Page 21, after line 1, insert:
"A.1. The General Assembly hereby designates the Joint Commission on Health Care to conduct a review and evaluation of health care workforce development programs on a continuing basis.
2. The focus of review and evaluation activities by the commission shall include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) quantifying the scope, funding, and oversight of health care workforce development programs in Virginia; and (ii) analyzing the efficiency and effectiveness of health care workforce development programs as needed.
3. For the purpose of carrying out its duties and notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, the commission shall have the legal authority to access the information, records, facilities, and employees of all state agencies and institutions that manage, fund, or provide oversight to health care workforce development initiatives and programs.
4. The following records shall be excluded from the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.), and shall not be disclosed by the commission: (a) Records provided by a public body as defined in § 2.2-3701, Code of Virginia, to the commission in connection with its oversight of health workforce development initiatives and programs, where the records would not be subject to disclosure by the public body providing the records. The public body providing the records to commission shall identify the specific portion of the records to be protected and the applicable provision of the Freedom of Information Act or other provision of law that excludes the record or portions thereof from mandatory disclosure. (b) Confidential proprietary records provided by private entities pursuant to a promise of confidentiality from commission, used by the commission in connection with its review of health workforce development initiatives and programs where, if such records are made public, the financial interest of the private entity would be adversely affected.
5. The Chair of the commission may appoint a permanent subcommittee to provide guidance and direction for ongoing review and evaluation activities, subject to the full Commission's supervision and such guidelines as the Commission itself may provide.
6. The Commission may employ on a consulting basis such professional or technical experts as may be reasonably necessary for the Commission to fulfill its responsibilities under this authority.
7. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall cooperate as requested by the commission in the performance of its duties under this authority, including the Department of Health Professions, the Virginia Employment Commission, Virginia Healthcare Workforce Development Authority, and the Virginia Community College System."