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2002 SESSION

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HB 9 Protection and Advocacy, Office for; created.

Introduced by: Phillip A. Hamilton | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS PASSED: (all summaries)

Persons with mental retardation, developmental disabilities, or mental illness. Revises the external human rights system for persons with mental retardation, developmental disabilities, or mental illness. The Department for Rights of Virginians with Disabilities is removed from the executive branch and becomes an independent state agency renamed the Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy. The bill creates a governing board for the Office, consisting of 11 members who are appointed by the Governor and the General Assembly for staggered terms. No such appointments shall be members of the General Assembly. This board shall hire the agency director, who shall be an attorney in good standing licensed to practice in Virginia. The Office is given the authority to access facilities and programs, receive notification of deaths in state facilities and to protect the confidentiality of records. The bill establishes an ombudsman program, within the new office, to become effective July 1, 2004, and creates the Protection and Advocacy Fund.


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