Commonwealth Public Safety
Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Criminal justice agencies; audiovisual surveillance technologies. [HB-251]
Department of Criminal Justice Services; criminal justice Department of Criminal Justice Services; criminal justice agencies; audiovisual surveillance technologies. Provides that the Department of Criminal Justice Services shall have the power and duty to establish a comprehensive framework for the use of audiovisual surveillance technologies as defined in the bill, including license plate reader systems, by criminal justice agencies within the Commonwealth. The comprehensive framework shall include (i) developing policies and procedures that ensure
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Sponsored by: Rep. Jackie Glass
Left In Communications, Technology And Innovation on 02/13/2024
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Gettr Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Line of Duty Act; benefits for campus and private police officers. [HB-232]
Line of Duty Act; campus police officers; private police officers. Provides employees of contributing nonprofit private institutions of higher education, defined in the bill, and contributing private police departments, defined in the bill, with the benefits granted to employees of participating employers under the Line of Duty Act. The bill clarifies that the Line of Duty Act shall not apply to any private institution of higher education or private police department that is not a contributing nonprofit private institution of higher education or
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Sponsored by: Rep. Michael Webert
Left In Public Safety on 02/13/2024
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Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Law-enforcement agencies; use of generative artificial intelligence and machine learning systems. [HB-249]
Department of Criminal Justice Services; law-enforcement agencies; use of generative artificial intelligence and machine learning systems. Provides that the Department of Criminal Justice Services shall have the power and duty to establish a comprehensive framework for the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning systems, both defined in the bill, by law-enforcement agencies, which shall include (i) developing policies and procedures for the use of generative AI and machine learning systems in law-enforcement activities;
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Sponsored by: Rep. Jackie Glass
Left In Communications, Technology And Innovation on 02/13/2024
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Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Law-enforcement officers; interrogation practices. [HB-250]
Department of Criminal Justice Services; law-enforcement officers; interrogation practices. Provides that the Department of Criminal Justice Services shall have the power and duty to establish a comprehensive framework for the custodial and noncustodial interrogation of adults and juveniles by law-enforcement officers within the Commonwealth, which shall include (i) developing policies and procedures for interrogation practices, including guidance on when the use of the following is considered lawful: (a) false promises of leniency, (b) misleading
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Sponsored by: Rep. Jackie Glass
House Sustained Governor's Veto on 04/17/2024
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Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Private security services business; training requirements for human trafficking. [HB-203]
Private security services business; training requirements; human trafficking. Requires the compulsory minimum, entry-level, and in-service training standards for an unarmed security officer, armed security officer, courier, security canine handler, and alarm respondent to include a training requirement on recognizing and reporting instances of suspected human trafficking. The bill provides that the Department of Criminal Justice Services shall have the power and duty to develop an online course to meet such training requirement.
Sponsored by: Rep. Shelly Simonds
Governor: Acts Of Assembly Chapter Text (chap0367) on 04/03/2024
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Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Law-enforcement and jail officers; various changes to provisions related to decertification. [SB-88]
Decertification of law-enforcement officers and jail officers. Makes various changes to the provisions related to decertification of law-enforcement officers and jail officers. The bill provides that the Department of Criminal Justice Services may conduct decertification review hearings in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Process Act. The bill provides that the findings and decision of the Department may be appealed to the Board and that the final administrative decision of the Board may be then appealed and reviewed by a court.
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Sponsored by: Sen. Mamie Locke
Governor: Acts Of Assembly Chapter Text (chap0494) on 04/04/2024
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Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Concealed handgun permit; changes to a concealed weapons permit. [SB-82]
Concealed handgun permit; concealed weapons permit. Changes the concealed handgun permit to a concealed weapons permit. The bill provides that a person who obtains a concealed weapons permit may carry such concealed weapons in any place where a person may carry a concealed handgun with a concealed handgun permit under current law. The expanded types of weapons that may be carried concealed are specified in the bill. The bill provides that any concealed handgun permit issued prior to July 1, 2024, shall include weapons other than handguns, as such
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Sponsored by: Sen. John McGuire
Passed By Indefinitely In Courts Of Justice (9-y 6-n) on 01/22/2024
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Virginia 2024 Regular Session
Local gov't; ongoing health care for employees exposed to toxic materials. [HB-133]
Department of Fire Programs; work group; options for local government employees who respond to emergencies with toxic material exposure. Directs the Department of Fire Programs to convene a work group to identify and analyze options to help ensure that local government employees who respond to emergencies that expose them to toxic materials have appropriate preemptive and ongoing health care and are able to pay any health expenses related to such emergency and its aftereffects that are not covered by relevant health insurance plans. The work group
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Sponsored by: Rep. Kelly Convirs-Fowler
Governor: Acts Of Assembly Chapter Text (chap0174) on 03/28/2024
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Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry; removal of name and identifying information. [SB-1504]
Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry; removal of name and identifying information. Creates an additional process for a person required to register on the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry to have his name and information removed from the Registry through a removal request form submitted to the Virginia State Police if such person is required to register for a single Tier I or Tier II misdemeanor offense and otherwise meets certain eligibility criteria. The bill requires the Virginia State Police to remove from the Registry
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Sponsored by: Sen. John Petersen
Left In Courts Of Justice on 02/22/2023
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Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Virginia Public Safety Communications Infrastructure Fund and Program; established. [HB-2488]
Virginia Public Safety Communications Infrastructure Fund and Program; established. Establishes the Virginia Public Safety Communications Infrastructure Fund and Program, to be administered by the Department of Emergency Management and financially managed by the Virginia Resources Authority, for the purpose of making loans and awarding grants to local governments for the purpose of assisting with improvement projects relating to public safety radio and communications infrastructure.
