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Committee reports bill to expand eviction-diversion court program to any willing general district court
Summary
A Senate committee approved a line amendment clarifying that the eviction diversion pilot program may be implemented by any general district court in the Commonwealth and reported the bill to the full Senate, 14-0.
Senator Locke told the committee that Senate Bill 8:30 would expand and make permanent an eviction-diversion court program, and that line amendments clarify which courts may participate.
The bill, as amended on the first two lines (17 and 18), now reads that “there is hereby established the eviction diversion pilot program” and that “the program may be implemented by any general district court of the Commonwealth.” The sponsor and counsel said the change was a clarification and did not alter the program’s parameters previously approved by the Virginia Housing Commission.
Committee members had a brief procedural question about who decides whether a court participates. Counsel replied that individual general district courts decide whether to implement the program. After a motion and second to approve the line amendments and to report the bill with those amendments, the committee voted: Ayes 14, Noes 0.
The amendment sponsors said the change was intended to reflect the Housing Commission’s intent and to confirm that participation is at the discretion of the local general district court. No public testimony was recorded in the transcript.
The bill will be reported to the full Senate with the committee’s amendment. The committee did not change program parameters or add new eligibility rules in the recorded discussion.
The committee then proceeded to other business.
