A. The Board shall maintain and administer a plan or plans, hereinafter "plan" or "plans," for providing long-term care coverage or a similar benefit program for employees of local governments, local officers, and teachers. The plan or plans may also extend coverage to eligible family members of such employees of local governments, local officers, or teachers. The plan or plans may, but need not, be rated separately from any plan developed to provide long-term care coverage for state employees under § 51.1-513.2. Participation in such insurance plan or plans shall be (i) voluntary, (ii) approved by the participant's respective governing body, or by the local school board in the case of teachers, and (iii) subject to policies and procedures adopted by the Board.

B. For the purposes of this section:

"Employees of local governments" shall include all officers and employees, working an average of at least 20 hours per week, of the governing body of any county, city, or town, and the directing or governing body of any political entity, subdivision, branch or unit of the Commonwealth or of any commission or public authority or body corporate created by or under an act of the General Assembly specifying the power or powers, privileges or authority capable of exercise by the commission or public authority or body corporate, as distinguished from § 15.2-1300 or 15.2-1303 or similar statutes, provided that the officers and employees of a social services department; welfare board; community services board or behavioral health authority; or library board of a county, city, or town shall be deemed to be employees of local government.

"Local officer" means the treasurer, registrar, commissioner of the revenue, attorney for the Commonwealth, clerk of a circuit court, sheriff, or constable of any county or city or deputies or employees, working an average of at least 20 hours per week, of any of the preceding local officers.

"Teacher" means any employee of a county, city, or other local public school board working an average of at least 20 hours per week.

2008, c. 568; 2011, c. 722; 2012, cc. 476, 507; 2018, cc. 53, 305.