Virginia Commerce and Labor (S02) Committee Docket — 2025-01-20

Summary

This is the Virginia Commerce and Labor (S02) committee docket dated 2025-01-20 for the 2025 Regular session, with the Senate as the chamber and R. Creigh Deeds (D) named as Chair. The agenda lists Senate bills in committee, including SB788 on workers' compensation and injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors. SB793 concerns the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program, including electronic filing and review of claims. SB1371 concerns gift certificates and prohibits imposition of a dormancy fee unless certain requirements of the bill are met.

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TITLE: Virginia Commerce and Labor (S02) Committee Docket — 2025-01-20
DATE: 2025-01-20T16:30:00
SESSION: 2025 Regular (20251)
CHAMBER: Senate

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
  - R. Creigh Deeds (D) Chair

STAFF: Horton, Andrew, Swall, Amanda, Thomas Stevens, Kinzer, Sarah                 , Ali, Marvi

DOCKET / AGENDA:

[Senate Bill in Committee]
  1. SB788 - Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors.
       Patron(s): Head
       Summary: Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors. Provides that, for the purposes of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act, "occupational disease" includes injuries or diseases from conditions resulting from repetitive and sustained physical stressors, including repetitive and sustained motions, exertions, posture stresses, contact stresses, vibrations, or noises. The bill provides that such injuries or diseases are covered under the Act and that such coverage does not require that such repetitive or sustained physical stress occurred over a particular tim
  2. SB793 - Va. Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program; electronic filing, review of claims.
       Patron(s): Head
       Summary: Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program; electronic filing; review of claims. Requires electronic filing of claims under the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program. The bill requires such claims to include condensed and uncompressed fetal heart rate monitoring strips and prenatal records and increases from 10 to 21 days the timeframe in which the Program is required to file a response to a claim. The bill also increases from $3,000 to $6,000 the amount paid to the medical school that assesses and prepares a report for a claim.
  3. SB803 - Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors.
       Patron(s): McDougle
       Summary: Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors. Provides that, for the purposes of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act, \"occupational disease\" includes injuries or diseases from conditions resulting from repetitive and sustained physical stressors, including repetitive and sustained motions, exertions, posture stresses, contact stresses, vibrations, or noises. The bill provides that such injuries or diseases are covered under the Act and that such coverage does not require that such repetitive or sustained physical stress occurred over a particular t
  4. SB840 - Child labor; child engaged in the work of content creation, trust account.
       Patron(s): VanValkenburg
       Summary: Child labor; child engaged in the work of content creation; trust account. Specifies certain criteria for a child to be considered engaged in the work of content creation and prohibits a child who is under 14 years of age from engaging in the work of content creation. A child 14 years of age or older who is considered a child engaged in the work of content creation shall be compensated by the content creator, defined in the bill, whose video content includes such child's likeness, name, or photograph. The bill requires the content creator to set aside gross earnings on the video content includ
  5. SB853 - Prevailing wage rate; apprenticeship requirements, RPS-eligible source work, penalties.
       Patron(s): Rouse
       Summary: Prevailing wage rate; apprenticeship requirements; RPS-eligible source work; penalties. Requires each public service company, including its contractors and subcontractors, or third-party developer to ensure payment at the prevailing wage rate set by the Department of Labor and Industry for any mechanic, laborer, or worker employed, retained, or otherwise hired to perform construction, maintenance, or repair work for certain electricity generating sources. The bill requires each public service company to (i) ensure that 15 percent of the total labor hours of such work is performed by qualified
  6. SB860 - Workers' compensation benefits; disorders induced by law-enforcement officers and firefighters.
       Patron(s): Reeves
       Summary: Workers' compensation benefits; post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder incurred by law-enforcement officers and firefighters. Increases from 52 weeks to 500 weeks the maximum duration after the date of diagnosis that workers' compensation benefits are payable for post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder incurred by law-enforcement officers and firefighters acting in the line of duty. The bill also removes the prohibition on medical treatment, temporary total incapacity benefits, or temporary partial incapacity benefits from bein
  7. SB954 - Fertility preservation treatments; state plan for medical assistance services.
       Patron(s): Salim
       Summary: State plan for medical assistance services; fertility preservation treatments. Directs the Board of Medical Assistance Services to amend the state plan for medical assistance services to include a provision for payment of medical assistance for coverage of fertility preservation for individuals diagnosed with a form of cancer who need treatment that may cause a substantial risk of sterility or iatrogenic infertility, as defined in the bill, including surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. The bill also requires insurers to provide coverage for standard fertility preservation for individuals who
