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Special Alerts-Virginia


Most States Have At Least Considered Initiatives To Do Away With, Or To Reduce The Use Of, Isolation In Their Prison System.

MUST READ! NEW REPORT ON US SOLITARY CONFINEMENT


UPDATE FROM DELEGATE PAUL KRIZEK


Governor’s Actions

The General Assembly communicated 819 bills to the Governor’s desk for review. The Governor has acted on 385 of these bills thus far. The Governor has until March 27 to act on the remaining 434 pieces of legislation.

385 bills have been signed into law by the Governor.  Most of the signed bills are technical clean-ups to code and were uncontroversial in their passage. Larger pieces of legislation, like the “skinny budget” and utility rate reform have not been signed yet.


Urgent Action Needed! 

The fully refundable VEITC bill HB 1653 Income Tax, State - was defeated, but could still be part of the final budget!! 

TCI has a “call to action” link around not having wasteful spending via tax giveaways here: https://thecommonwealthinstitute.org/kids-over-corporations/ Support the refundable VEITC in the Budget. Sign the letter now.


SALT LEGISLATIVE UPDATE (3-26-23)

SALT TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) Legislative Priorities

The Budget is a moral document. It tells us what is important. You need to support us!!

SALT CRIMINAL JUSTICE UPDATES

Two solitary confinement bills made it through the House and the Senate garnered bipartisan support. Both bills took different forms as they moved through the opposite chamber and go to Conference Committee. The 15 day limit is dropped in the Conferee’s bill and the bill is now awaiting the Governor’s signature. The bill states that inmates must receive at least four hours out-of-cell time per day and other improvements.

  • HB 2487 -- Solitary Confinement/Restrictive Housing -- Patron: Delegate Glenn Davispassed the full Public Safety Committee unanimously and reported from Appropriations (22 Y – 0 N) and from conference. Governor signed 3-24-23.

  • SB 887 -- Use of Isolated Confinement -- Patron: Senator Joe Morrissey -- passed Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services (8Y-5N) -- and Finance & Appropriations and is reported from Conference. Governor signed 3-24-23.
  • SB 994 -- Create Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman. Patron: Senator David Marsden. House Tabled - Passing by Indefinitely (PBI) in Appropriations (11Y – 10N). However, the Budget Amendment to fund SB 994 remains in the Budget to enable implementation of SB 994 without authorization when the Budget is passed. The budget is not yet passed as of 3-23-23.
  • SB 1274 -- Patron: Senator Jennifer Boysko -- HB 1914 -- Patron: Delegate Patrick Hope -- End Profiteering in Virginia Prisons -- Virginia’s DOC forces incarcerated people to pay private providers for everything from emails to toothpaste. Includes provisions for free telephone call times. House Tabled in Appropriations (11Y – 10N). (Defeated). We will e back!
  • SB 842 -- the "Second Look" bill allows state prisoners to have their sentences reviewed after serving at least 15 years. The bill reported from the Finance & Appropriations with amendments passed (13-3) through committee and to the full Senate. Patron: Senator Chap Petersen. Senate Passed (24Y - 15N). House SubC recommends Passing by Indefinitely (PBI) (8Y – 0N) House left in Courts of Justice. (Defeated).

The Budget is A Moral Document. What we value as a society is clearly seen in how we allocate resources.

SALT Webinar on Best Advocacy Practices to Follow and Pitfalls to Avoid When Advocating During the 2023 General Assembly Session -- facilitated by David Smith -- click here to view.

David Smith is the founder and principal of Inthrive:Advocacy Solutions. David has years of experience in criminal justice advocacy as well as staffing legislators in Richmond. Through this experience, Inthrive is able to provide advocacy support, planning, and training to individuals and organizations.

If interested in finding out more about Inthrive: Advocacy Solutions, visit www.InthriveAdvocacy.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Helpful Links to Reference During the 2023 Virginia General Assembly Session


VIRGINIA COALITION ON SOLITARY CONFINEMENT REPORT—SB108 12-1-22

Virginia Coalition on Solitary Confinement (CSC) SB108 Report has been completed & released. SALT joins with our many Coalition Partners to say a special thank you to all those people who are still incarcerated and are brave enough to share the torture they have lived through.

