Virginia HB 1291: Correctional facilities; prohibits use of isolated confinement.

Bill Text

2022SESSION
INTRODUCED
22103591D
1HOUSEBILLNO.1291
2OfferedJanuary20,2022
3ABILLtoamendtheCodeofVirginiabyaddingsectionsnumbered53.1-39.2and66-20.1,relatingto
4correctionalfacilities;useofisolatedconfinement.
5––––––––––
Patron––Hayes
6––––––––––
7ReferredtoCommitteeonPublicSafety
8––––––––––
9Beit enactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofVirginia:
101.ThattheCodeofVirginiaisamendedbyaddingsectionsnumbered53.1-39.2and66-20.1as
11follows:
12§ 53.1-39.2.Isolatedconfinement;restrictionsonuse.
13A.Asusedinthissection:
14"Facilityadministrator"meansthesuperintendent,warden,orpersonotherwiseinchargeofthe
15correctionalfacility.
16"Isolatedconfinement"meansconfinementofa prisonertoa cell,aloneorwithanotherprisoner,for
1720hoursormoreperday.
18"Medicalpractitioner"meansaphysician,physician'sassistant,ornursepractitionerlicensedto
19practicemedicineintheCommonwealthorinthejurisdictionwherethetreatmentistoberenderedor
20withheld.
21B.Noprisonerina  statecorrectionalfacilityshallbeplacedinisolatedconfinement,otherthanfor
22thepurposeofprovidingmedicalormentalhealthtreatment.Cellconfinementthatisimplementeddue
23tomedicalormentalhealthtreatmentshallbedoneinamannerthatisconsistentwiththesigned
24recommendationsofa  medicalpractitionerandwithina  clinicalareainthecorrectionalfacilityorin
25ascloseproximitytoa medicalormentalhealthunitaspossible.
26C.NotwithstandingtheprovisionsofsubsectionB,isolatedconfinementmaybepermittedfora
27prisonerina statecorrectionalfacilityunderthefollowingcircumstances:
281.Ifthefacilityadministratordeterminesthattheprisonerneedstobeplacedinisolated
29confinementtopreventanimminentthreatofphysicalharmtotheprisoneroranotherperson,the
30prisonermaybeplacedinisolatedconfinementfornolongerthan48hours,andthefacility
31administratorshall:
32a.Makea  writtenrecordofthefactsandcircumstancesthatnecessitatedtheprisoner'splacementin
33isolatedconfinement,tobekeptintheprisoner'sinstitutionalfile;
34b.Preparea  writtenactionplan,tobekeptintheprisoner'sinstitutionalfile,describinghowthe
35correctionalfacilitywilltransitiontheprisoneroutofisolatedconfinementattheearliestopportunity;
36c.Ensurethattheprisonerreceivesaninitialmedicalandmentalhealthevaluationwithineight
37hoursofplacementinisolatedconfinement;and
38d.NotifytheDirectorinwritingthattheprisonerwasplacedinisolatedconfinementinaccordance
39withthissubdivision1.
402.Foranyprisonerplacedinisolatedconfinementundersubdivision1orretainedinisolated
41confinementunderthissubdivision,ifa  facilityadministratorfindsthattheprisonercontinuestopose
42anongoingandrealisticthreatofimminentphysicalharmtoanotherpersonafter48hoursofisolated
43confinement,theprisonermayberetainedinisolatedconfinementanadditional48consecutivehours,
44orlongerif necessarytocompletetheinvestigationofanincident,andthefacilityadministratorshall:
45a.Certifythatothermethodsforensuringthesafetyofthethreatenedpersonhavebeenconsidered
46anddeterminedinsufficient,impracticable,orinappropriate;
47b.Ensurethattheprisonerisplacedinisolatedconfinementfortheshortesttimeperiodnecessary
48andundertheleastrestrictiveconditionspracticable;
49c.Makea  writtenrecordofthefactsandcircumstancesthatnecessitatedtheprisoner'scontinued
50placementinisolatedconfinement,tobekeptintheprisoner'sinstitutionalfile;
51d.Preparea  writtenactionplan,tobekeptintheprisoner'sinstitutionalfile,describinghowthe
52correctionalfacilitywilltransitiontheprisoneroutofisolatedconfinementattheearliestopportunity;
53e.Ensurethattheprisonerreceivesanadditionalmedicalandmentalhealthevaluationwithineight
54hoursofa decisiontoretaintheprisonerinisolatedconfinement;and
55f.  NotifytheDirectorinwritingthattheprisonerwasretainedinisolatedconfinementinaccordance
56withthissubdivision2.
573.Ifthefacilityadministratordeterminesthatafacility-widelockdownisrequiredtoensurethe
58safetyoftheprisonersinthefacility,andalsorequiresisolatedconfinementofoneormoreprisoners,
INTRODUCED
HB1291
7/28/22
22:58

HB12912 of3
59thensuchprisonersmaybeplacedinisolatedconfinement,providedthatthefacilityadministrator
60documentsinwritingspecificreasonswhyanylockdownlastingformorethan24hoursisnecessary
61andwhylessrestrictiveinterventionsareinsufficienttoaccomplishthefacility'ssafetygoals.Such
62documentationshallbeprovidedtotheDirectorandpublishedontheDepartment'swebsite.
634.Ifthefacilityadministratordeterminesthattheprisonerneedstobeplacedinisolated
64confinementforhisownprotection,butonlyasfollows:
65a.Aprisonermaybeplacedinisolatedconfinementwithinformed,voluntaryconsentwhenthereis
66reasonablecausetobelievethatsuchconfinementisnecessarytopreventreasonablyforeseeableharm
67totheprisoner,providedthat:
68(1)Whena  prisonermakesaninformedvoluntaryrequesttobeplacedinanisolatedconfinement
69settingforhisownprotection,thefacilityshallbeartheburdenofestablishinga  basisforrefusingthe
70request;and
71(2)A prisonerwhoisinisolatedconfinementforhisownprotectionbasedonhisinformedvoluntary
72requestmayoptoutofthatstatusbyprovidinginformedvoluntaryrefusalofthatstatus.
73b.Aprisonermayb