A bipartisan criminal justice reform bill is making its way through the Virginia State Senate this week, but the last iteration of similar reforms was vetoed.
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BipartisanVirginialawmakersareputtingforwardacriminaljusticereformbillproponentssayismodeledaftera2022FloridalawthatfeaturedtheunlikelypairingofGov.RonDeSantisandrapmogulJay-Z.
StateDel.WrenWilliams,R-Stuart,isspearheadingtheeffortthatalreadygarneredthesupportoftheentireDemocraticmajorityinVirginia’slowerHouseearlierthismonth.
TheDemocratic-majoritystateSenateissettovoteonitsversionofthelegislationonWednesday,afterwhichitwillthenbeconferencedintoafinalbillforGov.GlennYoungkin’sreview.
Williams’legislationwillofferconvictsonsupervisedprobationtheabilitytofulfillcertaincriteriainexchangeforlightertreatment.
Oneexampleisthatprobateswhocanprovetheyareholdingajob,seekingeducationalopportunitiesorpartakinginrehabilitationprogramsforseveralmonthscouldseetheirprobationaryperiodshortened.
ThoseprovisionsandothersinthebillaresimilartoDeSantis’leg