A BILL 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 the Virginia Youth Empowerment and Mentoring Grant Fund and Program; established.
HB947 would create the Virginia Youth Empowerment and Mentoring Grant Fund and the Virginia Youth Empowerment and Mentoring Grant Program within the Department of Criminal Justice Services. The bill establishes a special nonreverting state fund that can receive appropriations and outside contributions, and directs those moneys to be used only for competitive grants and program administration.
The program is designed to award grants to community-based organizations that place mentors with high-risk youth and help connect those युवouth to careers in certified high-wage trades. The Department would be required to publish program guidelines, oversee grant agreements, and maintain data-driven reporting on outcomes such as reductions in homicides and shootings in targeted communities, apprenticeship enrollment, and job retention.
If enacted, HB947 would add a new chapter to Title 9.1 of the Code of Virginia and expand the responsibilities of the Department of Criminal Justice Services to administer a youth mentoring grant program. It would create a dedicated, nonreverting special fund in the state treasury, authorize the receipt of appropriations and donations, and require the department to manage competitive grants and outcome reporting. The bill would primarily affect community-based organizations serving at-risk youth, as well as state budgeting and grant administration practices.
The bill appears to have been introduced as a public-safety and workforce-development initiative, with an emphasis on mentoring, violence reduction, and pathways into skilled trades. No committee transcript or recorded vote is available, and the bill was left in the House Appropriations Committee, so there is no documented floor-level debate or formal vote history to indicate broader legislative support or opposition. The available context suggests a policy proposal framed positively around youth opportunity and community intervention.
The main potential points of contention are likely to be fiscal and administrative rather than ideological. Because the bill creates a new special fund and grant program, lawmakers may have concerns about ongoing appropriations, oversight, and whether the Department can measure outcomes such as reduced violence and improved job placement. Another possible issue is the bill’s focus on targeted communities and high-risk youth, which may raise questions about program design, eligibility, and how grants would be competitively awarded and evaluated. However, no specific objections were recorded in the available materials.