Obenshain’s Line of Duty Act Bill Passes General Assembly

Expanded Benefits for Private and Campus Police Departments

Senator Mark Obenshain’s SB1142, a bill to expand Line of Duty Act benefits to private police departments and private college and university police forces, passed the Virginia General Assembly today. The legislation allows these agencies to opt into the state’s Line of Duty benefit plan, ensuring that their officers and families receive the same support as public law enforcement in cases of injury or death in the line of duty.

“Our officers deserve the utmost honor and respect, as do their families when they put their lives on the line to protect our community,” said Obenshain. “I’m grateful for the resources Governor Youngkin has previously committed to help ensure the families of private police departments are supported just like our public police departments.”

The passage of this bill marks a significant milestone for Senator Obenshain, who has been advocating for this change for three legislative sessions. He thanked the Virginia Chiefs of Police Association and the Council on Independent Colleges in Virginia for their dedicated support in getting the bill passed.

The tragic deaths of John Painter and J.J. Jefferson, officers at Bridgewater College who were killed in the line of duty in 2022, and Wintergreen Police Officer Chris Wagner, who died in 2023 while protecting his community, served as a poignant reminder of the risks faced by campus and private police officers. Obenshain noted that this legislation is a tribute to their sacrifice.

“The passage of this bill is ultimately a tribute to the lives of these fallen heroes,” Obenshain said.

Delegate Ellen Campbell, who sponsored the House version, HB1815, expressed her gratitude for the bill’s success and its importance to officers and their families. The House version is expected to pass the Senate soon.

“The passage of this legislation is the result of years of hard work to right a wrong in the Line of Duty Act,” Campbell said. “I hope we never have to use this benefit, but the families of campus and private police officers deserve to know that we have their back in Richmond if their loved one lays down their life protecting our community.”

SB1142 has now passed both chambers and will be sent to the governor for his signature. The bill is set to become law on July 1, 2025.

Senator Obenshain represents Virginia’s second Senate district, which includes the city of Harrisonburg and the counties of Bath, Highland, Page, Rockingham, and part of Augusta. He serves on several committees, including the Senate Committee on Courts of Justice, Finance and Appropriations, Commerce and Labor, and Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources.