Feb 13, 2013 Legislative Highlights

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Final Update from 2013

House Bill 1844 was approved by both the House and the Senate and now goes to the Governor. The bill eliminates or updates certain code references and provides for the transfer of records and physical property to the new protection and advocacy organization.

The General Assembly must complete the committee work on bills so that they can be considered before the legislature adjourns on February 23, 2013. Most committee work will be completed this week. We are monitoring, in particular, the outcome of the conference committee on the budget.

This is a partial listing of bills we are watching, organized by subject matter:

Guardianship
Voting Rights
Mental Health and Mandatory Outpatient Treatment
Education and Special Education
Training Center Closures
Community Integration
Health Care Reform
Guardianship

 

SB 759 (Edwards) – This bill, supported by the Virginia Bar Association, makes various amendments to guardianship laws. It has been approved by the Senate and approved with an amendment by a subcommittee of the House Courts of Justice.

Voting Rights

SB 967 (Ebbin) – Eliminates the requirement that people with disabilities provide details about their disability in order to get an absentee ballot. Also eliminates certain other personal information that was previously required to obtain an absentee ballot. Approved by a subcommittee of the House Committee on Privileges and Elections.

HB 1337 (Cole) – Eliminates some forms of identification that can be used as proof of ID at the polling place. The House version requires a voter to have ID which has either a photo or name and address. A voter registration card would be acceptable identification. Approved by the House and by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections.

SB 1256 (Obenshain) – Eliminates some forms of identification that can be used as proof of ID at the polling place. The Senate version requires the state to provide, for free, voting registration cards with photo id to those voters who do not otherwise have photo IDs. Assigned to the House Committee on Appropriations.

HB 1725 (Rust) – Prohibits anyone from mailing 25 or more absentee ballot applications on behalf of other individuals. Congregate care facilities and others have concerns about this bill. The bill failed in the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections.

Mental Health and Mandatory Outpatient Treatment

HB 1423 (O’Bannon) – Clarifies that the CSB where a person resides may petition for a hearing to consider mandatory outpatient treatment prior to discharge. Approved by both the House and the Senate.

SB 996 (Barker) – Extends the time of a temporary detention order to 72 hours from 48 hours. It was conditionally approved: For it to be effective, there must also be money included in the budget. Assigned to the House Committee on Appropriations.

SB 920 (Carrico) –  Mandates that a magistrate must consider ordering alternative transportation after the entry of a temporary custody order or emergency custody order so that transportation may be provided by someone other than law enforcement in certain circumstances. Approved by the Senate and by the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions.

Education and Special Education

HB 1344 (Bell, Richard) – Establishes that the School for the Deaf and Blind may be the least restrictive environment. Approved the House and by the Senate with a technical amendment.

Training Center Closures

There were some bills that attempted to slow down or prevent the closure of Virginia’s training centers but all have been killed or withdrawn. As a precursor to the settlement agreement between Virginia and the Department of Justice, The Commonwealth announced its intention to close four of the five training centers by 2020. The settlement agreement then requires the creation of quality community services and supports for those leaving the training centers and for hundreds of people on waiver waiting lists.

Both proposed budgets contain language amendments requiring periodic reporting to the legislature about the closure of the training centers and the progress of transitions.

Additionally, the money committees have created a Special Joint Subcommittee to Consult on the Plan to Close State Training Centers. They met on Monday, February 11, 2013 and plan to meet again after the session.

Community Integration

HB 1444 (O’Bannon) – Allows staff of facilities licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health to be able to administer insulin and epinephrine (epi-pens). Assigned to the Senate Committee on Education and Health.

HB1519 (Villanueva) – Extends Community Integration Commission to 2016. Approved by House and assigned to the Senate Committee on Rules.

HB 2328 (Cline) – Requires the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall list licensed providers included on the website of the Department’s Office of Licensing by the name under which the provider is doing business in the Commonwealth, and shall also include any other name of such provider on such website. Approved by the House and assigned to the Senate Committee on Education and Health.

Health Care Reform

The Senate version of the proposed budget allows for medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, conditioned on certain reforms and on the creation of a health care savings fund. The House version does not allow for expansion until further action is taken in the 2014 legislature. See the VOPA Director’s blog for more detail.

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VOPA’s mission is through zealous and effective advocacy and legal representation, to protect and advance legal, human and civil rights of persons with disabilities, combat and prevent abuse, neglect and discrimination, and promote independence, choice, and self determination by persons with disabilities. The Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy is available to advise and educate legislators and other policy makers about the implications of their legislative decisions for the rights of people with disabilities in Virginia.

The Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy is an independent state agency. However, VOPA will transition to a private non-profit organization by October 1, 2013.