Friends,

This week, our Special Session of the General Assembly continued, and here’s an update on key pieces of legislation that are moving through the legislature.

Civilian Review Boards
Last week, SB 5035, my bill which enables localities to establish Civilian Review Boards, reported out of the Judiciary Committee and will soon be heard on the Senate Floor.

The bill reported on a vote of 8-6, and I appreciate the many voices that contributed to the advancement of this critical legislation: advocates, attorneys, community members, and many organizations that have worked on this issue for several years. We need to bring transparency and accountability to our local policing, and this bill is one step in the right direction.

Eviction Moratorium
The COVID-19 crisis has caused both a health and economic crisis. We need to ensure that these issues don’t lead to a homelessness crisis as well.

Our current moratorium ends on September 7, but we know that many households have few options as unemployment and the health crisis continues. Both the Senate and the House, along with the Governor’s administration, are seeking options to prevent a crisis of homelessness. This effort requires the collaboration of many, and we hope to provide options for families to remain safely at home.

Marcus Alert Act
Far too often, people in our communities with mental health challenges are met with police force rather than care from trained medical professionals. SB 5084, the Marcus Alert Act, will change the way our community responds to community members struggling during a mental health emergency by ensuring they receive assistance from clinicians first. The Marcus Alert Act has been reported out of the Judiciary Committee and sent to the Finance Committee. Thank you to the many advocates who have pushed legislative action on this essential need.

Protecting students
As we continue assessing the ability to reopen our schools, we know that school nurses are critical to safe schools. SB 5004 will make our schools safer and healthier by ensuring every school has a trained nurse on site. This bill has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee and I will report on its progress next week.

Comprehensive criminal justice reform
Last week, the Judiciary Committee reported Senator Locke’s comprehensive police reform bill.

Senator Locke’s police reform legislation is a critical part of the measures that our communities have been calling for. This bill supports the following:

• Authorizes a board to create statewide standards of conduct for police officers and a decertification process for officers who violate the rules
• Gives prosecutors access to police disciplinary records
• Sets up safeguards to prevent officers with records of misconduct from moving from one police department to another
• Eliminates the use of no-knock warrants
• Limits the use of chokeholds in police responses

These measures help to build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Public safety is critically important, and this bill helps to align Virginia’s public safety policies with those of many other states.

Reflecting on the loss of Lt. Governor John Hager
Earlier this week, former Lieutenant Governor John Hager passed away. I extend my deepest condolences to the family of former Lieutenant Governor John Hager, whose dedication and public service enriched our Commonwealth. Many who served with him have paid tribute by using words such as iconic, courageous, and indefatigable.

Closing thoughts
As I reflect on this session and the work ahead, I’m reminded of the importance of public input in our work. Calls and comments from members of our community are helping to move critical reforms forward. Please remember that the public is a vital part of the legislative process. You can continue to participate:

• You can find the committee meeting schedule here.
• If you would like to comment on legislation, you will need to register to speak at the Senate Committee Meetings. Click here to register. Please note the following registration times for committee meetings:
  • For morning meetings, you can register 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm the day before.
  • For afternoon meetings, you can register 9:00 am - 11:00 am the day of.

As always, if you need assistance or if you want to schedule a Zoom or phone call with our team, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. As a reminder, email is the best way to contact us. We can be reached at [email protected].

-- Ghazala