Good afternoon, I wish to say it is an honor to address the committee on behalf of the some 40,000 plus veterans living in the Tidewater area. We ask you to pass HB1565 to help make the Commonwealth of Virginia a better place, for veterans who have come here, served here, stayed here and now we ask you to allow them and their families to remain here forever. Once again, we, the veterans of the Commonwealth employee to do your duty and vote YES for HB1565. Thank you for the privilege to address this body.

Good afternoon, first and foremost the honor of defending the citizens of the Commonwealth does not come easy, manmade problems in conjunction with nature is unpredictable and the National Guard stands ready to respond at a moment's notice. They too have families and businesses to protect and aid. If the Commonwealth of Virginia wishes to show its appreciation for the job the Guard preforms in time of need, we humbly ask your approval of HB 2373. Thank you.

I am asking for your support on behalf of the Veterans of the Commonwealth of Virginia for the approval of HB1565 for the veterans and their families. As published in his proposed amendment for the budget of the Commonwealth, the Governor has requested your approval of $400,000 from the General Fund to the Virginia Department of Veteran Services for the removal of burial fees imposed on the spouse of any veteran buried in a Commonwealth Cemetery. The people defending the Commonwealth and this Great Nation’s freedom signed a blank check to cover any amount including their life, have earned the right to be honored when they pass. Their spouse should also be honored. This service is presently awarded to a veteran's spouse in a National Cemetery. Speaking as a veteran representing Fleet Reserve Association Virginia Beach Branch 166 and three hundred and twenty-five members strong, we humbly ask your support and co-patronage for HB1565. I appreciate your time to take from your busy schedule to consider this humble request. Thank you. Sha’ron D. Martin FRA PRPEC

I lost my 23yo daughter Kaitlyn to Fentanyl poisoning 1-15-21. There needs to be changes in order to hold those responsible for these deaths. Detectives did very little in investigating into who gave her / sold her the Fentanyl. They had her cellphone and simply asked us if we knew the password. Case closed a few days after her death. Why? She left behind 2 very precious and confused little girls that miss their mother terribly and are now at ages 5 & 6 in therapy.

Comments Document

An average of 300 people die a day due to illicit fentanyl. Illicit fentanyl is being laced in all drugs, and the users of these drugs are unaware that they are ingesting something other than what they purchased. It takes as little as 2ng’s of illicit fentanyl to kill a person. The number of deaths due to illicit fentanyl is astronomically increasing each year. Those who are supplying, giving, distributing these drugs that have been poisoned must be held accountable for the deaths they are causing. If someone ingesting any other illicit drug that did not contain illicit fentanyl, they would have the chance to obtain help and hopefully recover. Bower, with illicit fentanyl there is no chance for this, as many are dying, teens who are experiments, first time users, etc. before they even have the chance to get help! My daughter, Makayla Cox, died from a pill she thought was Percocet, and was pure fentanyl, just 2 shorts weeks after turning 16, on Jan 22, 2022.

It is with sad regret we are shutting down. We have made all our leads available for a one time fee on DataList2023.com Regards, Ellen

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The VSPA has been involved with the study of how retail businesses have suffered through the crimes being committed against them and is in full support of this legislation

