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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>358550</law_id><section_number>30-19.1:13</section_number><catch_line>Racial and ethnic impact statements for criminal justice legislation</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="73" identifier="30">General Assembly</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Assembly and Officers Thereof</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> As used in this section:
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Disparities</span>&#x201D; means the difference in criminal justice outcomes for a racial or ethnic subgroup compared to their share of the state population.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Racial and ethnic impact statement</span>&#x201D; means a statement created using available data to outline the potential impact of a criminal justice bill on racial and ethnic <span class="dictionary">disparities</span> within the Commonwealth. <a id="paragraph-1333900" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/30-19.1_13/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> At the request of the Chair of the House Committee for <span class="dictionary">Courts</span> of Justice or the Chair of the Senate Committee for <span class="dictionary">Courts</span> of Justice, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall review and prepare a <span class="dictionary">racial and ethnic impact statement</span> for a proposed criminal justice bill. <a id="paragraph-1333901" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/30-19.1_13/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall forward copies of the <span class="dictionary">racial and ethnic impact statement</span> prepared pursuant to subsection B to the patron of the bill and the Chair of the House Committee for <span class="dictionary">Courts</span> of Justice or the Chair of the Senate Committee for <span class="dictionary">Courts</span> of Justice, as appropriate. <a id="paragraph-1333902" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/30-19.1_13/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> No more than three <span class="dictionary">racial and ethnic impact statements</span> may be requested by the Chair of the House Committee for <span class="dictionary">Courts</span> of Justice and no more than three <span class="dictionary">racial and ethnic impact statements</span> may be requested by the Chair of the Senate Committee for <span class="dictionary">Courts</span> of Justice for completion during a single regular session of the General Assembly. <a id="paragraph-1333903" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/30-19.1_13/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Upon the request of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span>, Virginia State Police, Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission, Department of Corrections, and all other state agencies shall expeditiously provide necessary data and assistance for the preparation of <span class="dictionary">racial and ethnic impact statements</span>. <a id="paragraph-1333904" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/30-19.1_13/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 183.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
