Dear Chair Ward and Honorable Members of the House Labor and Commerce Committee: I am writing on behalf of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the over 780,000 adult Virginians living with diabetes to express our support for House Bill 1725 - prohibiting a large health care facility or medical debt buyer from charging interest or late fees on medical debt and easing the burden of medical debt by offering payment plans. For people diagnosed with diabetes, their medical expenditures are 2.6 times higher than would be expected without diabetes. For families impacted by diabetes, they are also twice as likely to have medical debt when compared to families that do not have a member with diabetes. The ADA strongly supports efforts to minimize financial burdens that can put access to care out of reach for people with diabetes. People with medical debt have reported this burden as a driving factor for delaying care or not filling their prescriptions. For people with diabetes, it is critical that we eliminate financial barriers that may result in them forgoing the care that they need to manage the disease. Unmanaged diabetes can lead to costly and devastating complications including cardiovascular disease, blindness, amputations, kidney failure and death. Limiting interest from accruing on medical debt will help minimize the financial burden on patients. Large interest rates increase the amount that patients owe, significantly impacting their ability to afford medical treatment. Additionally, the ADA supports the inclusion of this provision to improve transparency and ensure that hospitals work with patients to establish reasonable payment plans. People with diabetes incur monthly costs associated with managing their disease and we encourage any monthly limit to consider a person’s ongoing treatment costs. Payment plans and monthly limits should be individualized, and patient centered. Thank you for the opportunity to express ADA’s support for HB 1725. We are encouraged to see the legislature address the burden of medical debt and ensure that people with diabetes can afford the tools they need to manage the disease with dignity. For the reasons outlined, I urge you to support HB 1725. Thank you very much for your attention. If you have any questions, I am available at mbillger@diabetes.org Sincerely, Monica Billger State Government Affairs Director American Diabetes Association

Comments Document

Dear Chair Ward and Members of the House Labor and Commerce Committee, I’m writing in support of HB 1725 on behalf of ZERO Prostate Cancer, the leading national nonprofit with the mission to end prostate cancer and help all those who are impacted, and on behalf of the patients and patient advocates we represent. 9% of Virginians are in medical debt. Medical debt and income lost to illness has been linked to over 60% of bankruptcies in the US, and half of cancer patients and survivors have had medical debt related to their cancer, according to a 2024 American Cancer Society survey. Patients with cancer-related medical debt are three times more likely to be behind on screenings, and the impacts of medical debt are disproportionately borne by those at-risk for prostate cancer. ZERO Prostate Cancer supports the passage of HB 1725, which would give patients needed protections from the financially toxic impacts of medical debt. Please follow up with georgia@zerocancer.org with any questions.

Comments Document

The American Lung Association strongly supports this bill as an integral way to address the burden of medical debt on people with lung disease and other health conditions in Virginia. House Bill 1725 provides reasonable protections to shield patients from the negative impact of medical debt, including protecting patients from extraordinary medical debt collection methods, including wage garnishment and foreclosure on primary homes, eliminating interest and late fees on medical bills, and ensuring patients have access to affordable payment plans capped at 5% of their monthly income. The American Lung Association thanks the Virginia General Assembly for their continued commitment to the health and wellbeing of the residents of the Commonwealth. The American Lung Association strongly supports House Bill 1725 which would shield patients from negative consequences of medical debt. We encourage swift action to move the bill out of committee and passage by the General Assembly.

Comments Document

The Virginia Grassroots Coalition, representing 50 groups with over 10,000 Virginia members submits this comment in support of HB1725, the Medical Debt Protection Act. At the federal level, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has documented the serious problems that medical debt causes. As the CFPB concluded: The growing promotion and use of medical cards and installment loans can increase the financial burden on patients who may pay more than they otherwise would pay and may compromise medical outcomes. When people are unable to pay their medical bills, research shows this can deter them from seeking needed healthcare in the future. The use of medical cards and installment loans, and their promotion by medical providers, has ripple effects on the broader cost of healthcare, consumer wellbeing, and the economy. CFPB Report on Medical Credit Cards and Financing Plans May 4, 2023 Additional excerpts from the CFPB's research are explained in the attached document.

Comments Document

The Virginia Grassroots Coalition, composed of over 50 groups of over 10,000 Virginians, submits this comment in support of the HB 1725, the Medical Debt Protection Act. We urge the Subcommitte and Committee to support it.

