HB1222 • 2026

Social services, local departments of; child abuse and neglect, recorded interviews.

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 63.2-1506 and 63.2-1516 of the Code of Virginia, relating to local departments of social services; child abuse and neglect; recorded interviews.

Children Taxes

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Delaney
Last action: 2026-05-19
Official status: Governor's Veto
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not support allowing anyone to record conversations with child-protective services staff, nor changing the current rule about recording by suspected abusers or neglecters.

Recording Child Welfare Interviews

This act requires local departments of social services to record interviews related to child abuse and neglect investigations and family assessments unless there is a good reason not to.

What This Bill Does

Requires local social service departments to record all child welfare interviews during investigations or family assessments, except when there's a valid reason not to.

Who It Names or Affects

Local departments of social services
People involved in child abuse and neglect investigations or family assessments

Terms To Know

Child welfare interview: A conversation between a local department of social services and someone related to an investigation or assessment about child abuse or neglect.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill was vetoed by the Governor due to concerns about providing discretion within social services when recording is unnecessary or not beneficial for the child.
It's unclear how this change will affect the current Differential Response System used in Virginia.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB1222G

2026-04-13 • Governor

Governor's Recommendation

Plain English: (HB1222) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION I approve the general purpose of this bill, but I am returning it without my signature with the request that the attached Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26110406D) be accepted.

(HB1222) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION I approve the general purpose of this bill, but I am returning it without my signature with the request that the attached Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26110406D) be accepted.

HB1222H1

2026-04-14 • Governor

Governor Substitute

Plain English: 2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110406D HOUSE BILL NO.

2026 SESSION HOUSE SUBSTITUTE 26110406D HOUSE BILL NO.
1222 AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by the Governor on April 13, 2026) (Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Delaney) A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 63.2-1506 , 63.2-1506.1 , and 63.2-1516 of the Code of Virginia, relating to local departments of social services; child abuse and neglect; recorded interviews.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1.
That §§ 63.2-1506 , 63.2-1506.1 , and 63.2-1516 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows: § 63.2-1506 .

HB1222AS1

2026-02-23 • Committee

Rehabilitation and Social Services Amendment

Plain English: 2/23/2026 (HB1222) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE SENATE REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES 1.

2/23/2026 (HB1222) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE SENATE REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES 1.
Line 26, engrossed, after or strike video insert audiovisually REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES 2.
Line 93, engrossed, after or strike video insert audiovisually

HB1222EDOC

2026-02-24 • Senate

Senate Amendments

Plain English: 2/24/2026 (HB1222) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE SENATE REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES 1.

2/24/2026 (HB1222) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE SENATE REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES 1.
Line 26, engrossed, after or strike video insert audiovisually REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES 2.
Line 93, engrossed, after or strike video insert audiovisually

Bill History

2026-05-19 House
Governor's Veto Received by House
2026-05-19 Governor
Vetoed by Governor
2026-04-23 House
Communicated to Governor
2026-04-23 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026
2026-04-23 House
Passed by for the day
2026-04-22 House
Passed by for the day
2026-04-13 Governor
Governor's recommendation received by House
2026-03-10 House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
2026-03-10 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-10 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1222)
2026-03-03 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-03-03 Senate
Signed by President
2026-03-03 House
Enrolled
2026-03-03 House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1222ER)
2026-02-26 House
Senate amendments agreed to by House (97-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-24 Senate
Read third time
2026-02-24 Senate
Engrossed by Senate as amended
2026-02-24 Senate
Passed Senate with substitute
2026-02-24 Senate
Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-24 Rehabilitation and Social Services
Rehabilitation and Social Services Amendments agreed to
2026-02-24 Senate
Passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-23 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-23 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-23 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-23 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-23 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-23 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-20 Rehabilitation and Social Services
Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with amendments (15-Y 0-N)
2026-02-17 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-17 Rehabilitation and Social Services
Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services
2026-02-16 House
Read third time and passed House Block Vote (96-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-16 House
Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House
2026-02-16 House
Passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-13 House
Read second time and engrossed
2026-02-12 House
Read first time
2026-02-10 Health and Human Services
Reported from Health and Human Services (22-Y 0-N)
2026-02-05 Social Services
Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)
2026-02-04 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1222)
2026-01-23 Social Services
Assigned sub: Social Services
2026-01-14 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104563D
2026-01-14 Health and Human Services
Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

Official Summary Text

Local departments of social services; child abuse and neglect; recorded interviews.
Requires local departments of social services, unless otherwise demonstrated by good cause shown, to record any child welfare interview, defined in the bill. Under the bill, any person may record any communications between themselves and child-protective services personnel that take place during the course of an investigation or family assessment. Under current law, only a person who is suspected of abuse or neglect of a child and who is the subject of an investigation or family assessment may record such communications.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

(HB1222)
GOVERNOR'S VETO
Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 1222, which would require the recording of all child welfare interviews in family assessments and investigations by local departments of social services.
In 2002, Virginia's Child Protective Services introduced the Differential Response System to create a more flexible, family-centered system with response options for valid reports of abuse or neglect. Under this system, cases are assigned either to a traditional investigation track or to a family assessment track, which focuses on identifying strengths and needs to best deliver services to families. While interviews are generally recorded on the traditional investigation track, they are not typically recorded during the family assessment track.
House Bill 1222 would change this approach. While I agree with the general purpose of the legislation, I offered amendments which would ensure the ability to record all interviews, while also providing discretion within social services when such a recording is unnecessary or not to the benefit of the child. However, the General Assembly rejected these amendments.
Accordingly, I veto this bill.