{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/2.2-448.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/2.2-448.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/2.2-448.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/2.2-448.html"}],"law_id":353264,"edition_id":2,"section_id":353264,"structure_id":50573,"section_number":"2.2-448","catch_line":"Penalty for filing complaint or cooperating in investigation prohibited","history":"2020, c. 1090; 2023, c. 750.","full_text":"A\n\nAn official, the Department, a local department, a child-serving agency, a children’s residential facility, or a child-placing agency shall not penalize any person for filing a complaint or cooperating with the Ombudsman in investigating a complaint.\n\nB\n\nAn individual, the Department, a local department, a child-serving agency, a children’s residential facility, or a child-placing agency shall not hinder the lawful actions of the Ombudsman or employees of the Ombudsman.\n\nC\n\nA report by the Ombudsman is not subject to prior approval by a person outside of the Office.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1315873,"text":"An official, the Department, a local department, a child-serving agency, a children’s residential facility, or a child-placing agency shall not penalize any person for filing a complaint or cooperating with the Ombudsman in investigating a complaint.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1315874,"text":"An individual, the Department, a local department, a child-serving agency, a children’s residential facility, or a child-placing agency shall not hinder the lawful actions of the Ombudsman or employees of the Ombudsman.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":1315875,"text":"A report by the Ombudsman is not subject to prior approval by a person outside of the Office.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":50573,"edition_id":2,"name":"Office of the Children's Ombudsman","identifier":"4.4","label":"chapter","depth":4,"order_by":10,"parent_id":50328,"metadata":{"child_laws":12,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:29:32","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:26:50","permalink":{"id":1399253,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50573,"identifier":"4.4","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4","url":"\/2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50328,"edition_id":2,"name":"Office of the Governor","identifier":"A","label":"part","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":50327,"metadata":{"child_laws":191,"child_structures":39},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:26:49","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:26:45","permalink":{"id":1398459,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50328,"identifier":"A","token":"2.2\/I\/A","url":"\/2.2\/I\/A\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50327,"edition_id":2,"name":"Organization of State Government","identifier":"I","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":50326,"metadata":{"child_laws":1084,"child_structures":230},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:26:49","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:26:45","permalink":{"id":1398457,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50327,"identifier":"I","token":"2.2\/I","url":"\/2.2\/I\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50326,"edition_id":2,"name":"Administration of Government","identifier":"2.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":3,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":1509,"child_structures":292},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:26:49","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:26:45","permalink":{"id":1398455,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50326,"identifier":"2.2","token":"2.2","url":"\/2.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":353238,"structure_id":50573,"section_number":"2.2-438","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/2.2-438\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-438","metadata":false},{"id":353243,"structure_id":50573,"section_number":"2.2-439","catch_line":"Children's Ombudsman; establishment; appointment; removal","url":"\/2.2-439\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-439","metadata":false},{"id":353244,"structure_id":50573,"section_number":"2.2-440","catch_line":"Procedures; training; notification of safety concerns.","url":"\/2.2-440\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-440","metadata":false},{"id":353255,"structure_id":50573,"section_number":"2.2-441","catch_line":"Individuals making complaint to Children's Ombudsman","url":"\/2.2-441\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-441","metadata":false},{"id":353258,"structure_id":50573,"section_number":"2.2-442","catch_line":"Children's Ombudsman; powers and duties","url":"\/2.2-442\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-442","metadata":false},{"id":353259,"structure_id":50573,"section_number":"2.2-443","catch_line":"Abused or neglected children; children receiving child-protective services, in foster care, or placed for adoption; powers of Children's Ombudsman; child fatality cases; investigation","url":"\/2.2-443\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-443","metadata":false},{"id":353260,"structure_id":50573,"section_number":"2.2-444","catch_line":"Decision to investigate; notice; pursuing administrative remedies or channels of complaint; further investigation; violation of state or federal criminal law; complaint against child-placing agency; petition requesting court jurisdiction or termination of parental rights","url":"\/2.2-444\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-444","metadata":false},{"id":353261,"structure_id":50573,"section_number":"2.2-445","catch_line":"Department and child-placing agency; duties; information to be provided to biological parent, adoptive parent, or foster parent; access to departmental computer networks","url":"\/2.2-445\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-445","metadata":false},{"id":353262,"structure_id":50573,"section_number":"2.2-446","catch_line":"Confidentiality of record of Children's Ombudsman; disclosure; limitations; release of certain information","url":"\/2.2-446\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-446","metadata":false},{"id":353263,"structure_id":50573,"section_number":"2.2-447","catch_line":"Report of findings; recommendations; 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This law was first created in 2020. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 1090<\/a> 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. It has been modified 1 time. 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. That modification is as follows: in 2023, chapter 750<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1399295,"object_type":"law","relational_id":353264,"identifier":"2.2-448","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-448","url":"\/2.2-448\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/2.2-448\/","token":"2.2\/I\/A\/4.4\/2.2-448","dublin_core":{"Title":"Penalty for filing complaint or cooperating in investigation prohibited","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 2.2-448","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> An official, the Department, a local department<\/span>, a child<\/span>-serving agency<\/span>, a children’s residential facility, or a child<\/span>-placing agency<\/span> shall not penalize any person for filing a complaint or cooperating with the Ombudsman<\/span> in investigating a complaint. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> An individual, the Department, a local department<\/span>, a child<\/span>-serving agency<\/span>, a children’s residential facility, or a child<\/span>-placing agency<\/span> shall not hinder the lawful actions of the Ombudsman<\/span> or employees of the Ombudsman<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> A report by the Ombudsman<\/span> is not subject to prior approval by a person outside of the Office<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPENALTY FOR FILING COMPLAINT OR COOPERATING IN INVESTIGATION PROHIBITED (\u00a7\n2.2-448)\n\nA. An official, the Department, a local department, a child-serving agency, a\nchildren’s residential facility, or a child-placing agency shall not\npenalize any person for filing a complaint or cooperating with the Ombudsman in\ninvestigating a complaint.\n\nB. An individual, the Department, a local department, a child-serving agency, a\nchildren’s residential facility, or a child-placing agency shall not\nhinder the lawful actions of the Ombudsman or employees of the Ombudsman.\n\nC. A report by the Ombudsman is not subject to prior approval by a person\noutside of the Office.\n\nHISTORY: 2020, c. 1090; 2023, c. 750.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}