Comments Document

The American Lung Association strongly supports this bill as an integral way to address the burden of medical debt on people with lung disease and other health conditions in Virginia. House Bill 1725 provides reasonable protections to shield patients from the negative impact of medical debt, including protecting patients from extraordinary medical debt collection methods, including wage garnishment and foreclosure on primary homes, eliminating interest and late fees on medical bills, and ensuring patients have access to affordable payment plans capped at 5% of their monthly income. The American Lung Association thanks the Virginia General Assembly for their continued commitment to the health and wellbeing of the residents of the Commonwealth. The American Lung Association strongly supports House Bill 1725 which would shield patients from negative consequences of medical debt. We encourage swift action to move the bill out of committee and passage by the General Assembly.

I support this bill. EV charging installations are critical to support individuals’ option to purchase electric vehicles, especially outside large metro areas. Rural communities should not be left behind and should be able to reap the benefits of cleaner air and better long term cost effectiveness that these vehicles provide.

Comments Document

Drive Electric RVA supports the creation of a dedicated fund for charging infrastructure in communities that would likely be left behind as Virginia transitions to electric-powered transportation. This transition has been happening on a mass scale for more than 10 years and it will continue, but thus far charging stations have been concentrated near high traffic corridors and retail areas within major population centers. Residents of rural areas and low-income communities will be the last to electrify and reap the benefits of cleaner air and cheaper transportation. HB 1791 would fill these infrastructure gaps, many of which won’t see any money from the federal government.

I support this bill as it is important to make sure that residents from rural areas of the state have access to the infrastructure needed for them to be able to own electric vehicles and there are currently not enough options to make it viable for most. Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Virginia, where it makes up 42.1% of overall state emissions. More accessibility for EVs across the state will help us bring down those emissions.

Please let me know about anything to do with ANY SOLAR or wind. Also why aren't you working on lowering this socialism health obamare that is failing! We pay double our house payment for healthcare. They do a certain percentage of what u make a year. I have to take money out of my 401k for healthcare that counts as income. It shouldn't count as income when you are taxing the heck out of us. We can't travel,most our prescriptions we use to take won't be covered and could go on and on about this robbery of people s hard earned money!

Oppose off shore wind. I’m ground zero in Virginia Beach . I live 500 ft away from offshore/onshore construction at SMR. ITS A NIGHTMARE. Property damage, noisy and diesel dirty. Def not clean energy 18 months of hell and counting.

Please let me know about anything to do with ANY SOLAR or wind. Also why aren't you working on lowering this socialism health obamare that is failing! We pay double our house payment for healthcare. They do a certain percentage of what u make a year. I have to take money out of my 401k for healthcare that counts as income. It shouldn't count as income when you are taxing the heck out of us. We can't travel,most our prescriptions we use to take won't be covered and could go on and on about this robbery of people s hard earned money!

Oppose off shore wind. I’m ground zero in Virginia Beach . I live 500 ft away from offshore/onshore construction at SMR. ITS A NIGHTMARE. Property damage, noisy and diesel dirty. Def not clean energy 18 months of hell and counting.

