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Bill > HB273


VA HB273

VA HB273
Law-enforcement officers; duty to render aid upon danger to life or limb, civil immunity.


summary

Introduced
01/09/2026
In Committee
03/09/2026
Crossed Over
03/12/2026
Passed
04/13/2026
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
04/13/2026

Introduced Session

Potential new amendment
2026 Regular Regular Session

Bill Summary

Law-enforcement officers; duty to render aid upon danger to life or limb; civil immunity. Provides that a law-enforcement officer, while engaged in the performance of his duties, has a duty to render aid to any person that he observes suffering from a serious bodily injury or life-threatening condition, as circumstances objectively permit and provided that such aid may be rendered without endangering the law-enforcement officer, the person, or others. The bill also immunizes a law-enforcement officer from civil liability for any personal injury or wrongful death resulting from such rendering or withholding of such aid absent gross negligence or willful misconduct. The bill directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to adopt regulations to provide law-enforcement officers with basic medical training, including emergency first aid training.

AI Summary

This bill establishes a duty for law-enforcement officers, while on duty, to provide aid to individuals they observe suffering from serious bodily injury or a life-threatening condition, as long as it's safe to do so without endangering themselves or others. Importantly, officers are protected from civil lawsuits for any injuries or deaths that occur as a result of providing or withholding this aid, unless their actions involve gross negligence or willful misconduct. To support this, the bill also mandates that the Department of Criminal Justice Services create regulations requiring law-enforcement officers to receive basic medical and emergency first aid training.

Committee Categories

Justice

Sponsors (4)

Last Action

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0583) (on 04/13/2026)

Bill Topics

Law, Crime, and Family Issues
  • ‐ Civil Law and Procedure
  • ‐ Police, Fire, and Law Enforcement

bill text


bill summary

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bill summary

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bill summary

Document Type Source Location Created
State Bill Page https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB273 01/09/2026
BillText https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB273/text/CHAP0583 04/21/2026
Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB273) https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1215015.PDF 04/01/2026
BillText https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB273/text/HB273ER 03/30/2026
Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB273) https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203273.PDF 03/10/2026
BillText https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB273/text/HB273S1 03/09/2026
Courts of Justice Amendment https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB273/text/HB273ASC1 03/09/2026
Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB273) https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095271.PDF 01/23/2026
BillText https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB273/text/HB273 01/09/2026
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