As the session nears its final week, some bills have already been completed. Some have been approved by the Governor – the final step in the process. Others have been approved by both houses and have been sent to the Governor’s desk. If a particular bill is completed and sent to the Governor this week, he must act on it before the session ends. He has the choice to approve a bill, to amend it, or to veto it. If he amends or vetoes, the legislature must then act on the proposed amendments or to override the veto.
Here are some bills of interest to the disability community that have been through the complete legislative process already:
Approved by the Governor
HB 35 (Lindsay) changes the conditions for parole for a juvenile offender. The new law states that a person who commits a serious felony while a juvenile may be eligible for parole consideration after serving 20 years. This becomes law on July 1, 2020.
Waiting for Action from the Governor
HB 65 (Miyares) establishes a Missing Child with Autism Alert Program. The Governor’s deadline to approve is March 2, 2020.
HB 134 (Runion) and SB 136 (Dunnavant) direct the Department of Education to develop guidelines for IEP teams to include age-appropriate sex education for children with disabilities. The Governor’s deadline to respond to HB 134 is March 2, 2020.
HB 362 (Rasoul) and SB 544 (Edwards) allows physician assistants to make a determination that an individual lacks decision-making capacity. The deadline for the Governor’s response to HB 362 is March 2, 2020.
The mission of the disAbility Law Center of Virginia is to advance independence, choice and self-determination; protect legal, human and civil rights; and eliminate abuse, neglect and discrimination of people with disabilities through zealous and uncompromising legal advocacy and representation. We are available to educate policymakers about the impact of their decisions on the lives of people with disabilities.