Senate Health and Education passed a lot of legislation, and killed a few bills as well
An evening Virginia politics update
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In case you missed it, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced a Covid-19 action plan earlier today.
Also, A deeper look at the new Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Virginia
Youngkin’s new COVID-19 action plan treads familiar ground for Virginia - Virginia Mercury
by Kate Masters
In a Thursday news release, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association described his latest executive order as a “welcome and necessary step” to expand options for medical facilities. The text, though, largely mirror steps taken by former Gov. Ralph Northam, who also issued a temporary state of emergency earlier this month to relieve struggling hospitals. Youngkin’s order is set to expire 10 days after Northam’s, but offers similar flexibility to health systems as they field a new surge of infected patients.
Both directives aim to expand hospital flexibility, allowing facilities to quickly add beds without navigating the state’s formal licensing process. They waive some restrictions on providers, making it easier for out-of-state health care workers to practice in Virginia. And they direct emergency responders to coordinate with hospitals as both experience “overwhelming demands and capacity shortages.”
Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) President and CEO Sean T. Connaughton responded to the latest executive order from Glenn Youngkin
“Through two years and five surges, Virginia hospitals and their staff have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic, having treated and discharged more than 86,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, administered millions of vaccines doses, and conducted even more tests. In the past month, Virginia hospitals have encountered some of the most challenging circumstances seen since the pandemic began. A rapidly escalating surge has led to record-setting hospitalizations that are straining the capacity of the health care delivery system, its staff, and resources. Already weary frontline caregivers are being asked to do more even as the highly-transmissible Omicron variant has caused illness leading to staff shortages that make an existing health care staffing crisis even worse. An effective hospital response to this surge necessitates support from the public and partners in government to ensure continuity of operations so that patients can receive the care they need. That is why we sincerely thank Governor Glenn Youngkin for taking the important step of issuing an Executive Order to authorize hospitals and health care providers to meet the challenges they currently face. Governor Youngkin’s Executive Order is a welcome and necessary step to grant important flexibilities to frontline providers and Virginia hospitals as they continue to battle this pandemic surge.”
The Senate Education and Health Committee advanced a long list of bills Thursday morning:
SB 78 Driver education programs; parent/student driver education component.
SB 100 Licensed programs, DBHDS; cardiopulmonary resuscitation for program participants.
SB 154 Teachers; licensure by reciprocity for military spouses, timeline for determination.
SB 163 Surrogacy contracts; provisions requiring abortions or selective reductions unenforceable.
SB 171 Harmful algal bloom mitigation; Department of Health to develop and implement a plan.
SB 193 Child day programs; licensure, accredited private schools.
SB 231 Individuals with developmental disabilities; DMAS to amend waivers providing services, etc.
SB 241 Renal Disease Council and Renal Disease Council Fund; created, report.
SB 256 Va. National Guard; funding for active members, recruitment.
SB 276 School boards; unexpended local funds for capital projects.
SB 300 Opiate addiction; providers of treatment, elimination of location restriction.
SB 317 Out-of-state health care practitioners; temporary authorization to practice.
SB 369 Telemedicine services; practitioners licensed by Board of Medicine.
SB 376 Prescription Drug Affordability Board; established, drug cost affordability review, report.
SB 421 Libraries and education services; obsolete provisions.
SB 426 State plan for medical assistance services; remote patient monitoring.
SB 439 Higher educational institutions, nonprofit and public; hazing policies.
SB 471 Literary Fund; open application process for loans, maximum loan amounts, etc.
SB 595 Nitrile Glove Manufacturing Training Grant Program; established.
SB 597 Virginia Commission for the Arts; Virginia Commission for the Arts Fund.
SB 621 Cannabis products; retail sales by certain pharmaceutical processors.
The Senate Education and Health Committee also killed five pieces of legislation:
SB 73 COVID-19; prescriptions for hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin for treatment.
SB 420 Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Program; higher education centers.
SB 611 Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Program; higher education centers.
SB 638 Board of Medicine; unconscious implicit bias and cultural competency.
