2025 SESSION

ENGROSSED

25104655D

SENATE BILL NO. 1470

Senate Amendments in [ ] - February 4, 2025

A BILL to amend and reenact § 17.1-905 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; submission of annual report.

—————

Patron Prior to Engrossment—Senator Deeds

—————

Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

—————

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 17.1-905 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 17.1-905. Annual report.

On or before December 1 of each year, the Commission shall publish submit to the Chairmen [ and ranking members ] of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice [ and to any other member of the General Assembly upon the request of such member ] a report detailing the activities of the Commission for the prior year. The report shall include the number of complaints filed with the Commission; the number of complaints originating from attorneys, judges, court employees, or the general public; the number of complaints dismissed based on (i) failure to fall within the jurisdiction of the Commission, (ii) failure to state a violation of the Canons of Judicial Conduct, or (iii) failure of the Commission to reach a conclusion that the Canons were breached; the number of complaints for which the Commission concluded that the Canons of Judicial Conduct were breached; and the number of cases from which the staff or any member of the Commission recused himself due to an actual or possible conflict. The report shall also include (a) the name of any judge who the Commission concluded breached the Canons of Judicial Conduct and took disciplinary action against as a result of such conclusion, if the date on which the Commission reached such conclusion was after the previous annual report was published; (b) the specific Canons of Judicial Conduct breached by such judge; and (c) the disciplinary action taken against such judge by the Commission. No annual report shall be considered confidential following the submission of such report to the Chairmen of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice [ or any other member of the General Assembly ] . [ The decision of whether to release such annual report publicly shall be made by the General Assembly. ]