Attention Advocates:
See Excellent Advocate Resources located at SALT web site:
SALT A Story of Social Action in Northern Virginia & Social Action Linking Together A Chronology


See Virginia General Assembly 2023 Session SALT priorities reports as follows:

Please encourage (Legislators and legislative staffs) to see our recently released report -- Lawrenceville Correctional Center: For-Profit Prison Run Amok --  prepared by Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP), with special assistance from Social Action Linking Together (SALT). Emphasize that this report came to be after a months-long investigation into the egregious human rights violations reportedly taking place at Lawrenceville Correctional Center (LVCC) under the mismanagement of a billion-dollar for-profit corporation, The GEO Group.

Virginia Coalition on Solitary Confinement (CSC) SB108 Report has been completed & released. SALT joins with our many Coalition Partners to say a special thank you to all those people who are still incarcerated and are brave enough to share the torture they have lived through.

Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) is preparing for its priorities around criminal justice reform. In the upcoming General Assembly, they will be joining SALT and the Virginia Coalition on Solitary Confinement (CSC) in advocating for: 

  • Limiting the use of solitary confinement.
    We are active members of the Virginia Coalition on Solitary Confinement. See fact sheet by clicking here.

  • Stopping profiteering in Virginia’s jails and prisons.
    A practice that forces many families into debt to communicate with their loved ones. See fact sheet by clicking here.

  • VPLC developed a profiteering quiz you can take to learn more about the issue. Take the quiz and share with friends (or put in your congregation’s bulletin). Click here to access the profiteering quiz

In solidarity,

See Christianity Today featuring Virginia's solitary confinement efforts.

Evangelical Activists Push for Solitary Confinement Reform


This is really wonderful to get the word out on the efforts here in Virginia. Also, see recording of the webinar..

  • The Virginia Coalition on Solitary Confinement - Contact the VCSC to hear more about events and ways to engage this work. You can directly talk with McGennis (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and Natasha (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) as well.
  • The Church & Justice: A Tool for Churches - This tool is for churches to engage as a group to help sift out what the justice needs are in their community. And then it provides resources to help meet those needs. 

Join us to transform the justice system from one that harms to one that heals.

Sam Heath, Manager, Evangelical Network, Equal Justice USA
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
Sign up for news, updates, and opportunities to take action.


END of 2022 VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION SALT REPORT


For more Information and specific Fact Sheets go to: SALT Legislative Priorities for 2022 at the SALT Legislative Agenda page.


Find the latest House & Senate Session Statistics for the 2022 SESSION


THANKS TO ALL OUR VIRGINIA LEGISLATORS THAT SUPPORTED THE EXPANSION AND ALL THE ADVOCATES THAT WORKED SO HARD IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN!


See the SALT 2021 final legislative report results regarding SALT Criminal Justice & Family Services (TANF) issues:

Click Here—SALT 2021 Final Legislative Report


 See the SALT 2020 final legislative results regarding SALT Criminal Justice & Family Services (TANF) issues:

Click Here—SALT 2020 Final Legislative Report


See the SALT 2019 final legislative results regarding SALT Criminal Justice & Family Services (TANF) issues:

Click Here—SALT 2019 Final Legislative Report


See the SALT 2018 final legislative results regarding SALT Criminal Justice & Family Services (TANF) issues:

Click Here—SALT 2018 Final Legislative Report


See the SALT 2017 final legislative results regarding SALT Criminal Justice & Family Services (TANF) issues:

Click Here—SALT 2017 Final Legislative Report


See the SALT 2016 final legislative results regarding SALT Criminal Justice & Family Services (TANF) issues:

Click Here—SALT 2016 Final Legislative Report


SALT Success!

Virginia Income Credit Coalition Mini-Grants

Out of this appropriation, $185,000 the first year and $185,000 the second year shall be provided to the Virginia Community Action Partnership to support the Virginia Earned Income Tax Coalition and provide grants to local organizations to provide outreach, education and tax preparation services to citizens who may be eligible for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit. The Virginia Community Action Partnership shall report on its efforts to expand the number of Virginians who are able to claim the federal EITC, including the number of individuals identified who could benefit from the credit, the number of individuals counseled on the availability of the federal EITC, and the number of individuals assisted with tax preparation to claim the federal EITC. This report shall be provided to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees and the Chairman of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission by December 1 each year."

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Visit the SALT website at http://www.S-A-L-T.org