Breast Cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the Commonwealth. Most insurance plans cover screening mammograms for women over 40 with no out-of-pocket costs under the ACA. However, screening does not provide a diagnosis. If it’s abnormal, or a patient feels a lump, they need at minimum special mammogram views and/ or an ultrasound to follow up. But there is no national law requiring health insurance to cover these diagnostic tests without cost-sharing. So some patients just don’t come back. And their cancers don’t go away-- they grow, spread, and become harder and more expensive to treat. Not everyone needs follow up testing. 10-12% of patients get called back for more testing after a screening. Less than half of those patients would need even more follow up or a biopsy. 10-15% of breast cancer is diagnosed in high-risk women. Supplemental screening with ultrasound or MRI is also not always 100% covered for women at high risk, or with dense breast tissue, despite recent guidance by the FDA, American Cancer Society, National Comprehensive Cancer Network, American College of Radiology, and the USPSTF. Some of these women can have an 80% chance of getting breast cancer in their lifetime and still forgo supplemental testing due to out of pocket costs. By a 2023 study, 1 in 5 of women would skip recommended imaging if faced with out-of-pocket costs. Another study showed that higher cost-sharing in insurance plans correlated with lower use of MRI, which actually boasts the highest cancer detection rates. This only widens the disparity gap: Black women are more likely to develop more aggressive cancers and 42% more likely to die of breast cancer than other racial or ethnic groups. These statistics are the lived experiences of real patients. As a breast radiologist serving Richmond for 17 years, and medical director of my practice, I hear too frequently missed appointments due to financial constraints. I see first-hand how these financial hurdles, especially for the underinsured or those with high-deductibles, can delay diagnosis and require treatments that in the long term far outweigh the cost of up-front imaging tests. One woman declined a diagnostic mammogram after her abnormal screening upon learning she would owe $1,500, not including the costs of any potential follow-ups. Another deferred a recommended biopsy for over a year; by then her cancer had tripled in size and spread, requiring more expensive testing and more aggressive and costly treatment. On the other hand, a 40-year-old mom received a stage 0 cancer diagnosis following additional imaging and biopsy from her 1st ever screening mammogram. Thanks to prompt follow-up testing, her prognosis was excellent, demonstrating the critical importance of accessible diagnostics. In fact I just saw her again for a checkup last month, 1 year after she was diagnosed, now cancer free and on her way out of town for the holidays. Over 20 states have passed laws like HB1828. And Virginia now has a similar law for colorectal cancer. There is a substantial body of scientific evidence that screening save lives. However, this only happens when next steps are taken to confirm a breast cancer diagnosis. Free screening but cost prohibitive diagnostics leave women in a precarious position regardless of advancements in technology or treatment. This reality exacerbates health disparities and inequities in our communities, a truth I witness daily.

As a woman with a high risk for breast cancer in Virginia, whose daughter shares that same risk, I am asking you to please vote in favor HB 1828. I know first hand the value of early detection and prevention. As a healthcare worker who works with women who share my same risk, I have watched patients agonize about whether to pursue the recommended additional screening or pay their mortgage. I have also held a patient who did not have the financial means to pursue additional screening as she was told she had an advanced stage of breast cancer that could have been caught at a much earlier stage. Virginia is one of seventeen states with breast cancer screening laws. This is not the side of the aisle we want to be on. I understand there is a cost associated with passing this bill. There is also a much greater cost with treating late stage breast cancer that would have had much less financial burden in an earlier stage. Cost has to be a consideration when budgets are in place I understand but what is a life worth? It’s priceless. I am asking you today to stand up for the women of Virginia who face this highest risk and say I see you and you are valued. Thank you for your time and consideration of this legislation. It means more to me and my family than you could imagine.

Breast Cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the Commonwealth. Most insurance plans cover screening mammograms for women over 40 with no out-of-pocket costs under the ACA. However, screening does not provide a diagnosis. If it’s abnormal, or a patient feels a lump, they need at minimum special mammogram views and/ or an ultrasound to follow up. But there is no national law requiring health insurance to cover these diagnostic tests without cost-sharing. So some patients just don’t come back. And their cancers don’t go away-- they grow, spread, and become harder and more expensive to treat. Not everyone needs follow up testing. 10-12% of patients get called back for more testing after a screening. Less than half of those patients would need even more follow up or a biopsy. 10-15% of breast cancer is diagnosed in high-risk women. Supplemental screening with ultrasound or MRI is also not always 100% covered for women at high risk, or with dense breast tissue, despite recent guidance by the FDA, American Cancer Society, National Comprehensive Cancer Network, American College of Radiology, and the USPSTF. Some of these women can have an 80% chance of getting breast cancer in their lifetime and still forgo supplemental testing due to out of pocket costs. By a 2023 study, 1 in 5 of women would skip recommended imaging if faced with out-of-pocket costs. Another study showed that higher cost-sharing in insurance plans correlated with lower use of MRI, which actually boasts the highest cancer detection rates. This only widens the disparity gap: Black women are more likely to develop more aggressive cancers and 42% more likely to die of breast cancer than other racial or ethnic groups. These statistics are the lived experiences of real patients. As a breast radiologist serving Richmond for 17 years, and medical director of my practice, I hear too frequently missed appointments due to financial constraints. I see first-hand how these financial hurdles, especially for the underinsured or those with high-deductibles, can delay diagnosis and require treatments that in the long term far outweigh the cost of up-front imaging tests. One woman declined a diagnostic mammogram after her abnormal screening upon learning she would owe $1,500, not including the costs of any potential follow-ups. Another deferred a recommended biopsy for over a year; by then her cancer had tripled in size and spread, requiring more expensive testing and more aggressive and costly treatment. On the other hand, a 40-year-old mom received a stage 0 cancer diagnosis following additional imaging and biopsy from her 1st ever screening mammogram. Thanks to prompt follow-up testing, her prognosis was excellent, demonstrating the critical importance of accessible diagnostics. In fact I just saw her again for a checkup last month, 1 year after she was diagnosed, now cancer free and on her way out of town for the holidays. Over 20 states have passed laws like HB1828. And Virginia now has a similar law for colorectal cancer. There is a substantial body of scientific evidence that screening save lives. However, this only happens when next steps are taken to confirm a breast cancer diagnosis. Free screening but cost prohibitive diagnostics leave women in a precarious position regardless of advancements in technology or treatment. This reality exacerbates health disparities and inequities in our communities, a truth I witness daily.

