Authority: Title 44, Chapters 1 and 2, Code of Virginia.
A. The Department of Military Affairs shall advise and provide assistance to the Department of Accounts in administering the $20,000 death benefit provided for certain members of the National Guard and United States military reserves killed in action in any armed conflict as of October 7, 2001, pursuant to § 44-93.1.B., Code of Virginia.
B. Included in this appropriation is $666,000 the first year and $80,000 the second year from the general fund to replace and maintain communication equipment for emergency operations.
C. Included in this appropriation is $500,000 the first year from the general fund to cover the cost of employer portion of health care insurance premiums incurred by members of the National Guard or a Service Member of the Virginia Defense Force when the following circumstances are met i) a state of emergency has been declared by the Governor; ii) the declaration of a state of emergency activated the Virginia National Guard or the Virginia Defense Force; and iii) a Service Member was called to State Active Duty under the declaration of state of emergency for greater than 14 days. To obtain relief, the Service Member must demonstrate that immediately prior to being called to State Active Duty, the Service Member was employed; and the Service Member received health care insurance coverage through his or her employer; and the employer paid an insurance premium to maintain the Service Member's health care insurance coverage; and as a result of the Service Member's State Active Duty status during the declared state of emergency, the employer is no longer paying an insurance premium to maintain the Service Member's health care insurance coverage. Any payment made by the Department for health care insurance premiums pursuant to this Directive shall cover only the employer portion of the health care insurance premiums from day 15 of the State Active Duty until the date the Service Member is discharged from State Active Duty. Such payments by the Department may cover insurance premiums where the same health insurance plan covers both the Service Member and his or her family. Any balances remaining from the appropriation identified in this paragraph shall not revert to the general fund at the end of the fiscal year, but shall be brought forward and made available to support the program in the subsequent fiscal year. The Department shall establish policies, procedures, and protocols to implement and record any payment authorized by this Item. On or before November 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the Department shall report to the Governor, the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, the Secretary of Finance, the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs, and the Director, Department of Planning and Budget all payments made pursuant to this Item.
D. Included in this appropriation is $50,000 the first year and $50,000 the second year from the general fund for a Referral Enlistment Program to qualifying individuals for the referral of applicants for service in the Virginia National Guard which result in enlistment.
E. Included in this appropriation is $150,000 the first year and $150,000 the second year from the general fund for the agency's National Guard Cyber Brigade to conduct cyber security audits of local governments and state agencies.