Comments Document

Child Victim (AZ) Who Used CCTV During a Criminal Trial I wanted to do the closed-circuit television (CCTV) because I was scared to face my dad in court, face to face. The CCTV helped me calm down, but I was still a little bit scared to testify in court, but it helped me face my fear in court. I was able to testify much easier, and it helped me calm down almost all the way. I was glad that I was able to use the CCTV in court. I think CCTV is important because it can help kids face their fear of testifying, and they can go home more stress-free. They can go back to their lives better. I think all kids should be able to use CCTV, more kids should be able to. It was hard to talk to my mom, the detectives, and to the prosecutors, and it would have been harder in court in front of my dad. I think that CCTV helps kids feel a little bit safer than they felt before, and help parents feel that it’s a little bit safer for their kids as well. I think all kids, not just myself would find it much easier to testify in court if they can use CCTV. Comments of the Mother of the Child Victim My daughter, AZ, was a victim of sexual abuse from ages 7-10 years old. Her father, Jose Noe Quintanilla, was found guilty of 3 counts of object sexual penetration and one count of rape. I am writing this statement to express my gratefulness for my daughter’s ability to use closed-circuit television (CCTV) while testifying during the criminal trial, and to advocate in support of more children being able to testify via CCTV in Virginia. My daughter was traumatized from the abuse and had nightmares, flashbacks, and panic attacks and often thought about the abuse. She suffered from suicidal thoughts regularly. During the trial, and at the time she had to testify, she also lived in an intense fear her dad was going to attack her for telling the truth and did not feel safe about talking about the abuse or testifying in court. As her mother, it pained me and has caused me great stress to see my daughter suffering, and to know it will affect her the rest of her life. My greatest concerns were AZ’s future and getting her through the trial with the least amount of trauma. My daughter was told by the prosecutor’s office she needed to testify in open court. For my daughter, this meant she had to be able to be questioned like an adult about graphic and traumatizing sexual acts her father did to her in open court with her father only several yards away, and in front of others. This is a frightening situation for any child. My daughter was later approved to testify through CCTV. Being able to testify through CCTV helped AZ get through testifying, and has kept the traumatizing impacts of the trial from being too much for her. If she had to testify in front of her father, she may have been unable to speak about the abuse in the courtroom, and would be much more traumatized. Additionally, her father became emotional during her testimony, and if she had to testify only a few yards away from him, his emotional behavior would have affected her ability to testify. Using CCTV gave my daughter the ability to stand up for herself and tell her story in a way that empowers children who have been abused. Please see the short attachment for the rest of testimony. Thank you.

Hi

Hi

It is with sad regret we are shutting down. We have made all our leads available for a one time fee on DataList2023.com Regards, Ellen

Hi, Your website is only listed in 8 out of a possible 12,489 directories. We are a service that lists your website in all these directories. Please visit us on DirectoryBump.com to find our more. Regards, Ariel Devlin

DataList2023.com

DataList2023.com presents all the new leads for you per country! Visit us on DataList2023.com

Hello, MegaLeadsTree.com is shutting down. We have made available all our leads in 145 countries at a one-time fee. Visit us on MegaLeadsTree.com.

Hello. Data Company is shutting down today and we made all our databases available for data companies around the world. We have 142 countries available that contain: 392,874,766 Companies 392,874,834 Addresses 231,760,879 Industries 22,575,206 Phones 259,114,210 Job Titles 107,625,106 Emails 392,874,766 Leads You can view samples here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ccAH3YenVLCSIO7iwnBPykQGrauJei_H?usp=sharing We are making all the data available for $99 (all countries today), let me know if you are interested. Please email us at francoispetersen012@gmail.com if you have any questions. We use Paypal and delivery is instant after payment: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=8F3YZ5FPE2CVC

I SUPPORT 1785 and 1939. Traffic violence is behind only gun violence when it comes to preventable deaths, and speed is a major factor in that. I am proud to be a constituent of Delegate Plum. For HB 1609, it looks promising on its face - I support any effort to get people to choose modes of transportation other than driving. But I have questions. On that note, I SUPPORT 2338. I SUPPORT 1649 and 1712 and 1723 and 1995. I OPPOSE 1894. One cannot be considered a person until one is born, and I am not in favor of any legislation that can create precedent to grant personhood to a fetus, embryo, or zygote.

People should have mandatory minimums for not being responsible with firearms.

Good afternoon, first and foremost the honor of defending the citizens of the Commonwealth does not come easy, manmade problems in conjunction with nature is unpredictable the Guard stands ready to respond at a moment's notice. They too have families and businesses to protect and aid. If the Commonwealth of Virginia wishes to show its appreciation for the job the Guard preforms in time of need, we humbly ask your approval of HB 2373. Thank you. Sha'ron D. Martin USN Retired

Good afternoon, first and foremost the honor of defending the citizens of the Commonwealth does not come easy, manmade problems in conjunction with nature is unpredictable and the National Guard stands ready to respond at a moment's notice. They too have families and businesses to protect and aid. If the Commonwealth of Virginia wishes to show its appreciation for the job the Guard preforms in time of need, we humbly ask your approval of HB 2373. Thank you.

