Legislation to reform probation in Virginia advanced out of both chambers of the General Assembly with bipartisan support. It has the Virginia Division of the Southern Police Benevolent Association and the National Coalition of Public Safety Officers.
The bills would incentivize individuals on probation to shorten their time by completing specific requirements for at least six months. These requirements include having health insurance, maintaining a job, completing educational activities, finishing any state-certified or state-approved mental health or substance abuse treatment program, and maintaining a permanent residence.
The legislation has bipartisan support in both chambers, with the bill passing unanimously in the Senate and all Democrats and five Republicans voting for it in the House of Delegates.
Don Baylor from the National Coalition for Public Safety Officers said they support the bill because it will reduce the workload for probation officers and reward individuals who are willing to show they will do the work to reintegrate into society.
The Virginia Division of the Souther Police Benevolent Association echoed that sentiment.
“The Virginia Division of the Southern State Police Benevolent Association proudly supports HB 2252 and SB 936 because they prioritize public safety by ensuring our probation officers can focus on the highest-risk offenders,” said Rich Goszka, the group’s Virginia field representative. “By reducing excessive caseloads and rewarding rehabilitation, these reforms enhance accountability, strengthen communities, and allow law enforcement to dedicate resources where they matter most. We urge the General Assembly and Governor Youngkin to stand with law enforcement and pass these commonsense, bipartisan measures.”
The House version is sponsored by Del. Wren Williams, R-Patrick, and the Senate version is sponsored by Sen. Christie New Craig, R-Chesapeake.
“By focusing on rehabilitation over punitive measures, this legislation will reduce caseloads, cut costs, and create a more efficient system that helps people reintegrate, rather than cycling through incarceration and supervision,” Williams said in a statement to Virginia Scope.
Similar bills from Del. Katrina Callsen, D-Charlottesville, and Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, were vetoed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin last year.
Callsen is co-sponsoring this legislation with Williams, and Favola is co-sponsoring the Senate version with Sen. Christie New Craig, R-Chesapeake.
Advocates are hopeful that this new version will be signed by the governor, as it more closely resembles the language he released in an executive order last summer.
Executive Order 36, signed by Youngkin in August, outlines guidance for helping individuals on probation successfully re-enter society.
Youngkin tasked his administration’s Chief Transformation Officer and Secretary of Public Safety with creating a cross-agency effort to improve re-entry outcomes.
Their work found six positive factors—which are listed as the criteria in Williams’ legislation—that will help facilitate successful reentry into society.
Youngkin’s executive order directs his administration to help individuals on probation achieve these goals.
“Every Virginian who re-enters successfully generates great benefits for the commonwealth,” he wrote in the order.
Williams and New Craig’s legislation would take Youngkin’s guidance a step further by providing an incentive to reach those goals.
Both versions of the bill are identical except for one aspect in the Senate version which would create an implementation group to work with the Virginia Department of Corrections.
An identical version has to be passed by both chambers before it can go to Youngkin for his consideration.