VCC Magazine Summer 2020

V irginia C apitol C onnections , S ummer 2020 6 Creating a Virginia that Works for Everyone By Delegate Lamont Bagby In the weeks following the extrajudicial killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and the many others whose names we know and do not know, Americans have come together in unprecedented numbers to advocate for social justice and call for greater criminal justice reform. The burden and benefit conferred by our respective skin colors are the result of systems that were built purposefully over centuries to benefit some and subjugate others. The legacy of discriminatory and racist laws and policies creates injustices and disparities across our society including documented, undeniably disparate opportunities and outcomes in health care, economic fortunes, and the criminal justice system. As such, we, as a country and Commonwealth, are forced to again confront the realities of racism and the urgent need for laws and policies that end these injustices, repair the damage they have done, and tear down the systems that sustain them. As Virginians continue to come together to emphasize strongly and urgently that “Black Lives Matter” – our mission remains clear and of the utmost importance. We will continue working to ensure that Black Lives Matter in criminal justice reform, education, housing, healthcare, economic security, and environmental policy. The Commonwealth is past the point for studies on criminal justice reform and immediate action must be taken to break down systems of oppression and barriers that so many Virginians face daily. This past Session, we were able to make strides towards these ends. We were able to protect voting rights and tear down barriers to the ballot box. We were finally able to crack down on predatory lenders. We raised the minimum wage and enacted laws to protect workers across the Commonwealth—the list goes on. I am so proud of the work that we have accomplished together but there is more we can do to improve our Commonwealth. The upcoming special Session provides us with an opportunity to confront and combat racism directly by declaring racism a public health crisis in Virginia, uncovering racial disparities in Virginia’s policies and creating solutions, and requiring courts to publish racial and other demographic data of all low-level offenses. We must continue the fight for criminal justice reform by implementing automatic expungement, reinstituting parole, reforming cash bail, and increasing good behavior sentence credits. We must hold police accountable and improve transparency by creating and funding a civilian review board with subpoena power; abolishing qualified immunity while reforming sovereign immunity; standardizing police administration, training and accountability; expanding the use of body cameras; and requiring independent investigations into all police-involved shootings. We must prevent the excessive use of force by law enforcement by defining and restricting excessive use of force; banning the use of chokeholds; restricting the use of tear gas, militarization tactics and weapons against civilians; and eliminating the use of “no-knock” warrants. The role of law enforcement in our communities must be redefined by replacing them with trained specialists. This can be done by requiring that behavioral and mental health professionals respond to mental health crisis situations, divesting from large law enforcement budgets and reinvesting in community development programs, and reducing School Resource Officer presence in schools and replacing them with mental health professionals. In addition to criminal justice and law enforcement reform, we must not fail to address the hardships endured by allVirginians caused NRV Putting Passengers A Broad-based Regional Initiative For more information, visit www.nrvpassengerrail.org • Enabling future economic development opportunities • Promoting safer, more efficient travel on the I-81 corridor Passenger train travel to the New River Valley, one of Virginia’s fastest-growing regions Safe, Efficient and Convenient Passenger Rail for a Fast-Growing Region NewRiver Valley RA I L 2 0 2 0 Putting Passengers On Track See Creating a Virginia that Works for Everyone, continued on page 10