Gov. Glenn Youngkin stated Monday that if he vetoed a bill last year, there is a likely chance he would again this year. However, after national pressure and support from Republicans, a bill he killed last year has a chance of survival if the legislature agrees to the governor’s proposed amendments.
The bipartisan probation reform legislation, which passed unanimously in the Senate and with votes from both sides in the House, 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.
Youngkin sent the bill back to the legislature with a few amendments that appear to have support from its backers.
The most significant change Youngkin is proposing for the bill is reducing the amount of time removed from a sentence for educational activities and mental health and substance abuse treatment programs.
The original legislation reduced a sentence by 30 days for successfully meeting these requirements – Youngkin’s substitute only reduces a sentence by 15 days for those, making each requirement across the board a 15-day reduction.
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.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed similar bills from Del. Katrina Callsen, D-Charlottesville, and Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, last year.
Callsen is co-sponsoring this legislation with Williams, and Favola is co-sponsoring the Senate version with New Craig.
Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears came out in support of the bill during session, and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich pushed for its passage.
The bill also received support from law enforcement groups across the commonwealth.
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 willing to show they will do the work to reintegrate into society.
The Virginia Division of the Southern 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.”
Reform Alliance, the national group that pushed for legislators to patron and pass this bill thanked the General Assembly and encouraged them to accept the governor’s amendments.
“Virginia is now poised to join 20 other states that have taken significant strides to modernize and strengthen their supervision system with similar incentives policies that benefit public safety and communities,” Reform’s Chief Policy Officer Erin Haney said in a statement. “We deeply appreciate the bipartisan collaboration that made this possible and encourage lawmakers to vote yes on the governor’s amendments to this policy.”
The General Assembly will meet on April 2 to take up the governor’s amendments and possibly override his vetoes.
Advocates were hopeful that the governor would sign this new version, as it closely resembles the language he released in an executive order last summer.
Executive Order 36, signed by Youngkin in August, tasked his administration’s chief transformation officer and secretary of public safety with creating a cross-agency effort to improve reentry outcomes.
Their work found six positive factors—which are listed as the criteria in Williams’ legislation—that will help facilitate successful reentry into society.
“Every Virginian who re-enters successfully generates great benefits for the commonwealth,” Youngkin wrote in the order.
This legislation would provide an incentive for those goals to be met.
The bill includes a reenactment clause, meaning the General Assembly will have to pass it again next year, and the new governor, whoever that may be, will have to sign it.