Public Safety Subcommittee #2

Thursday, February 5, 2026·1h 47m·▶ Watch / Listen

Virginia's Public Safety Subcommittee #2 advanced contested legislation on parole board expansion, geriatric release restrictions, red flag law training, and confidential informant guardrails, while placing the geriatric release bill ('Lexi's Law') in the 'icebox' pending Appropriations guidance and tabling a duplicative parole bill whose patron was absent.

Key Actions

·HB 318 – Virginia Parole Board Expansion & Juvenile ParolePassed

+ 11 more actions

Controversies

HB 1326 – Scope of geriatric release restrictions

Delegate Tata argued that 145 of 241 geriatric releases since 2017 were violent offenders and that 'your age should not be a get out of jail free card' for the most violent felonies. Mazie Osteen (Legal Aid Justice Center) countered with DOC data showing 1,612 inmates were considered for geriatric release in FY23–FY24 and only 13 were released, and described two current clients — one wheelchair bound, one quadriplegic eating through a feeding tube — who would be categorically barred under the bill. Tina Ramsey (former corrections officer) opposed, stating 'I don't think everyone should be punished for the exceptions.'

+ 2 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“Bristol, Fairfax, Fauquier, Green, Culpepper, Dinwiddie. 93 localities have had risk orders issued over the course of the last five years. But Mr. Chair, members of the committee, we could be doing more. The fact is that not enough people, not enough citizens in Virginia, not enough professionals in Virginia know about this life saving option. Members of the public and even professionals mental health providers and even law enforcement just don't know that the process exists. I will tell you that we sent a similar bill to the governor two years ago and it was vetoed. And I want to read you a little bit of his veto”
Delegate Sullivan (HB 896 patron) — Delegate Sullivan was explaining why a prior gubernatorial veto of red flag training legislation was, in his view, unwarranted, and describing current DCJS limitations on outreach around substantial risk orders.

+ 3 more quotes

Votes

Report HB 896 as amended and refer to AppropriationsPassed

Report HB 318 with substitutePassed

Gently lay HB 739 on the tablePassed

Report HB 1476 as substitutedPassed

Report HB 1140 as amended and refer to AppropriationsPassed

Report HB 1392 with amendmentsPassed

No (1)Delegate Webert

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TranscriptPreview

Order. We will momentarily go at ease. With clerk opening the roll. Clerk and close the roll form is present and we'll ask Delegate Sullivan, House Bill 896. Good morning, Mr. Chair, members of the committee, thank you very much. Good to be with you all this morning. I have a couple line amendments, Mr. Chair. We have some amendments. We have a motion on the amendments been made properly seconded without objection. The amendments are before us. Delegate Sullivan. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, in 2020, this body passed Virginia's red flag law and joined what are now 22 states that have these life saving procedures. It's a process whereby judges can determine whether someone's a threat to themselves or others and should lose their gun for a set period, a finite period of time. It's been enormously successful. It's been used widely here in Virginia, all across the commonwealth, from Virginia beach to Bristol, Fairfax, Fauquier, Green, Culpepper, Dinwiddie. 93 localities have had risk orders issued over the course of the last five years. But Mr. Chair, members of the committee, we could be doing more. The fact is that not enough people, not enough citizens in…

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