VirginiaJuveniles; adjudication of delinquency, when and how child may be taken into immediate custody.
What it does
Juveniles; adjudication of delinquency; penalty. Specifies that a delinquent child is a child 11 years of age or older who has committed a delinquent act. Currently, there is no minimum age for a child to be adjudicated delinquent.
More detail
The bill provides that if a juvenile younger than 11 years of age is found to have committed an act that would be delinquent if committed by a child 11 years of age or older, the juvenile shall not be proceeded upon as delinquent; however, the court may make any orders of disposition authorized for a child in need of services or a child in need of supervision. The bill also provides that any funding that is available to provide services to a child 11 years of age or older who is proceeded upon as delinquent shall also be made available to a child younger than 11 years of age who is found to have committed an act that would be delinquent if committed by a child 11 years of age or older in order to provide such child the same services. The bill includes in the definition of "child in need of services" a child younger than 11 years of age who has committed an act that would be delinquent if committed by a child 11 years of age or older. The bill adds that a child may be taken into immediate custody when such child is alleged to be in need of services or supervision and there is a clear and substantial danger to the child's life or health or the safety of the child's family or the public. Finally, the bill includes in the offense of causing or encouraging acts rendering children delinquent, abused, etc., any person 18 years of age or older, including the parent of any child, who willfully contributes to, encourages, or causes any act, omission, or condition that (i) causes a child younger than 11 years of age to commit an act that would be delinquent if committed by a child 11 years of age or older or (ii) causes any child to participate in or become a member of a criminal street gang in violation of existing law. Under the bill, any person who commits such offense is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Apr 2Senate sustained Governor's vetoLatest
- Apr 2Passed by for the day
- Mar 25Vetoed by Governor Glenn YoungkinMajor
- Mar 3Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025To Governor
- Mar 3Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 3, 2025Minor
- Feb 20Signed by PresidentMajor
- Feb 20Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB778)
- Feb 18Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Feb 18Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB778ER)Major
- Feb 18EnrolledMinor
- Feb 13Passed House (51-Y 46-N)Passed House
- Vote recorded Passed House (51-Y 46-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 13Read third timeMinor
- Feb 12Read second timeMinor
- Feb 10Reported from Courts of Justice (12-Y 9-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice (12-Y 9-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 5Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 3-N)
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 3-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 4Assigned Courts sub: CriminalMinor
- Feb 4Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Feb 4Read first timeMinor
- Feb 4Placed on Calendar
- Jan 27Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB778)
- Jan 22Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N 1-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N 1-A). Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 21Engrossed by Senate - floor substitute
- Jan 21Senator Locke, Mamie E. Substitute agreed to
- Jan 21Reading of substitute waived
- Jan 21Courts of Justice Substitute rejected
- Jan 21Read second timeMinor
- Jan 21Floor substitute printed 25105475D-S2 (Locke)
- Jan 20Passed by for the day
- Jan 17Passed by for the day
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 17Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N)
- Jan 17Rules suspended
- Jan 15Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (9-Y 5-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (9-Y 5-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 15Committee substitute printed 25105018D-S1Major
- Jan 7Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB778)
- 2024
- Dec 24Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Dec 24Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25103184DIntroduced