Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center; work group to develop policy, etc., to establish., the official text

2026 RECONVENED SESSION
REENROLLED
VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- CHAPTER
An Act to direct the Department of Criminal Justice Services to convene a work group to develop policy and legislative recommendations to establish the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center.
[H 969]
Approved

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. § 1. That the Secretary of Public Safety shall convene a work group to develop policy and legislative recommendations to establish the Virginia Gun Violence Prevention Center. The work group shall consist of relevant stakeholders, including (i) two current members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; (ii) one current member of the Senate to be appointed by the Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules; (iii) three representatives with experience in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security; (iv) four representatives with experience working in the Department of Health and in social services, mental health, and youth services and in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Resources; (v) one representative with experience in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth; (vi) one representative with experience in K-12 schools and in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Secretary of Education; (vii) one representative with experience in workforce development and in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Secretary of Labor; (viii) one representative from the Office of the Attorney General with a role in community engagement and experience in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Attorney General; (ix) one representative from the University of Virginia with experience in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the president of the University of Virginia; (x) one representative from Virginia State University with experience in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the president of Virginia State University; (xi) one representative who is an attorney for the Commonwealth and has experience in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules; (xii) one representative who is a defense attorney licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth and has experience in gun violence prevention and community safety to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; (xiii) two members of tax-exempt gun violence prevention advocacy organizations to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; and (xiv) one member of a tax-exempt gun violence prevention advocacy organization to be appointed by the Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules.
The work group shall be allowed to (a) meet both in-person and virtually, (b) have small group breakouts for the purpose of advancing work in a timely and efficient manner, and (c) collaborate with experts and other representatives as needed.
The work group shall report its findings and specific legislative and policy recommendations to the Speaker of the House of Delegates, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules, the Chair of the House Committee on Public Safety, and the Chair of the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice by December 15, 2026.