{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/37.2-712.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/37.2-712.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/37.2-712.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/37.2-712.html"}],"law_id":74559,"edition_id":1,"section_id":74559,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-712","catch_line":"Collection and dissemination of information concerning religious preferences and affiliations","history":"1977, c. 506, \u00a7 37.1-84.1:1; 2005, c. 716; 2012, cc. 476, 507; 2019, c. 774.","full_text":"A\n\nNotwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any state facility may collect and disseminate information concerning the religious preferences and affiliations of individuals receiving services, provided that no individual may be required to indicate his religious preference or affiliation and that no dissemination of the information shall be made except to categories of persons as to whom the individual or his guardian or other legally authorized representative or other fiduciary has given his authorization that dissemination may be made.B\n\nNo authorization given pursuant to this section shall be construed to allow any state facility to disseminate to federal government authorities information concerning the religious preferences and affiliations of individuals receiving services for the purpose of compiling a list, registry, or database of individuals based on religious affiliation, national origin, or ethnicity, unless such dissemination is specifically required by state or federal law.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":267936,"text":"Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any state facility may collect and disseminate information concerning the religious preferences and affiliations of individuals receiving services, provided that no individual may be required to indicate his religious preference or affiliation and that no dissemination of the information shall be made except to categories of persons as to whom the individual or his guardian or other legally authorized representative or other fiduciary has given his authorization that dissemination may be made.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":267937,"text":"No authorization given pursuant to this section shall be construed to allow any state facility to disseminate to federal government authorities information concerning the religious preferences and affiliations of individuals receiving services for the purpose of compiling a list, registry, or database of individuals based on religious affiliation, national origin, or ethnicity, unless such dissemination is specifically required by state or federal law.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13089,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13088,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:16","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:16","permalink":{"id":210155,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13089,"identifier":"1","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1","url":"\/37.2\/II\/7\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13088,"edition_id":1,"name":"State Facilities","identifier":"7","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13087,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:16","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:16","permalink":{"id":210153,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13088,"identifier":"7","token":"37.2\/II\/7","url":"\/37.2\/II\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13087,"edition_id":1,"name":"Behavioral Health and Developmental Services","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12843,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:16","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:16","permalink":{"id":210023,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13087,"identifier":"II","token":"37.2\/II","url":"\/37.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12843,"edition_id":1,"name":"Behavioral Health and Developmental Services","identifier":"37.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:56","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:56","permalink":{"id":209673,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12843,"identifier":"37.2","token":"37.2","url":"\/37.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":81060,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-700","catch_line":"Construction of state facilities; razing buildings","url":"\/37.2-700\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-700","metadata":false},{"id":66128,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-701","catch_line":"Examination of properties; certain property not to be declared surplus","url":"\/37.2-701\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-701","metadata":false},{"id":60268,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-702","catch_line":"Separate state facilities for elderly individuals; free-standing state facilities authorized","url":"\/37.2-702\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-702","metadata":false},{"id":74015,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-703","catch_line":"Commissioner to prescribe system of records, accounts, and reports; access to records, accounts, and reports","url":"\/37.2-703\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-703","metadata":false},{"id":80681,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-704","catch_line":"Commissioner authorized to receive and expend social security and other federal payments for individuals receiving services in state facilities","url":"\/37.2-704\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-704","metadata":false},{"id":78075,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-705","catch_line":"Private funds provided for individuals receiving services","url":"\/37.2-705\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-705","metadata":false},{"id":72516,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-706","catch_line":"Disposal of unclaimed personal property of certain individuals in state facilities","url":"\/37.2-706\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-706","metadata":false},{"id":81649,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-707","catch_line":"Employment and qualifications of directors of state facilities","url":"\/37.2-707\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-707","metadata":false},{"id":71507,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-708","catch_line":"Salaries of directors and other employees of state facilities","url":"\/37.2-708\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-708","metadata":false},{"id":62735,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-709","catch_line":"State facility reporting requirements","url":"\/37.2-709\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-709","metadata":false},{"id":62751,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-709.1","catch_line":"State facility reporting requirements; critical incidents involving individuals receiving services","url":"\/37.2-709.1\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-709.1","metadata":false},{"id":80404,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-710","catch_line":"State facility reporting requirements; Virginia Patient Level Data system","url":"\/37.2-710\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-710","metadata":false},{"id":54361,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-711","catch_line":"Exchange of information","url":"\/37.2-711\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-711","metadata":false},{"id":74559,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-712","catch_line":"Collection and dissemination of information concerning religious preferences and affiliations","url":"\/37.2-712\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-712","metadata":false},{"id":56215,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-713","catch_line":"Residence of individuals in state facilities and school-age children in state facilities generally","url":"\/37.2-713\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-713","metadata":false},{"id":54135,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-714","catch_line":"Children born in state facilities","url":"\/37.2-714\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-714","metadata":false},{"id":80103,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-714.1","catch_line":"State facilities; video visitation","url":"\/37.2-714.1\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-714.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":54361,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-711","catch_line":"Exchange of information","url":"\/37.2-711\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-711","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":56215,"structure_id":13089,"section_number":"37.2-713","catch_line":"Residence of individuals in state facilities and school-age children in state facilities generally","url":"\/37.2-713\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-713","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/37.2-712\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1977. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 506 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1977 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2005, chapter 716<\/a>; in 2012, chapters 476<\/a> and 507<\/a>; in 2019, chapter 774<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":210209,"object_type":"law","relational_id":74559,"identifier":"37.2-712","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-712","url":"\/37.2-712\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/37.2-712\/","token":"37.2\/II\/7\/1\/37.2-712","dublin_core":{"Title":"Collection and dissemination of information concerning religious preferences and affiliations","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 37.2-712","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Notwithstanding any provision of law<\/span> to the contrary, any state<\/span> facility<\/span> may collect and disseminate information concerning the religious preferences and affiliations of individuals<\/span> receiving services, provided that no individual<\/span> may be required to indicate his religious preference or affiliation and that no dissemination of the information shall be made except to categories of persons as to whom the individual<\/span> or his guardian or other legally authorized representative or other fiduciary has given his authorization that dissemination may be made. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> No authorization given pursuant to this section shall be construed to allow any state<\/span> facility<\/span> to disseminate to federal government authorities information concerning the religious preferences and affiliations of individuals<\/span> receiving services for the purpose of compiling a list, registry, or database of individuals<\/span> based on religious affiliation, national origin, or ethnicity, unless such dissemination is specifically required by state<\/span> or federal law<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCOLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION CONCERNING RELIGIOUS PREFERENCES AND\nAFFILIATIONS (\u00a7 37.2-712)\n\nA. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any state facility may\ncollect and disseminate information concerning the religious preferences and\naffiliations of individuals receiving services, provided that no individual may\nbe required to indicate his religious preference or affiliation and that no\ndissemination of the information shall be made except to categories of persons\nas to whom the individual or his guardian or other legally authorized\nrepresentative or other fiduciary has given his authorization that dissemination\nmay be made.\n\nB. No authorization given pursuant to this section shall be construed to allow\nany state facility to disseminate to federal government authorities information\nconcerning the religious preferences and affiliations of individuals receiving\nservices for the purpose of compiling a list, registry, or database of\nindividuals based on religious affiliation, national origin, or ethnicity,\nunless such dissemination is specifically required by state or federal law.\n\nHISTORY: 1977, c. 506, \u00a7 37.1-84.1:1; 2005, c. 716; 2012, cc. 476, 507; 2019,\nc. 774.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}