A. The Superintendent shall establish and maintain within the Department of State Police a central repository for the collection and analysis of information regarding hate crimes and groups and individuals carrying out such acts.
B. State, county, and municipal law-enforcement agencies shall report to the Department all hate crimes occurring in their jurisdictions in a form, time, and manner prescribed by the Superintendent. Such reports shall not be open to public inspection except insofar as the Superintendent shall permit.
C. As used in this section:
"Disability" means a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of a person's major life activities.
"Hate crime" means (i) a criminal act committed against a person or his property with the specific intent of instilling fear or intimidation in the individual against whom the act is perpetrated because of race, religion, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or ethnic or national origin or that is committed for the purpose of restraining that person from exercising his rights under the Constitution or laws of the Commonwealth or of the United States; (ii) any illegal act directed against any persons or their property because of those persons' race, religion, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or ethnic or national origin; and (iii) all other incidents, as determined by law-enforcement authorities, intended to intimidate or harass any individual or group because of race, religion, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or ethnic or national origin.
1988, c. 838; 2002, cc. 588, 623; 2020, cc. 124, 746, 1171.
Structure Code of Virginia
Chapter 1 - Department of State Police
§ 52-2. Appointment of Superintendent and term of office
§ 52-3. Oath, bond, and salary of Superintendent
§ 52-4. Functions of Department
§ 52-4.3. Drug Investigation Special Trust Account
§ 52-6. Appointment of additional police officers
§ 52-6.1. Appointment of supervisory officers
§ 52-7. Bonds of police officers; liability insurance policies
§ 52-8. Powers and duties to enforce criminal laws and investigate aircraft accidents
§ 52-8.1. Powers and duties of Bureau of Criminal Investigation
§ 52-8.1:1. Powers and duties of a drug law enforcement and investigation division
§ 52-8.2. Certain investigations of elected officials; immunity for witnesses
§ 52-8.3. Disclosure of criminal investigative records and reports; penalty
§ 52-8.4. Powers and duties to promulgate regulations; inspection of certain records
§ 52-8.4:1. Regulations for firearms shows
§ 52-8.4:2. Certain offenses to be considered traffic infractions
§ 52-8.5. Reporting hate crimes
§ 52-8.6. Criminal street gang reporting
§ 52-9.1. Distinctive uniform to be adopted for State police officers
§ 52-9.1:1. Retired and former law-enforcement officers; retention of badge
§ 52-9.2. Wearing of same or similar uniforms by other persons
§ 52-11. Defense of police officers
§ 52-11.1. State Health Commissioner to cooperate
§ 52-11.3. Acquisition of military property
§ 52-11.5. Disposal of unclaimed firearms or other weapons in possession of the State Police