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Legislative Advocacy

SB 731 Health Workforce Development Authority – Creates the Health Workforce Development Authority to take over the Statewide Area Health Education Centers Program; authorizes a statewide infrastructure for health workforce needs assessment and planning that maintains engagement by health professions training programs in decision making and program implementation; advocates for programs that reduce the debt load of newly trained health professionals; authorizes data tracking; provides a sales tax exemption for personal property used by the Authority.

Currently waiting for Governor signature.

SB 236/H 1034 Information Technology; Governor to appoint Chief Information Officer of VITA, etc. – The bill eliminates the Information Technology Investment Board (ITIB) and replaces it with the Information Technology Advisory Council (ITAC), which is established as a policy council under the Governor with the power and duty to advise the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Secretary of Technology. The ITAC is composed of 10 agency representatives from each Cabinet Secretary, the Secretary of Technology, the CIO, and no more than two citizens, all to be appointed by the Governor. The Secretary of Technology serves as chair and the CIO as vice chair.

The bill requires the Secretary of Technology, in addition to existing duties, to develop criteria defining a “major information technology project” and, upon recommendation of the CIO, approve the procurement of such projects.

The bill grants the Governor the power to appoint the Chief Information Officer (CIO), who shall serve as the head of the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA). The CIO reports to the Secretary of Technology and is responsible, through his role as head of VITA, for planning, developing, and procuring enterprise applications and infrastructure services. The CIO is also responsible for planning, developing, and soliciting contracts for major information technology projects. The CIO may enter such contracts only upon approval of the Secretary of Technology. The CIO may suspend a major information technology project but such project may only be terminated by the Secretary of Technology.

Effective: 3/11/10

VHIMA sends letter to Senator McEachin (D) in response to VA S 639, a bill to amend and reenact Section 32.1-127.1:03 of the Code of Virginia, relating to penalty for not providing health records in a timely manner. Click here to view – PDF format.