Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center; work group to develop policy, etc., to establish.

Removed the requirement to create a permanent 'Office of Safer Communities' within the Department of Criminal Justice Services.

Added a requirement for the Department to convene a work group consisting of specific stakeholders, including lawmakers and firearm safety advocates.

Removed the authorization for the Office to manage state funds, accept grants, and provide direct grants to local agencies and hospitals.

Changed the primary deadline from developing an implementation plan by November 1, 2026, to reporting policy recommendations by October 1, 2026.

Removed the detailed statutory definition of the Office's duties, such as serving as a data clearinghouse and establishing training standards.

The document title and header were changed from 'Enrolled' to 'Senate Substitute,' indicating this is a revised version proposed by the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee rather than the final law.

The original text regarding the work group composition and reporting deadlines was removed and replaced with a new statutory section (9.1-194) that defines the Office of Safer Communities' duties, though the core intent remains similar.

New formatting elements, including bill numbers, committee attribution dates, and page markers, were added to conform to the standard legislative substitute format.

The creation of the 'Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention' and its twelve specific duties (such as operating a research center, providing grants, and establishing training standards) were deleted.

A new requirement was added for the Secretary of Public Safety to convene a work group consisting of twenty-four specific representatives from various government departments, universities, and advocacy organizations.

The effective date was removed, and a new deadline was added requiring the work group to submit its findings and legislative recommendations by December 15, 2026.

The proposed entity name changed from 'Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention' to 'Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center', and the bill now only directs the creation of a planning committee rather than the agency itself.