GOOD Morning, Chair Terry L. Austin & members of the Committee: By way of introduction, I am Jay L. Marts, 28yr veteran of the VaARNG & US Army, retired Colonel, and honored to speak to this committee today on behalf of my brothers & sisters in arms on HB 2373. I had the pleasure of visiting the GA last week for several days as a member of the Virginia Department of Veteran Services-Joint Leadership Council (VDVS-JLC). I and several other council members called upon many offices of elected representatives to highlight & request support for several Veterans legislative initiatives. I would like to thank my local legislator, Del. Bill Wiley, one of the many members of the House Finance committee, who in bi-partisian fashion helped to move this important piece of legislation, on a vote of 22-0, forward thru the GA. Our current members of the National Guard, those local Citizen-Soldiers, serve the Commonwealth and local communities without hesitation when called upon. It is time we provide them additional benefits to show our appreciation. This will help us retain current members and greatly assist in recruiting new members of the Virginia National Guard. I ask you to move HB 2373 out of this committee, thru the floor & ultimately place it on the Governor’s desk for signature. Thank You again for the opportunity to address this committee.

GOOD Afternoon, Chair Robinson & members of the Finance Committee: By way of introduction, I am Jay L. Marts, 28yr veteran of the VaARNG & US Army, retired Colonel, and honored to speak to this committee today on behalf my brothers & sisters in arms on HB1436 & 2373. I had the pleasure of visiting the GA the last week for several days as a member of the VDVS-JLC and visited Del. Robinson’s office to highlight & support several Veterans legislative initiatives. I wanted to tell you that AA Connie Mason & LA Glen Leonard Gaines were very helpful during my visit. I also want to thank Del. McGuire, Wiley, Watts, Greenhaigh & Wyatt for being the Chief Patron on these Bills. Also, the many Patrons of these Bills. I will add a SPECIAL THANKS to Delegates Wiley & LaRock, both of which I know well & respect, for moving these important pieces of legislation thru the GA. The members of the Armed Forces, who will benefit from this legislation, served our Nation for 20 or more years and earned a modest retirement pension. During these many years of service & sacrifice some have had an unfortunate circumstance that ended with them receiving a 100% service-connected, permanent, and total disability. We, the citizens of Virginia, should not put a tax burden on the small pension they earned by serving the USA. This is a modest action that will keep a few more $$’s in the household budget of these veterans at a time when it is very much needed. It is a small nod of appreciation for their long service and physical sacrifice. We want all veterans to know that Virginia is the best place for them to call home. Additionally, our current members of the National Guard, those local Citizen-Soldiers, serve the Commonwealth and local communities without hesitation when called upon. It is time we update & increase the small income tax subtraction that is currently in place. I ask you to move these two House Bills out of this committee, thru the floor & ultimately place it on the Governor’s desk for signature. Thank You again for the opportunity to address this committee. Jay L. Marts VDVS-JLC (Alt) AMVETS, Dept. of Virginia (540) 550-3339 MartsJL@GMail.com

In person

GOOD Morning, Chair Byron & members of the Committee: By way of introduction, I am Jay L. Marts, 28yr veteran of the VaARNG & US Army, retired Colonel, and honored to speak to this committee today on behalf my brothers & sisters in arms on HB1436, 1460, 1470, 1690, 2373. I had the pleasure of visiting the GA the last several days as a member of the VDVS-JLC and visited Del. Byron’s office to highlight & support several Veterans legislative initiatives. I wanted to tell you that AA Gena Barker & LA Dexter Gaines were quite courteous and attentive during my visit. I also want to thank Del. McGuire, Wiley, Watts, Greenhaigh & Wyatt for being the Chief Patron on these Bills. Also, the many Patrons of these Bills. I will add a SPECIAL THANKS to Delegates Wiley & LaRock, both of which I know well & respect, for moving these important pieces of legislation thru the GA. The members of the Armed Forces, who will benefit from this legislation, served our Nation for 20 or more years and earned a modest retirement pension. During these many years of service & sacrifice some have had an unfortunate circumstance that ended with them receiving a 100% service-connected, permanent, and total disability. We, the citizens of Virginia, should not put a tax burden on the small pension they earned by serving the USA. This is a modest action that will keep a few more $$’s in the household budget of these veterans at a time when it is very much needed. It is a small nod of appreciation for their long service and physical sacrifice. We want all veterans to know that Virginia is the best place for them to call home. Additionally, our current members of the National Guard, those local Citizen-Soldiers, serve the Commonwealth and local communities without hesitation when called upon. It is time we update & increase the small income tax subtraction that is currently in place. I ask you to move all five of these House Bills out of this committee, thru the floor & ultimately place it on the Governor’s desk for signature. Thank You again for the opportunity to address this committee. Jay L. Marts VDVS-JLC (Alt) AMVETS, Dept. of Virginia (540) 550-3339 MartsJL@GMail.com

