Passed with overwhelming bipartisan support during the 2022 Legislative Session, HB1197 created a workgroup to study the transfer of the Department of Juvenile Justice to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Simply, it aimed to answer the question of whether the current organizational structure of the Department of Juvenile Justice is itself a hindrance to rehabilitating children.
In April of 2022, Governor Youngkin vetoed the bill, stifling a critical first step towards considering a public health approach to youth justice in the Commonwealth and evidence informed policy making. 81
Talking Points