2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26105302D

HOUSE BILL NO. 1018

Offered January 14, 2026

Prefiled January 14, 2026

A BILL to direct the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs to convene a work group every four years to study and develop recommendations for implementing a statewide strategic plan to guide legislation and budget decisions relating to veterans in the Commonwealth; report.

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Patron—Reaser

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Referred to Committee on Rules

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs (the Secretary) shall convene a work group every four years to study and develop recommendations for implementing a statewide strategic plan to guide legislation and budget decisions relating to veterans in the Commonwealth. The work group shall consist of at least nine members as follows: the Secretary or his designee; the Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Services or his designee; one member from the Board of Veterans Services; one member from the Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations; four current members of the General Assembly, of whom two shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates and two shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; and one member from a veterans organization focused on issues related to women veterans. The Secretary or his designee shall serve as the chair of the work group and may appoint additional members. The work group shall complete its first meeting by August 1, 2026, and shall meet at the call of the chair every four years thereafter.

The work group shall (i) develop a statewide strategic plan that will guide legislation and budget decisions for the following four years, (ii) identify quantifiable key performance indicators that can be compared with those of other states in determining quality of life for veterans in those states, (iii) assess the Commonwealth's current key performance indicators against those of other states, (iv) identify legislative and budgetary recommendations, and (v) create a scorecard of the Commonwealth's key performance indicators to be presented to the General Assembly Military and Veterans Caucus at the first meeting of each regular session after the work group convenes. The work group shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2026, and every four years thereafter.