House Advances Two Health Bills and Four Education Bills to the Senate

Today, the House of Delegates passed six bills, recommitted two bills to the Judiciary, and postponed action on House Bill 4940 for one day.

House Bill 4376 requires a surgical smoke evacuation system in healthcare facilities. Surgical smoke is the by-product of using heat-generated surgical instruments. It can contain various health-damaging particles which can be inhaled. Any facility without an evacuation system for surgical smoke shall be penalized with a fine between $1,000 to $5,000.

House Bill 4776 provides circumstances a teacher may remove a Pre-K to Fifth-Grade student from the classroom. The bill also requires that within three days the teacher, principal, and child’s parent shall have a conference. The student may not be returned to the class pending the conference.

House Bill 4817 was requested by the Board of Nursing. The bill allows the Board to provide advice and assistance in nursing education. The bill also removes the requirement of completing 45 contact hours of clinical management of drug therapy under a board-approved program.

House Bill 4830 modifies the frequency of training for school personnel. The bill states that personnel shall be trained upon hire and every three years after for suicide prevention awareness, child sexual abuse prevention, the county policy on harassment, bullying, and intimidation, and multicultural education. The bill also requires first aid training to include blood-borne pathogen information. The bill makes changes to the Special Protections for Disabled Children Act of 2022, by clarifying anyone who cares for, educates, or houses disabled children shall be trained on mandatory reporting obligations.  

House Bill 4832 amends reporting requirements of the state superintendent by state reports shall be submitted to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability. The bill also states any school district failing to report to the state superintendent can lose state funding.

House Bill 4838 requires that the county boards of education provide long-term substitute teachers with information about IEP plans and 504 plans.

House Bill 4315 and House Bill 4621 were recommitted to the Judiciary Committee.

Bills introduced today can be found here.
Resolutions introduced today can be found here.

The House is adjourned until tomorrow, February 1, 2023, at 11 a.m.

Committee Meetings, today Jan. 31
 The Judiciary Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 410.
 The Finance Committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 460 for Budget. Jan. | Feb.
 The Education Committee will meet at 2 p.m. in Room 434.
The Committee on Government Organization will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.

Committee Meetings, tomorrow Feb. 1
The Committee on Jails and Prisons will meet at 9 a.m. in Room 410.
The Committee on Seniors, Children, and Families will meet at 9:15 a.m. in Room 215E.
The Committee on Fire Departments and EMS will meet at 9:30 a.m. in Room 434.
The Rules Committee will meet at 10:45 a.m. behind the House Chamber.
The Committee on Energy and Manufacturing will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 410.
 The Committee on Technology and Infrastructure will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 434.
 The Committee on Health and Human Resources will meet at 3 p.m. in Room 215E.

The Energy and Manufacturing Committee will host a Public Hearing on Friday, February 2, 2023, at 9 a.m. on H.B. 5018 – To provide for oversight and authority governing community air monitoring programs.