My name is Alice Minium, and I strongly support this bill. Through my work with a community bail fund, I have repeatedly encountered significant barriers when trying to secure the release of clients who have met all legal conditions for bond. In multiple instances, magistrates have refused to release individuals despite confirmation from the Sheriff’s Office, Pretrial Services, and Public Defenders that all requirements were met. In one case, a magistrate accepted cash bail but refused release without providing any legal basis; the client was only released the following day when a different magistrate was on duty. I don't know why this happens but it is extremely frustrating for my client and for me. The only time that I was able to prevent this from happening again in a locality was by calling again the following day and requesting to file a complaint. I didn't actually file one, but I think that I should have and would have had the form not been an extremely intimidating PDF buried deep in the state court website. Increasing the visibility and accessibility of complaint forms in magistrate offices ensures accountability and protects the due process rights of the criminal-legally impacted and the integrity of our courts. If nothing else, it creates a record of grievances. I don't see a downside to making the complaint process more accessible. That being said, an enormous amount of money is at the disposal of our judicial system and our jails already and if this bill was to become policy, it should come as a directive for the use of their existing funds and not a basis for appropriating additional funds to our jails and to our courts.

As someone who has an extensive legal background and someone who believes in supporting small business, I believe this bill is common sense for everyday people and small business growth.

OPPOSE HB 73 ON ACCOUNT OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES DON'T KNOW RELATIONSHIP HISTORY/SURROGATES AND WASTE OF GOVERNMENT FUNDS. OPPOSE HB 202 ON ACCOUNT OF GENTRIFICATION. SUPPORT HB 273 ON ACCOUNT OF LIFE SAVING OPPORTUNITIES ARE NECESSARY AND PROPER. OPPOSE HB 133 ON ACCOUNT OF FRAUD/WITNESS_TAMPERING OF WILLS/TRUST. SUPPORT HB 350 ON ACCOUNT OF WITNESS_TAMPERING JURY TRIAL. SUPPORT HB 364 ON ACCOUNT OF COST OF LIVING HAS INCREASE. SUPPORT HB 449 ON ACCOUNT OF SLAVERY/REPARATIONS/VICTIMS OF CHATTEL SLAVERY. OPPOSE HB 510 ON ACCOUNT OF PERVERTING-THE-COURSE-OF-JUSTICE. SUPPORT HB 538 ON ACCOUNT OF JEFFREY_EPSTEIN/CASE LAW... WITNESS_TAMPERING/INTIMIDATION OF VICTIM OF PEDOPHILIA/INCEST/CHILD SEX ABUSE. SUPPORT HB 671 ON ACCOUNT OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE/GED. OPPOSE HB 803 ON ACCOUNT OF GENTRIFICATION.

The explosion of generative AI technology and products in the past few years, along with endangering individuals by the unauthorized use of their likenesses at scale, has led to a surge in data center proposals and construction. By protecting individual rights and imposing regulation on AI, HB581 will also help to reduce the demand for data centers. The Southwestern Virginia Data Center Transparency Alliance supports this bill and encourages its passage.

I frequently interact with people who are defending against unlawful detainer proceedings. These people, operating under great stress, are often confused by the postings provided to them and are unaware of basic procedural rights provided by Virginia law. In many cases, they benefit greatly from access to legal resources if and when provided. Moreover, when they attempt to defend themselves without legal counsel or other resources, they often do so in a way that confuses (and therefore increases costs for) everyone, including the courts. In my opinion, this proposed addition to § 8.01-126 is a long-overdue improvement. I hope its passage is the first step in a longer process toward a fair system of landlord-tenant law in our Commonwealth.

