Bill > SJR26

This resolution directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), a legislative oversight agency, to conduct a comprehensive study on the current laws penalizing drug possession as a felony in Virginia. The study will examine detailed data about drug possession arrests and convictions, including demographics such as age, race, ethnicity, and gender, as well as the number of incidents, charges, and median sentence lengths for both adult and juvenile offenders. JLARC will calculate the current fiscal costs to state and local governments related to felony drug possession, estimate potential costs if possession were treated as a misdemeanor or civil offense, and review deferred disposition programs. Additionally, the resolution requires JLARC to survey drug possession laws in other states, compare their approaches to penalizing drug possession, and investigate diversion programs elsewhere. The study must be completed by November 30, 2025, with an executive summary submitted by the first day of the 2026 Regular Session of the General Assembly. The underlying context suggests a growing national trend of reconsidering felony drug possession penalties and treating substance use disorder as a public health issue rather than solely a criminal justice matter.

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?251+sum+SJ26