2026 SESSION

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE

26109790D

HOUSE BILL NO. 969

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the Joint Conference Committee

on March 13, 2026)

(Patron Prior to Substitute—Delegate Price)

A BILL 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.

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 to be appointed by the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security with experience in gun violence prevention and community safety; (iv) four representatives to be appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Resources with experience working in the Department of Health and in social services, mental health, and youth services; (v) one representative to be appointed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth; (vi) one representative to be appointed by the Secretary of Education with experience in K-12 schools; (vii) one representative to be appointed by the Secretary of Labor with experience in workforce development; (viii) one representative from the Office of the Attorney General with a role in community engagement; (ix) one representative from the University of Virginia; (x) one representative from Virginia State University; (xi) one representative to be appointed by the Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules that is an attorney for the Commonwealth; (xii) one representative to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates that is a defense attorney licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth; (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, 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.