Senate Committee Advances Military Sexual Assault Bill Sponsored by Delegate Josh Cole
Bill advances as some branches of the U.S. military confirmed that they are pausing training related to the prevention of sexual assault to comply with recent executive orders.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
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A Virginia Senate committee on Wednesday advanced House Bill 2520, sponsored by Delegate Josh Cole on behalf of a Fredericksburg resident, Jean Ibanez Payne.
The Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology voted 11-to-2 to advance the bill, which now goes the finance committee. If approved there, it would go to the Senate floor.
Cole, who represents the Fredericksburg-centered House District 65, introduced the bill to the General Laws committee. It would establish a sexual offence prevention and response program within the Virginia Department of Military Affairs and mandate an annual report to the General Assembly outlining implementation and “thereby ensuring transparency,” Cole said.
Committee member Bryce Reeves—who represents Senate District 28, which includes part of Spotsylvania County—was one of two senators to vote against advancing the bill.
Reeves asked Brig. Gen. James Ring, state Adjutant General, how instances of sexual assault and abuse are currently handled by the National Guard.
Ring said there are “federal programs in place” that include “federally funded positions that support sexual assault prevention programs” at the state level, with oversight coming from the federal level.
In response to a follow-up question from Reeves, Ring said that “in his assessment” the bill would be “a duplicative effort at the state level to do something already codified by federal regulation.”
Chair Adam Ebbin asked Ring if he saw any problem with providing victim advocacy services, as the bill would require, at the state level, and Ring said he did not.
Payne, who reached out to Cole late last year to craft HB 2520, said the bill is even more necessary now that federal agencies are pausing programs that might conflict with the Trump Administration’s executive orders on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
This week, Stars and Stripes reported that the Marine Corps and Navy are pausing training related to the prevention of sexual assault in order to comply with the executive orders.
“The types of training now frozen include lessons focused on the nature of consent and sexual harassment, as well as instructions on how to safely report abuse within the military, according to the military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity,” the article states.
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