An Act to amend and reenact § 2.2-2001.3 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Department of Veterans Services; Virginia War Memorial division.
SB112 amends the Virginia Code section governing the Virginia War Memorial division within the Department of Veterans Services. The bill reaffirms the Memorial as a Commonwealth property and keeps administrative and financial control with the Commissioner, including authority to adopt regulations for use and visitation. Those regulations remain exempt from the Administrative Process Act, preserving a streamlined internal rulemaking structure.
The bill also restates and clarifies the Memorial’s mission: honoring Virginians who served and sacrificed in war, preserving veterans’ history, educating the public, and promoting patriotism. It directs the Department, with advice from the Board of Veterans Services, to set policies for programs, visitation, and fees. In addition, it governs who may be recognized on the Shrine of Memory, requiring the names of certain Virginians killed in action to be added within one year of confirmed death and excluding anyone who does not meet the statutory criteria.
SB112 further provides for honoring other Virginians at the Memorial, including those missing in action from the Vietnam War and other honorably serving Virginians who do not qualify for the Shrine of Memory criteria. It also gives the Memorial division authority to take possession of military medals, ribbons, or certificates with unknown ownership, make reasonable efforts to identify the rightful owner, and return those items when possible. Finally, it places the Virginia War Memorial Foundation and similar fundraising nonprofits under the Commissioner’s supervision through memoranda of understanding.
The bill’s impact on state law is primarily organizational and administrative: it updates the statutory framework for the Memorial, confirms the Commissioner’s control, codifies recognition standards for names displayed at the Memorial, and formalizes procedures for handling unclaimed military honors and nonprofit support entities. It does not create a new program so much as refine the governance, commemorative rules, and custodial responsibilities of the Virginia War Memorial division.
The overall sentiment around SB112 appears strongly positive and noncontroversial. It advanced unanimously through committee and floor votes in both chambers, indicating broad bipartisan support for veterans’ recognition and Memorial administration. No committee transcript objections are provided, and the voting history suggests the bill was viewed as a routine but meaningful update to honor veterans and preserve the Memorial’s operations.
SB112 amends § 2.2-2001.3 of the Code of Virginia to update the governance of the Virginia War Memorial division within the Department of Veterans Services. It preserves the Commissioner’s administrative and financial control, keeps Memorial regulations exempt from the Administrative Process Act, codifies policies for programs, visitation, and fees, and sets statutory criteria for who may be honored on the Shrine of Memory. It also authorizes the Memorial to take custody of unclaimed military medals, ribbons, and certificates and requires reasonable efforts to return them to rightful owners, while placing related nonprofit fundraising entities under the Commissioner’s supervision.
The bill appears to have enjoyed unanimous, bipartisan support throughout the legislative process. It was reported from committee and passed both the Senate and House with no recorded opposition in the provided voting history. The lack of recorded dissent suggests the measure was viewed as a straightforward veterans’ affairs and memorial-administration bill with broad appeal.
No notable contention is reflected in the provided materials. The only issues that could potentially invite discussion are the Memorial’s authority to control visitation and fees, the exemption from the Administrative Process Act, and the statutory limits on who may be listed on the Shrine of Memory. However, the unanimous votes indicate these provisions did not generate visible opposition in committee or on the floor.