Authority: §§ 53.1-67.2 through 53.1-67.6 and §§ 53.1-140 through 53.1-176.3, Code of Virginia.

A. By September 1 of each year, the Department of Corrections shall provide a status report on the Statewide Community-Based Corrections System for State-Responsible Offenders to the Chairs of the House Courts of Justice and Health and Human Services Committees, the Chairs of the Senate Courts of Justice and Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committees, the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, and to the Director of Department of Planning and Budget. The report shall include a description of the department's progress in implementing evidence-based practices in probation and parole districts, and its plan to continue expanding this initiative into additional districts. The section of the status report on evidence-based practices shall include an evaluation of the effectiveness of these practices in reducing recidivism and how that effectiveness is measured.

B. Included in the appropriation for this Item is $150,000 the first year and $150,000 the second year from nongeneral funds to support the implementation of evidence-based practices in probation and parole districts. The source of the funds is the Drug Offender Assessment Fund.

C. The Department of Corrections shall coordinate with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to provide identification cards to inmates through the DMV Connect program.

D.1. The Department of Corrections (Department) shall determine appropriate program assignments to include, in addition to the assignments listed in § 53.1-32.1, Code of Virginia, group and individual counseling, alcohol and substance abuse recovery training, technological literacy training, socioemotional development, mental health and wellness support, health literacy, relationship skills, social capital skills development, financial literacy, and such related activities as may be necessary to assist prisoners in the successful transition and reintegration into and ability to thrive in free society and the broader community with gainful employment. The Department shall actively incorporate peer support programs, group classes, and other classes or programs provided by external organizations, to the extent that resources are available.

2. The Department shall assess, train, and enlist prisoners in developing, facilitating, mentoring, and otherwise serving in leadership roles in peer and group educational programs for which such prisoners are qualified to lead or help facilitate. The Department shall, to the extent practicable and within existing resources, ensure that such peer and group educational programs are available without a waitlist. Time spent participating in such programs, including leading such programs as described in this subsection, and participating in programs offered by external organizations, shall count toward a prisoner's required weekly participation hours under § 53.1-32.1, Code of Virginia.

3. That the Department shall convene a work group consisting of relevant stakeholders to develop practical policy and legislative recommendations in order to meet the following goals: (i) develop robust networks of external organizations to provide regular programming at Department facilities across the Commonwealth, (ii) maximize the benefits and utilization of peer and group programming led or facilitated by Department inmates, (iii) establish a robust set of programs to broaden the range of offered programming types, and (iv) develop specific guidelines to safely minimize programming disruptions. The work group shall provide an initial report of its progress and initial findings and suggestions to the General Assembly and the Governor by November 1, 2026. The work group shall report its final findings and specific legislative and policy recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor by July 1, 2027.