Members of the Virginia House: I cannot fully express my absolutely heart-wrenching disappointment in the voting down of bills that are only meant to keep us safer here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Your lack of awareness around how we here in VA feel day in and day out living in the communities you were elected to support is appalling. Guns have no business on our streets. Especially those designed for war and senseless murder. Our children go to school every day and have to practice lockdown drills because mass murders have tripled in this country over the last five years, many taking place in schools where our babies go every day to learn -- not to fear for their lives. Say that to yourself out loud: MASS MURDERS HAVE TRIPLED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. In AMERICA. Does that sound American? Does that make you proud of this country? To me, it feels like a lie. How can that reality apply to the great United States of America? How bout that - UNITED States? That isn't even valid today is it -- we have never been so divided. As a mother, I have never felt such unrelenting nagging anxiety. Why are you so hell-bent on keeping guns on our streets? Have enough lives not been lost? Despite the incessant violence taking place and destroying lives and communities every single day, you do nothing - and point fingers at mental health. Do you know what doesn't help someone mentally ill? Access to guns. You know that this problem is not fixed with one solution. You know that if we invest in mental health, public schools, AND enact common sense gun laws, we would see a huge difference - paying attention to just one piece of this will never get anywhere. I, and every single person I know, is begging you to stand up and do what is right by the American people – ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines WHILE ALSO looking for ways to improve public schooling and mental health. Work together for once. Haven’t we had enough? Give us a fighting chance at peace and civility. How many more innocent lives must be stolen before elected officials yourself especially see the error of their ways? You are part of the problem if you are not working towards a solution that benefits EVERYONE, including law-abiding gun owners. PLEASE. I pray every night that those who are vehemently against passing measures that only stand to help have a change of heart and finally do what is right for the entire Virginia community so that fewer innocent lives are stolen thanks to shockingly - and dangerously - weak gun laws. ------ Maggie Van Arsdell (703) 485-6551 margaretmvanarsdell@gmail.com

HB2413 - CON. Here in Del. E.H. Campbell's bill do we have yet ANOTHER pointless bill informed by anecdotal information without study, rational thought, or mature analysis. Republicans are supposed to represent the party of liberty, freedom, Constitutional protections, and Rule of LAW. Instead, they believe in hypocritcal 'family values' as they turn back protections for families, ignore when people fulfilll their 'debt to society" by punishing them even further with bills like this, and ignore their reponsibilities to protect the most vulnerable -- the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated, by knee-capping them BEFORE they even get out of jail. An incarcerated father, for example, upon leaving "Care" in the corrupt system, isrequired to be employed (or subject to rearrest for probation violation) but is barred from jobs by seven pages of high-need jobs listed on a barrier crimes list. If he owes child support, VA punishes him again, but claiming he is "voluntarily unemployed," by virtue of the fact that he is a felon (perhaps falsely), and he is legally discriminated against in housing, medical care, and more. The matter is worse if he is poorly educated, because on top of his natural disadvantages, he has these, and many more. So, they go back to jail, either deliberately or not, because they have no hope. Sink this bill, because it is a political stunt, intellectually lazy, and scores cheap political points with an ignorant public, but does NOTHING for public safety, like all the others Republicans are putting forth.

