December 2003 |
||
| Opinion # | Requestor | Summary |
| 03-078 | The Honorable John W. Marshall Secretary of Public Safety |
Broad powers of Governor, in event of declared emergency, to require state agencies to work together with private sector to protect citizens of Commonwealth. Sharing of information and intelligence collected by Intelligence and Information ‘Fusion’ Center with public and private entities. Discretionary dissemination of matter that is not law-enforcement sensitive by custodian to necessary parties when no emergency has been declared. Certain law-enforcement data may be disseminated only to criminal justice agencies. Immunity available to participating private entities in event of formally declared emergency. Determination whether sovereign immunity applies to private entities in absence of formally declared emergency depends on capacity in which entities were acting and whether acts are performed under direction and control of Commonwealth, based on nature of, and state’s interest in, function to be performed. |
| The Honorable Mark L. Cole Member, House of Delegates |
Entry on Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry of name of individual acquitted of criminal charges related to child abuse and neglect does not constitute double jeopardy violation. | |
| Ms. Sara Redding Wilson, Director Department of Human Resource Management |
Certain individuals entitled to health benefits under Line of Duty Act may receive those benefits through state health benefits program. | |
| The Honorable E. Carter Nettles, Jr. Commonwealth’s Attorney for Sussex County |
Jurisdiction of Waverly police department in criminal cases involving offenses against Commonwealth extends 1 mile beyond town corporate limits. Because corporate authorities have no jurisdiction to enforce town ordinances outside corporate limits of town, town of Waverly is not entitled to fines collected for violations of state law occurring outside its corporate limits. | |
| The Honorable S. Lee Morris Chief Judge, Portsmouth General District Court |
Judge has discretion to briefly delay civil commitment hearing to better provide due process for temporarily detained patient who cannot safely be brought for hearing within prescribed 48-hour time frame, to close hearing for good cause and conduct proceedings in patient’s holding room without public present, or to conduct hearing outside patient’s presence if patient’s interests are adequately represented by counsel; may conduct hearing via video conferencing. Retired general district court judge may conduct civil commitment hearings when recalled to duty by Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Virginia or designated to hear and dispose of action by chief district judge. | |
| The Honorable Martin E. Williams Member, Senate of Virginia |
Chapter 816 creates affirmative defense to criminal acts, but not civil findings, of child abuse and neglect. | |
| The Honorable John C. Watkins Member, Senate of Virginia |
Neither Virginia Constitution nor applicable state statutes allow local governing body to adopt adequate public facilities ordinance that binds, directly or indirectly, future governing body to fund capital improvements program at specific level and authorizes approval of proposed development project to be deferred for specified number of years. | |
| The Honorable John C. Watkins Member, Senate of Virginia |
General Assembly must enact express statutory authorization for local governing body to deny rezoning request solely on basis of lack of adequate public facilities and services to meet needs generated by development of rezoned property. | |
| The Honorable William J. Howell Speaker of the House |
National Bank Act preempts Virginia Banking Act to extent state statutes prohibit national bank from serving as executor, administrator, or testamentary trustee in Virginia. | |