HB1242: Probation violations; periods of probation and suspension, technical violations.

HOUSE BILL NO. 1242

Offered January 19, 2022
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 19.2-303, 19.2-303.1, and 19.2-306.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to probation violations; periods of probation; technical violations.
Patron-- Scott, D.L.

Committee Referral Pending

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 19.2-303, 19.2-303.1, and 19.2-306.1 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 19.2-303. Suspension or modification of sentence; probation; taking of fingerprints and blood, saliva, or tissue sample as condition of probation.

After conviction, whether with or without jury, the court may suspend imposition of sentence or suspend the sentence in whole or part and in addition may place the defendant on probation under such conditions as the court shall determine, including monitoring by a GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking device, or other similar device, or may, as a condition of a suspended sentence, require the defendant to make at least partial restitution to the aggrieved party or parties for damages or loss caused by the offense for which convicted, or to perform community service, or both, under terms and conditions which shall be entered in writing by the court. The court may fix the period of probation for up to the statutory maximum period for which the defendant might originally have been sentenced to be imprisoned for any offense; however, the court may fix the period of probation for up to two years for an offense punishable as a Class 1 or Class 2 misdemeanor if the sentence does not include any active period of incarceration. Any period of supervised probation shall not exceed five years from the release of the defendant from any active period of incarceration. The limitation on the period of probation or supervised probation shall not apply to the extent that an additional period of probation is necessary (i) for the defendant to participate in a court-ordered program or (ii) if a defendant owes restitution and is still subject to restitution compliance review hearings in accordance with § 19.2-305.1. The defendant may be ordered by the court to pay the cost of the GPS tracking device or other similar device. If, however, the court suspends or modifies any sentence fixed by a jury pursuant to § 19.2-295, the court shall file a statement of the reasons for the suspension or modification in the same manner as the statement required pursuant to subsection B of § 19.2-298.01. The judge, after convicting the defendant of any offense for which a report to the Central Criminal Records Exchange is required in accordance with subsection A of § 19.2-390, shall determine whether a copy of the defendant's fingerprints or fingerprint identification information has been provided by a law-enforcement officer to the clerk of court for each such offense. In any case where fingerprints or fingerprint identification information has not been provided by a law-enforcement officer to the clerk of court, the judge shall require that fingerprints and a photograph be taken by a law-enforcement officer as a condition of probation or of the suspension of the imposition or execution of any sentence for such offense. Such fingerprints shall be submitted to the Central Criminal Records Exchange under the provisions of subsection D of § 19.2-390.

In those courts having electronic access to the Local Inmate Data System (LIDS) within the courtroom, prior to or upon sentencing, the clerk of court shall also determine by reviewing LIDS whether a blood, saliva, or tissue sample has been taken for DNA analysis and submitted to the DNA data bank maintained by the Department of Forensic Science pursuant to Article 1.1 (§ 19.2-310.2 et seq.) of Chapter 18 of this title. In any case in which the clerk has determined that a DNA sample or analysis is not stored in the DNA data bank, or in any case in which electronic access to LIDS is not available in the courtroom, the court shall order that the defendant appear within 30 days before the sheriff or probation officer and allow the sheriff or probation officer to take the required sample. The order shall also require that, if the defendant has not appeared and allowed the sheriff or probation officer to take the required sample by the date stated in the order, then the sheriff or probation officer shall report to the court the defendant's failure to appear and provide the required sample.

After conviction and upon sentencing of an active participant or member of a criminal street gang, the court may, as a condition for suspending the imposition of the sentence in whole or in part or for placing the accused on probation, place reasonable restrictions on those persons with whom the accused may have contact. Such restrictions may include prohibiting the accused from having contact with anyone whom he knows to be a member of a criminal street gang, except that contact with a family or household member, as defined in § 16.1-228, shall be permitted unless expressly prohibited by the court.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in any case where a defendant is convicted of a violation of § 18.2-48, 18.2-61, 18.2-63, 18.2-67.1, 18.2-67.2, 18.2-67.3, 18.2-370, or 18.2-370.1, committed on or after July 1, 2006, and some portion of the sentence is suspended, the judge shall order that the period of suspension shall be for a length of time at least equal to the statutory maximum period for which the defendant might originally have been sentenced to be imprisoned, and the defendant shall be placed on probation for that period of suspension subject to revocation by the court. The conditions of probation may include such conditions as the court shall determine, including active supervision. Where the conviction is for a violation of clause (iii) of subsection A of § 18.2-61, subdivision A 1 of § 18.2-67.1, or subdivision A 1 of § 18.2-67.2, the court shall order that at least three years of the probation include active supervision of the defendant under a postrelease supervision program operated by the Department of Corrections, and for at least three years of such active supervision, the defendant shall be subject to electronic monitoring by means of a GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking device, or other similar device.

