Virginia Law

A. All ASAP employees are required to possess a VASAP Certification Letter in order to perform any ASAP services in the Commonwealth of Virginia, including servicing ASAP offenders with an ASAP requirement that may reside out of state. Newly hired employees, however, may perform ASAP services for training purposes up to 90 days prior to obtaining a VASAP Certification Letter. In order to apply for a VASAP Certification Letter, the ASAP shall submit a completed application to the commission for approval for any ASAP employee not in possession of a VASAP Certification Letter, excluding an ASAP employee who is newly hired and within the first 90 days of training. The completed application shall include submission to the commission of:

1. A complete local and national criminal history;

2. A complete driver's record; and

3. Successful completion of the VASAP Certification Exam.

Failure to submit a completed application will result in disqualification of the applicant from consideration for a VASAP Certification Letter by the commission to perform ASAP services in the Commonwealth of Virginia or to ASAP offenders who may reside out of state.

B. All applicants shall be required to complete a VASAP Certification Exam. Successful completion of the exam requires a score of 80% or higher. Applicants who fail to successfully complete the VASAP Certification Exam on the first attempt shall be allowed a second opportunity to successfully complete the exam. Applicants who fail to successfully complete the VASAP Certification Exam on the second attempt shall not be allowed to reapply to provide ASAP services for the Commonwealth of Virginia or for ASAP offenders residing out of state for six months from the date of the second failed exam. ASAPs shall be required to pay an administrative fee of $250 to the commission for each second and subsequent VASAP Certification Exam taken by an employee as the result of a prior failed exam by the same ASAP employee.

C. In addition to the requirements of subsections A and B of this section, ASAP employees who serve in an ASAP director capacity shall be required to successfully complete the following requirements to obtain a VASAP Certification Letter:

1. A minimum of 40 hours of commission-approved training via a format and location determined by the executive director; and

2. Verification of meetings conducted with stakeholders of the assigned ASAP to include all Circuit and General District Court judges along with their clerk of court, Commonwealth attorneys, sheriffs, and police chiefs unless otherwise approved by the commission. Newly hired ASAP directors will be granted a six-month grace period to fulfill this requirement.

D. The executive director may deny, revoke, suspend, or terminate a VASAP Certification Letter for any ASAP employee for any of the following reasons:

1. Having been convicted of a felony;

2. Having been convicted of a misdemeanor potentially punishable by confinement;

3. Committing an unethical, deceptive, or dishonest act that negatively impacts the integrity of the state VASAP system;

4. Failing to demonstrate the ability to consistently comply with ordinances, statutes, administrative rules, or court orders at the local, state, or federal level;

5. Failing to demonstrate sufficient knowledge or skill required to perform ASAP services in the Commonwealth of Virginia or for ASAP offenders residing out of state;

6. Making a material misstatement or omission on the application;

7. Defrauding any client, service provider, or other person or entity in the conduct of the ASAP's business;

8. Unethical behavior. Proper employee conduct is outlined in the ASAP Code of Conduct;

9. Failing to attend any commission-mandated training without prior commission approval;

10. Failing to timely enter ASAP enrollments or completions or ignition interlock installs and completions into the DMV system;

11. Displaying a pattern of substandard customer service;

12. Mismanagement of ASAP finances;

13. Failing to submit reports required by the commission to the commission within the timeframes provided by the commission; or

14. Expending or directing another to expend budgetary funds not approved by the commission.

An ASAP employee whose VASAP Certification Letter has been denied, revoked, suspended, or terminated may request a judicial review in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq. of the Code of Virginia). In the event that the decision to suspend the VASAP Certification Letter of an ASAP employee is upheld, the ASAP employee shall not perform any ASAP services in the Commonwealth of Virginia or for ASAP offenders residing out of state for the entire suspension period, or in the case of a denial, revocation, or termination, on a permanent basis. This prohibition includes any period during which the denial, suspension, revocation, or termination is being contested. The ASAP director, or the policy board in the situation where the action pertains to an ASAP director, shall return the VASAP Certification Letter to the commission within 15 days of the date that the certification was suspended, revoked, or terminated by the commission.

E. ASAP directors shall be responsible for any ASAP employee, including themselves, who provides any ASAP services without a valid VASAP Certification Letter, excluding a new employee who is within the first 90 days of employment, and shall be subject to a fine of up to $500 per occurrence, to be approved by the executive finance committee, payable to the Treasurer of Virginia. In this instance, the commission will notify the applicable jurisdictions of the violation. If the violation continues, the commission shall review the ASAP's certification at the next commission meeting.

F. Once the completed application has been approved by the commission, and all other qualifications have been met by the applicant, a VASAP Certification Letter to perform ASAP services in the Commonwealth of Virginia and to ASAP offenders residing out of state shall be issued to the applicant in a method approved by the commission. In the event that an applicant is not approved for a VASAP Certification Letter to perform ASAP services in the Commonwealth of Virginia or to ASAP offenders residing out of state, the commission will notify the ASAP employee in writing within 10 days of the determination. The VASAP Certification Letter is subject to review by the commission at its discretion during the course of the certification period.

G. ASAP employees are required to successfully complete 10 hours of commission-approved continuing education on an annual basis in order for their certification to perform ASAP services in the Commonwealth of Virginia and to ASAP offenders residing out of state to remain valid. ASAP employees who fail to successfully complete 10 hours of commission-approved continuing education on an annual basis shall have their certification suspended by the executive director on the annual expiration date of the certification unless otherwise approved by the executive director. The annual time period to complete the 10 hours of commission-approved continuing education for all ASAP employees is calculated as 365 days from their original certification date and falls on the same date on an annual basis for all subsequent years. The executive director shall determine the parameters required for successful completion and awarding of commission-approved continuing education courses.

H. An ASAP employee who has had state certification denied, revoked, or terminated shall be ineligible to reapply for a VASAP Certification Letter unless otherwise approved by the commission.

I. ASAPs are required to notify the commission in writing of any employee who is no longer an employee of the ASAP within 48 hours of the ASAP employee's employment end date.

J. In addition to the successful completion of the VASAP Certification Exam required for application, the executive director may order that an ASAP employee review requirements and retake the VASAP Certification Exam to demonstrate that the employee possesses the knowledge required to adequately perform ASAP services in the Commonwealth of Virginia and to ASAP offenders residing out of state.

K. ASAP employees are permitted to perform ASAP duties without a VASAP Certification Letter for up to December 21, 2023, unless otherwise approved by the executive director.