Virginia National Guard & Defense Force Attend Military Bill Signing Ceremony

The Virginia National Guard & Defense Force recently attended a ceremony where the Governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, signed 23 legislative bills supporting the military and veteran community. A few bills that involve the Virginia Defense Force are:

• House Bill 642
  • Summary:Department of Military Affairs; health care premium payments for certain service members. Provides that if the Governor has declared a state of emergency that activated the Virginia National Guard or the Virginia Defense Force, then the Department of Military Affairs (the Department) is authorized to pay, for any service member of the Virginia National Guard or the Virginia Defense Force that was called to state active duty under a declaration of a state of emergency for at least 14 consecutive days, the portion of the premium for such service member’s health care coverage previously paid by the service member’s employer, provided that the service member provides satisfactory evidence to the Department demonstrating that (i) immediately prior to being called to state active duty, the service member was employed and received health care coverage through his employer, (ii) the employer paid a premium to maintain the service member’s health care coverage, and (iii) as a result of the service member’s state active duty status, the employer is no longer paying such premium. The bill authorizes the Department to use the sum sufficient identified in the relevant state of emergency declaration for any such payment. The bill requires the Department to establish policies, procedures, and protocols to implement and record any payment authorized by this section and to report annually by November 1 to the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs all such payments made.
  • Status: Status: Passed on April 11 2022 – 100% progression
• Senate Bill 719 (Similar to House Bill 642)
  • Summary: Department of Military Affairs; health care insurance premiums for members of Virginia National Guard or Virginia Defense Force. Provides that the Department of Military Affairs shall have the power to pay the employer portion of health care insurance premiums for any member of the Virginia National Guard or Virginia Defense Force when certain circumstances are met. The bill requires the Department to establish policies, procedures, and protocols to implement and record such payments and to report annually to the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs all such payments made.
  • Status: Passed on April 11 2022 – 100% progression
• House Bill 231
  • Summary: Military personnel; leaves of absence. Increases, from 15 to 21 days, the number of days a member of the armed services, reserves, National Guard, Virginia Defense Force, or National Defense Executive Reserve shall be entitled to paid leave for military duties. The bill applies only to individuals who are employed by the Commonwealth or a political subdivision of the Commonwealth.
  • Status: Passed on April 11 2022 – 100% progression

Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force join Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears, Attorney General Jason Miyares, Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Craig Crenshaw and members of the Virginia General Assembly for a ceremonial signing of 23 bills supporting the military and veteran community May 20, 2022, at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, Virginia. Youngkin also signed a proclamation to honor Armed Forces Day, which will be recognized May 21, 2022. Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, the Adjutant General of Virginia, thanked the Youngkin administrative and the members of the General Assembly for their continued support. Staff Sgt. Aaron J. Edgerton accepted the signed proclamation on behalf of the VNG. Read the full list of bills at https://ngpa.us/19816, and read the Armed Force Day proclamation at https://ngpa.us/19817. The live stream of the event on Facebook is archived at https://ngpa.us/19818.

Source: Virginia Defense Force