Please let me know about anything to do with ANY SOLAR or wind. Also why aren't you working on lowering this socialism health obamare that is failing! We pay double our house payment for healthcare. They do a certain percentage of what u make a year. I have to take money out of my 401k for healthcare that counts as income. It shouldn't count as income when you are taxing the heck out of us. We can't travel,most our prescriptions we use to take won't be covered and could go on and on about this robbery of people s hard earned money!

Early detection of breast cancer made the difference between life and death for me. HB1828 will make early detection through mammograms, MRIs, ultrasounds for all women. Costs should not be a barrier to detection or treatment, and this bill is extremely important to the lives of women.

I oppose this bill Bill. The state of Virginia should never overreach to the local communities who own the land

Oppose off shore wind. I’m ground zero in Virginia Beach . I live 500 ft away from offshore/onshore construction at SMR. ITS A NIGHTMARE. Property damage, noisy and diesel dirty. Def not clean energy 18 months of hell and counting.

The labor force is essential for continued growth and success within The Commonwealth. Worker's should be appropriately compensated with fair wages, accessible/affordable health care, safe work spaces, and financial security for their retirement. Please vote for legislation to help support hard working Virginians.

Dear Honorable Members of the Labor and Commerce Subcommittee, I am writing to you as a member of the Governor’s Fire Services Board and a staunch advocate for the fire service in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Over the course of numerous Fire and EMS studies conducted across Virginia, I have witnessed firsthand the severe financial hardships faced by fire departments, particularly those reliant on volunteers. These challenges not only hinder their ability to operate effectively but also pose a significant risk to public safety. The Commonwealth of Virginia’s fire service, as documented in the United States Fire Administration’s 2024 National Fire Department Registry Summary, consists of 556 registered fire departments. These departments are predominantly volunteer-based, with 70.7% being fully volunteer, 16.9% mostly volunteer, 5.4% mostly career, and only 7.0% fully career. Despite the critical role these volunteer departments play, the current allocation of Aid to Localities (ATL) funding is inequitable and insufficient to meet their needs. The ATL distribution system, which allocates funds based primarily on population, disproportionately benefits jurisdictions with larger tax bases while leaving smaller, predominantly volunteer departments severely underfunded. For example, in FY 2025, Fairfax County is eligible to receive $5,666,249, and Virginia Beach $2,354,749, while smaller towns receive a minimum of $4,000 and counties no less than $10,000, per Virginia Department of Fire Programs (VDFP) policy. While this ensures a baseline, it is far from sufficient to address the actual costs faced by these departments. To illustrate: Basic personal protective firefighting gear ranges from $3,000 to $10,000 per set and must be replaced every 10 years. Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) systems cost $3,000 to $5,000 each. A new fire engine can range from $800,000 to $1,200,000. The reliance on bake sales, Brunswick stew events, and raffles to fund such critical needs is no longer sustainable. During the 2024 Virginia State Firefighters Association meetings, the urgency of this funding crisis was emphasized. When I asked members when we should sound the alarm that the Commonwealth is in an emergency situation regarding the volunteer fire service, the unanimous response was, “Now!” The National Volunteer Fire Council highlights that departments are struggling to recruit and retain members due to increased demands on time, training requirements, and societal changes, such as the prevalence of two-income households. Without significant investment in recruitment and retention incentives for the volunteer fire service, the Commonwealth will face the monumental challenge of replacing 70.7% of its firefighting workforce with paid personnel—an outcome that would impose substantial financial burdens on local governments and taxpayers. I respectfully urge the subcommittee to take immediate action to increase ATL funding and revamp the current distribution system to ensure equitable and adequate support for all fire departments, especially those serving rural and volunteer-reliant communities. Addressing this issue now will help avert a crisis and ensure the safety and resilience of our communities. Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. I am available to discuss this issue further and provide additional insights based on my experiences. Sincerely, Dr. James Alan Calvert

Oppose off shore wind. I’m ground zero in Virginia Beach . I live 500 ft away from offshore/onshore construction at SMR. ITS A NIGHTMARE. Property damage, noisy and diesel dirty. Def not clean energy 18 months of hell and counting.

