House subcommittee approves bill to codify translation services for people in custody

The subcommittee unanimously reported HB 553 after Delegate Anderson explained the bill would codify Department of Corrections policies guaranteeing translation services and meaningful language access for non-English speakers in custody.

Supporters said the policy is critical for safety, fairness and due process — preventing misunderstandings that can lead to disciplinary sanctions or denial of services. Gregory Brown of the ACLU of Virginia noted the policy arose from litigation and settlement work and that codifying it will prevent individuals from being held longer or disciplined due to language barriers.

Committee action: The bill was reported as amended; transcript records the vote as 7–0. Implementation will require DOC to maintain translation request forms, I-speak cards and operational procedures, and the department and advocates said they worked collaboratively on substitute language.