Did the Department of Planning and Budget (DPB), in it's Economic Impact Analysis, consider the affect of the proposed amendments on the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and the resulting impact on the citizens of the Commonwealth?

The requirement for all onsite soil evaluators to hold a valid license will impact over two hundred health department employees who current perform this work.  There may be as many as one hundred employees who, after July 1, 2009, will no longer be authorized to perform the duties of their position.

The health department appears to have no idea how they are going to handle this transition.  Did DPOR communicate with VDH while drafting these amendments?  Who did DPOR communicate with?

There are some health department employees who are scrambling to obtain AOSE certification through VDH prior to June 30, 2009, so that they will be able to acquire the interim license from DPOR to save their jobs.  Since the state (and health department) budget is in the red, state employees are having to pay all associated expenses (application fees, exam fees, CEUs, etc.).  However, it has been rumored that some health departments are paying some of these expenses for their employees.

Will over 100 unlicensed health department employees lose their jobs on July 1, 2009?

Will the state pay the employees expenses to acquire the license which was not required when the employee was hired?

If the employee obtains the required license which was not previously required will his/her salary be increased as a result?

Will DPOR please communicate with VDH in an effort to resolve this issue IMMEDIATELY?