Please let me know about anything to do with ANY SOLAR or wind. Also why aren't you working on lowering this socialism health obamare that is failing! We pay double our house payment for healthcare. They do a certain percentage of what u make a year. I have to take money out of my 401k for healthcare that counts as income. It shouldn't count as income when you are taxing the heck out of us. We can't travel,most our prescriptions we use to take won't be covered and could go on and on about this robbery of people s hard earned money!

VFIA supports HB 1956.

SUPPORT I am writing in support of this bill as a Virginia-based hospital pharmacist with 14 years of experience. Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are making it more difficult for patients to receive life-saving medications for their own profit. This bill would allow patients to choose where they could receive their important medications, whether it be at their physician's office, in a medication infusion center, or from their PBM's specialty pharmacy. Right now PBMs dictate where patients may receive their medications. In a state that protects an individual's right to choose where they get their car fixed following a collision, I feel we should extend the same protection to patients who are receiving infusion medications.

Please let me know about anything to do with ANY SOLAR or wind. Also why aren't you working on lowering this socialism health obamare that is failing! We pay double our house payment for healthcare. They do a certain percentage of what u make a year. I have to take money out of my 401k for healthcare that counts as income. It shouldn't count as income when you are taxing the heck out of us. We can't travel,most our prescriptions we use to take won't be covered and could go on and on about this robbery of people s hard earned money!

Oppose off shore wind. I’m ground zero in Virginia Beach . I live 500 ft away from offshore/onshore construction at SMR. ITS A NIGHTMARE. Property damage, noisy and diesel dirty. Def not clean energy 18 months of hell and counting.

Please let me know about anything to do with ANY SOLAR or wind. Also why aren't you working on lowering this socialism health obamare that is failing! We pay double our house payment for healthcare. They do a certain percentage of what u make a year. I have to take money out of my 401k for healthcare that counts as income. It shouldn't count as income when you are taxing the heck out of us. We can't travel,most our prescriptions we use to take won't be covered and could go on and on about this robbery of people s hard earned money!

Oppose off shore wind. I’m ground zero in Virginia Beach . I live 500 ft away from offshore/onshore construction at SMR. ITS A NIGHTMARE. Property damage, noisy and diesel dirty. Def not clean energy 18 months of hell and counting.

Please let me know about anything to do with ANY SOLAR or wind. Also why aren't you working on lowering this socialism health obamare that is failing! We pay double our house payment for healthcare. They do a certain percentage of what u make a year. I have to take money out of my 401k for healthcare that counts as income. It shouldn't count as income when you are taxing the heck out of us. We can't travel,most our prescriptions we use to take won't be covered and could go on and on about this robbery of people s hard earned money!

Comments Document

NAMIC letter in opposition to House Bill 2069.

The Virginia State Firefighter's Association strongly supports this bill. It is vital to the citizens of Virginia that fire departments need to upgrade and replace fire equipment as well as to employ additional firefighters. This has become a crisis in our Commonwealth and many fire departments will be going broke and will be unable to answer fire calls in many communities. The traditional fund raising efforts by the smaller fire departments no longer work as the cost of fire equipment has gone up so far and fast that enough money can not be raised even if you have a fund raising event every week. Please pass this bill in order to further protect our citizens and our property in the state. Thank you.

