Law-enforcement civilian oversight bodies; closed meetings; disclosure of certain law-enforcement records. Provides an exemption to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act to allow closed meetings for discussion or consideration by any law-enforcement civilian oversight body established pursuant to general law or established by a local governing body before July 1, 2020, and operating in a manner consistent with such law of the criminal investigative files, audit findings, and deliberations regarding police operations related to a specific complaint before the body involving any violation or attempted violation of certain offenses. The bill allows inspection of certain law-enforcement records concerning juveniles by such civilian oversight bodies when required to perform their duties and by any independent policing auditor, manager, director, or other person appointed by the local governing body to support such civilian oversight body. Finally, the bill allows disclosure of certain information regarding crimes involving sexual assault, sexual abuse, or family abuse to such civilian oversight body and independent policing auditor, manager, director, or other person appointed by the local governing body.
Secretary of Public Safety; firearm violence. Directs the Secretary of Public Safety to convene a work group to develop policy and legislative recommendations to establish the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center. The bill allows the work group to (i) meet both in-person and virtually, (ii) have small group breakouts for the purpose of advancing work in a timely and efficient manner, and (iii) collaborate with experts and other representatives as needed. The bill requires the work group to report its findings and any legislative and policy recommendations to the General Assembly by December 15, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 969.
State correctional facilities; visitation policies; work group. Sets additional visitation standards for visitors to state correctional facilities. The bill requires the Department of Corrections (the Department) to provide extended or additional visitation access for long-distance visitors. The bill provides that each in-person visit shall last a minimum of two hours unless shortened at the request of either the visitor or the incarcerated individual, or in response to an active security event. The bill also provides that visitation privileges may be suspended only for conduct occurring during visitation that presents a direct and substantial threat to the physical safety of participants or the security of the correctional facility. The bill provides a timeline and process for appealing any suspension of visitation rights. Finally, the bill directs the Department to convene a work group to consider and develop practical policy and legislative recommendations regarding visitation. The work group is required to report its findings and specific legislative and policy recommendations to the General Assembly by October 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 173.
Earned sentence credits; incarceration while awaiting trial or pending an appeal. Provides that a person's eligibility for earned sentence credits includes any period of time actually spent in any state or local correctional facility, state hospital, or juvenile detention facility awaiting trial or pending an appeal that was deducted from such person's term of incarceration or detention. The bill provides that the provisions apply retroactively to any person who is confined in any state or local correctional facility on July 1, 2028. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2028.
Secretary of Public Safety; firearm violence. Directs the Secretary of Public Safety to convene a work group to develop policy and legislative recommendations to establish the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center. The bill allows the work group to (i) meet both in-person and virtually, (ii) have small group breakouts for the purpose of advancing work in a timely and efficient manner, and (iii) collaborate with experts and other representatives as needed. The bill requires the work group to report its findings and any legislative and policy recommendations to the General Assembly by December 15, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 364.
Payment of costs when proceedings deferred and defendant placed on probation. Provides that for any deferral entered into on or after July 1, 2026, pursuant to relevant law, the court shall not require the defendant to pay such costs or other fees imposed pursuant to relevant law as a term or condition of his deferral. The bill states that upon fulfillment of all other terms and conditions, the court shall adjudicate the matter consistent with the agreement of the parties or, if none, by conviction of an alternative charge or dismissal of the case. The bill specifies that such costs and other fees shall remain due until paid, and all methods of payment and collection already available at law to satisfy or collect any outstanding costs or other fees shall remain available to such court after the underlying case against the defendant has been adjudicated or dismissed.
Deferred disposition in a criminal case; persons with autism, intellectual disabilities, or developmental disabilities; expungement. Adds developmental disabilities to the autism and intellectual disability deferred disposition statute. The bill also provides that when a court defers and dismisses a charge pursuant to the autism, intellectual disability, or developmental disability deferred disposition statute, such charge may be considered as otherwise dismissed for purposes of expungement of police and court records. The bill also (i) clarifies that the defendant may request a hearing to determine the appropriateness of a deferred disposition at any time before or after any plea and (ii) provides that no statement made by the defendant at such a hearing is admissible in any criminal proceeding, except that any such statement made under oath may be admissible in a criminal proceeding for perjury or for purposes of impeachment in a criminal matter. This bill is identical to HB 247.
State correctional facilities; visitation policies; work group. Sets additional visitation standards for visitors to state correctional facilities. The bill requires the Department of Corrections (the Department) to provide extended or additional visitation access for long-distance visitors. The bill provides that each in-person visit shall last a minimum of two hours unless shortened at the request of either the visitor or the incarcerated individual, or in response to an active security event. The bill also provides that visitation privileges may be suspended only for conduct occurring during visitation that presents a direct and substantial threat to the physical safety of participants or the security of the correctional facility. The bill provides a timeline and process for appealing any suspension of visitation rights. Finally, the bill directs the Department to convene a work group to consider and develop practical policy and legislative recommendations regarding visitation. The work group is required to report its findings and specific legislative and policy recommendations to the General Assembly by October 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 276.
Department of Juvenile Justice; limiting room or cell confinement for minors committed to a juvenile correctional facility; report. Directs the Department of Juvenile Justice, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, to establish clear standards to maximize the amount of time that a minor committed to a juvenile correctional facility spends out of the confinement of his room or cell. The bill directs the Department to study and consider the benefits to minors of limiting such confinement and the impact of such benefits on factors such as the safety of the facility and successful reentry into the community, and, in considering and studying such benefits, to develop a minimum number of hours per day that minors committed to a juvenile correctional facility shall spend out of the confinement of their rooms or cells. The bill directs the Department to report on certain data collected after developing and implementing such standards and other related training and programming to the Commission on Youth and the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services and the House Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Safety by November 1, 2026. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Youth.
Firearm in unattended motor vehicle; penalty. Creates a Class 4 misdemeanor for any person who, when leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle, fails to securely store such handgun in a locked hard-sided container, including a locked container that is affixed to the vehicle's interior by steel cable, bolt, or welding. The bill provides that such locked container includes a locked glove compartment or a locked center console. The bill contains certain exemptions, including an exemption for a person who reports the theft or loss of such firearm to a law-enforcement agency as provided in relevant law. This bill is identical to SB 496.
