# Virginia SB21: DJJ; transfer of responsibility to Secretary of Health and Human Resources.

Virginia SB21, DJJ; transfer of responsibility to Secretary of Health and Human Resources., is a 2027 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Mamie E. Locke (Democratic); status passed senate, last action 2026-07-21 (Continued from last session) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB21-2027
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB21
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2027 Regular Session
- Title: DJJ; transfer of responsibility to Secretary of Health and Human Resources.
- Status: passed senate
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-11-17
- Last action: 2026-07-21, Continued from last session
- Sponsor: Mamie E. Locke (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Studies Subcommittee
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Department of Juvenile Justice; transfer of responsibility from Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to Secretary of Health and Human Resources; stakeholder work group. Directs the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a stakeholder work group to create a plan and recommended timeline for transferring responsibility for the Department of Juvenile Justice from the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources. The bill requires the work group to be composed of interested parties, including representatives from civil liberty organizations, organizations engaged in the daily work of youth justice and violence prevention, formerly incarcerated persons and their families, and mental health experts. The bill directs the work group to submit its plan and recommended timeline for executing the transfer to the Chairs of the House Committee for Courts of Justice, House Committee on Public Safety, Senate Committee for Courts of Justice, and Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by November 1, 2026.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mamie E. Locke (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (18)

- 2026-07-21: Continued from last session (House)
- 2026-03-06: Continued to 2027 in Rules (Voice Vote) (House)
- 2026-03-02: Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2028 (Voice Vote) (House)
- 2026-03-01: Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee (House)
- 2026-02-24: Referred to Committee on Rules (House)
- 2026-02-24: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-24: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-17: Read third time and passed Senate (22-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 4-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB21) (Senate)
- 2025-11-17: Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services (Senate)
- 2025-11-17: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100693D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Introduced, 2025-11-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1231447.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1231446.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB844: Licensed clinical psychologists; prescriptive authority; report. (in committee)
- HB1535: Individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities; admissibility of statements. (introduced)
- HB1534: School service providers; deletion of student and family personal information. (introduced)
- SB843: Data centers; state permitting, local approval, moratorium, sunset. (in committee)
- SB842: High school student athletes; eligibility, enrollment. (in committee)
- SB840: Corrections, Director of the Department of; placement of inmates, Red Onion State Prison. (in committee)

## Sources
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1231447.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1231446.PDF)

## Related
- [SB844: Licensed clinical psychologists; prescriptive authority; report.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB844-2027)
- [HB1535: Individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities; admissibility of s…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1535-2027)
- [HB1534: School service providers; deletion of student and family personal information.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1534-2027)
- [SB843: Data centers; state permitting, local approval, moratorium, sunset.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB843-2027)
- [SB842: High school student athletes; eligibility, enrollment.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB842-2027)
- [SB840: Corrections, Director of the Department of; placement of inmates, Red Onion Sta…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB840-2027)
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- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB21-2027 (as of 2026-10-12).