Rules Relating to Professional Standards of Conduct and Procedures for Decertification
[6 VAC 20 ‑ 65]
(Under Development)
(5723)
Action:
(9641)
Stage:
On 5/28/2025 the board requested that this
emergency stage be extended until 3/12/2026.
Reason for Extension:
The Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) requests that the Governor extend the expiration date of the emergency regulation 6 VAC 20-65 for an additional 6 months pursuant to § 2.2-4011 (D) of the Code of Virginia. The new emergency regulation Rules Relating to Professional Standards of Conduct and Procedures for Decertification became effective on 03/14/2024 and will expire on 09/13/2025. The regulation is required because of the passage of SB5030 from the 2020 Special Session of the General Assembly, which mandated DCJS to establish statewide professional standards of conduct for certified law enforcement officers and certified jail officers in addition to procedures for the decertification of certified law enforcement officers and certified jail officers. After a thorough workgroup process (delayed by complications resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic), an action to replace the emergency regulation with a permanent regulation was submitted 10/10/2024 after DCJS obtained approval from the Criminal Justice Services Board of final text incorporating changes necessitated by the passage of SB88 from the 2024 Session of the General Assembly.
Due to the protracted process of developing the final text of the regulation in addition to the timeline of the standard regulatory review process, there is the potential that the executive branch review will not be completed before the emergency regulation expires in September 2025. Therefore, DCJS requests that the Governor use the authority in § 2.2-4011 (D) of the Code of Virginia to extend the emergency regulation 6 VAC 20-65 for an additional 6 months until March 12, 2026. Without such extension, not only will DCJS not be in compliance with processes and requirements mandated by Code, but the Standards of Conduct (utilized as the basis of numerous decertifications for law enforcement and jail officers across the Commonwealth) will essentially expire.
This emergency extension request was approved by the Governor's office on 7/7/2025.
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