Marginalizing citizens who are trying to re-enter society as productive citizens with yet another public registry serves no public safety objective. If law enforcement or other state agencies can benefit from such a list, it can be made available on request to those agencies. There is no value in creating another public registry that needlessly adds the burden of public shaming while released citizens are working to get their lives back on track.

Date: 1-20-2023 To Members of the General Assembly: Good day; I am coming to you as a private citizen, not a representative of the Virginia department of corrections; I am speaking on my own. I wish to address my concerns to the general assembly about the issues faced by Correctional officers and the general public. I am a public safety officer/ Correctional officer in Virginia. The purpose of this comment is to ask for your support in HB 1536, respectfully. The grievance procedure was designed to allow state employees to resolve work-related issues without prejudice. Over the years, the Department of Corrections revised the grievance procedure, which created bias among its personnel. When the grievant submits a grievance against their respective agency, the grievant experiences unfair delays resulting in unresolved complaints and biased decisions, which promotes retaliation to the grievant by the agency. Please support HB 1536 by Delegate Jenkins to restore inclusion and fairness while maintaining accountability, consistency, and transparency, as the Grievance Procedure was designed for. Sincerely, Mr. James Anthony Murdoch Sr.

I'm currently a public safety officer (correctional officer) within the Department of Corrections. I'm in support of HB1914 and HB2413 because the Department of Corrections must expand their budget in order to pay, train and retain their essential employees in order to continue to maintain safe communities within Commonwealth. Correctional officers are subject to mandatory augmentation to various correctional facilities statewide to provide contributory support and services to some of the most dangerous and predatory offenders ever incarcerated. They sacrifice their lives and deserve to be compensated. In comparison to other public safety officers, a correctional officer's salary is about $12,000 lower and they endure the most physical and mental abuse due to their essential duties. Please support HB1914 and HB2413 in giving correctional officers the help and resources they need to provide custody, control, and maintain accountability of the sentenced offenders assigned to their care.

I am a voter in Virginia and a member of the Valley Justice Coalition. Solitary Confinement by any other name is torture both physically and mentally. It is inhumane. Vote YES for HB2487 to end Solitary Confinement in Virginia. Thank you.

Members of the Virginia House: I cannot fully express my absolutely heart-wrenching disappointment in the voting down of bills that are only meant to keep us safer here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Your lack of awareness around how we here in VA feel day in and day out living in the communities you were elected to support is appalling. Guns have no business on our streets. Especially those designed for war and senseless murder. Our children go to school every day and have to practice lockdown drills because mass murders have tripled in this country over the last five years, many taking place in schools where our babies go every day to learn -- not to fear for their lives. Say that to yourself out loud: MASS MURDERS HAVE TRIPLED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. In AMERICA. Does that sound American? Does that make you proud of this country? To me, it feels like a lie. How can that reality apply to the great United States of America? How bout that - UNITED States? That isn't even valid today is it -- we have never been so divided. As a mother, I have never felt such unrelenting nagging anxiety. Why are you so hell-bent on keeping guns on our streets? Have enough lives not been lost? Despite the incessant violence taking place and destroying lives and communities every single day, you do nothing - and point fingers at mental health. Do you know what doesn't help someone mentally ill? Access to guns. You know that this problem is not fixed with one solution. You know that if we invest in mental health, public schools, AND enact common sense gun laws, we would see a huge difference - paying attention to just one piece of this will never get anywhere. I, and every single person I know, is begging you to stand up and do what is right by the American people – ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines WHILE ALSO looking for ways to improve public schooling and mental health. Work together for once. Haven’t we had enough? Give us a fighting chance at peace and civility. How many more innocent lives must be stolen before elected officials yourself especially see the error of their ways? You are part of the problem if you are not working towards a solution that benefits EVERYONE, including law-abiding gun owners. PLEASE. I pray every night that those who are vehemently against passing measures that only stand to help have a change of heart and finally do what is right for the entire Virginia community so that fewer innocent lives are stolen thanks to shockingly - and dangerously - weak gun laws. ------ Maggie Van Arsdell (703) 485-6551 margaretmvanarsdell@gmail.com

Hello, Delegates; I represent the Valley Justice Coalition and we are asking you to vote YES for HB2487 to end Solitary Confinement in Virginia. Solitary Confinement by any name you choose to call it is nothing more than torture, both physically and mentally. It is inhumane. Please vote YES for HB2487 to end Solitary Confinement in Virginia. Thank you.

Last Name: Horejsi john Organization: Social Action Linking Together (SALT) E-mail Address: jhorejsi@cox.net Committee Chairman Tony Wilt, and Public Safety Committee members: On behalf of our 1300 SALT members, I URGE YOU TO VOTE FOR HB 2487 limiting Solitary Confinement in the Virginia DOC. SALT supports the reducing the use of Solitary Confinement to an absolute minimum and banning it for the mentally ill. This practice of overuse by VDOC is considered torture and fails to meet the constructive and rehabilitative purposes of criminal justice. Just consider the two most recent ACLU Court settlements against VDOC for a reported $115,000 to two inmates who spent almost 13 years each in Solitary Confinement. In fact, an Analysis of the Fiscal Impact of Solitary Confinement in other states shows that it saves money. and saves lives. Also, to restrict the use of solitary confinement in prisons and jails is in line with international human rights standards. People in our prisons are people, family members, and community members — they are not simply dollars and cents. Regardless of the fiscal impact, solitary confinement has long been recognized as torture and it should be ended. That said, the fiscal savings are yet another reason for States to act now and pass Solitary Confinement. We understand that VDOC has estimated the elimination of extended isolated confinement will cost inflated costs annually, when the experience of other states strongly suggests this figure is overblown. Five states (Colorado, Delaware, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Washington) have adopted similar policies, either through legislation or administrative actions. These states have all shown an approximate neutral fiscal impact when they have reduced or eliminated the use of isolated confinement. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. John Horejsi, Coordinator, Social Action linking Together (SALT) jhorejsi@cox.net .

I SUPPORT 2487 and am pleased to see that this seems to be a bipartisan bill.

RIHD Inc. is in support of Bill 2487 to end solitary confinement because of the destructive outcomes upon the Incarcerated Community mental health that leads to suicide, depression, anxiety, post traumatic disorders. Thank you.

Good morning. My name is Alison Chaffin. I am an educator and a fierce advocate at Ignite Justice. I also have a loved one who is incarcerated in the state of VA. Solitary confinement is a form of torture and abuse. The following is a list of conditions that can arise from being placed in isolation: anxiety and stress depression and hopelessness anger, irritability, and hostility panic attacks worsened preexisting mental health issues hypersensitivity to sounds and smells problems with attention, concentration, and memory hallucinations that affect all of the senses paranoia poor impulse control social withdrawal outbursts of violence psychosis fear of death self-harm or suicide We must end this inhumane form of punishment and spend our taxpayer dollars on alternatives. Thank you for your time!

I support HB2487 in ending prolonged solitary confinement. It is useless and does nothing but create mental health conditions and irreparable damage to the human mind and spirit. Prison should be rehabilitating not torturous. Aside from the physical and mental affects, Virginia could save millions of dollars in lawsuits by ending this practice. The amount of suicides and mysterious deaths that can be avoided is a no brainer of why this bill should pass.

Please support limiting the time an inmate may be kept in solitary. It damages the psychological well-being of inmates, reducing their ability to hold a job and function in society when they leave the prison. I know of a situation where the security personnel believed an inmate was doing something nefarious, but the investigation found no evidence to back up that theory. Richmond DOC HQ refused to let any charge stand due to lack of evidence. Still, they kept the inmate in solitary for over a month, just to punish him for their suspicions. This type of procedure should stop.

Dear Committee members, Our organization, the Coalition for Justice, urges support for HB2487. The practice of prolonged solitary confinement must end. Apart from the trauma of isolation, depression, anxiety, and panic attacks are far too common. We hear the stories of those who describe their deteriorating mental and physical health over time after being subjected to prolonged and often repeated periods of prolonged solitary confinement. The practice does more harm than good. Please support this bill.

