# Virginia HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.

Virginia HB1746, Public safety officer; definition., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by N. Baxter Ennis (Republican); status failed, last action 2025-05-16 (Left in Public Safety) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1746
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Public safety officer; definition.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-04
- Last action: 2025-05-16, Left in Public Safety
- Sponsor: N. Baxter Ennis (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Public Safety
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 1 (2 yes, 4 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Public safety officer; definition. Adds dispatchers and animal control officers to the definition of a public safety officer for purposes of possible selection by the Governor for the Commonwealth Public Safety Medal of Valor, presented for performance above and beyond the call of duty involving extraordinary valor in the face of grave danger, at great personal risk. However, the bill specifies that dispatchers and animal control officers are not included in the definition of public safety officer for the purpose of an injury where weather constitutes a particular risk of a public safety officer's employment to be compensable under the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: N. Baxter Ennis (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-01-16 | House | Subcommittee failed to recommend reporting | fail | 2 | 4 | 1 |

## Actions (6)

- 2025-05-16: Left in Public Safety (House)
- 2025-01-16: Subcommittee failed to recommend reporting (2-Y 4-N) (House)
- 2025-01-14: Assigned PS sub: Public Safety (House)
- 2025-01-13: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1746) (House)
- 2025-01-04: Referred to Committee on Public Safety (House)
- 2025-01-04: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25100454D (House)

## Bill text

- Introduced, 2025-01-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012811.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012810.PDF)

## Related bills

- HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted)
- SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed)
- HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed)
- SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed)
- HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor)
- HB1721: Condemnation of conservation or open-space easement; compensation, Uniform Easement Relocation Act. (failed)

## Sources
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012811.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012810.PDF)

## Related
- [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025)
- [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025)
- [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025)
- [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025)
- [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025)
- [HB1721: Condemnation of conservation or open-space easement; compensation, Uniform Ease…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1721-2025)
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- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).