The citizens in the Commonwealth of Virginia are becoming more vulnerable from fire because many fire departments here in Virginia lack the manpower as well as the equipment to fight fire. The prices of the equipment has gone thru the roof and many departments can't raise enough funds to operate on much less to have any left over for equipment purchases. The smaller localities do not have any funds left over from their budget because the schools, police and other services are so expensive money just doesn't go far enough to be able to help the fire departments with their budget. This is becoming a very serious problem here in Virginia and it is only a matter of time before deaths from fires will increase or we have major forest fires or commercial or industrial fires like they are experienceing in Californa. Fire departments loose members every year because of the time needed away from their families just to raise funds for the fire department. You can't have enough bingo, bake sales, golf tournaments or you name it

Good morning, I am the volunteer Chief and Town appointed Chief for New Market Fire and Rescue Inc. I am writing this in favor of HB 2069. Our organization just completed a $730 000.00 renovation of our living quarters and office area. This was too improve the female bumk room and male bunkroom areas and too create separate locker facilities. Also we upgraded our office area for our volunteers and career staff. We depend on our fundraising efforts to support our endeavors. This bill would allow us to seek funding for such a project or future projects. This would help relieve some of the pressures volunteers face in their fundraising efforts. This would also help local governments and made the burden on them and taxes that these small localities face. I ask that you support this bill as it supports your small local first responders.

I am writing in favor of HB 2069. In many localities of Southwest Virginia, the Aid to Locality Funding is the majority of departments operating budgets. The increase cost of equipment and training has grown exponentially over the years. With out these increases many departments will struggle to maintain adequate equipment to meet vastly changing needs of today's fire service. The dangers we face today have never been contemplated in previous years. The introduction of lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles affect us all and require new techniques, equipment, and training. This is a field that will continue to grow and change. The fire service must adapt with that change which unfortunately all equates to adequate funding. I am a firm believer that governments primary function is to provide for the safety of its citizens. I ask that you stand with the firefighters of Southwest Virginia and provide the financial aid they require to adequately protect our communities. Respectfully, Chief Joshua Stitt Barren Springs Volunteer Fire Department President of the Southwest Virginia Firefighters Association

I am writing to express support for HB2069, Insurance; Fire Programs Fund; purposes; Aid to Localities Grant Program as this legislation is essential to furthering the necessary funding and support for fire departments across the Commonwealth. More specifically, facilities, mental health resources for firefighters, hiring of fire personnel and recruitment and retention programs. The fire service is Virginia is in significant need of additional funding to support the abilities of fire departments to prepare for and respond to the needs of their communities. The areas of focus mentioned are extremely important to the viability of localities such as ours to evolve to meet the demands of our community. Many Virginia communities are struggling with the funding for investing in personnel as the volunteer workforce continues to decline. Additionally, funding for the building, renovating, or expansion of facilities is critical for fire departments all across the Commonwealth. The expense with sustaining these vital facilities is often times very difficult for local governments to afford for. In closing, I ask that you please seriously consider supporting this initiative to further ensure the solidarity of Virginia's fire service for the betterment of the entire Commonwealth.

Thank you for considering this important legislation to provide more funding for fire services. As a volunteer and an insurance agent, I speak in support of the legislation. The insurance industry will talk about additional expenses for them. This is not true. They will pass this on to the consumer. Remember, in the last 3 years, the insurance industry has had no problem increasing consumer rates an average of 30% over the last 3 years. This 1% change will not hurt the consumer. It will help them. Please vote to increase funding and make sure the volunteer agencies are supported as well as the counties, towns and cities.

Please support this bill.

As President of Virginia State Firefighters Association and a volunteer chief for over 40 years I’ve seen the needs first hand of Virginia’s Fire Departments. We are facing the perfect storm, our membership has dramatically declined while the cost to do business has risen 104% in 5 years. The study from HB 2175 and validated by VCU this year shows Virginia’s Fire Service is in a crisis. In addition we’re facing looming mandates from OSHA that will further cripple our existence. If financial assistance doesn’t come soon from the state I fear many departments across the state simply will be unable to continue service. This will put many of Virginia’s citizens in pearl. Your departments do much more than fire suppression, in fact that is only a small percentage of what we do. Emergency Medical Services accounts for a majority of our calls. Approximately 59% of EMS patients are transported by fire departments. Search & Rescue, HAZMAT calls, down wires & trees blocking roads, animal rescue and the list goes on we are the one stop shop for almost all 911 calls. The burden that is placed on communities across Virginia to fund departments is not sustainable. Please help us protect Virginia families !

