Civil commitment of sexually violent predators; petition for release, procedures. (HB1852)
Introduced By
Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✗ |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
☐ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Civil commitment of sexually violent predators; petition for release; procedures. Provides that when a petition for release of a sexually violent predator who has been civilly committed has been made by the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, no further evaluation of the committed respondent shall be required unless otherwise deemed necessary by the court. Under current law, if the Commissioner's recommendation is to release the committed respondent, such respondent's condition and need for secure inpatient treatment shall be evaluated by a second person with certain credentials to make such evaluations. Read the Bill »
Outcome
Bill Has Failed
History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 01/02/2019 | Committee |
| 01/02/2019 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/19 19100857D |
| 01/02/2019 | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
| 01/16/2019 | Impact statement from DPB (HB1852) |
| 01/17/2019 | Assigned Courts sub: Subcommittee #1 |
| 01/18/2019 | Subcommittee recommends passing by indefinitely (8-Y 0-N) |
| 02/05/2019 | Left in Courts of Justice |
Comments
The office of the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services is fully capable of determining when a citizen who has been civilly committed should be released and the citizens of the Commonwealth incur additional cost when a second “professional” is employed in the process. There is no evidence that public safety is further enhanced by that additional expense. Nearly a decade ago, the civil commitment program cost had increased more than tenfold in eight years. Now the citizens of the Commonwealth are paying for a $110 million expansion of the treatment center which should be safely reducing its population as expeditiously as possible.