Children's Ombudsman, Office of the; study extending oversight to include committed juveniles.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify which organizations will be represented on the work group, only that it should include relevant stakeholders.

Study on Extending Oversight for Committed Juveniles

This bill directs Virginia's Commission on Youth and the Office of the Children's Ombudsman to form a work group that will study how to include committed juveniles in their oversight.

What This Bill Does

• Creates a work group to look at including committed juveniles under the Office of the Children's Ombudsman's supervision.
• Asks the work group to examine current functions and suggest changes needed for oversight extension.
• Requires the work group to submit a report with findings and recommendations by November 1, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Virginia Commission on Youth
• The Office of the Children's Ombudsman
• Committed juveniles in the Department of Juvenile Justice

Terms To Know

Ombudsman

A person who investigates complaints and tries to solve problems between people or organizations.

Purview

The area of responsibility or authority for a particular organization or position.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify what changes will be made, only that the work group should study and recommend them.
• It is unclear how many committed juveniles are currently affected by this oversight gap.
• The bill does not state when any recommended changes would take effect.

Official Summary Text

Virginia Commission on Youth; work group to study extending oversight of Office of the Children's Ombudsman to include committed juveniles; report.
Directs the Virginia Commission on Youth, in coordination with the Office of the Children's Ombudsman, to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to study the changes necessary to extend the purview of the Office of the Children's Ombudsman to include juveniles who are committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice. The bill requires the work group to submit to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2026, a report of its findings and any recommendations for any legislative and organizational changes needed to implement such extension of oversight. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Commission on Youth.

Current Bill Text

A BILL to direct the Virginia Commission on Youth and the Office of the Children's Ombudsman to convene a work group to study extending the oversight of the Office of the Children's Ombudsman to include committed juveniles; report.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.
§ 1.
That the Virginia Commission on Youth, in coordination with the Office of the Children's Ombudsman, shall convene a work group to determine
the changes necessary to extend the purview of the Office of the Children's Ombudsman to include
overseeing
juveniles who are
committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
The work group shall be composed of representatives from the Department of Juvenile Justice, court service units, juvenile detention centers, juvenile and domestic relations
district
court
judges, attorneys for the Commonwealth, public defenders, guardians ad litem
, juvenile justice advocacy groups, and other relevant state, local, or community organizations.
The work group shall examine the
current
functions
and duties of the
Office of the Children's Ombudsman
and
what organizational changes

shall be necessary to extend
the Office's oversight to include juveniles committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice, including
legislative amendments and additional staffing or resource requirements. The wor
k group shall submit a report with its findings and recommendations to the Governor
and the General Assembly by November 1, 2026.