                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS CREATED; DUTIES (§ 2.2-520)

A. It is the policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia to provide for equal
opportunities throughout the Commonwealth to all its citizens, regardless of
race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related
medical conditions, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability,
familial status, marital status, or status as a veteran and, to that end, to
prohibit discriminatory practices with respect to employment, places of public
accommodation, including educational institutions, and real estate transactions
by any person or group of persons, including state and local law-enforcement
agencies, in order that the peace, health, safety, prosperity, and general
welfare of all the inhabitants of the Commonwealth be protected and ensured.

B. To carry out this policy, there is created in the Department of Law an Office
of Civil Rights (the Office) to assist in the prevention of and relief from
alleged unlawful discriminatory practices. The Office exists to investigate and
bring actions to combat discrimination based on the protected classes listed in
subsection A.

C. The powers and duties of the Office shall be to:

   1. Receive, investigate, seek to conciliate, refer to another agency, hold
   hearings pursuant to the Virginia Administrative Process Act (&#xA7; 2.2-4000
   et seq.), and make findings and recommendations upon complaints alleging
   unlawful discriminatory practices, including complaints alleging a pattern and
   practice of unlawful discriminatory practices, pursuant to the Virginia Human
   Rights Act (&#xA7; 2.2-3900 et seq.);

   2. Adopt, promulgate, amend, and rescind regulations consistent with this
   article and the provisions of the Virginia Human Rights Act (&#xA7; 2.2-3900
   et seq.) pursuant to the Virginia Administrative Process Act (&#xA7; 2.2-4000
   et seq.). However, the Office shall not have the authority to adopt
   regulations on a substantive matter when another state agency is authorized to
   adopt such regulations;

   3. Inquire into incidents that may constitute unlawful acts of discrimination
   or unfounded charges of unlawful discrimination under state or federal law and
   take such action within the Office&#8217;s authority designed to prevent such
   acts;

   4. Seek through appropriate enforcement authorities, prevention of or relief
   from an alleged unlawful discriminatory practice;

   5. Appoint and compensate qualified hearing officers from the list of hearing
   officers maintained by the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of
   Virginia;

   6. Promote creation of local commissions to aid in effectuating the policies
   of this article and to enter into cooperative worksharing or other agreements
   with federal agencies or local commissions, including the deferral of
   complaints of discrimination to federal agencies or local commissions;

   7. Make studies and appoint advisory councils to effectuate the purposes and
   policies of the article and to make the results thereof available to the
   public;

   8. Accept public grants or private gifts, bequests, or other payments, as
   appropriate;

   9. Receive complaints, seek to conciliate, and inquire into incidents that may
   constitute an unlawful pattern or practice of conduct by law-enforcement
   officers that deprives persons of rights, privileges, or immunities secured or
   protected by the laws of the United States and the Commonwealth and take such
   action within the Office&#8217;s authority, including requesting the Attorney
   General to issue a civil investigative demand pursuant to subsection D of
   &#xA7; 2.2-511.1, designed to prevent such conduct; and

   10. Furnish technical assistance upon request of persons subject to this
   article to further comply with the article or an order issued thereunder.

HISTORY: 1987, c. 581, § 2.1-720; 2001, c. 844, § 2.2-2634; 2004, c. 58; 2012,
cc. 803, 835; 2020, c. 1140; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 18, 19; 2021, Sp. Sess. I,
c. 196.