DJJ; transfer of responsibility to Secretary of Health and Human Resources.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text specifies that the work group must include certain types of representatives but does not explicitly state it as a requirement in the same way as the candidate explanation.

Transfer Plan for Department of Juvenile Justice

This bill directs the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to create a plan for transferring responsibility of the Department of Juvenile Justice from one office to another.

What This Bill Does

• Directs both offices to convene a stakeholder work group to make plans for transferring the Department of Juvenile Justice from the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources.
• Requires the work group to include representatives from civil liberty organizations, youth justice groups, violence prevention experts, formerly incarcerated people and their families, and mental health professionals.
• Directs the work group to submit a plan and timeline for the transfer by November 1, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security
• The Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources
• Representatives from civil liberty organizations, youth justice groups, violence prevention experts, formerly incarcerated people and their families, and mental health professionals

Terms To Know

Stakeholder work group

A team of people who are involved in or affected by the Department of Juvenile Justice and will help create a plan for its transfer.

Timeline

A schedule showing when different parts of the plan to move the Department of Juvenile Justice should happen.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what will happen if the work group fails to submit a plan by November 1, 2026.
• It is unclear how the transfer of responsibility will affect the day-to-day operations of the Department of Juvenile Justice.

Official Summary Text

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.

Current Bill Text

A BILL to direct 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 submit a plan and recommended timeline for transferring responsibility for the Department of Juvenile Justice.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.
§ 1.
That the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the Office of the

Secretary of Health and Human Resources shall 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 work group shall 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 work group shall submit its plan and
recommended
timeline
for executing the transfer
to the Chair
s
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.