Attachment included urges support for HB-1007 from Ann Jones, Esq. and Donna Rostant, Esq., who regularly represent children who are beneficiaries of the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program.

Chair and members of the committee thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Sturgis Kidder, I am the father of Andrew P. Kidder who is a beneficiary of the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program and I am here to support House Bill 1007. HB 1007 strengthens the Program by clarifying and modernizing how it operates, while preserving its original purpose: delivering timely, appropriate medically necessary care to Andrew and the other children in the Program who rely on it every day. For myself and other families in the Program, clarity and consistency are not abstract policy goals but they directly affect whether care continues uninterrupted. I want to emphasize that beneficiaries of the Program are not seeking expansion or special treatment. We are seeking certainty that the Program will function as intended, that decisions will be made transparently, and that medically necessary care will not be delayed or jeopardized by ambiguity in the law. Thank you for your time and I urge you to support HB1007.

My wife and I are Virginia constituents, and our daughter Mary Anastasya is enrolled in the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program. The program's functioning is critical to our family, so we're asking you to support HB 1007. This bill would update an existing statute to make the program operate in the way it's intended: to benefit the families of the babies in Virginia who suffer neurological injuries at birth. The bill has several benefits to families and the Commonwealth. It formalizes existing administrative benefits, adds predictability, and reduces litigation risk without expanding the Program’s mission. Improves governance by setting fiduciary standards, requiring surety bonds, and mandating regular, accessible Board meetings. Provides families with clearer rules, quicker processes, and enforceable timelines for expense reimbursement. Gives families greater certainty and lowers the risk of legal disputes. Ensures families have a voice in oversight through Board representation. Gives families meaningful remedies when benefits are unreasonably delayed. These changes will cost Virginia taxpayers $0, as the program is funded by contributions from medical providers. I respectfully ask that you support HB1007 and help protect the families who rely on this Program. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, John Schultz