Bill
Bill > HB266
summary
Introduced
01/09/2026
01/09/2026
In Committee
01/09/2026
01/09/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Regular Session
Bill Summary
Department of Social Services; centralized intake and validity determination for child abuse and neglect. Creates a centralized system for intake for reports and complaints of child abuse or neglect. The bill directs the Department of Social Services to be the agency responsible for the intake of reports and complaints of child abuse or neglect and specifies that the Department shall determine the validity of such reports and complaints. Under current law, local departments of social services are the agency responsible for the intake of reports and complaints of child abuse and it determines the validity of such reports and complaints. The bill eliminates the requirement that local departments must be capable of receiving and responding to reports and complaints of abuse or neglect and instead requires that any complaint of child abuse or neglect received by a local department shall be immediately forwarded to the Department's child abuse and neglect intake system.
AI Summary
This bill centralizes the intake and validity determination process for child abuse and neglect reports, shifting responsibility from local departments of social services to the state Department of Social Services. Under the new system, any report or complaint of child abuse or neglect received by a local department must be immediately forwarded to the state's centralized intake system. The state Department of Social Services will then be responsible for evaluating these reports and determining their validity. This change aims to streamline the process and ensure consistent handling of child abuse and neglect allegations across the state, moving away from the current requirement for local departments to be equipped to handle all intake and validity decisions themselves.
Committee Categories
Health and Social Services
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Left in Committee Health and Human Services (on 02/18/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB266 |
| Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB266) | https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092451.PDF |
| BillText | https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB266/text/HB266 |
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