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Subcommittee amends and reports bill to have VSP lead inmate and officer death investigations

House Public Safety Subcommittee No. 2 · February 12, 2026

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Summary

House Bill 15 08, amended to replace a 'shall' requirement with 'may' for further stakeholder review, would shift lead responsibility for investigations of inmate and officer deaths to the Virginia State Police; the subcommittee reported the bill with amendments, 7–0.

House Bill 15 08 aims to increase transparency and independence in investigations of inmate and corrections‑staff deaths by directing that the Virginia State Police (VSP) lead such inquiries rather than relying solely on the Department of Corrections' Office of Law Enforcement Services.

Delegate Phillips described the measure as restoring public confidence after a rise in inmate deaths and a recent officer line‑of‑duty death. Supporters—including advocates and organizations that backed earlier related measures—told the committee the change aligns DOC practice with how many local and regional jail deaths are already investigated.

Committee members agreed with the policy's aims but accepted an amendment to change the language from a mandatory 'shall' to a softer formulation to allow additional stakeholder review; the committee then reported the bill as amended 7–0.

Next steps: the bill proceeds out of the subcommittee; sponsors and stakeholders will continue discussions about the scope and implementation of the investigative handoff.