HB 159 Virginia House of Delegates · 2024 Regular Session

State correctional and juvenile correctional facilities; use of canines, prohibited acts.

Summary
Use of canines in correctional and juvenile correctional facilities; prohibited acts. Makes it unlawful for any correctional officer or other employee of a state correctional facility who is permitted to handle canines to use a patrol or security canine in any state correctional facility unless such correctional officer or other employee (i) reasonably believes that the use of a patrol or security canine is immediately necessary to protect any prisoner or any officer or employee from the threat of serious bodily injury or death or (ii) has the prior approval of the warden or a supervisor to use a patrol or security canine to intervene in an altercation, fight, or other incident between three or more prisoners. The bill also makes it unlawful for any juvenile correctional officer or other employee of a juvenile correctional facility to use a patrol or security canine in any juvenile correctional facility. The bill specifies that such provisions shall not apply to the training or use of detector canines or detector canine handlers.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2024
Committee Review
Feb 2024
House of Delegates Passage
Feb 2024
Senate Passage
Feb 2024
Signed into Law
Mar 2024
Introduced Jan 2, 2024 Signed Mar 20, 2024
Floor votes · Senate Feb 20, 2024 · House of Delegates Feb 8, 2024

How they voted

400
Passed
Total votes 40
Feb 20, 2024
D Democratic21
21 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican19
19 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
34
Key actions
12
Committee
10
Mar 20, 2024
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 99 (effective 7/1/24)
executive
Feb 28, 2024
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Feb 26, 2024
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Feb 26, 2024
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB159ER)
lower
Feb 20, 2024
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 16, 2024
Upper · Passed
Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services (14-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 9, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services
upper
Feb 8, 2024
Lower · Passed
VOTE: Passage (82-Y 15-N)
lower
Feb 8, 2024
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (82-Y 15-N)
lower
Feb 2, 2024
Lower · Passed
Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 31, 2024
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 26, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on Appropriations
lower
Jan 26, 2024
Lower · Passed
Reported from Public Safety with substitute (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 26, 2024
Committee
Assigned App. sub: Transportation & Public Safety
lower
Jan 26, 2024
Lower · Passed
House committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
lower
Jan 13, 2024
Committee
Assigned PS sub: Public Safety
lower
Jan 2, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on Public Safety
lower
1 primary · 19 co-sponsors

Sponsors