TITLE 9.1. COMMONWEALTH PUBLIC SAFETY.

§ 9.1-101 amended.
Virginia State Crime Commission. Provides that the Commission is a criminal justice agency and is a recommendation of the Commission. HB 1952; CH. 934/ SB 1145; CH. 937.

§§ 9.1-101 and 9.1-113 amended.
Conservation officer defined as law-enforcement officer; training exemption. Redefines "law-enforcement officer" to include a conservation officer of the Department of Conservation and Recreation and exempts such officers appointed prior to July 1, 2003, from minimum training standards for law-enforcement officers. Defining conservation officers as law-enforcement officers includes them in the capital murder statute and has other consequences throughout the Code. HB 2612; CH. 744.

§ 9.1-106 amended.
Criminal justice training academies; fees. Allows fees collected to support regional criminal justice training academies to be used to support local criminal justice training academies where the locality does not participate in a regional academy and if the locality was operating a certified independent criminal justice academy as of January 1, 2003. The bill contains technical amendments. HB 2511; CH. 993/SB 1345; CH 1028.

§§ 9.1-138 and 9.1-139 amended.
Private security services. Redefines "armed security officer" as someone who (i) safeguards and protects persons and property or (ii) deters theft, loss, or concealment of any tangible or intangible personal property on the premises he is contracted to protect, and who carries or has access to a firearm in the performance of his duties. Redefines "unarmed security officer" as someone who performs the functions of observation, detection, reporting, or notification of appropriate authorities or their designated agents regarding persons or property on the premises he is contracted to protect, and who does not carry or have access to a firearm in the performance of his duties. Removes definition of "security officer." HB 1817; CH. 124.

§ 9.1-140 amended.
Requirement that accident reconstructionists also be licensed private investigators. Provides that a person whose occupation is limited to the technical reconstruction of the cause of motor vehicle accidents, regardless of whether the information resulting from the investigation is to be used before a court, board, officer or investigative committee, and who is not otherwise a private investigator as defined in § 9.1-138, need not be a licensed private investigator. HB 2121; CH. 136.

§§ 9.1-143 and 9.1-150.1 through 9.1-150.4. See § 19.2-13; SB 1240.

§ 9.1-176.1 added.
Local probation officers. Sets out the duties and responsibilities of local probation officers (e.g., supervise local-responsible adult offenders and ensure compliance with all orders of the court; conduct random drug and alcohol tests and facilitate placement in substance abuse programs), including those optional duties which may be provided if funds and resources are available. HB 2230; CH. 142.

§ 9.1-177.1. See § 19.2-299; HB 2500.

§ 9.1-202. See § 32.1-111.10; HB 1535.

§ 9.1-400 amended.
Line of Duty Act; chaplains. Adds police chaplains to the list of people who are covered under the Line of Duty Act. HB 2486; CH. 37/SB 952; CH. 41.

§ 9.1-400 amended.
Line of Duty Act; definitions. Extends coverage of the Line of Duty Act to (i) Department of Emergency Management hazardous materials officers and (ii) employees of the Department and employees of any county, city, or town performing emergency management or emergency services duties when those duties are related to a major disaster or emergency that has been or is later declared to exist under the authority of the Governor or a local emergency declared by a local governing body. SB 822; CH. 1005.

§§ 16.1-272, 18.2-472.1, 19.2-390, 19.2-390.1, 46.2-323, 53.1-116.1, and 53.1-160.1 amended; §§ 9.1-900 through 9.1-918 added; §§ 19.2-298.1 through 19.2-298.4 and 19.2-390.2 repealed.
Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry. Moves current law provisions regarding the Registry into Title 9.1 (Commonwealth Public Safety) from Title 19.2 (Criminal Procedure). The bill breaks the Code provisions into shorter, more readable sections. The offenses for which registration is required and the registration requirements are not changed from current law. The bill states more explicitly than current law that July 1, 1994, is the trigger date for registration.
The bill adds a provision that registrants who are enrolled or employed by an institution of higher education must indicate the name of the institution on their registration form and that the State Police must notify the chief law-enforcement officer of the institution of the person's registration. The institution of higher education provision is a requirement that Virginia must comply with by October 1, 2003, in order to avoid a possible reduction in Byrne grant funds. SB 1332; CH. 584.

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