2019 Virginia General Assembly
Legislative Highlights
January 17, 2019
The disAbility Law Center of Virginia is monitoring developments in the legislature that may be of interest to people with disabilities. Here are some mental health bills we are watching:
HB 1933 (Hope) concerns the process for forced mental health treatment of a jail inmate over the objection of the inmate. At our request, the bill now includes a requirement to defer to an advanced directive or substitute decision maker first. The bill was approved by subcommittee and now goes to House Courts of Justice.
HB 1942 (Bell) does a number of things, including requiring the Board of Corrections to develop regulations allowing community services boards to share information with corrections, and to create a process for forensic discharge from jails. This bill is a recommendation of the SJ 47 workgroup (the “Deeds Commission”). The bill is assigned to subcommittee #2 of Health Welfare and Institutions.
HB 2017 (Peace) removes the requirement that an individual must first live in an Assisted Living Facility for a year before qualifying for a permanent supportive housing auxiliary grant. The bill increases from 60 to 120 the number of auxiliary grants that can be used in supportive housing. The bill was approved by Health Welfare and Institutions and now goes to the full House of Delegates.
SB 1286 (Barker) increases from 60 to 120 the number of auxiliary grants that can be used in permanent supportive housing. The bill is assigned to the Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services.
SB 1598 (Dunnavant) requires the Board of Corrections to develop minimum standards of mental health care and medical care in jails and local correction facilities. The bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care. It is assigned to the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services.
SB 1644 (Boysko) directs the Department of Behavioral Health to convene a workgroup to improve information sharing regarding jail inmates. The bill is assigned to the Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services.
The mission of the disAbility Law Center of Virginia is to advance independence, choice and self-determination; protect legal, human and civil rights; and eliminate abuse, neglect and discrimination of people with disabilities through zealous and uncompromising legal advocacy and representation. We are available to educate policy makers about the potential impact of legislative proposals. Please let us know of any legislative proposals or budget issues that you think we should be following. Contact us at info@dlcv.org or by calling 1-800-552-3962 or 804-225-2042.