Public Comments for 02/09/2024 Appropriations - General Government and Capital Outlay Subcommittee
HB310 - Judges; maximum number each judicial district and circuit.
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Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.
HB502 - Nonbinary sex or gender; all forms or applications to offer any applicant the option to designate.
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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant
Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.
State documents should reflect one's true gender. I support trans men and women.
HB614 - Community service work in lieu of payment of fines and costs; work performed while incarcerated.
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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant
Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.
To allow the men an wemon to come home with their finds and fees paid. Will allow them to start fresh without that weight on them.
I am a member of Valley Justice Coalition and strongly support this bill. I have personally tried to help those incarcerated arrange to pay their fines and fees with their hard work within the facilities. Some localities accepted their proposal while other localities would not. There needs to be consistency in this honest attempt to pay their financial penalties. Please vote YES for HB614. Thank you.
HB768 - Child victims and witnesses; using two-way closed-circuit television, expands age range.
Hb768 Vote yes. Children shouldn't be subjected to having to testify in front of an abuser
Attached is testimony in support of HB 768 on Behalf of Shared Hope International, a non-profit organization that brings justice for victims of child sex trafficking.
VCAHT supports HB768 as it will help reduce the retraumatization of children in confronting those who have exploited them. VCAHT would support the expansion of this relief to adult victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking as well, as the protective benefits that CCTV testimony offers most certainly extend to trauma survivors of all ages. As a clinical psychologist that specializes in working with children and adolescents I completely support removing all barriers that would prevent any minor under the age of 18 from accessing the opportunity to testify without needing to be in the same room as their abuser. It is my professional opinion that there should be no threshold necessary for any child to pass in order to access this form or testimony if it is desired. The chances of a child or adolescent becoming destabilized and derailed in their recovery are significantly increased by the need to be in the presence of their abuser as well as a courtroom full of others. Despite our best intentions, the need for retelling the details of their abuse in such a setting often adds to the shame and embarrassment felt by the victim and can actually lead to developmental regression as a means of coping. This can delay the progress of therapeutic interventions as well as increasing the common yet excruciating symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder like panic attacks, flashbacks, nightmares, and increased dissociation. Another less obvious factor to consider is that victims of abuse often develop what is referred to as a Trauma Bond. Even in cases where the child did not previously have a relationship with their abuser, a common reaction to being abused is the development of a strong bond with the abuser, particularly when there is a well-established power differential in the relationship (like an adult has over a child.) Deconstructing this powerful bond during the process of therapy is a long-term process which can easily be interrupted by re-exposure to the abuser. Feelings of guilt regarding the harm the testimony may cause to the abuser are common as is the potential for rekindled feelings of closeness and affection towards their abuser. The potential for reintroducing these confusing but powerful feelings for a child who is working hard to break free from such a powerful Trauma Bond can be devastating, if they are even able to bring themselves to testify at all, which is another risk. The likelihood of this delaying or derailing their recovery process is high and such a consequence is unacceptable. Reducing the need for a child of any age to endure unnecessary re-exposure to their abuser is the most humane decision and I wholeheartedly support this bill as written.
In Favor of Delegate Delaney's HB 768: 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. The Virginia Victims Bill of Rights states “In recognition of the Commonwealth's concern for the victims and witnesses of crime, it is the purpose of [the Victims Bill of Rights] to ensure that the full impact of crime is brought to the attention of the courts of the Commonwealth; that crime victims and witnesses are treated with dignity, respect and sensitivity...” (§19.2-11.01 (A)). Allowing children to use CCTV to testify helps to ensure the full impact of crimes are brought to the attention of courts. All children should have access to this victims’ right if it is needed to avoid their intimidation, and unnecessary mental injury and harm. Sexual abuse is traumatizing enough, and children who experience this type of abuse can already have a hard road to recovery. All children should have access to CCTV, especially if a mental health professional says it could cause injury, instead of children having to get to the point of a severe mental condition to qualify. Thank you for your time and consideration for amendments to the law that will allow more children to testify via CCTV in Virginia; to help children testify better to expose the full impact of crimes; and support the safety, protection, mental health, and wellbeing of all children.
HB824 - Indigent defendant; rate of fees for legal representation.
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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant
Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.
We urge the Committee to support HB 824. Written testimony in support of the bill is attached.
I am in support of the second look bill, the people who have turned their lives around deserve an opportunity to show they are changed and be productive tax paying members of society. The money that is spent on housing those people could be spent on much better things than the DOc the money could go towards schools or other necessary programs. Some people have been in for 25 plus years, no infraction’s and have changed their lives, gone to school, got trades . Not everyone is eligible to get a second look and it is only for the ones who prove and show they would make good members of society. The bill allows a judge to determine if they deserve a second chance.
HB857 - Fines and costs; changes period of limitations for collection.
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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant
Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.
HB893 - Attorneys appointed to represent parents or guardians; qualifications and performance.
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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant
Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.
My caseload consists primarily of court-appointments from Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts. I serve as a guardian ad litem for children and (in separate matters) as counsel for parents in child dependency cases. There are several times when as Parent's Counsel I would have been able to provide better preparation to my clients and to save the Court time during hearings if I had had more training targeted to serving parents in Child Dependency Cases. Although I am confident that attorneys who serve as guardian ad litems can also adequately represent a parent's interest in child dependency matters (See language from 1.F., "On or after July 1, 2025, no person currently serving or accepting appointments from a court in the Commonwealth as a guardian ad litem for children shall be appointed to represent a parent or guardian in a child dependency case."), I support HB893 in other respects and feel that it would serve the public and the court system to provide this training for attorneys serving as Parent's Counsel.
Decades ago, when I first started representing Departments of Social Services, the pay provided to court-appointed counsel and guardians ad litem was insufficient. Since then, it has not increased even at a rate to match inflation. The courts find it difficult to get attorneys willing to do the work, and those who are willing must take on heavy case loads. It is long past time for the Commonwealth to support them and make their compensation reasonable. To be clear, this bill does not benefit me directly, but as counsel for DSS's I see the need for competent, dedicated, and fairly compensated attorneys to be on the other side of cases that I handle.
As a national expert in child welfare policy and practice, with over a decade of experience in the Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau, and as a former foster parent in Fairfax County and volunteer parent advocate in Alexandria City, I am writing in strong support of this bill which promotes equity and justice for children and families involved in Virginia's child welfare system. Data is clear that Virginia does not achieve positive outcomes for children and families. Extremely low reunification rates and high rates of emancipation demonstrate that Virginia's system does not rightly prioritize safely preserving family connections which are key for long-term well-being of children. Federal case review data also indicates that only 14% of Virginia parents had their needs appropriately assessed and had needed services provided after their child was placed in foster care. Without robust legal representation, parents will not experience justice in a system often set against them from the start. I have personally witnessed numerous situations in which VA's system did not follow its own policies and procedures and parents had no recourse. This is particularly concerning when what is at stake is the severing of parent-child connections and the loss of parental rights. As a parent advocate I have witnessed VDSS unnecessarily remove a healthy, nursing baby from her mother and refuse to ensure that mother could visit often enough to feed and bond with her baby. Without legal representation and strong community support fighting VDSS, this mother would have permanently lost her rights to her child despite the fact that there were no safety issues with the mother. As a result of this mother's traumatic experiences in VA, after being reunified with her child (which only occurred because she had an attorney willing to do the hard work of appealing her case) she moved to another state. It is a shameful reality that a state as great as Virginia treats its most vulnerable citizens in this way, effectively chasing them out of the state they called home. We can do better and I believe HB893 is an important step in that direction. I have done this work for over 20 years, with over half of that time assessing child welfare systems across the country. There are states that are doing a much better job than Virginia is in ensuring high quality legal representation for parents, and implementing innovative and effective practices such as multi-disciplinary teams. It is time that Virginia joins these states in ensuring justice, safety and well-being for its citizens. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this important matter.
HB1228 - Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission; court records, online access to case management systems.
HB1273 - VA Public Procurement Act; additional public works contract requirements, delayed effective date.
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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant
Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.
HB1348 - Pharmaceutical Services, Office of; establishes in Department of General Services, report.
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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant
Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.
My name is Michael Gordon. I am a recovering addict. My clean date is 06/06/2008. I writing this letter because it my duty as a health professional to bring to the table how important it is that we change the barrier crime law. I have spent countless hours and days working with other addicts who trying to find their pathway into recovery. The frontlines are thin because the people whom society deemed unworthy because of some past mistakes cannot work in the field that they could do the greatest good. I did not know when I received my sentence in 1990 for distribution of crack cocaine. I would be serving a life time sentence. Luck for me I don’t have a barrier crime, yet today after getting my GED, going to college and graduating with honors. I still can live in certain areas or have certain jobs. I went from the crack house to the White House and still that not enough for Virginia to forgive me of my past mistakes. We need more people who has made a deep commitment to change to share their experiences with others who are suffering!!
