Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell signed into law one of the most high-profile measures of the Virginia General Assembly in 2011 — a bill that would extend insurance coverage to autistic children between the ages of 2 and 6, with an annual benefits cap of $35,000.
“This legislation delicately balances the needs of our families with the struggles that employers throughout the commonwealth are faced with,” said Del. Tag Greason, R-Loudoun, the bill’s House sponsor. “It is the right thing to do, and I am proud to be a small part of the process.”
The measure is the culmination of a decade-long effort by advocates, who won key support this year from House Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford. It would include public employees but not small businesses.
Business groups, including the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, opposed the legislation, saying that it would put an unfair burden on businesses.
The General Assembly accepted several of McDonnell’s amendments to the bill, including one that would require the Board of Medicine to license behavior analysts, who oversee autism treatment, and another that allows for independent assessment of treatment plans.
However, it rejected an amendment that would strike down the entire law if a Virginia court or federal law invalidated the $35,000 annual cap on benefits.
