SENATE BILL NO. 28 AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE (Proposed by the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services on February 1, 2008) (Patron Prior to Substitute--Senator Miller, Y.B.) A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 53.1-25.2, relating to child-friendly visiting rooms in state correctional facilities.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 53.1-25.2 as follows:

§ 53.1-25.2. Child-friendly visiting rooms in state correctional facilities.

Each state correctional facility may provide child-friendly visiting rooms in order to encourage healthy bonds between incarcerated parents and their children. Child-friendly visiting rooms may provide activities for young children and adequate facilities with areas for nursing. Any program providing child-friendly visiting rooms shall be administered by the Department of Corrections and may include the use of support services from community-based and nonprofit organizations. The Department shall promulgate regulations governing the provision and use of child-friendly visiting rooms.

The Department shall be immune from any civil or criminal liability resulting from the operation of child-friendly visiting rooms, unless it is proven that the Department acted in bad faith or with malicious intent.

SENATE BILL NO. 28 Offered January 9, 2008 Prefiled December 17, 2007 A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 53.1-25.2, relating to child-friendly visiting rooms in state correctional facilities. ---------- Patron-- Miller, Y.B. ---------- Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 53.1-25.2 as follows:

§ 53.1-25.2. Child-friendly visiting rooms in state correctional facilities.

Each state correctional facility shall provide child-friendly visiting rooms in order to encourage healthy bonds between incarcerated parents and their children. Child-friendly visiting rooms shall provide activities for young children and adequate facilities with areas for nursing. The Department shall promulgate regulations governing the provision and use of child-friendly visiting rooms that do not penalize inmates with sanctions, such as termination of a visit, due to normal behavior of visiting children.