The Fire Progams fund is a vital program to support and provide firefighter training and equipment upgrades and has not been increased in many. many, many years. It's the only program that supports the fire service in Virginia. There has been a need to increase this for a long time as costs of everything have increased tremendously over the years and funding has not kept pace. We at Fort Lewis Volunteer Fire Department request your assistance in passing this bill to support all state firefighters. Thank You

Please give consideration to increasing the aid to localities fund for fire departments in Virginia. Expenses have become overwhelming and we need the additional funding to meet our basic needs. Thank You. Jeff Flippo, Vice President Aldie Volunteer Fire Department Aldie, Virginia

Dear Honorable Members of the Labor and Commerce Subcommittee, I am writing to you as a member of the Governor’s Fire Services Board and a staunch advocate for the fire service in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Over the course of numerous Fire and EMS studies conducted across Virginia, I have witnessed firsthand the severe financial hardships faced by fire departments, particularly those reliant on volunteers. These challenges not only hinder their ability to operate effectively but also pose a significant risk to public safety. The Commonwealth of Virginia’s fire service, as documented in the United States Fire Administration’s 2024 National Fire Department Registry Summary, consists of 556 registered fire departments. These departments are predominantly volunteer-based, with 70.7% being fully volunteer, 16.9% mostly volunteer, 5.4% mostly career, and only 7.0% fully career. Despite the critical role these volunteer departments play, the current allocation of Aid to Localities (ATL) funding is inequitable and insufficient to meet their needs. The ATL distribution system, which allocates funds based primarily on population, disproportionately benefits jurisdictions with larger tax bases while leaving smaller, predominantly volunteer departments severely underfunded. For example, in FY 2025, Fairfax County is eligible to receive $5,666,249, and Virginia Beach $2,354,749, while smaller towns receive a minimum of $4,000 and counties no less than $10,000, per Virginia Department of Fire Programs (VDFP) policy. While this ensures a baseline, it is far from sufficient to address the actual costs faced by these departments. To illustrate: Basic personal protective firefighting gear ranges from $3,000 to $10,000 per set and must be replaced every 10 years. Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) systems cost $3,000 to $5,000 each. A new fire engine can range from $800,000 to $1,200,000. The reliance on bake sales, Brunswick stew events, and raffles to fund such critical needs is no longer sustainable. During the 2024 Virginia State Firefighters Association meetings, the urgency of this funding crisis was emphasized. When I asked members when we should sound the alarm that the Commonwealth is in an emergency situation regarding the volunteer fire service, the unanimous response was, “Now!” The National Volunteer Fire Council highlights that departments are struggling to recruit and retain members due to increased demands on time, training requirements, and societal changes, such as the prevalence of two-income households. Without significant investment in recruitment and retention incentives for the volunteer fire service, the Commonwealth will face the monumental challenge of replacing 70.7% of its firefighting workforce with paid personnel—an outcome that would impose substantial financial burdens on local governments and taxpayers. I respectfully urge the subcommittee to take immediate action to increase ATL funding and revamp the current distribution system to ensure equitable and adequate support for all fire departments, especially those serving rural and volunteer-reliant communities. Addressing this issue now will help avert a crisis and ensure the safety and resilience of our communities. Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. I am available to discuss this issue further and provide additional insights based on my experiences. Sincerely, Dr. James Alan Calvert

Please support HB 2084. The SCC must ensure other ratepayers (residential, small businesses, and other industry in the state) are not subsidizing energy infrastructure necessary primarily for data center development. These are some of the wealthiest companies in the world and it is unfair and unjust to let the powerful take advantage of a system that was never structured to handle so many high energy consumers.

This bill makes excellent sense. It’s clear that Data Centers have unique power requirements and should be treated as a separate classification. I support this bill and thank Delegate Shin for introducing it.

Comments Document

Delegates, it's unfair for huge data centers to plug into regulated utility monopolies - APCo/Dominion/Old Dominion - and siphon off large portions of the generating capacity. Existing customers have been paying for these facilities over decades. HB2084 provides a means to correct this inequity and prevent further erosion of residents' and businesses decades of investment in existing utility infrastructure. The explosive, unregulated data center industry presents real risks to the public. Imagine new generating capacity and transmission constructed for a gigaWatt data campus which stops operating due to moving to another state or because newer alternative technology makes it obsolescent - for example, according to Science Daily, "Engineering researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have demonstrated a state-of-the-art hardware device that could reduce energy consumption for artificial intelligent (AI) computing applications by a factor of at least 1,000." (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240726113337.htm or see attached PDF) A separate rate class for huge power consumers, like data centers, is necessary and appropriate, because their demand and capacity and energy requirements are different from any other existing customers. they present by engaging utilities to build more infrastructure to serve them Without HB2084, new data center customers are able to shift real costs on to existing customers. Cost shifting is inequitable and unacceptable rate policy. Data centers should pull their own weight. The SCC has the resources to administer the intent of this bill and determine equitable solutions. I strongly support HB2084 and thank Del. Shin for submitting the bill. I ask you to support the bill, too.