If a person is sentenced to jail upon conviction of a misdemeanor or a felony, the court may, at any time before the sentence has been completely served, suspend the unserved portion of any such sentence, place the person on probation in accordance with the provisions of this section, or otherwise modify the sentence imposed.

If a person has been sentenced for a felony to the Department of Corrections (the Department), the court that heard the case, if it appears compatible with the public interest and there are circumstances in mitigation of the offense, may, at any time before the person is transferred to the Department, or within 60 days of such transfer, suspend or otherwise modify the unserved portion of such a sentence. The court may place the person on probation in accordance with the provisions of this section.

§ 19.2-303.1. Fixing period of suspension of sentence.

In any case where a court suspends the imposition or execution of a sentence, it may fix the period of suspension for up to the statutory maximum period for which the defendant might originally have been sentenced to be imprisoned for any offense; however, the court may fix the period of suspension for up to two years for an offense punishable as a Class 1 or Class 2 misdemeanor if the sentence does not include any active period of incarceration. The limitation on the period of suspension shall not apply to the extent that an additional period of suspension is necessary for the defendant to participate in a court-ordered program.

§ 19.2-306.1. Limitation on sentence upon revocation of suspension of sentence; exceptions.

A. For the purposes of this section, "technical violation" means a violation based on the probationer's failure to (i) report any arrest, including traffic tickets, within three days to the probation officer; (ii) maintain regular employment or notify the probation officer of any changes in employment; (iii) report within three days of release from incarceration; (iv) permit the probation officer to visit his home and place of employment; (v) follow the instructions of the probation officer, be truthful and cooperative, and report as instructed; (vi) refrain from the use of alcoholic beverages to the extent that it disrupts or interferes with his employment or orderly conduct; (vii) refrain from the use, possession, or distribution of controlled substances or related paraphernalia; (viii) refrain from the use, ownership, possession, or transportation of a firearm; (ix) gain permission to change his residence or remain in the Commonwealth or other designated area without permission of the probation officer; or (x) maintain contact with the probation officer whereby his whereabouts are no longer known to the probation officer, unless such failure to maintain contact is without reasonable excuse or justification in which case a probationer's failure to maintain contact shall not be a treated as a technical violation. Multiple technical violations arising from a single course of conduct or a single incident or considered at the same revocation hearing shall not be considered separate technical violations for the purposes of sentencing pursuant to this section.

B. If the court finds that the basis of a violation of the terms and conditions of a suspended sentence or probation is that the defendant was convicted of a criminal offense that was committed after the date of the suspension, or has violated another condition other than (i) a technical violation or (ii) a good conduct behavior violation that did not result in a criminal conviction, including a violation based on a probationer's failure to maintain contact with the probation officer without reasonable excuse or justification whereby his whereabouts are no longer known to the probation officer, then the court may revoke the suspension and impose or resuspend any or all of that period previously suspended.

C. The court shall not impose a sentence of a term of active incarceration upon a first technical violation of the terms and conditions of a suspended sentence or probation, and there shall be a presumption against imposing a sentence of a term of active incarceration for any second technical violation of the terms and conditions of a suspended sentence or probation. However, if the court finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the defendant committed a second technical violation and he cannot be safely diverted from active incarceration through less restrictive means, the court may impose not more than 14 days of active incarceration for a second technical violation. The court may impose whatever sentence might have been originally imposed for a third or subsequent technical violation. For the purposes of this subsection, a first technical violation based on clause (viii) or (x) of subsection A shall be considered a second technical violation, and any subsequent technical violation also based on clause (viii) or (x) of subsection A shall be considered a third or subsequent technical violation.

D. The limitations on sentencing in this section shall not apply to the extent that an additional term of incarceration is necessary to allow a defendant to be evaluated for or to participate in a court-ordered drug, alcohol, or mental health treatment program. In such case, the court shall order the shortest term of incarceration possible to achieve the required evaluation or participation.