Bill
Bill > HB1490
VA HB1490
VA HB1490Child abuse or neglect; establishes centralized hotline for reports or complaints, report.
summary
Introduced
01/23/2026
01/23/2026
In Committee
03/06/2026
03/06/2026
Crossed Over
03/13/2026
03/13/2026
Passed
04/13/2026
04/13/2026
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
04/13/2026
04/13/2026
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Regular Session
Bill Summary
Department of Social Services; centralized intake system for reports or complaints of child abuse or neglect; response to complaints within 24 hours for children under three years of age. Establishes a centralized hotline for reports and complaints of child abuse or neglect. The bill requires the Department of Social Services to establish and maintain a hotline for reports and complaints of child abuse or neglect and specifies that the Department shall determine 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 hotline. Such provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. The bill also directs the Department of Social Services to (i) promulgate regulations necessary to implement the provisions of the bill by July 1, 2027, and (ii) contract with a third party by August 1, 2026, to conduct a comprehensive study and review of the screening process used for child protective services complaints across Virginia.
AI Summary
This bill establishes a centralized hotline for reporting child abuse or neglect, managed by the Department of Social Services (DSS), which will determine the validity of these reports. It shifts the responsibility of receiving and responding to complaints from local departments to this central system, requiring that any complaints received by local departments be immediately forwarded to the state hotline. For children under three years old, the bill mandates a response to complaints within 24 hours. The bill also directs DSS to create necessary regulations by July 1, 2027, and to contract with a third party by August 1, 2026, to study and review the current screening process for child protective services complaints across Virginia. These changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2027, with a phased implementation of centralized intake from July 1, 2028, to July 1, 2030.
Committee Categories
Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services, Justice
Sponsors (10)
Kathy Tran (D)*,
Stacey Carroll (D),
Laura Jane Cohen (D),
Nicole Cole (D),
Debra Gardner (D),
Phil Hernandez (D),
Michelle Lopes-Maldonado (D),
Adele McClure (D),
Briana Sewell (D),
Irene Shin (D),
Last Action
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0865) (on 04/13/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
Loading...