SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2011 SESSION

  • | print version

HB 1691 Veterans and military servicemembers; specialty treatment procedures.

Introduced by: Christopher P. Stolle | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Servicemembers and veterans services.  Provides for the program established by the Department of Veterans Services to monitor and coordinate mental health and rehabilitative services support for Virginia veterans to cooperate with localities that may establish special treatment procedures for veterans and active military servicemembers in the criminal justice system.  The bill further provides that to facilitate local involvement and flexibility in responding to the problem of crime in local communities and to effectively treat, counsel, rehabilitate, and supervise veterans and active military servicemembers who are offenders or defendants in the criminal justice system that any city, county, or combination thereof may develop, establish, and maintain policies, procedures, and treatment services for all such offenders who are convicted and sentenced for misdemeanors or felonies that are not felony acts of violence.  The bill is identical to SB 1063.

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:

Servicemembers and veterans services. Provides that localities may establish policies and procedures for servicemembers and veterans who are nonviolent offenders to attain the following goals: (i) effective coordination of treatment and counseling services available to the criminal justice system; (ii) efficient access to a continuum of treatment, rehabilitation, and counseling services; (iii) ongoing education and training in support of program effectiveness and efficiency; and (iv) creation of a veterans and military servicemembers advisory council to provide input on the operations of programs, as well as other like goals.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Servicemembers and veterans courts; established. Establishes the Servicemembers and Veterans Court Act. The bill allows the establishment of servicemembers and veterans courts as specialized court dockets within the existing structure of Virginia's court system, offering judicial monitoring of intensive treatment and supervision of offenders who appear to suffer from mental illness, alcohol or drug abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder, or traumatic brain injury, any of which appear to be related to military service, including, readjustment to civilian life. A state military members and veterans court advisory committee is established and localities intending to establish servicemembers and veterans courts are required to establish advisory committees. The Supreme Court of Virginia is given administrative oversight for the implementation of the Act.