**Update February 4, 2010 5:57PM PST - There is some ambiguity on HB 303 since earlier news reports were that this bill had been defeated in committee, but Autism Votes Virginia reports that in addition to the abstention there was a non-physically present "yes" vote, which would not kill HB 303 but also not move it from committee. The legislative website note is that the vote was 4-yea, 4-nay, 1 abstention and 1 not voting, 02/02/10 House: Subcommittee failed to recommend reporting (4-Y 4-N).
On a related note, Autism Votes Virginia also reports that SB 464 has been granted a hearing on Monday February 8, 2010 in the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor. Currently the Committee docket for February 8 is not showing SB 464 this for that date, but the agendas and dockets are subject to change.**
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On February 1 and 2, 2010 three autism insurance bills in the Virginia Legislature were defeated in committee, and one was deferred to the 2011 legislative session. Two bills remain in committee at this time.
H 303 and H 34 died in the House Committee on Commerce and Labor Subcommittee#1. The bills were combined and the proposed annual coverage reduced below the original proposal, and age range for coverage was restricted to ages 2 to 6. Even with these amendments, the vote on H 303 was a 4Y-4 N
SB 649 which, besides the insurance clause, would have established a tuition assistance grant program, was defeated in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee by a 8-N to 7-Y vote.
H 730, also in the House Committee on Commerce and Labor Subcommittee#1, and was restricted to coverage of early intervention was voted by the Committee to defer to 2011.
The remaining bills as noted in the Virgina Legislative tracking system,are H 1367 and S 464 (which is identical to the original H 303) - however at this time neither bill shows progress in their respective committees.
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Past posts
Sunday, January 31, 2010
LEG NEWS: Virginia autism insurance bills up for hearing week of Feb 1, 2010
Media reports
Va. House panel kills autism therapy bill
BusinessWeek
The Associated Press February 3, 2010, 11:23AM ET
Autism coverage bill killed in Va. House
February 3, 7:24 AMNorfolk Health Care ExaminerEd Lamb
Views and news expressed in this blog or by the PIBA SIG are those of the SIG or SIG members and do not represent official policy of ABA International or other official body. For official policy of the Association of Behavior Analysis International, the reader is directed to their website, http://www.abainternational.org
