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Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · Bill

HB 1388: Police chiefs; creates independent protections and procedures.

In committee Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

HB 1388 is a bill introduced in the Virginia House on January 21, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: Police chiefs; creates independent protections and procedures. Primary sponsor: Mike Cherry (Republican). It lists 1 additional sponsor. Most recent recorded action (February 13, 2026): Continued to next session in Public Safety (Voice Vote).

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

Police Chief Bill of Rights. Creates independent protections and procedures for certain chiefs of police, defined in the bill, by requiring a showing of just cause when a chief of police is proposed for removal from office. The bill requires that a police chief be given written notice of the specific grounds for his proposed removal and that such police chief be afforded an opportunity to be heard in his own defense, personally and with counsel, before an impartial hearing panel.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1 · Republican 1

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Mike CherryPrimary sponsorRepublicanHouse74
Katrina CallsenCo-sponsorDemocraticHouse54

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. Continued to next session in Public Safety (Voice Vote)
  2. Subcommittee recommends continuing to (Voice Vote)
  3. House subcommittee offered
  4. Assigned HMPPS sub: Subcommittee #2
  5. Referred to Committee on Public Safety
  6. Presented and ordered printed 26105475D

Sources

  1. Open States / Plural (data from the official legislature website)
  2. Official legislature source