After reading the report by the Virginia Coalition on Solitary Confinement -- BEHIND PRISON WALLS: WHY WE MUST END PROLONGED ISOLATION IN OUR PRISONS -- I am persuaded that prolonged isolation in our correctional facilities must end for a number of reasons: there is no moral justification for the practice, the practice does nothing to rehabilitate the incarcerated and prepare them for reentry into society after serving their time, prolonged isolation is cruelty sanctioned by the state that no taxpayer should be required to support, it is neither efficient nor effective in preparing the incarcerated to return to society as a productive citizen, it is a waste of taxpayer dollars, other states have followed a different path and saved money, and it does nothing to advance the public/common good. This legislation attempts to address the issues enumerated above that deeply troubles this Virginia taxpayer and voter who wants his tax dollars to advance the public good, not undermine it. When correctional policies cannot be justified morally and fiscally, it is time to change course, time to follow another path into the future. In light of the above, I encourage all Virginia legislators to support this legislation. The documentation provided in the report referenced above should leave no one in doubt of the need for a change in course.

Let's find humane alternatives to solitary confinement!

Please support this bill favorably

Please approve this HB2487 to restrict the use of solitary confinement. My own son spent many months in solitary as his mental illness got worse and worse. It took more than two years before they finally transferred him to a psych facility. Surely our society can do better than that.

As a mental health professional in residing in and working in the state of Virginia, I strongly support HB 1524 to provide substance use disorder treatment for incarcerated individuals. Providing treatment resources to those currently incarcerated just makes sense. Those experiencing withdrawal symptoms can be treated in house and safely maintained to reduce the need for outside acute care services for severe symptoms/complications. Also, Treatment work if a person has access to it and is able to participate in services. There are numerous articles in the National Library of medicine that shows that treating substance use while in the criminal justice system, overall reduces recidivism. Prolonged solitary confinement is inhumane. I am not sure if I need to state more than that. Humans need social connection and treatment not solitary confinement which only makes mental health decline and aggressive behaviors increase. Regardless of the crime a person has committed, they too are human and deserve better treatment. I support HB 2487 and hopes that the committee will too.

Members of the Virginia House: I cannot fully express my absolutely heart-wrenching disappointment in the voting down of bills that are only meant to keep us safer here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Your lack of awareness around how we here in VA feel day in and day out living in the communities you were elected to support is appalling. Guns have no business on our streets. Especially those designed for war and senseless murder. Our children go to school every day and have to practice lockdown drills because mass murders have tripled in this country over the last five years, many taking place in schools where our babies go every day to learn -- not to fear for their lives. Say that to yourself out loud: MASS MURDERS HAVE TRIPLED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. In AMERICA. Does that sound American? Does that make you proud of this country? To me, it feels like a lie. How can that reality apply to the great United States of America? How bout that - UNITED States? That isn't even valid today is it -- we have never been so divided. As a mother, I have never felt such unrelenting nagging anxiety. Why are you so hell-bent on keeping guns on our streets? Have enough lives not been lost? Despite the incessant violence taking place and destroying lives and communities every single day, you do nothing - and point fingers at mental health. Do you know what doesn't help someone mentally ill? Access to guns. You know that this problem is not fixed with one solution. You know that if we invest in mental health, public schools, AND enact common sense gun laws, we would see a huge difference - paying attention to just one piece of this will never get anywhere. I, and every single person I know, is begging you to stand up and do what is right by the American people – ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines WHILE ALSO looking for ways to improve public schooling and mental health. Work together for once. Haven’t we had enough? Give us a fighting chance at peace and civility. How many more innocent lives must be stolen before elected officials yourself especially see the error of their ways? You are part of the problem if you are not working towards a solution that benefits EVERYONE, including law-abiding gun owners. PLEASE. I pray every night that those who are vehemently against passing measures that only stand to help have a change of heart and finally do what is right for the entire Virginia community so that fewer innocent lives are stolen thanks to shockingly - and dangerously - weak gun laws. ------ Maggie Van Arsdell (703) 485-6551 margaretmvanarsdell@gmail.com