HB157: Biased-Based Policing and Traffic Statistics Reporting Act; created, report.

Chief Patron

Del. Jeion Ward (D-92)

Status

Bill is Dead

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Summary

Virginia Biased-Based Policing and Traffic Statistics Reporting Act. Requires the Department of State Police to develop a statewide database for collecting, correlating, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting data and information generated related to certain traffic stops. Local police officers and police officers of the Department of State Police would be required to collect information pertaining to traffic stops, including the race, ethnicity, color, age, and gender of the alleged traffic offender, and to record the specific reason for the stop, whether the person was interrogated, charged, or arrested, and whether a written citation or warning was issued. Police officers also would be required to indicate the specific traffic violation allegedly committed. Police officers participating in the collection of such traffic data and information are granted civil immunity for acts and omissions during the performance of their official duties, absent gross negligence or willful misconduct.

The Superintendent must report the findings and make recommendations annually to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Attorney General and provide copies to each attorney for the Commonwealth. This act expires on July 1, 2010. Previously, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee Studying the Status and Needs of African-American Males in the Commonwealth and the House Committee on Transportation's Special Subcommittee on Racial Profiling and Pretextual Traffic Stops.   View Full Text »