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Selected items from the Virginia Register of Regulations


August 21, 2017

Crabbing final regs: The Marine Resources Commission published their final regs regarding the 2017 and 2018 seasons for the harvest of crabs by crab pot, the time for harvesting at a higher bushel limit, and the start date of the lower bushel limit season.

Final fishing regs withdrawn: The Marine Resources Commission withdrew the final regulations about fishing and crabbing licensing requirements and license fees.

Crab dredging final regs: The Marine Resources Commission published final crab dredging prohibition regulations, effective August 1, 2017. The season is closed from December 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018.

Final regs on menhaden landings: The Marine Resources Commission published final regulations to increase Virginia's portion of the coastwide total allowable landings of menhaden and modify the nonpurse seine bait sector quota allocations. The effective date was August 1, 2017.

Proposed SNAP changes: The State Board of Social Services proposes to amend SNAP rules "to encourage noncustodial parents to meet their obligations to pay child support."
[T]he agency proposes to change how legally obligated child support payments are evaluated when determining SNAP eligibility and in determining the amount of SNAP benefits these households may receive. States may evaluate child support payments for SNAP households as an income deduction or income exclusion. States must select only one method to assess child support payments. The amount of SNAP benefits eligible households would receive would be the same regardless of the method used to assess child support payments but, by excluding the amount paid for child support as income, more households may meet the maximum income amount.

The agency is hopeful that, as more households meet the maximum income amounts, fewer households may be denied for being over the income limit. Having fewer households being denied for exceeding the maximum income limits may be an incentive for noncustodial parents to make their legally obligated child support payments regularly. Having parents meet their child support obligations regularly promotes the health, safety, or welfare of citizens by reducing reliance on public assistance programs and increases financial resources for affected families.

No public hearings are scheduled. The deadline for public comments is October 22, 2017. More information is available from Celestine Jackson, Department of Social Services, 801 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 726-7376, FAX (804) 726-7356, TTY (800) 828-1120, or email celestine.jackson@dss.virginia.gov.

August 7, 2017

Public school accreditation proposed changes: The State Board of Education's proposed regulations
provide the foundation for the provision of a quality public education within a system of accountability and continual improvement. They are intended to:
  1. Provide an essential foundation of educational programs of high quality in all schools for all students.
  2. Encourage and promote school quality and acknowledge achievement and continuous improvements by schools and school divisions in multiple areas.
  3. Foster public confidence that graduating students have mastered multiple areas of learning to include academic subjects, workplace skills, career exploration and planning, and civic and community responsibility; that is, that they are college-ready, career-ready, and citizenship-ready.
  4. Assure recognition of Virginia's public schools by other institutions of learning.
  5. Establish the means of determining the effectiveness of schools as prescribed in the Standards of Quality at § 22.1-253.13:3 of the Code of Virginia, including student learning and progress and student outcomes for multiple areas affecting school quality.

Comments are due October 6, 2017. More information is available from Dr. Cynthia Cave, Assistant Superintendent, Policy and Communications, Department of Education, P.O. Box 2120, Richmond, VA 23218-2120, telephone (804) 225-2092, FAX (804) 225-2524, or email cynthia.cave@doe.virginia.gov.

TMDL meeting in Westmoreland County August 31: The Department of Environmental Quality is holding a public meeting Thursday, August 31 at 1:00 pm at Westmoreland Berry Farm (1235 Berry Farm Ln, Colonial Beach) so DEQ and its contractor, Virginia Tech Biological Systems Engineering, can present a draft bacteria source assessment as part of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) development for tributaries along the Rappahannock River located in Essex, Westmoreland, Richmond, Caroline, and King George Counties. This is an opportunity for local stakeholders to provide feedback on estimated numbers for potential bacteria sources within the watersheds.

This meeting will be open to the public and all are welcome to participate. For more information, contact Anna Reh-Gingerich at (804) 527-5021 or anna.reh-gingerich@deq.virginia.gov.

Meeting notice (PDF).

TMDL public notices.



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