Sexual and Domestic Violence, Advisory Committee on; increases membership, duties.

Advisory Committee on Sexual and Domestic Violence; membership; duties. Increases from 15 to 19 the total number of members of the Advisory Committee on Sexual and Domestic Violence (the Advisory Committee) by adding the Executive Director of the Virginia Victim Assistance Network and by increasing from six to nine the number of nonlegislative citizen members. The bill streamlines the responsibilities and duties of the Advisory Committee to (i) promotion of appropriate and effective responses, services, and prevention for sexual assault and domestic violence across the Commonwealth and (ii) promotion of strong communication, coordination, and strategy at state, regional, and local levels. The bill also reorganizes the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Professional Standards Committee (the Professional Standards Committee) to consist of 12 nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor and three nonvoting members. Under current law, the Professional Standards Committee consists of six directors of local and domestic violence programs appointed by the Advisory Committee, six directors of local sexual and domestic violence programs appointed by the Virginia sexual and domestic violence coalition, one nonvoting member appointed by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, and one nonvoting member appointed by the Virginia sexual and domestic violence coalition. The bill further outlines the duties and responsibilities of the Professional Standards Committee and of the Department of Criminal Justice Services with regard to the Professional Standards Committee.