Allowing clear, plain-language information to accompany an unlawful detainer would significantly expand access to justice for tenants in a way that does not currently exist. Legal jargon and procedural complexity are difficult to navigate under the best of circumstances; when compounded by housing instability and the emotional stress of potential displacement, the burden becomes overwhelming. Providing explanatory resources at the outset ensures that tenants, particularly those appearing in court without legal representation, are equipped with the foundational knowledge necessary to meaningfully participate in their cases. This enables tenants to appear in court informed, prepared, and capable of self-advocacy, a standard of fairness that should be afforded to all individuals navigating the justice system. This legislation offers clear benefits across the system. Courts will operate more efficiently when defendants arrive better prepared, reducing the need for judges to repeatedly explain basic procedures and tenant rights during individual hearings. Property owners and landlords also benefit when tenants have access to accurate information, as informed individuals are better positioned to make timely decisions, engage in productive communication, and develop realistic plans to address arrears. For these reasons, this proposal represents a practical, equitable, and impactful improvement to the eviction process.

I wholeheartedly support keeping tenants and landlords informed of their rights, responsibilities, and resources ahead of a scheduled court appearance which can ease the burden and stress for all parties and the strain on the legal system.

Dear Delegate Sullivan, I urge your support of HB775. These common sense changes will further protect children in the child welfare system by strengthening fairness and clarity in child welfare proceedings. It will help ensure families get appropriate consideration and services. And it will help to overall strengthen Virginia communities. Thank you for your attention to this important issue. Sincerely, Jane Duffield Falls Church, Fairfax County

We need to fix the foster care system and connect our kids has developed a great way to help social workers be so much more efficient and effective. Given the political polarization, this should be one topic that is bipartisan. Unfortunately, progress is stalled by bureaucracy. We hope HB775 can push through and accelerate this important need.

My name is Tara Goodrich, and I am in support of HB775. I am an MSW student at VCU, the mother of six children, who have fostered nine children, and taught History at a residential treatment center for boys who were unable to live in a family home. I have been a licensed foster parent in 3 states. I am also the mother of a 9-year-old whom I adopted from foster care just before his second birthday. From my own experience of children of all ages coming to my home, there were many times when I wondered if the cost of foster care was worth it. When young children were separated from their families, I witnessed regression in physical development, social development, and emotional health. I witnessed a 3 year old go mute after being dropped off at my home and a 15 year old girl with Autism loose bladder function. The recovery process from the trauma of separation is long and can last into adulthood for many children. At 9.5 years old, my own adoptive son still struggles with being on a different floor in our home from his siblings. He struggles with being left at a birthday party, or for many years, he feared being left at school, wondering if I would return to pick him up. Recently, my husband started working out of town, due to the trauma of a primary caregiver leaving the house frequently, my son started struggling with nighttime wetting. Despite all the hours of therapy and reassurance, the trauma still exists. The reason I support SB775 is that I have seen the fallout of foster care. One of the highlights of my son's life is the times he has contact with his birth mother and birth grandfather. Over the years, I reviewed his case and wondered if things could have been different for my son if reasonable efforts had been made to support his mother. Regular visits would have helped prevent a disturbed attachment, and financial and mental health services would have helped her maintain housing. Job training would have helped her become independent from her abusers and freed her to make meaningful choices in her life. I witnessed family separation due to poverty, not due to intentional neglect. I witnessed this with some of the other children in my care as well. The consequences of not defining reasonable efforts are far-reaching and lifelong for children. In many cases, these children would have stayed in the home and kept their attachment. The permanent separation of families should be a last resort. Therefore, I support this bill in defining reasonable efforts, so the system better supports reunification for families.

