emergency medical services; director may serve same function as chief of fire department.	Approved by the Governor	03/05/08
SB 412 - Puckett - Fire Programs Fund; increases rate of assessment.	(S) Continued to 2009 in Commerce and Labor (15-Y 0-N)	01/28/08
SB 414 - Puckett - Nonemergency medical transportation; creates new DMV permit for providers.	(S) Stricken at request of Patron in Transportation (14-Y 0-N)	01/17/08
SB 417 - Puckett - Sickness and Disability Program; open-enrollment period.	(S) Subject matter referred by letter to JLARC pursuant to Senate Rule 20 (L)	01/30/08
SB 459 - Ruff - Retail Sales and Use Tax; exemptions for nonprofit entities exempt from federal income taxes.	(S) Left in Finance	02/13/08
SB 463 - Whipple - Infectious diseases; residential or day program, etc. licensed by State to report cases.	Approved by the Governor	03/15/08
SB 491 - Hanger - Retirement System; retirement credits for special forest wardens.	(S) Incorporated by Finance (SB367-Watkins) (16-Y 0-N)	01/29/08
SB 500 - Northam - Infectious disease presumption; emergency declaration by Governor.	(H) Left in Commerce	03/12/08
SB 503 - Northam - Emergency Medical Services, Department of; established.	(S) Stricken at request of Patron in General Laws and Technology (14-Y 0-N)	01/16/08
SB 514 - Miller, J.C. - Health, Department of; established as radiation control agency.	Approved by Governor-Chapter 41 (effective 7/1/08)	02/27/08
SB 520 - Watkins - State Interoperability Executive Committee.	Approved by the Governor	03/10/08
SB 530 - Houck - Crowd control; authority to bring civil action against person who negligently fails to provide.	(S) Subject matter referred by letter to Crime Commission pursuant to Senate Rule 20 (L)	01/29/08
SB 599 - Norment - Retirement System; additional creditable service for special forest wardens.	(S) Incorporated by Finance (SB367-Watkins) (16-Y 0-N)	01/29/08
SB 657 - Newman - Health care providers; those responding to disaster immune from liability.	Approved by the Governor	03/02/08
SB 679 - Reynolds - Forest firefighting by localities or volunteer fire or rescue; recovery of costs.	(S) Conference Report agreed to by Senate	03/08/08
SB 698 - Petersen - Motorcycle helmets; penalty for failure to wear a helmet.	(S) Read third time and defeated by Senate (14-Y 25-N)	01/31/08
SB 702 - Lucas - Influenza vaccinations; Department of Health to publish on its website information thereon.	(S) Left in Education and Health (15-Y 0-N)	01/31/08
SB 705 - Norment - William and Mary, College of; management agreement with State.	(S) Continued to 2009 in Finance (16-Y 0-N)	02/13/08
SB 738 - Edwards - Adult protective services; reporting of suspected financial abuse of elderly & dependent persons.	(S) Continued to 2009 in Commerce and Labor (15-Y 0-N)	02/11/08
SJ 1 - Stosch - Celebrating the life of Walter R. Stickel, Jr.	(H) Agreed to by House	01/25/08

Budget Amendment Requests:

a) VOLSAP amendment introduced in both House Appropriations and Senate Finance and did not receive funding from either

b) Amendment introduced to increase agency level for VDFP from Level 5 to level 3 – did not get out of committee

Amendments Introduced by Committee HB 30 ( 08-10 budget bill):

a) Amendment introduced in both houses to divert interest earned on the VDFP fund and the RSAF account to the general fund – Approved in conference report

This would be approximately $1.5 million from VDFP and $281,000.00 from OEMS.

b) Amendment introduced in House to delay realignment of Regional EMS Councils in the 2008 – 10 biennium budget – Approved by conference committee

c) Amendment introduced to fund SFMO for two years for the loss of revenue from HB 320. Approved

d) Amendment introduced that would fund part of the Line of Duty act from the “599” funds currently used for law enforcement – Conference report retained the amount in the introduced budget

e) Amendment introduced to remove approximately $2.0 million from the OEMS Trauma Center funding. Funding to the centers will still amount to approximately $7.2 million.

Amendments Introduced by Committee HB 29 (“caboose budget bill)

a) Interest earnings not allocated to VDFP and OEMS for FY 2008 or the last six months of the current budget bill. Approved in the conference report.

Other notes of Interest:

a) Transportation plan (HB3202 – 2007 session) ruled unconstitutional by the State Supreme Court right at the end of the session. Special session in April.

b) Reconvened session scheduled for April 23^rd

c) Special session 1 on bonds met on March 13^th and will continue on around April 22^nd

d) HB 922 will increase the $4 for Life to $4.25 in funding by approximately $1.6 million and would be used for ALS class reimbursement

e) SB 208 and HB 228 would bring approximately $250,000.00 to the SFMO and Department of Agriculture annually beginning in 2010 for certification of “Fire Safe” cigarettes

f) The Governor’s budget reduction plan of FY 2008 reduced general funding for the Poison Control Centers by $81,563.00 and Trauma Center funding by $1.8 million.

2007 Virginia General Assembly bills and resolutions with impact on the Virginia EMS System. Click on the bill number to get more information from the Virginia Legislative Information System. Bills in gray areas were defeated, tabled, carried over to the next session, stricken or incorporated into other bills.

Bills	Last action
HB 1603 - Rapp - Multiline telephone systems, 911. Requires multiline telephone systems acquired or installed on or after July 1, 2009, to be maintained and operated so that calls to 9-1-1 from each telephone station on the system provides either automatic location and number identification information or an alternative method of providing call location information. The Wireless E-911 Services Board is directed to monitor developments in E-911 service and multiline telephone system technologies.	Signed by Governor
HB 1644 - Wright - Line of Duty Act; fire personnel of National Guard and Air National Guard are covered thereunder.	(H) Left in Appropriations
HB 1679 - Cosgrove - Overweight Permits, Fire and EMS Apparatus. Exempts fire and emergency medical apparatus responding to or returning from emergency calls from weight limits on bridges and culverts, provided the vehicles are not so heavy as to cause immediate structural damage.