  8. SB998 - Child labor; child engaged in the work of content creation, trust account.
       Patron(s): Williams Graves
       Summary: Child labor; child engaged in the work of content creation; trust account. Requires that a child under the age of 16 who meets certain criteria specified in the bill to be considered a child engaged in the work of content creation be compensated by the content creator, defined in the bill, whose video content includes such child's likeness, name, or photograph. The bill requires the content creator to set aside gross earnings on the video content that includes the likeness, name, or photograph of the child in a trust account to be preserved for the benefit of the child upon attaining 18 years
  9. SB1056 - Unemployment compensation; increases weekly benefit amounts, report.
       Patron(s): Ebbin
       Summary: Unemployment compensation; increase weekly benefit amounts; report. Provides that, for unemployment compensation claims effective on or after January 1, 2026, an eligible individual's weekly benefit amount shall be $52 higher than the current weekly benefit amount, as denoted in the table in the printed bill. The bill directs the Commission on Unemployment Compensation, in consultation with the Virginia Employment Commission, to convene a work group to study making annual adjustments to individual weekly benefit amounts based on the average weekly wage. As introduced, this bill was a recommend
  10. SB1057 - Unemployment insurance; weekly benefit amount, increasing threshold for deduction of wages payable.
       Patron(s): Ebbin
       Summary: Unemployment insurance; weekly benefit amount; increasing threshold for deduction of wages payable. Provides that each individual eligible for unemployment benefits shall be paid a weekly benefit amount less any part of the wages payable to such individual for such week that is in excess of $100. Currently, each eligible individual shall be paid a weekly benefit amount less any part of the wages payable to such individual for such week that is in excess of $50. This bill is a recommendation of the Commission on Unemployment Compensation.
  11. SB1077 - Electric utilities; regulation, development of renewable energy facilities.
       Patron(s): Peake
       Summary: Regulation of electric utilities; development of renewable energy facilities; powers of State Air Pollution Control Board; powers of State Corporation Commission. Repeals provisions (i) requiring the State Air Pollution Control Board to adopt regulations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from any electricity generating unit in the Commonwealth and authorizing the Board to establish an auction program for energy allowances; (ii) prohibiting the State Corporation Commission from approving any new utility-owned generation facilities that emit carbon dioxide as a by-product of energy generation,
  12. SB1078 - Health insurance; cost-sharing, pharmacy benefits managers, compensation and duties, civil penalty.
       Patron(s): Peake
       Summary: Health insurance; cost-sharing; pharmacy benefits managers; compensation and duties: civil penalty. Amends provisions related to rebates provided by carriers and health benefit plans to health plan enrollees by defining "defined cost-sharing," "pharmacy benefits management services," and "price protection rebates." The bill requires that an enrollee's defined cost-sharing for each prescription drug be calculated at the point of sale based on a price that is reduced by an amount equal to at least 80 percent of all rebates received or expected to be received in connection with the dispensing or
  13. SB1103 - Employment health and safety standards; heat illness prevention.
       Patron(s): Hashmi
       Summary: Employment health and safety standards; heat illness prevention. Requires the Safety and Health Codes Board to adopt regulations establishing reasonable standards designed to protect employees from heat illness and establish a list of high-hazard industries, as defined in the bill. The bill authorizes a person aggrieved by a violation of its provisions or the regulations promulgated thereunder to seek to obtain injunctive relief, to recover statutory damages of $1000, or both, in an action commenced within one year of the cause of action. The bill requires the Safety and Health Codes Board, in
  14. SB1112 - Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors.
       Patron(s): Williams Graves
       Summary: Workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors. Provides that, for the purposes of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act, \"occupational disease\" includes injuries or diseases from conditions resulting from repetitive and sustained physical stressors, including repetitive and sustained motions, exertions, posture stresses, contact stresses, vibrations, or noises. The bill provides that such injuries or diseases are covered under the Act and that such coverage does not require that such repetitive or sustained physical stress occurred over a particular t
  15. SB1132 - Prospective employees; prohibiting employer seeking wage or salary history.
       Patron(s): Boysko
       Summary: Prohibiting employer seeking wage or salary history of prospective employees; wage or salary range transparency; cause of action. Prohibits a prospective employer from (i) seeking the wage or salary history of a prospective employee; (ii) relying on the wage or salary history of a prospective employee in determining the wages or salary the prospective employee is to be paid upon hire; (iii) relying on the wage or salary history of a prospective employee in considering the prospective employee for employment; (iv) refusing to interview, hire, employ, or promote a prospective employee or otherwi
  16. SB1154 - Fire insurance; assignment of claims prohibited.
       Patron(s): Obenshain
       Summary: Fire insurance; assignment of claims prohibited. Prohibits a fire insurance policy or a fire insurance policy in combination with other coverages from assigning or otherwise transferring, in whole or in part, to any other person the duties, rights, or benefits of the insured under the policy arising from a claim or covered loss without written consent of the insurer. Any such contract provision is void and unenforceable under the bill. This bill is identical to HB 1628.