I support HB775 to improve foster care. HB775 will, for the first time, provide a definition of "reasonable efforts" under Virginia law. While many other states define "reasonable efforts," Virginia's failure to do so leads to poor outcomes for children and families: different agencies and different courts interpret it differently WHY? ◦ Our permanency rates are among the worst in the country: ▪ Virginia family reunification rate is THE worst in the country: 27% vs 45% (national average) ▪ Virginia “aging out” rate without finding a permanent family is THE worst in the country: 20% vs 8%(national average). ▪ Other states have defined “reasonable efforts” to address these problems. They have not seen loss of federal funds, only improvements in their systems. ▪ Court proceedings are often rushed, confusing, and without sufficient evidence regarding whether the right efforts have been made to help them.  HB775 would improve court proceedings and give judges more information to make decisions about a child's future. Who suffers? 1: Families suffer: those receiving a substantial “efforts” do well; others, receiving minimal efforts, do not. • Unequal treatment: Lack of standards means some families get the supports they need; others are separated permanently without meaningful help     2. Children suffer: Without the right supports, many children age out of the system, with lifelong harmful impacts. • Virginia’s children at a disadvantage: Children separated from their families struggle as adults with housing, jobs, income, and their physical and mental health. The solutions in HB775: 1: Creates a definition of “reasonable efforts.” This will make it more likely that all children and families across the Commonwealth receive a similar level of services and supports, and improve our terrible statistics. 2: The definition gives the local agency AND the court a “benchmark” to assess what supports should be provided—and if they were. 3: Court proceedings: provides protections for families in court, ensuring timely access to evidence; requires courts to fully consider the level of services to the family before terminating the family relationship. 4: Ensures rights of immigrant parents who are detained are not terminated if there's a chance they can be reunited with their child

Thank you for the opportunity to comment and express my full support of House Bill 775. I am a resident of Fairfax county and a national child welfare expert providing consultation to federal and state child welfare organizations. I formerly worked for over a decade at the U.S. Administration for Children, Youth and Families in the Children’s Bureau, evaluating state performance through the federal Child and Family Services Reviews. I have worked in the field of child welfare for 25 years and have direct experience in Virginia’s foster care system as a foster parent and a parent advocate. HB775 is a critical step toward a more effective and just child welfare system in our state. Currently, Virginia produces some of the worst outcomes for children in foster care in the nation and this can be directly tied to the lack of reasonable efforts that are made in working with families to prevent unnecessary foster care entries and to achieve reunification when foster care is necessary for child safety. This is evidenced by Virginia’s 2023 quality assurance data*, reported to the federal government just last year. The data indicates ongoing concerns with achieving the standards for reasonable efforts proposed in this bill; standards that are fully consistent with federal law and best practice: 1. In only 70% of cases reviewed, adequate services were provided to protect child(ren) in the home and prevent removal or re-entry into foster care. 2. In only 60% of cases reviewed, children had adequate visits with parents and siblings. 3. In only 62% of cases reviewed, concerted efforts were made to promote, support, and/or maintain positive relationships between the child in foster care and his or her parents/caregivers. 4. In only 62% of cases, parents had their needs adequately assessed and were provided with needed services. 5. In only 66% of cases children and parents were adequately engaged in case planning. 6. In only 63% of cases, parents had adequate visitation by their caseworker. *Source: https://www.dss.virginia.gov/files/division/dfs/cfs/CFSP_2025-2029/Virginia_CFSP_2025-2029-Final.pdf The data is very clear that Virginia is struggling to meet the practice standards that HB775 outlines and without the additional accountability this law would provide, children and families will continue to suffer. As a former federal employee who determined state eligibility for funding, I can assure you that this bill poses no risk to the state for losing federal funding. On the contrary, the federal gov. has been urging states to apply these standards because of the significant impact they have on child well-being . As a parent advocate, I want to give voice to the thousands of parents who would be impacted by this bill. Parents have no recourse when they are treated unjustly, and when standards aren’t met. And the stakes are so high for them: they have their children to lose. I have witnessed this personally as I’ve advocated for children to be reunified when they never should have been removed to begin with. Children deserve to live safely with their own families. Parents deserve to get the services and support they need to safely parent. By clearly defining reasonable efforts in HB775, Virginia is taking a bold step in demonstrating that we value justice for children and families and that we will do what it takes to keep families safely together. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

