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HB1421 • 2026

Local and Regional Jails, State Board of; transferring administrative and supervisory authority.

An Act to direct the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to convene a work group to evaluate the feasibility of transferring administrative and supervisory authority of the State Board of Local and Regional Jails to another state agency or independent oversight body.

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Keys-Gamarra
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Local and Regional Jails, State Board of; transferring administrative and supervisory authority.

State Board of Local and Regional Jails; administrative and supervisory authority.

What This Bill Does

  • State Board of Local and Regional Jails; administrative and supervisory authority.
  • Directs the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to convene a work group to evaluate the feasibility of transferring the administrative and supervisory authority of the State Board of Local and Regional Jails (the State Board) from the Department of Corrections to another state agency or an independent oversight body.
  • The bill requires the work group to submit its plan, recommended timeline, and any legislative proposals to the General Assembly by November 1, 2026.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 847 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0847)

  3. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0847)

  4. 2026-03-14 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

  5. 2026-03-14 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  6. 2026-03-11 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1421)

  7. 2026-03-10 House

    Signed by Speaker

  8. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Signed by President

  9. 2026-03-10 House

    Enrolled

  10. 2026-03-10 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1421ER)

  11. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Read third time

  12. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  13. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Rules suspended

  14. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Rules suspended

  15. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  16. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  17. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  18. 2026-02-27 Rules

    Reported from Rules (11-Y 4-N)

  19. 2026-02-18 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  20. 2026-02-18 Rules

    Referred to Committee on Rules

  21. 2026-02-17 House

    Read third time and passed House (65-Y 31-N 0-A)

  22. 2026-02-16 House

    Read second time

  23. 2026-02-16 House

    committee substitute agreed to

  24. 2026-02-16 House

    Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  25. 2026-02-15 House

    Read first time

  26. 2026-02-13 House

    Incorporates HB482 (Hope)

  27. 2026-02-13 Public Safety

    Reported from Public Safety with substitute (15-Y 5-N)

  28. 2026-02-13 Public Safety

    Committee substitute printed 26107827D-H1

  29. 2026-02-12 Subcommittee #2

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 2-N)

  30. 2026-02-12 Subcommittee #2

    House subcommittee offered

  31. 2026-02-10 Subcommittee #2

    Assigned HMPPS sub: Subcommittee #2

  32. 2026-02-10 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1421)

  33. 2026-01-22 House

    Presented and ordered printed 26106026D

  34. 2026-01-22 Public Safety

    Referred to Committee on Public Safety

Official Summary Text

State Board of Local and Regional Jails; administrative and supervisory authority.
Directs the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to convene a work group to evaluate the feasibility of transferring the administrative and supervisory authority of the State Board of Local and Regional Jails (the State Board) from the Department of Corrections to another state agency or an independent oversight body. The bill requires the work group to submit its plan, recommended timeline, and any legislative proposals to the General Assembly by November 1, 2026.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to direct the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to convene a work group to evaluate the feasibility of transferring administrative and supervisory authority of the State Board of Local and Regional Jails to another state agency or independent oversight body.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
§ 1. That the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security shall convene a stakeholder work group to evaluate the feasibility of transferring the administrative and supervisory authority of the State Board of Local and Regional Jails (the State Board) from the Department of Corrections to another state agency or an independent oversight body. The work group shall be composed of interested parties and stakeholders, including (i) representatives from civil rights organizations; (ii) advocates for incarcerated persons and their families; (iii) formerly incarcerated persons; (iv) representatives from the Virginia Association of Regional Jails and the Virginia Sheriffs' Association; and (v) experts in correctional oversight and restorative justice. The work group shall evaluate the feasibility of various oversight models, including the establishment of a fully autonomous ombudsman's office or the integration of the State Board into the Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman within the Office of the State Inspector General. The work group shall submit its plan, recommended timeline, and recommend any necessary legislative proposals 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.