  17. SB1159 - Motor vehicle insurance; underinsured motorist coverage, revises language of required notice.
       Patron(s): Obenshain
       Summary: Motor vehicle insurance; underinsured motorist coverage; required notice. Revises the language of the notice required to be enclosed with all motor vehicle insurance policies issued, delivered, or renewed after July 1, 2026, in the Commonwealth. The bill requires such notice to provide that the insured may choose to change the way the insured's underinsured motorist coverage is calculated.
  18. SB1160 - Electric utilities; State Corporation Commission to establish an emissions intensity target program.
       Patron(s): Obenshain
       Summary: Electric utilities; emissions intensity target program. Requires the State Corporation Commission to develop an emissions intensity target program for Dominion Energy Virginia and American Electric Power to achieve net-zero emissions. The bill requires the Commission to promulgate regulations to implement its provisions by January 1, 2026. Upon the promulgation of such regulations, the bill repeals certain provisions that require Dominion Energy Virginia and American Electric Power to participate in a renewable energy portfolio standard program, authorize the State Air Pollution Control Board
  19. SB1168 - Health insurance; coverage for acupuncture treatments.
       Patron(s): Salim
       Summary: Practice of acupuncture; definition; health insurance; coverage for acupuncture treatments. Amends the definition of the "practice of acupuncture" as it relates to the practice of medicine and other healing arts to specify that it means the stimulation of selected points on the body to prevent or modify the perception of pain or to normalize physiological functions for the treatment of certain ailments or conditions of the body and includes acupuncture needle insertion, dry needling, electroacupuncture, cupping, gua sha, and moxibustion. Under current law, the "practice of acupuncture" means t
  20. SB1199 - Medicare supplement policies; annual open enrollment period, individual Medicare policies, etc.
       Patron(s): Deeds
       Summary: Medicare supplement policies; annual open enrollment period. Requires an insurer, health services plan, or health maintenance organization issuing individual Medicare supplement policies or certificates in the Commonwealth to offer to an individual currently insured under any such policy an annual open enrollment period commencing on the day of the individual's birthday and remaining open for at least 60 days thereafter, during which time the individual may purchase any Medicare supplement policy made available by any insurer in the Commonwealth that offers the same benefits as those provided
  21. SB1207 - Lithium-ion Battery Separator Manufacturing Grant Fund; created, definitions.
       Patron(s): Mulchi
       Summary: Lithium-ion Battery Separator Manufacturing Grant Fund. Establishes the Lithium-ion Battery Separator Manufacturing Grant Fund to, subject to appropriation, fund 20 annual grant award installments, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $60.597 million, to a qualified company that engages in the manufacture of lithium-ion battery separators and that executes a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority, and that on and after July 1, 2024, but before July 1, 2045, is expected to (i) make a capital investment, defined in the bill,
  22. SB1208 - Current and Mature Semiconductor Technology Grant Fund; established.
       Patron(s): Lucas
       Summary: Current and Mature Semiconductor Technology Grant Fund. Establishes the Current and Mature Semiconductor Technology Grant Fund to, subject to appropriation, fund 15 annual grant award installments, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $60 million, to a qualified company that engages in the manufacture of semiconductors and that executes a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth and, on and after July 1, 2024, but before June 30, 2040, is expected to (i) make a capital investment, defined in the bill, of at least $2,170,130,850 and (ii) create and maintain at least 340 new full-time j
  23. SB1215 - Health insurance; required provisions regarding prior authorization for health care services.
       Patron(s): Pekarsky
       Summary: Health insurance; carrier contracts; required provisions regarding prior authorization for health care services; work group; report. Requires certain health insurance contracts under which an insurance carrier has the right or obligation to require prior authorization for a health care service, as defined in the bill, to include provisions governing the prior authorization process. Such required provisions include (i) time limits for a carrier to respond to prior authorization requests, (ii) a prohibition on revoking, limiting, making conditional, modifying, or restricting a previously approve
  24. SB1269 - Surplus lines broker taxes; certain insurance policies.
       Patron(s): Pekarsky
       Summary: Surplus lines broker taxes; certain insurance policies. Provides that any surplus lines broker or any person required to be licensed as one shall not be subject to the annual taxes, license taxes, or penalties under current law for any policy of insurance procured during the preceding calendar year on behalf of a commuter rail system jointly operated by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation District beginning in calendar year 2025. This bill is identical to HB 1682.
  25. SB1276 - Labor and employment; portable benefit accounts, income tax, deduction.
       Patron(s): DeSteph
