2025 SESSION

INTRODUCED

25100955D

HOUSE BILL NO. 1554

Offered January 8, 2025

Prefiled November 19, 2024

A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-1609.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to funding for deputy sheriffs.

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Patron—Williams

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Committee Referral Pending

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 15.2-1609.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 15.2-1609.1. Number of deputies.

Except as provided in § 15.2-1603, the respective number of full-time deputies appointed by the sheriff of a county or city shall be fixed by the Compensation Board after receiving such recommendation of the board of supervisors of the county or the council of the city, as the case may be, as the board of supervisors or city council may desire to make. Such recommendation, if any, shall be made to the Compensation Board on or before April 1 of each year. In any county without a police force or any city without a police force that was created by the consolidation of a city and a county subsequent to July 1, 2011, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 35 (§ 15.2-3500 et seq.), upon the request of the board of supervisors of such county or the council of such city, the number of such law-enforcement deputies shall be fixed at (i) not less than one such deputy for each 1,500 population in such county or city excluding the population served by state educational institution police departments or (ii) not less than one such deputy for every 25 square miles in such county or city, whichever is greater, if the sheriff's department does not provide the majority of the law-enforcement activities to such population according to uniform crime reports compiled by the Department of State Police. The Compensation Board shall also consider any agreement the sheriff may have pursuant to § 15.2-1726 and any obligation he may have pursuant to this section to provide law enforcement for towns or townships in fixing the number of deputies. The governing body of any county or city may employ a greater number of law-enforcement deputies than fixed by the Compensation Board, provided that the county or city shall pay the total compensation and all employer costs for such additional deputies.