• About
  • Contact

Virginia Municipal League

Building Better Communities Through Sound Government

BETTER COMMUNITIES THROUGH SOUND GOVERNMENT

  • Organization
    • About the League
      • Strategic vision and goals
      • Benefits of VML Membership
      • Directions to the VML office
    • Board of Directors
      • Executive Meeting Packets
      • Serving on the Executive Board
      • VML Past Presidents
    • League Staff
    • Local Government Members
      • Benefits of VML Membership
    • Affiliate Organizations
    • VML/VACo APCO Steering Committee
      • VML/VACO APCo Steering Committee Board
    • Partners
  • Member Resources
    • General Assembly
    • ARPA Resources
    • Publications
    • Presentations
    • General Forum
    • Account
    • Reset Password
  • Education
    • Events >
      • 2023 Local Government Day
      • Virginia Local Elected Officials Conference
      • Annual Conference >
        • 2022 Annual Conference
        • 2021 Annual Conference
        • 2020 Annual Conference
        • Past Annual Conference Programs
        • Future Conference Dates
      • Virginia Mayors Institute >
        • 2022 Virginia Mayors Institute
        • 2021 Virginia Mayors Institute
        • 2020 Virginia Mayors Institute
      • 2022 Hurricane Season Briefing
      • ARPA Monitoring & Reporting Compliance Webinar
    • Essay Contest
      • Essay Contest Past Winners
    • Civility. Respect. Solutions.
    • American Rescue Plan Act Resources
    • Coronavirus Resources
    • Innovation Awards
      • Innovation Award Past Winners
    • Virginia You Love: 2022 Survey Contest
    • Racial Inequality – Local Statements
    • Wallerstein Scholarship
  • Advocacy
    • 2023 General Assembly
      • 2022 GA Resources
      • 2021 GA Resources
      • 2020 GA Resources
    • 2023 Local Government Day
      • 2022 Local Government Day
      • 2021 Local Government Day
    • Legislative Program
    • Legislative Committee
    • Policy Statements
    • Policy Committees
      • Community & Economic Development
      • Finance
      • General Laws
      • Human Development & Education
      • Infrastructure, Transportation & Environmental Quality
    • State Budget Overview Session
    • Local Federal Issues
    • Federal Advocacy
  • Media
    • VTC Magazine
    • eNews Newsletter
    • VML Voice Podcast
      • Subscribe: The VML Voice
    • Get the VML APP
    • Legal Resources
    • Local Officials’ Resources Series
    • Other Publications
    • News Releases
  • Calendar
  • Classifieds
    • Job Openings
    • Create Jobs
  • Corporate Engagement
    • Community Business Membership
      • Community Business Members Listings
    • Advertising with VML
    • Terms & Conditions
  • eNews
  • Town and City
  • Subscribe: The VML Voice
  • Legal Resources
  • Local Officials’ Resources Series
  • Other publications
  • News Releases

eNews: Action Alert – Aug. 20, 2020

Thursday, August 20, 2020 - 04:32pm

Oppose HB5013 which corrodes local sovereign immunity

At-a-Glance

House Legislation
HB5013

Senate Legislation
Sen. Lucas co-patron

Bill Patron
Delegate Jeffrey M. Bourne
(804) 698-1071

Cities and Towns Potentially Impacted: 
All Localities that employ or contract with law-enforcement officers.

Current GA Committee:
Expected to be referred to House Courts of Justice

VML Staff Contact
Michelle Gowdy,
mgowdy@vml.org
(804) 401-3642

Committee Members
Herring (Chair)
Watts (Vice Chair)
Hope
Simon
Lindsey
Sullivan
Levine
Heretick
Mullin
Bourne
Delaney
Carroll Foy
Scott
Kilgore
Bell
Ransone
Leftwich
Adams, L.R.
Campbell, J.L.
Miyares
Campbell, R.R.

Bill Title


Civil Action for deprivation of rights; duties & liabilities of certain employers in employing or contracting for the services of law-enforcement officers.

View the full bill here >


Concerns

HB5013 corrodes the concept of Sovereign Immunity for localities that employ or contract with law-enforcement officers.


Action

Contact the committee members and your local delegation to oppose this bill.


Key Points

  • Strengthening and maintaining the principles of sovereign immunity for local governments and local officials is a long standing VML position.
  • A locality can already address criminal or immoral behavior of any employee without any additional state requirement.
  • Forcing localities to pay higher insurance premiums for potential civil actions takes funding away from K-12 education, health and social services, and transportation services citizens need.
  • Damages could include compensatory damages, punitive damages equitable relief and attorneys’ fees.
  • Existing law already provides the needed tools to address the law enforcement problem the proposal seeks to address.
  • Sovereign Immunity and Qualified Immunity should apply to all actions created in this bill.

 

 

 

 

Note: Some localities may not agree with this position.

 

Comments and questions about this website or the data provided may be addressed to Manuel Timbreza
©2023 Virginia Municipal League
Virginia Municipal League
P.O. Box 12164, Richmond, VA 23241
13 E. Franklin St., Richmond, VA 23219
804-649-8471

Copyright © 2023 · Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Terms and Conditions