RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia lawmakers have advanced legislation designed to make it easier to decertify police officers who commit misconduct and make it more difficult for them to be hired by other police departments.
The House Public Safety Committee approved the bill Tuesday.
It would require sheriffs and police chiefs to notify a state board within 48 hours of becoming aware that any of their officers have been fired for misconduct. It would also require the board to begin decertification proceedings against the officers.
The bill comes amid a special session responding in part to calls for criminal justice reforms after the police killing of a Black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis.