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Wren Williams
There is a bipartisan effort to reform probation in Virginia
Five Republicans and all 51 Democrats in Virginia’s House of Delegates voted in support of a GOP-sponsored bill Thursday that would establish criteria for reducing supervised probation periods in Virginia. Del. Wren Williams, R-Patrick, is sponsoring the legislation. The companion bill in the Senate, also sponsored by a Republican, sailed out of committee unanimously.
The legislation would give individuals on probation incentives 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.
“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.
He believes this approach would free up resources and allow the state to focus more on serious offenders in the system.
“Additionally, the reform helps keep dangerous offenders off the streets by prioritizing resources for those who pose a greater risk to society. For individuals who show genuine progress, this system gives them the opportunity to move beyond their past mistakes and return to productive, law-abiding lives.”
In addition to Williams, four Republicans voted in support of the bill: Dels. Carrie Coyner (Chesterfield), Mike Cherry (Colonial Heights), Mark Earley (Chesterfield), and A.C. Cordoza (Hampton).
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’ legislation would take Youngkin’s guidance a step further by providing an incentive to reach those goals.
“I think it has the momentum it needs this year,” Callsen said in a statement Thursday, after pointing out Youngkin vetoed her bill last year. “I’m hopeful it can bring positive reform to our released community, incentivize and reward positive behavior and ultimately help create a safer and more just state. I’m happy to support Del. Williams as he carries it forward.”
Several Republican-led states have already implemented similar systems.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed similar legislation into law in 2022. Missouri, Louisiana, and South Carolina have also enacted similar policies.
“HB 2252 and SB 936 take a smart, evidence-based approach to probation that strengthens public safety, expands our workforce, and supports successful reentry,” said Erin Haney, the chief policy officer for REFORM Alliance, a nonprofit organization working to reform the probation and parole system in the United States. “Rather than a system that merely punishes failure after it occurs, this legislation would help prevent future crime by incentivizing the very things that keep people on track: employment, education, treatment, stable housing, and health insurance. It’s a roadmap for individuals to take ownership and accountability of their future.”
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