A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 19.2-368.3, 19.2-368.3:1, and 19.2-368.18 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 9.1 a chapter numbered 16, consisting of a section numbered 9.1-1600, relating to Mass Violence Care Fund established.
HB475 creates a new Mass Violence Care Fund within Virginia’s Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund system to reimburse victims of mass violence for unreimbursed medical expenses, including health and mental health care. The bill defines a “mass violence event” as an intentional criminal act causing physical injury to three or more people in a public space, and it defines eligible victims broadly to include certain family or household members of a person physically injured or killed. The fund would be administered by the Comptroller, with the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission responsible for claims guidelines, public outreach, and oversight through a new advisory board.
The bill also amends existing crime-victim compensation statutes to integrate the new fund into the current claims process. It requires the Commission to treat qualifying applications as addenda to prior Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund awards when applicable, and it directs the Commission to publish procedures designed to minimize burdens on victims. The bill further requires annual reporting on disbursements from the new fund and establishes a public information program to educate the public about eligibility and claims procedures. The Commission would have one year after enactment to develop the detailed guidelines and criteria for the fund.
HB475 would expand Virginia’s crime victim compensation framework by adding a dedicated subfund for mass violence-related medical costs and by expressly incorporating that subfund into the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund structure. It would amend §§ 19.2-368.3, 19.2-368.3:1, and 19.2-368.18 to give the Commission authority over claims involving mass violence, reporting, and victim assistance, while also creating a new Title 9.1 provision governing eligibility, administration, and funding limits. The bill would affect victims of mass violence, their family or household members, the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission, and the Comptroller, and it would require future appropriations or other funding sources to capitalize the new fund.
The bill appears to have been introduced as a victim-support measure with a remedial and administrative focus, and the text reflects an intent to reduce burdens on survivors and improve access to compensation. However, the bill was left in the House Appropriations Committee, and there is no recorded vote or committee transcript in the provided materials, so there is no documented floor or committee sentiment beyond the bill’s introduction and referral. The available record suggests the proposal was considered in an appropriations context, likely because it creates a new fund and potential state fiscal obligations.
The main points of potential contention are fiscal and administrative. Because the bill establishes a permanent and perpetual subfund and contemplates reimbursements from interest earnings after initial capitalization, lawmakers may have concerns about the source, adequacy, and long-term sustainability of funding. Another possible issue is the scope of eligibility, including the broad definition of victims and the inclusion of family or household members, as well as the requirement that other compensation be exhausted and two years elapse before certain disbursements. The bill also gives the Commission substantial discretion to set guidelines and manage claims, which could raise questions about implementation, oversight, and the balance between accessibility for victims and program controls.