As a long-time resident of Fairfax County and an active member of our community, I'm writing to respectfully urge you to support HB 775. As a grandparent of foster children, I witness regularly how critical it is that our child welfare system operates with both fairness and clarity. The families we serve need more than just process—they need a system that truly considers their circumstances and connects them with appropriate services that can make a real difference. HB 775 provides exactly that framework. It strengthens protections for families while ensuring our child welfare proceedings are transparent and effective. When we support Virginia's most vulnerable families, we're not just helping individuals—we're building stronger, more resilient communities across the Commonwealth. I've seen what happens when systems work well and when they fall short. This bill moves us in the right direction, and I urge the committee to favorably adopt it. Thank you for your service to Virginia and for considering this important legislation. Sincerely, Michael J. Meese Oak Hill, VA

Virginia HB775 is an important and overdue step toward improving outcomes for children and families involved in our child welfare system. Virginia consistently ranks among the worst states nationally on two critical indicators: low rates of family reunification and high rates of youth aging out of foster care without a permanent family. According to federal data, Virginia reunifies children at significantly lower rates than the national average and has one of the highest proportions of foster youth exiting care through aging out. Low reunification and high aging-out rates are not just harmful to children and families — they are bad for Virginia. Youth who age out of care experience higher rates of homelessness, incarceration, unemployment, trafficking victimization and reliance on public assistance, creating long-term fiscal and social costs that far exceed the cost of effective family preservation and reunification efforts. HB775 addresses a foundational problem contributing to these outcomes: Virginia law requires “reasonable efforts” but does not define what that means. This lack of clarity undermines consistency, fairness, and accountability — for families, social workers, attorneys, and judges alike. States that define “reasonable efforts” provide clearer guidance to professionals, more predictable expectations for families, and a stronger framework for judicial and operational decision-making. Clearer, consistent decision-making saves taxpayer funds. Precise definitions support better case planning, improve court oversight, reduce unnecessary removals, and increase the likelihood of safe reunification — benefiting children, parents, extended families, foster caregivers, communities, and the professionals tasked with making life-altering decisions under intense pressure. Concerns that HB775 could jeopardize federal Title IV-E funding are not supported by evidence. Federal law does not punish states that define “reasonable efforts”; in fact, many states already do. Title IV-E reviews focus on whether reasonable efforts findings are made and documented in individual cases — something that will show Virginia’s professional and ethical approach to child safety. When issues are identified in federal reviews, states are given opportunities to correct deficiencies, and funding is not automatically or permanently lost. If the concern is that fewer children in foster care could reduce federal per-child reimbursements, that is a deeply troubling incentive structure to defend. Public policy should never prioritize maintaining higher foster care rolls over improving outcomes for children and families. Moreover, the long-term economic benefits to Virginia of increased reunification and fewer youth aging out of care — including reduced homelessness, incarceration, and public assistance — far exceed any marginal reduction in federal reimbursement tied to keeping children in care. If concerns about federal funding are being raised, it is fair to ask whether those concerns reflect a full understanding of how Title IV-E actually operates — or whether they reflect resistance to increased clarity, accountability, and consistency in practice. HB775 strengthens Virginia’s child welfare system by aligning law with best practice, improving outcomes for children and families, and protecting taxpayers from the far greater costs of poor relational health for our youth. I urge the committee to support its passage.

Voices for Virginia's Children supports HB775, which makes critical reforms to Virginia's child welfare system by strengthening family preservation, protecting tribal sovereignty, and ensuring poverty is not treated as neglect. This bill recognizes what research has long shown: too often, child welfare involvement reflects economic hardship rather than parental unfitness, and separating children from loving families causes lasting harm. HB775 moves Virginia toward a child welfare system that supports families. We urge you to support HB 775.

Attached please find my article on this topic from the Virginia Lawyer magazine, a publication of the Virginia State Bar VSB. I am a Richmond legal aid attorney and a member of the VSB Committee on Technology and the Future Practice of Law.