       Summary: Labor and employment; portable benefit accounts; income tax; deduction. Authorizes a Virginia resident who has worked as an independent contractor to establish a portable benefit account. Under the bill, a portable benefit account offered through and administered by a bank, credit union, or other depository institution and distributions from the account may be used for the payment of various health-related costs. The bill also creates a temporary deduction for the amount of contributions made to a portable benefit account by an independent contractor for the 2025 and 2026 taxable years.
  26. SB1290 - Health insurance; reimbursement for services rendered by certain practitioners.
       Patron(s): Deeds
       Summary: Health insurance; reimbursement for services rendered by certain practitioners other than physicians. Requires health insurers and health service plan providers whose accident and sickness insurance policies or subscription contracts cover services that may be legally performed by a physician assistant to provide equal coverage for such services when rendered by a licensed athletic trainer when such services are performed in an office setting. Additionally, the bill requires the reimbursement or payment for a service provided by certain licensed practitioners listed in the bill to be in the sa
  27. SB1299 - Workers' compensation;  compensation to dependents or beneficiaries of an employee killed.
       Patron(s): McPike
       Summary: Workers' compensation; compensation to dependents or beneficiaries of an employee killed. Provides that if an employee's death results from an accident compensable under the workers' compensation program, the employer shall pay or cause to be paid certain compensation to certain family members, dependents, or beneficiaries of the deceased employee under certain circumstances as described in the bill.
  28. SB1301 - Workers' compensation benefits; post-traumatic stress disorder incurred by firefighters, etc.
       Patron(s): McPike
       Summary: Workers' compensation benefits; post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, or depressive disorder incurred by law-enforcement officers and firefighters. Increases from 52 weeks to 104 weeks the maximum duration after the date of diagnosis that workers' compensation benefits are payable for anxiety disorder or depressive disorder incurred by law-enforcement officers and firefighters acting in the line of duty. The bill also increases from 52 weeks to 500 weeks the maximum duration after the date of diagnosis that workers' compensation benefits are payable for post-traumatic stress disord
  29. SB1311 - Health insurance; pharmacy benefits managers, definition of "covered entity."
       Patron(s): McPike
       Summary: Health insurance; pharmacy benefits managers; definition of covered entity. Removes hospitals, as defined in existing law, from the exemption to the definition of covered entity for the purposes of existing law relating to pharmacy benefits managers. This bill is identical to HB 2392.
  30. SB1314 - Health insurance; coverage requirements for prostate cancer screenings.
       Patron(s): McPike
       Summary: Health insurance; coverage requirements for prostate cancer screenings. Updates existing mandated coverage requirements for prostate cancer screenings to reflect updated tests and guidelines from the American Cancer Society while also removing certain references to American Cancer Society Guidelines. Updated coverage requirements apply to health care coverage companies, the health care coverage plan for state employees, and the state plan for medical assistance services. The bill's provisions apply only to contracts, policies, or plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in the Commonwe
  31. SB1332 - Towing and storage of certain vehicles; limitation on charges.
       Patron(s): Marsden
       Summary: Charges for towing and storage of certain vehicles. Increases the maximum hookup and initial towing fee of a passenger car from $150 to $210.
  32. SB1339 - Virginia Telephone Privacy Protection Act; telephone solicitations by text message, effective date.
       Patron(s): Marsden
       Summary: Virginia Telephone Privacy Protection Act; telephone solicitations by text message. Permits an individual receiving a telephone solicitation via text message to request not to receive telephone solicitations from a telephone solicitor by replying to such text message with the word "UNSUBSCRIBE" or "STOP." The bill requires a telephone solicitor in receipt of such request to honor such request for at least 10 years from the time such request is made. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026.
  33. SB1356 - Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; rental payment methods.
       Patron(s): Srinivasan
       Summary: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; rental payment methods. Prohibits a landlord subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act from charging a tenant any fee for the collection or processing of any payment of rent, security deposit, or any other fees, unless the landlord offers an alternative method of payment that does not include additional fees. This bill is identical to HB 2218.
  34. SB1359 - Health carriers and pharmacy benefits managers; prohibited conduct, civil penalty.
       Patron(s): Srinivasan
       Summary: Prohibited conduct by health carriers and pharmacy benefits managers; civil penalty; enforcement. Prohibits any carrier, pharmacy benefits manager, or representative of a pharmacy benefits manager from (i) requiring that a covered individual purchase pharmacy services exclusively through a mail-order pharmacy or retail pharmacy affiliated with a pharmacy benefits manager or (ii) prohibiting or limiting a covered individual from selecting a pharmacy or pharmacist of his choice that has agreed to participate in the health benefit plan according to the terms of the plan. The bill adds a civil pen
  35. SB1371 - Gift certificates; prohibits imposition of a dormancy fee, etc.
       Patron(s): Srinivasan
       Summary: Gift certificates; fees. Prohibits the imposition of a dormancy fee, an inactivity charge or fee, or a service fee with respect to a gift certificate, unless certain requirements of the bill are met.

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