VirginiaHB17122025 Regular SessionHouse

Law-enforcement agencies and officers; establishing training curriculum on certain arrests.

Sponsored By: Vivian E. Watts (Democratic)

Failed

Summary

Department of Criminal Justice Services; training curriculum on certain arrests. Requires the Department of Criminal Justice Services to establish a training curriculum for law-enforcement agencies, law-enforcement officers, and special conservators of the peace on the discretion such officers can exercise regarding certain arrests. The bill requires that such training curriculum be created by July 1, 2027, and include (i) instruction on the scope and nature of law-enforcement officer discretion in arrest decisions, with particular emphasis on encounters with individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, including individuals currently subject to an emergency custody order, a temporary detention order, or an involuntary admission order, and (ii) instruction on the immediate and long-term effects of arrests on individuals in need of mental health services due to a mental health crisis, including impacts on treatment outcomes as identified in substantially accepted peer-reviewed research literature. The bill requires any person employed as a law-enforcement officer prior to July 1, 2027, to review any course material or course criteria related to such curriculum by January 1, 2028, and any person employed as a law-enforcement officer on or after July 1, 2027, to review any course material or course criteria related to such curriculum within one year of his date of hire. Lastly, the bill directs the Criminal Justice Services Board to promulgate regulations pursuant to relevant law requiring special conservators of the peace to review any course material or course criteria related to such curriculum established by the bill by July 1, 2027. The bill requires any person applying for an initial or renewal registration as a special conservator of the peace on or after July 1, 2027 to review any course material or course criteria related to such curriculum as part of his compulsory training standards.As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Behavioral Health Commission. This bill is identical to SB 1194.

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Bill Overview

No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Vivian E. Watts

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 455 • No: 194

House vote • 4/2/2025

House concurred in Governor's recommendation

Yes: 90 • No: 5

Senate vote • 4/2/2025

Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation Block Vote

Yes: 40 • No: 0

House vote • 2/22/2025

Conference report agreed to by House

Yes: 60 • No: 39

Senate vote • 2/22/2025

Conference report agreed to by Senate

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/19/2025

Senate insisted on substitute

Yes: 40 • No: 0

House vote • 2/18/2025

Senate substitute rejected by House

Yes: 2 • No: 94

Senate vote • 2/17/2025

Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote

Yes: 39 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/14/2025

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 36 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/12/2025

Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute

Yes: 15 • No: 0

House vote • 2/4/2025

Read third time and passed House

Yes: 56 • No: 41

House vote • 1/31/2025

Reported from Appropriations

Yes: 14 • No: 8

House vote • 1/29/2025

Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and referred to Appropriations

Yes: 16 • No: 6

House vote • 1/24/2025

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations

Yes: 7 • No: 1 • Other: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation Block Vote (40-Y 0-N)

    4/2/2025Senate
  2. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0639)

    4/2/2025Governor
  3. Reenrolled bill text (HB1712ER2)

    4/2/2025House
  4. Reenrolled

    4/2/2025House
  5. Enacted, Chapter 639 (Effective 07/01/25)

    4/2/2025House
  6. Signed by President as reenrolled

    4/2/2025Senate
  7. Signed by Speaker as reenrolled

    4/2/2025House
  8. Governor's recommendation adopted

    4/2/2025Governor
  9. House concurred in Governor's recommendation (90-Y 5-N)

    4/2/2025House
  10. Governor's recommendation received by House

    3/24/2025Governor
  11. Governor's substitute printed (HB1712H3)

    3/24/2025House
  12. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025

    3/11/2025Governor
  13. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025

    3/11/2025House
  14. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1712)

    3/10/2025House
  15. Signed by President

    3/10/2025Senate
  16. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1712ER)

    3/7/2025House
  17. Enrolled

    3/7/2025House
  18. Signed by Speaker

    3/7/2025House
  19. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1712)

    2/27/2025House
  20. Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N)

    2/22/2025Senate
  21. Conference substitute printed 25108053D-H2

    2/22/2025House
  22. Amended by conference committee

    2/22/2025
  23. Conference report agreed to by House (60-Y 39-N)

    2/22/2025House
  24. Senators: Deeds, Perry, Stanley

    2/20/2025Senate
  25. Delegates: Watts, Hope, Hodges

    2/20/2025House

Bill Text

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