HOUSE BILL NO. 948 Offered January 9, 2008 Prefiled January 8, 2008 A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 37.2-503.1, relating to legal fees and expenses for community services board employees. ---------- Patron-- Iaquinto ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 37.2-503.1 as follows:

§ 37.2-503.1. Legal fees and expenses for community services board employees.

Any employee of any community services board who is arrested, indicted, or otherwise prosecuted on any charge arising out of any act committed in the discharge of his official duties against whom the charge is subsequently dismissed or in whose case there is rendered a verdict of not guilty may submit to the community services board by which he is employed a claim for the payment of legal fees and expenses incurred in his defense of the charge.  The community services board may authorize payment of such fees and expenses, or any portion thereof, from the funds available to the board.  Where the board refuses to pay all or a portion of the fees and expenses claimed, the employee may petition the circuit court for any county or city served by the board to award fees and expenses.  The court, sitting without a jury and after a hearing, may upon good cause shown order payment of any or all fees and expenses claimed.