Bill Text: VA SB656 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Terrorism hoax incident, etc.; reimbursement of expenses incurred to localities.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-29 - Stricken at request of Patron in Local Government (15-Y 0-N) [SB656 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-SB656-Introduced.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §15.2-1716.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§15.2-1716.1. Reimbursement of expenses incurred in responding to terrorism hoax incident, bomb threat, or malicious activation of fire alarm.
A. As used in this section, "appropriate emergency response" includes all costs of providing law-enforcement, firefighting, and emergency medical services.
B. Any
locality may provide by ordinance that any person who is convicted of a
violation of subsection B or C of §18.2-46.6, a felony violation of §18.2-83
or 18.2-84, or a violation of §18.2-212 or 18.2-461.1,
when his violation of such section is the proximate cause of any incident
resulting in an appropriate emergency response, shall be liable at the time of
sentencing or in a separate civil action to the locality, the Virginia State
Police, or any volunteer emergency medical services agency, or any combination
thereof, which may provide such emergency response for the reasonable expense
thereof, in an amount not to exceed $2,500 in the aggregate for a particular
incident occurring in such locality. In determining the "reasonable
expense," a locality may bill a flat fee of $250 or a minute-by-minute
accounting of the actual costs incurred. As used in this
section, "appropriate emergency response" includes all costs of
providing law-enforcement, firefighting, and emergency medical services. The
provisions of this section shall not preempt or limit any remedy available to
the Commonwealth, to the locality, or to any volunteer emergency medical
services agency to recover the reasonable expenses of an emergency response to
an incident not involving a terroristic hoax or an act undertaken in violation
of §18.2-83, 18.2-84, 18.2-212, or 18.2-461.1 as set forth herein.
C. Any locality may provide by ordinance that any person over 18 years of age who is convicted of a violation of §18.2-461.1, when his violation of such section is the proximate cause of any incident resulting in an appropriate emergency response, shall be liable at the time of sentencing or in a separate civil action to the locality, the Virginia State Police, or any volunteer emergency medical services agency, or any combination thereof, which may provide such emergency response for the reasonable expense thereof for a particular incident occurring in such locality. In determining the "reasonable expense," a locality may bill a flat fee of $2,500 or a minute-by-minute accounting of the actual costs incurred.
D. Any locality may provide by ordinance that any person under 18 years of age who is convicted of a violation of §18.2-461.1, when his violation of such section is the proximate cause of any incident resulting in an appropriate emergency response, shall be liable at the time of sentencing or in a separate civil action to the locality, the Virginia State Police, or any volunteer emergency medical services agency, or any combination thereof, which may provide such emergency response for the reasonable expense thereof, in an amount not to exceed $2,500 in the aggregate for a particular incident occurring in such locality. In determining the "reasonable expense," a locality may bill a flat fee of $2,500 or a minute-by-minute accounting of the actual costs incurred.
E. The provisions of this section shall not preempt or limit any remedy available to the Commonwealth, to the locality, or to any volunteer emergency medical services agency to recover the reasonable expenses of an emergency response to an incident not involving a terroristic hoax or an act undertaken in violation of §18.2-83, 18.2-84, 18.2-212, or 18.2-461.1 as set forth herein.