I support HB2084. As a Dominion ratepayer, I have grown worried about who will pay for the proposed building spree of power generation to feed the demands of data centers. HB2084 seems to be a reasonable way to address these concerns. I am pleased the subcommittee recommends the bill.

Please let me know about anything to do with ANY SOLAR or wind. Also why aren't you working on lowering this socialism health obamare that is failing! We pay double our house payment for healthcare. They do a certain percentage of what u make a year. I have to take money out of my 401k for healthcare that counts as income. It shouldn't count as income when you are taxing the heck out of us. We can't travel,most our prescriptions we use to take won't be covered and could go on and on about this robbery of people s hard earned money!

Dear Members of the House Labor and Commerce Committee, I support HB2097, sponsored by Del Terry Austin, to eliminate PSA screening costs for High Risk men. In 2002, at the age of 55, my doctor had me take a PSA test. I had no idea what a PSA test was but was told it was 4.0 and I should find a urologist. Because I was able to pay for my copay, my prostate cancer was detected. I eventually entered the Watchful Waiting program at Johns Hopkins in 2003, and had my prostate removed in January 2006. I am, and have been cancer free ever since because I was able to obtain a PS A screening. Please support this important bill. Thank you, John Glass Ruckersville, VA

Comments Document

Our written testimony is attached. Please vote for HB 2097 to reduce the number of Virginia families who lose precious time to prostate cancer - and to ensure that every Virginian has access to the care they need to stay healthy. Thank you, and please follow up with me with any questions.

Comments Document

My name is Peter Moon PhD, VCU Professor Emeritus, 31 year Prostate Cancer survivor with PCa and 22 year support group leader of RVa Us Too Prostate Cancer Support Group/Zero Cancer (rvacancersupport.org), and I’m writing to testify in support of HB 2097 by Del. Austin.

Comments Document

My name is Ron Lanton and I am the Government Affairs Director for the American Association of Clinical Urologists Inc. (AACU). We are attaching our comments in support of HB2097.

Comments Document

Dear Chair Ward and Members of the House Labor and Commerce Committee, I’m writing in support of HB 2099 on behalf of ZERO Prostate Cancer, the leading national nonprofit with the mission to end prostate cancer and help all those who are impacted, and on behalf of the patients and patient advocates we represent. Although prior authorization is considered a utilization management tool, 86% of physicians reported that prior authorizations led to waste rather than the cost savings claimed by insurers. 93% of oncologists surveyed reported that prior authorization delayed life-saving treatments for their patients, according to a 2019 American Society for Radiation Oncology survey. A 2023 American Medical Association survey found that 94% of respondents reported treatment delays to prior authorization, and research suggests delays disproportionately impact those at-risk for prostate cancer, including Black patients and patients with lower incomes. Over 200 state bills were introduced last year to make needed reforms to prior authorization requirements for procedures, tests, treatment, and prescriptions. To ensure patients have timely access to medically necessary care, ZERO Prostate Cancer recommends swift passage of this bill and further efforts to reform prior authorization. Please follow up with georgia@zerocancer.org with any questions.

Comments Document

Dear Chair Ward and Members of the House Labor and Commerce Committee, On behalf of the Virginia Association of Hematologists and Oncologists (VAHO) and the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), I'm pleased to submit the attached letter in support of HB 299, which would streamline prior authorization practices in Virginia. Please let me know if you have any questions about cancer care - we're happy to be a resource. Best, Sarah Lanford

Please let me know about anything to do with ANY SOLAR or wind. Also why aren't you working on lowering this socialism health obamare that is failing! We pay double our house payment for healthcare. They do a certain percentage of what u make a year. I have to take money out of my 401k for healthcare that counts as income. It shouldn't count as income when you are taxing the heck out of us. We can't travel,most our prescriptions we use to take won't be covered and could go on and on about this robbery of people s hard earned money!

This is a common sense bill to help people better manage relations with utilities and to receive appropriate customer service and should be passed.