PETITIONS FOR RULEMAKING
Vol. 26 Iss. 10 - January 18, 2010

TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING

BOARD OF OPTOMETRY

Initial Agency Notice

Title of Regulation: 18VAC105-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Optometry.

Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Name of Petitioner: Dennis M. Garcia.

Nature of Petitioner's Request: To amend regulations to prohibit provisions in a lease that control or attempt to control malpractice liability coverage, patient records, and scheduling of patient appointments.

Agency's Plan for Disposition of the Request: After a 21-day comment period, the board will consider the petition and related comment at its meeting on May 5, 2010, and decide whether it is necessary and appropriate to amend its regulations.

Public Comment Deadline: February 8, 2010.

Agency Contact: Leslie Knackel, Executive Director, Board of Optometry, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233, telephone (804) 367-4508, FAX (804) 527-4466, or email leslie.knackel@dhp.virginia.gov.

VA.R. Doc. No. R10-32; Filed December 21, 2009, 4:20 p.m.

w  ––––––––––––––––––  w

TITLE 22. SOCIAL SERVICES

STATE BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Initial Agency Notice

Title of Regulation: 22VAC40-910. General Provisions for Maintaining and Disclosing Confidential Information of Public Assistance, Child Support Enforcement, and Social Services Records.

Statutory Authority: §§ 63.2-105 and 63.2-217 of the Code of Virginia.

Name of Petitioner: J. Thompson Shrader.

Nature of Petitioner's Request: Mr. Shrader, on behalf of the Amherst County Social Services Board, states: "...this regulation's revision to require the release of information unless doing so 'would be likely to' cause the harm set forth, will have the unintended consequence of placing child abuse and neglect victims at risk of further harm. Rather, the Amherst County Social Services Board suggests that the regulation should be further amended to permit the withholding of information even if it only 'may' cause such harm."

Agency's Plan for Disposition of the Request: The regulation will be put out for a 21-day period for acceptance of written public comment on the petition to amend the regulation. The State Board of Social Services (board) will review and consider the written public comment received during the 21-day public comment period at its February 17-18, 2010, meeting. The board will issue a written decision to grant or deny the petitioner's request on February 18, 2010.

Public Comment Deadline: February 8, 2010.

Agency Contact: Richard Martin, Regulatory Coordinator, Department of Social Services, 801 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 726-7902, FAX (804) 726-7906, or email richard.martin@dss.virginia.gov.

VA.R. Doc. No. R10-31; Filed December 18, 2009, 3:04 p.m.