Sponsored by: Rep. Chris Runion
Left In Appropriations on 02/07/2023
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Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Firefighters; training program on risks of electric vehicle fires. [HB-2451]
Firefighters; training; electric vehicle fires. Directs the Executive Director of the Department of Fire Programs to develop a training program on the risks of fires in electric vehicles and how to safely and effectively manage such fires to be completed by all firefighters, including volunteer firefighters, and requires the Executive Director to make such training program available by July 1, 2024. Effective July 1, 2024, all firefighters, including volunteer firefighters, are required to complete such training program. The bill provides that every
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Sponsored by: Rep. Israel O'Quinn
Governor: Approved By Governor-chapter 87 (effective - See Bill) on 03/21/2023
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Virginia 2023 Regular Session
School protection officers; employment in public schools. [HB-2358]
Employment of school protection officers in public schools. Permits any local law-enforcement agency to employ in any public elementary or secondary school in the local school division, pursuant to an agreement with the local school board, a school protection officer, defined in the bill as a retired law-enforcement officer hired by the local law-enforcement agency on a part-time basis to provide limited law-enforcement and security services to public elementary and secondary schools in the Commonwealth. The bill requires each such school board
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Sponsored by: Rep. Robert Orrock
Passed By Indefinitely In Education And Health (9-y 6-n) on 02/16/2023
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Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Care for Retired Police Canines Grant Program and Fund; established. [HB-2329]
Establishment of the Care for Retired Police Canines Grant Program and Fund. Establishes the Care for Retired Police Canines Grant Program and Fund. The bill provides that the Program is established to award grants to eligible nonprofit organizations to provide stable funding for the veterinary care of eligible retired police canines, as defined in the bill. The bill directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to issue guidelines for the grant application process, criteria for the award of such grants, the process for disbursement of such
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Sponsored by: Rep. Thomas Wright
Left In Appropriations on 02/07/2023
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Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Abortion; prohibited, exceptions, penalty. [SB-1284]
Abortion prohibited; exceptions; penalty. Provides that life begins at conception and no abortion is authorized or shall be performed on an unborn child except when (i) a physician determines, in reasonable medical judgment, that a medical emergency exists, defined in the bill such that the abortion is performed to save the life of the mother, or (ii) the probable gestational age of the unborn child is 20 weeks or less and the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest in which an official police report has been filed alleging the offense of rape
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Sponsored by: Sen. Amanda Chase
Passed By Indefinitely In Education And Health (10-y 5-n) on 01/26/2023
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Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Protect Virginia Grant Fund and Program; created and established. [HB-2053]
Protect Virginia Grant Fund and Program created. Establishes the Protect Virginia Grant Fund and Program, to be administered by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, to award grants to establishments licensed by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority for the purpose of providing adequate security for such licensed establishments. The bill provides that prior to the close of each fiscal year, the Director of the Department shall determine whether there are any surplus payroll funds and deposit 10 percent of such funds into the Fund.
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Sponsored by: Rep. Jackie Glass
Left In Appropriations on 02/07/2023
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Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Secured Schools Program and Fund; established. [HB-2236]
Department of Criminal Justice Services; powers and duties; Secured Schools Program and Fund. Establishes the Secured Schools Program and Secured Schools Program Fund, established by and implemented by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, as a comprehensive, prompt, and reliable first warning notification and emergency broadcast system for each public safety answering point (PSAP) in the Commonwealth to (i) allow elementary or secondary school faculty to alert the local PSAP of an imminent threat to public safety within the elementary or
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Sponsored by: Rep. Marcus Simon
Tabled In Appropriations (11-y 10-n) on 02/03/2023
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Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Criminal Justice Services, Department of; powers and duties, training for law-enforcement personnel. [HB-2250]
Department of Criminal Justice Services; powers and duties; training for law-enforcement personnel. Requires the Department of Criminal Justice Services, under the direction of the Criminal Justice Services Board, to establish training standards and publish a model policy for the identification of, communication with, and facilitation of the safe return of individuals diagnosed with dementia by law-enforcement personnel. Under current law, such training standards and model policies are focused solely on individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
Sponsored by: Rep. Tony Wilt
Governor: Acts Of Assembly Chapter Text (chap0331) on 03/23/2023
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Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Line of Duty Act; campus police officers, contributing private institutions of higher education. [SB-1228]
Line of Duty Act; campus police officers; contributing private institutions of higher education. Provides employees of contributing nonprofit private institutions of higher education with the benefits granted to employees of participating employers under the Line of Duty Act. The bill defines "contributing nonprofit private institutions of higher education" as nonprofit private institutions of higher education that have established a campus police department and made an irrevocable election to provide the benefits under the Line of Duty Act and
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Sponsored by: Sen. Mark Obenshain
Tabled In Appropriations (14-y 7-n) on 02/13/2023
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Virginia 2023 Regular Session
State Fire Marshal; limitation on authority. [HB-2133]
State Fire Marshal; authority. Clarifies that the State Fire Marshal, or his designee, is the authority having jurisdiction over state-owned buildings, properties, or structures for purposes of fire safety and fire prevention in accordance with the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code.
Sponsored by: Rep. Tony Wilt
Governor: Acts Of Assembly Chapter Text (chap0470) on 03/24/2023
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Virginia 2023 Regular Session
Emergency response vehicles; Sec. of Public Safety to study impact of federal emissions standards. [HJR-537]
Study; Secretary of Public Safety; emergency response vehicles; report. Requests the Secretary of Public Safety to study the impact of federal emissions standards on the quality, cost, and availability of emergency response vehicles.
Sponsored by: Rep. Dave LaRock
Left In Rules on 02/07/2023