Police investigators lie all the time to adults, and it's a commonly accepted practice in investigations. But what about children? Should law enforcement officials be allowed to knowingly deceive children?

Senator Bryce Reeves is a Republican from Orange County who is a former narcotics detective, and he says he recalls an investigation he was part of where he was trying to confiscate a gun.

"I had enough to charge the juvenile delinquent for something else, but instead I told him a lie so I could get to the gun. And ultimately, that worked," Reeves says. "And I was able to find the gun, get a search warrant for the house and get the gun away from all [the] gang members."

Senator Angelia Williams Graves is a Democrat from Norfolk who says children's brains are still forming, and police should not manipulate them with lies.

"We teach our children to trust the police. We teach our children that the police are supposed to protect and to serve," Graves says. "We do not teach our children that they should be expected to be lied to by the police."

The bill has now passed the House and the Senate, which means it's on its way to the governor. A spokesman for the governor says he'll review the bill when it gets to his desk.

This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio , was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association .