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SB640Introduced in the Senate

Child abuse or neglect; centralized hotline for reports or complaints, etc.

Passed

Introduced by Todd Pillion, District 6

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

Writing a plain-English summary of this bill… this can take a few seconds the first time.

Official description

Department of Social Services; corrective action plans; centralized hotline for reports or complaints of child abuse or neglect. Establishes a centralized hotline for reports and complaints of child abuse or neglect and grants the Commissioner of Social Services the authority to create and enforce a corrective action plan for any local board of social services or local department of social services that (i) fails to administer public assistance and social services programs in accordance with applicable laws and regulations or (ii) takes any action or fails to act in a manner that poses a substantial risk to the health, safety, or well-being of a child or adult. The bill permits similar authority for any local board of social services that (a) fails to provide child welfare services in accordance with applicable law or regulations or (b) takes any action or fails to act in a manner that poses a substantial risk to the health, safety, or well-being of a child. Under the bill, if a local board or department fails to comply with a corrective action plan, the Commissioner has the authority to temporarily assume control of all or part of the local board's operations. The bill also provides that, when a local board of social services or local department of social services requests assistance, the Commissioner has the authority to utilize staff of the Department of Social Services or contract with private entities to provide public assistance and social services programs in the locality served by the local board or department. The bill requires the Department of Social Services to establish and maintain a hotline for reports and complaints of child abuse or neglect and specifies that the Department shall determine the validity of such reports and complaints. The bill eliminates the requirement that local departments must be capable of receiving and responding to reports and complaints of abuse or neglect and instead requires that any complaint of child abuse or neglect received by a local department shall be immediately forwarded to the Department's child abuse and neglect hotline. The bill also adds adult services to the definition of "social services" for purposes of Title 63.2 (Welfare (Social Services)). The bill directs the Department of Social Services to (1) promulgate regulations necessary to implement the provisions of the bill and (2) contract with a third party by August 1, 2026, to conduct a comprehensive study and review of the screening process used for child protective services complaints across Virginia. The bill also directs the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a Social Services Task Force to develop a comprehensive improvement plan to address changes needed within the State Department of Social Services and the local departments of social services. The provisions of the bill related to centralized intake have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0900)

April 13, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

5 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

7 recorded votes · each counted separately

House of DelegatesStage: Conference report agreed to by House (92-Y 0-N 0-A) · March 13, 2026

92

Yes

0

No

7

Absent or Not Voting

99 delegates recorded in this House of Delegates vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

See how each delegate voted

DelegateDistrictVote
Patrick Hope1Yes
Adele McClure2Yes
Alfonso Lopez3Yes
Charniele Herring4Yes
Kirk McPike5Yes
Richard Sullivan6Yes
Karen Keys-Gamarra7Yes
Irene Shin8Yes
Karrie Delaney9Yes
Dan Helmer10Yes

Bill history

  1. Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104930D

  2. Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services

  3. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB640)

  4. Senate committee offered

  5. Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 1-N 1-A)

  6. Committee substitute printed 26106711D-S1

  7. Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (14-Y 0-N 1-A)

  8. Committee substitute printed 26107316D-S2

  9. Rules suspended

  10. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  11. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  12. Read second time

  13. Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote)

  14. Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)

  15. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)

  16. Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  17. Placed on Calendar

  18. Read first time

  19. Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

  20. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB640)

  21. Committee substitute printed 26108457D-H1

  22. Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute and referred to Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)

  23. Assigned HAPP sub: Health & Human Resources

  24. Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)

  25. Read second time

  26. Read third time

  27. committee substitute agreed to

  28. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  29. Passed House with substitute (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

  30. Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House

  31. Passed House with substitute Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A)

  32. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB640)

  33. House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)

  34. House insisted on substitute

  35. House requested conference committee

  36. Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  37. Conferees appointed by Senate

  38. Senate Conferees: Pillion, VanValkenburg, Favola

  39. Conferees appointed by House

  40. House Conferees: Tran, Callsen, Kent

  41. Conference Report released

  42. Conference report agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  43. Conference report agreed to by House (92-Y 0-N 0-A)

  44. Enrolled

  45. Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB640ER)

  46. Signed by President

  47. Signed by Speaker

  48. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  49. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  50. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB640)

  51. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB640)

  52. Approved by Governor-Chapter 900 (Effective - see bill)

  53. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0900)

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