SIA Legislator of the Year Award

Recognizing Members of Congress in Advancing Legislation and Policies within the Security Industry

About the SIA Legislator of the Year Award

The SIA Legislator of the Year Award is presented to members of Congress and other elected officials demonstrating extraordinary leadership in advancing legislation and policies that encourage the effective use of security solutions to enhance public safety and to protect critical infrastructure. This award is presented annually at SIA GovSummit.

2022 SIA Legislator of the Year Award Winners: Virginia Del. Jay Leftwich and Virginia Sen. Scott Surovell

SIA has named Virginia state legislators Del. Jay Leftwich, Jr. (R-Chesapeake) and Sen. Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) as the 2022 recipients of the SIA Legislator of the Year Award. The 2022 awardees will be honored May 24 during an award ceremony at the 2022 SIA GovSummit,

In 2022, Sen. Surovell and Del. Leftwich authored landmark biometrics legislation for the state of Virginia (S.B. 741 and H.B. 1339) that was enacted in late April – a bipartisan measure to establish statewide rules for law enforcement use of facial recognition technology. The measure establishes key requirements and restrictions that address privacy, civil liberties and accuracy concerns while at the same time ensuring that appropriate technology tools can be used effectively to help solve crimes and assist citizens in need.

While this legislation was one of the most thoroughly debated bills during the session, it was also one of the most amended, incorporating input from both sides of the aisle that strengthened the measure and helped win majority support from both parties in each chamber. Continually stressing to their colleagues that that was the right thing to do strengthen public safety in Virginia, Surovell and Leftwich worked relentlessly throughout the legislative process to achieve its enactment.

[View the official press release.]