State Health Commissioner; local health directors, qualifications.
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SB 993 — State Health Commissioner; local health directors, qualifications.
Last action — Continued to 2021 in Health, Welfare and Institutions
No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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3Passed Senate
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4Passed House of Delegates
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5To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill died with 2020 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.
Summary
State Health Commissioner; local health director; additional degrees. Allows the State Health Commissioner and local health directors to either be physicians, as required under existing law, or possess a Doctor of Public Health degree, a Master of Public Health degree, or a doctoral degree in the area of public health as an alternative to the current requirement.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
24 added · 44 removedPlain-language change summary
The amendment to Bill SB 993 simplifies the qualifications required for the State Health Commissioner and local health directors by removing some specific language regarding experience and focus areas. Instead, the amendment emphasizes that candidates need to be licensed physicians or hold advanced degrees in public health. This change is significant because it streamlines the qualifications, potentially attracting a broader range of qualified health professionals to these important positions, which is crucial for effective public health management.
SESSION history | hilite | pdf | print version 20104539D20106975D SENATE BILL NO.
993 OfferedAMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by the Senate Committee on Education and Health on January 16,30, 20202020) (Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Locke) A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 32.1-17,32.1-17 32.1-30, and 32.1-3432.1-30 of the Code of Virginia, relating to State Health Commissioner;
qualifications;qualifications.
variance.Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
---------- Patron-- Locke ---------- Referred to Committee on Education and Health ---------- Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
That §§ 32.1-17,32.1-17 32.1-30, and 32.1-3432.1-30 of the Code of Virginia isare amended and reenacted as follows:
The Commissioner shall be a physician licensed to practice medicine in this the Commonwealth and shall bebe, certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine or a recognized board in a primary care specialty as approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties,;Specialties, and experienced in public health duties, sanitary science, and or environmental health, or he shall possess a Doctor of Public Health degree, a Master of Public Health degree, or a doctoral degree in the area of public health and he shall be otherwise qualified to execute the duties incumbent upon him by law.
shall be experienced in public health duties, sanitary science, and environmental health,;
shall possess a Doctor of Public Health degree, a Master of Public Health degree, or a doctoral degree in the area of public health;
and shall be otherwise qualified to execute the duties incumbent upon him by law.
Each county and city shall establish and maintain a local department of health which that shall be headed by a local health director.
§ 32.1-34.
Scope of local health ordinances and regulations.
A.
No county, city, or town ordinance or regulation shall be less stringent in the protection of the public health than any applicable state law or any applicable regulations of the Board.
B.
The Commissioner may grant a variance to a state law or regulation of the Board when the Commissioner determines that, upon review of an application from a county, city, or town, (i) an applicant for such variance has demonstrated that the implementation of a regulation would impose a substantial financial or programmatic hardship and (ii) the variance would not adversely affect the safety and well-being of residents of the county, city, or town or the Commonwealth.
View plain text versions (2)
- Committee Substitute Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB993S1 Current html January 30, 2020
- Committee Substitute Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB993S1 html January 16, 2020
Action History
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Continued to 2021 in Health, Welfare and Institutions
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Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2021
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Assigned HWI sub: Health
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Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
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Read first time
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Placed on Calendar
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Impact statement from DPB (SB993S1)
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Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
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Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB993S1
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Committee substitute agreed to 20106975D-S1
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Reading of substitute waived
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Read second time
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Constitutional reading dispensed (37-Y 0-N)
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Committee substitute printed 20106975D-S1
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Reported from Education and Health with substitute (15-Y 0-N)
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Assigned Education sub: Health
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Referred to Committee on Education and Health
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Presented and ordered printed 20104539D
Sponsors
- Mamie E. Locke · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 147 not signed on
Sponsors (1)
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (147)
147 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 147 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
Roll call published as PDF — view source.
Roll call published as PDF — view source.
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (40)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 37 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 37 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| % of votes cast | 93% | 0% | 0% | 8% |
How each member voted (40)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (15)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Chafin, A. Benton "Ben" | — | Yea |
| Barker, George L. | — | Yea |
| Cosgrove, John A., Jr. | — | Yea |
| David R. Suetterlein | — | Yea |
| Dunnavant, Siobhan S. | — | Yea |
| Edwards, John S. | — | Yea |
| Hashmi, Ghazala F. | — | Yea |
| Howell, Janet D. | — | Yea |
| L. Louise Lucas | — | Yea |
| Lewis, Lynwood W., Jr. | — | Yea |
| Mamie E. Locke | — | Yea |
| Mark J. Peake | — | Yea |
| Newman, Stephen D. | — | Yea |
| Petersen, J. Chapman | — | Yea |
| Saslaw, Richard L. | — | Yea |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does SB 993 do?
- State Health Commissioner; local health director; additional degrees. Allows the State Health Commissioner and local health directors to either be physicians, as required under existing law, or possess a Doctor of Public Health degree, a Master of Public Health degree, or a doctoral degree in the area of public health as an alternative to the current requirement.
- Who sponsors SB 993?
- SB 993 is sponsored by Mamie E. Locke.
- What is the current status of SB 993?
- This bill died with 2020 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
- Where can I track SB 993?
- Track SB 993 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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