Issuance of vacatur for victims of human trafficking. Expands the current process for the issuance of writs of vacatur for victims of human trafficking to include ancillary matters, defined in the bill, and any charge or arrest related to a qualifying offense as defined in current law. The bill also expands the list of qualifying offenses eligible for such writ. This bill is identical to HB 1298.
Victims of crime; reimbursement for expenses; work group. Provides that all medical fees expended in the gathering of evidence through anonymous trace evidence collection kit examinations conducted on victims complaining of strangulation pursuant to relevant law shall be paid by the Commonwealth through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund (also known as the Virginia Victims Fund) administered by the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission. The bill states that such victims shall not be required to participate in the criminal justice system or cooperate with law-enforcement authorities in order to be provided with such medical exams. Under current law, all medical fees expended in the gathering of evidence through physical evidence recovery kit examinations conducted on victims complaining of sexual assault are paid by the Commonwealth via the Fund, and victims complaining of sexual assault are not required to participate in the criminal justice system or cooperate with law-enforcement authorities in order to be provided with such forensic medical exams. The bill expands the powers and duties of the Commission to adopt, promulgate, amend, and rescind suitable rules and regulations to include a distinct policy for the payment of anonymous trace evidence collection kit examinations. Lastly, the bill directs the Director of the Department of Criminal Justice Services to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to discuss and submit recommendations for certain matters related to the reimbursement process for forensic medical examinations, enumerated in the bill. The bill directs the work group to submit a report with recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services, the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 1464.
Victims of crime; reimbursement for expenses; work group. Provides that all medical fees expended in the gathering of evidence through anonymous trace evidence collection kit examinations conducted on victims complaining of strangulation pursuant to relevant law shall be paid by the Commonwealth through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund (also known as the Virginia Victims Fund) administered by the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission. The bill states that such victims shall not be required to participate in the criminal justice system or cooperate with law-enforcement authorities in order to be provided with such medical exams. Under current law, all medical fees expended in the gathering of evidence through physical evidence recovery kit examinations conducted on victims complaining of sexual assault are paid by the Commonwealth via the Fund, and victims complaining of sexual assault are not required to participate in the criminal justice system or cooperate with law-enforcement authorities in order to be provided with such forensic medical exams.The bill expands the powers and duties of the Commission to adopt, promulgate, amend, and rescind suitable rules and regulations to include a distinct policy for the payment of anonymous trace evidence collection kit examinations.Lastly, the bill directs the Director of the Department of Criminal Justice Services to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to discuss and submit recommendations for certain matters related to the reimbursement process for forensic medical examinations, enumerated in the bill. The bill directs the work group to submit a report with recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services, the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Education and Health, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 812.
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.
Impersonating law-enforcement officer; penalties. Creates a Class 5 felony for impersonating a law-enforcement officer while wearing a facial covering, as that term is defined in the bill, and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent violation.
Department of Social Services; Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services; Department of Health; prenatal and postnatal substance use; work group; report. Directs the Department of Social Services, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, and Department of Health to convene a work group to evaluate the Commonwealth's response to parental prenatal and postnatal substance use, the services available to address such substance use, and the effects of such substance use on newborns and children. The bill requires the work group to submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the Senate Committees on Education and Health and Rehabilitation and Social Services and the House Committee on Health and Human Services by December 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 652.
Use of confidential informants in drug-related investigations. Directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to establish a model policy for the use of confidential informants in drug-related investigations and to include in such model policy that (i) no individual currently on probation or pretrial may serve as a confidential informant without notice to his probation, pretrial services, or parole officer; (ii) no individual who has, within the last six months, been found to have violated the terms of his probation or parole shall serve as a confidential informant whose testimony may be necessary in the prosecution of a criminal matter in the courts of the Commonwealth; (iii) law-enforcement personnel shall obtain approval from the appropriate local attorney for the Commonwealth prior to working with a confidential informant; and (iv) such confidential informant shall not unlawfully use or possess any controlled substances.
Obstructing reproductive health care facility; penalties. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who (i) by force or threat of force, or by physical obstruction, intentionally injures, intimidates, or interferes with, or attempts to injure, intimidate, or interfere with, another person because such other person is or has been, or in order to intimidate such person or any other person or any class of persons from, obtaining or providing reproductive health services, defined in the bill, or (ii) intentionally damages or destroys, or attempts to damage or destroy, a reproductive health care facility, defined in the bill, because such facility provides reproductive health services. The bill also provides that the provisions of the bill shall not be construed to place any restriction on the content of any message that anyone may wish to communicate to anyone else, either inside or outside the regulated areas.
Marijuana and hemp products; enforcement. Amends various provisions of law to increase enforcement and penalties related to the illegal sale of marijuana or marijuana products by persons licensed by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority, and the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA). The bill also requires the Board of Directors of the CCA to create and require a decal for retail marijuana store licensees to prominently display on the premises of such store that allows consumers to electronically verify the validity of such store's license from the Board. The bill requires such decal to be displayed by licensees, with a civil penalty of $10,000 for each day that such decal is not displayed in the establishment. The bill also creates a $10,000 civil penalty for creating or falsifying such decal. The bill allows the Board to issue a notice of violation and order to cease unlicensed activity to any person who is engaged in the cultivation, processing, distribution, or selling of marijuana or marijuana products in violation of current law, and if the Board issues such notice and order, it may also order the seizure of such marijuana or marijuana products. Any person who intentionally removes such notice and order or sticker without authorization of the Board is subject to a civil penalty prescribed by the Board, not to exceed $5,000. The bill also specifies that the Chief Executive Officer of the Board or investigators appointed by him shall be sworn to enforce the provisions of the Cannabis Control Act and Board regulations and have the authority to investigate violations of the statutes and regulations the CCA is required to enforce. The bill also revises certain provisions related the assessment of civil penalties against manufacturers and sellers of certain industrial hemp extracts and foods containing industrial hemp extracts and makes it a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act to sell or offer for sale a substance intended for human consumption, orally or by inhalation, that (i) contains more than 0.3 percent total tetrahydrocannabinol or (ii) contains more than two milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per package. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a work group to analyze the current efforts in the Commonwealth to combat the sale of illicit cannabis products and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committees on Appropriations, on General Laws, and for Courts of Justice and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations, on General Laws and Technology, on Rehabilitation and Social Services, and for Courts of Justice by October 1, 2026.
Medical cannabis; administration to terminally ill patients; report. Directs the Department of Health to promulgate regulations specifying that hospital staff may store, dispense, and administer cannabis oil when a patient has valid certification and exempts such staff from criminal penalties for possession of cannabis oil. The bill directs the Department of Health to convene a work group to discuss the implementation process for providing cannabis products to patients in medical care facilities and report on its discussion to the Chairs of the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2026. This bill incorporates HB 486. This bill is identical to SB 332.
