From the Desk of Don Gehring                               Date: January 23, 2009

The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn on February 28th.

State Budget

The next step in the budget process occurs on Sunday, February 8th when the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees report their respective budget recommendations to the Governor’s introduced budget.

Key Legislation

Currently 1,730 bills have been introduced as well as 300 resolutions. We are tracking 130 education and administration bills and 189 health bills.  Last year at this time, over 3,300 bills and resolutions were introduced.  Some highlights include:

Medical Malpractice Liability (SB 843, SB 1389) Senator Marsh’s SB 843 increases the malpractice cap to $2.75 million on July 1, 2009 and will use an inflation factor for an additional increase every year after.  The bill could come up in subcommittee as early as this Thursday. 

Certificate of Public Need (COPN) (HB 1598)  As reported last week, three pieces of COPN legislation have been rolled into one bill, Delegate Hamilton’s HB 1598.  HB 1598 was passed unanimously out of the House on Tuesday.  VCU will work with Delegate Hamilton and members of the Senate on some technical changes that are needed. 

Campus Security/Guns on Campus (HB 1656) In addition to HB 1656, Delegate Marshall has offered a budget amendment with language prohibiting general fund dollars to be used for implementing, administering, maintaining, or enforcing any policy prohibiting any full-time, salaried administrator from carrying a concealed handgun on campus.

Licensure of Radiologist Assistants (HB 1939, SB 968) - Delegate Peace and Senator Blevins have introduced two bills to license radiologist assistants.  Currently, radiologist assistants are licensed in Arkansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Florida and Tennessee, and are regulated in Oregon; additional licensure laws are pending in Illinois and Ohio.  Dr. Mary Ann Turner has been the chief advocate for this legislation. 

Management of Investment Funds (HB 1725, SB 1395) – Delegate Rust and Senator Norment are patroning bills that authorize the boards of visitors of the College of William and Mary, Virginia Tech and now VCU to invest and manage endowment funds, endowment income, gifts, and all other nongeneral fund reserves and balances as well as local funds of or held by the College or University.

Legislation to be heard this week in committee:

Medical Malpractice Liability (SB 843)

Management of Investment Funds (HB 1725, SB 1395)

Anti-Smoking Legislation (HB 1692, HB 1703, HB 1704, HB 1833, HB 2007, HB 2067, HB 2246, HB 2483, SB 870, SB 1002, SB 1057, SB 1105, SB 1106, SB 1160, SB 1382)

Mental Health Legislation (HB 1948, HB 2064, SB 823, SB 825, SB 840, SB 1076, SB 1080, SB 1082, SB 1083, SB 1142, SB 1294)

If you have questions, contact Don Gehring (dcgehrin@vcu.edu) or Mark Smith (mesmith@vcu.edu). Our office phone number is: 804-828-1235.