Parole board reform debate continues in Virginia legislature as Senate rejects House amendments

(The Center Square) – Specifics surrounding how to conduct reform of the Virginia Parole Board are still being debated in the Virginia General Assembly after the Senate rejected amendments proposed by the House of Delegates.

Senate Bill 1104, sponsored by Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, would require the board to produce monthly reports and prohibit the release of a prisoner until at least 21 days after the Department of Corrections has been notified. Although many of the reforms have received broad bipartisan support, the two chambers are still working out differences, which include communication requirements and rules regarding timing.

The monthly report would require the board to explain decisions about whether they granted a person parole. It would include the offense committed, the amount of time served and the jurisdiction in which the offense was committed.

Parole board reform became a top Republican priority after the Office of Inspector General issued a report accusing the board of blocking information and testimony that would have made it more difficult to release certain prisoners, including convicted murders. The board rejected these accusations.

Another bill to reform the legislature passed the Senate, but not been sent to the House floor. Senate Bill 1103 would make individual votes regarding the release of a prisoner accessible to the public through the Freedom of Information Act. Similar legislation passed the Senate last year, but was blocked in the House.

Disclaimer: This content is distributed by The Center Square