HB1355 - Information Technology Access Act; numerous organizational changes to Act.
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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant
Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.
I am writing in strong support of HB1355. This provides a much-needed overhaul of Virginia state code to support the digital accessibility needs of all Virginians with disabilities. As our lives are increasingly played out in a digital environment, we are leaving behind an important segment of our population by allowing schools, state agencies, and Universities to purchase or develop technology that is inherently inaccessible. We need this common-sense legislation to better align our state code with the intent of federal codes, such as Section 508. This legislation does that by laying out a framework to address accessibility in the procurement and development of technology. This legislation is overdue and much needed.
HB102 - Court-appointed counsel; raises the limitation of fees.
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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant
Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.
I heartily endorse the well-reasoned comments submitted by my colleague, Cassie Hargrave, Esquire. The miserly amounts paid by our state for professional legal advice & representation of indigents reflect poorly on the dignity of the Commonwealth. Our legislature can and should enact this bill, which will help close a gap of fair compensation that has been too long in place.
Court-appointed attorneys in the Commonwealth of Virginia have not had an increase in pay in more than TWENTY YEARS. Meanwhile, the cost of living has increased astronomically, and the Commonwealth of Virginia increases minimum wage every year. Other states around the country have recognized a need to appropriately compensate their court-appointed attorneys. As a court-appointed attorney for the last 16 years, I can report that from the view in the trenches, it is a precarious situation. Very talented attorneys are leaving the court-appointed attorney lists in droves, not because they cannot do the work, but simply because they cannot afford to not be paid for the hard work that they do. Imagine being a court-appointed attorney and appearing in court for FIVE FULL DAYS on an appeal, only to be paid $158.00 TOTAL. (And this doesn't include the actual preparation it takes outside of court to try the case). This is happening in Virginia. Imagine being a court-appointed attorney that is making LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGE, yet having to pay your support staff a minimum wage that increases every year. This is happening in Virginia. Imagine being a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia, whose children have been (often times, unjustly) taken and placed into foster care, and you do not even have an attorney appointed to you (which is your RIGHT under the law) because there are no attorneys willing to do this amount of work for free. This is happening in Virginia. Imagine being a judge who is trying to enforce a litigant's right to counsel, but you cannot find a single attorney to represent the litigant because all of the court-appointed attorneys have quit. This is happening in Virginia. And lastly, imagine being a child who wants to (and should be) home with your parents, but your parents do not have quality representation because all of the qualified attorneys have quit, and your parent's rights are terminated and you never see them again. THIS IS HAPPENING IN VIRGINIA. This is not sustainable. The court cannot run without court-appointed attorneys. If the rate of pay for court-appointed attorneys is not increased, the court system is going to implode. There is no easier way to say it. This is not just about court-appointed attorneys. It is about parents, children, and families, and how much those people really matter to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Please do right by the citizens of Virginia, and the court-appointed attorneys who are working tirelessly to represent them and support this bill. It is time. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
I would like for the committee to consider the the bill on the table today. So many individuals incarcerated are far removed from the people they were 10, 5 ,20 years ago.
Hello, I am M. Lee Smallwood, II, the co-chair of the Legislative Committee for the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. I also participated in the study process that resulted in the JLARC study that provides the factual support for this bill. While I am not a court appointed attorney, I am a public defender and am therefore acutely aware of the circumstances that exist. The compensation offered for the typical court appointed case is insufficient to attract appropriate levels of experienced and talented criminal defense attorneys who can assist the indigent with defending themselves in vindication of their constitutional rights. Locally I practice in Danville and keep track of the circumstances throughout Southside Virginia. Our court appointed lists are short, and our judges have been actively recruiting members of the Bar and even appointing cases to attorneys who are not on the court appointed list. The latter practice is problematic because the Indigent Defense Commission has no oversight of persons who are not on the court appointed list pursuant to the statutory process. Our founders fervently believed that our criminal justice system required the ability for a person accused to vigorously defend himself, and it is for that reason that Gideon recognized the requirement for states to provide legal assistance to those who cannot afford it. We have certainly become a more enlightened society in the time since that decision, and we must keep the defense provided to all persons vigorous by adjusting the very low compensation levels provided in Virginia. The exact dollar amounts vary from this bill to SB356, but the most important issue is providing for an increase in the ballpark of the figures in either bill.