House of Delegates to hold first hearing on police reform for upcoming session
RICHMOND, Va. (WSET) -- The Virginia House of Delegates will be holding the first of three joint public hearings on police and criminal justice reform as they prepare for the upcoming special session Wednesday, July 22.
They say each subsequent hearing will cover an additional area of police and criminal justice reform. These hearings will be chaired by House Courts of Justice Chair Charniele Herring and House Public Safety Chair Patrick Hope.
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The first hearing will be about law enforcement policies, procedures and response.
Officials say it will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the public can submit questions and comments virtually.
The Joint Committee will also hear from experts and advocates in the police and criminal justice arena.
If you cannot join this hearing there will be two more held on Wednesday, July 29 at 10 a.m. and Thursday, August 6 at 10 a.m. They are also open for live public comment and will also be streamed.
Last week Gov. Ralph Northam called for a special legislative session next month to focus on the state budget in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic as well as criminal and social justice reform.
“I look forward to bringing legislators back in session as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “We have a unique opportunity to provide critical support to Virginians, invest strategically in our economic recovery, and make progress on policing and criminal justice reform. Let’s get to work.”
The governor’s office said he expects to champion legislation that’s “aimed at police accountability and oversight, use of force, increased training and education, and officer recruitment, hiring, and decertification.”
