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Virginia lawmakers have ordered state researchers to examine how books are removed from public school libraries, how judges are allocated across the commonwealth and how communities share the mounting cost of coastal storm protection.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, which evaluates state agencies for the General Assembly, will conduct all three studies. Its findings frequently influence legislation and changes in state governance.

The review of school library removals has the tightest deadline, with findings and recommendations due Oct. 1. The court funding and coastal storm studies are not expected to begin for at least a year.

School library removals face scrutiny

The library study follows a 2022 Virginia law that established a process for notifying parents about sexually explicit instructional materials. School divisions interpreted the measure differently, and some treated it as a basis for removing books after objections to their content.

Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, sponsored Senate Joint Resolution 251. She said most school systems respect both students’ freedom to read and parents’ authority over what their own children can access, but argued that some divisions have not done so.

Locke’s resolution and a similar House measure sponsored by Del. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax, direct JLARC to review public school library removals dating to July 1, 2020.

Researchers will document which books were removed, the reasons given, the procedures divisions followed and whether they used Virginia’s model policies. The commission will also identify state resources available to administrators making removal decisions.

Connie Piper, executive director of the Virginia Association of School Librarians, said the organization supports the review and hopes the resulting data will show what resources librarians need from both the association and the state.

Piper said the Virginia Department of Education has no designated official overseeing library operations statewide, potentially contributing to inconsistent interpretations. She said the association’s primary concern is ensuring students retain access to the resources they need.

During the 2023-24 school year, Jodi Picoult’s “Nineteen Minutes” and John Green’s “Looking for Alaska” were the most frequently banned books in schools nationwide, according to a recent PEN America report. The organization said 75 books have been banned in Virginia since 2003.

Judicial allocation formula questioned

A separate resolution directs JLARC to evaluate Virginia’s method for deciding how many judges its courts require.

Current workload assessments use the number and types of filed cases to estimate judicial staffing needs. Lawmakers, however, have raised concerns about weaknesses in that system.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, sponsored Senate Joint Resolution 259. He said some court systems have learned to manipulate the data to make their need for additional judges appear greater.

Surovell also argued that the formula fails to account for local government spending on court operations, relies on vague categories for case complexity and does not properly weigh domestic relations cases. He said allocation decisions must rest on clear and accurate information about each court system’s needs.

JLARC must present its findings and recommendations by the first day of the General Assembly’s 2027 regular session.

Coastal protection carries multibillion-dollar price tag

The third study will examine how Virginia localities and other nonfederal partners contribute toward coastal storm risk management studies as severe weather and rising tidal waters increasingly affect the commonwealth.

Norfolk’s coastal storm risk management project is estimated to cost the city $2.6 billion, according to House Joint Resolution 434, sponsored by Del. Michael Feggans, D-Virginia Beach.

The Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study, which includes Northern Virginia, is expected to cost participating localities $15.2 million. Studies involving Virginia Beach, Northern Virginia and the Virginia Peninsula remain underway and are expected to produce substantial implementation estimates.

JLARC will also consider whether Virginia needs a dedicated fund to simplify cost sharing, encourage local flood-mitigation participation and strengthen climate resilience.

Feggans said intensifying coastal flooding makes a fair and sustainable funding formula essential to protecting communities and providing equitable access to resources.

Researchers must submit their second- and final-year findings by Nov. 30, 2028.