A bill making its way through the Virginia general assembly would give police chiefs the authority to declare an up-to-24-hour curfew.
Senate Bill 1455 would give the "chief law-enforcement officer of a locality" more leeway to put curfews into place during periods of "civil disturbance," according to the Virginia Legislative Information System entry for the bill.
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WATCH HEREIn cities, the police chief would have to get the mayor or city manager to agree to the curfew.
The chief would also need to specify the geographic area affected by the curfew, and how long the curfew would last, with enough time for "reasonable efforts to inform the public" before the curfew takes effect.
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SIGN UP There would also need to be specific exceptions to the curfew, such as people going to and from work, home and places of worship; members of the press; medical personnel; government employees including emergency response workers, and members of the military, among others.
The maximum time the curfew could last is 24 hours. After that, the curfew can't be "extended or renewed" without local government approval or a judicial order.
Supporters say the temporary curfews could give local governments time to meet and decide if they want to implement emergency declarations during civil unrest.
The bipartisan bill passed the Virginia Senate in late January, and passed a House subcommittee on Friday.
It is not yet clear when the full House will vote on the bill.
State Senator Tommy Norment introduced SB 1455.
The Republican's district, District 3, is near the Hampton Roads area of the state and includes Gloucester County, New Kent County, King and Queen County, King William County, the city of Poquoson, and parts of Isle of Wight County, James City County, Surry County, York County, and the cities of Hampton and Suffolk.
