SALT UPDATES from the most recent session of the Virginia General Assembly (VGA) and more:

• Update on solitary confinement legislation, SB 108. To review the most recent SB 108 information, click on Virginia’s Legislative Information System.

• Not to be missed: Inmates' challenge of solitary confinement in two Wise County prisons moves forward. Thanks to the efforts of the Virginia ACLU. 

• Update on SALT 2022 Legislative Priorities – see updates on the legislation cited immediately below that is supported by SALT.

• HB 484 Virginia Initiative for Education and Work; exemption for post-secondary students--amended and passed as a Work Study Group; patron: Delegate Dan Helmer;  (signed by Governor Youngkin);

• SB 108 Correctional facilities; prohibits use of isolated confinement--amended and passed as a Work Study Group; patron: Senator Joe Morrissey (signed by Governor Youngkin);

• SB 441 Correctional facilities, state, fees --amended and passed as a Study Group; patron: Senator Jennifer Boysko (signed by Governor Youngkin);

• SB 581 Local correctional facilities, fees-- amended and passed as a Study Group;  patron: Senator Joe Morrissey (signed by Governor Youngkin);

• 341#1h (DSS) TANF Standards Increase of Assistance passed @ 5%–by Delegate Sam Rosoul and 340 #1s by Senator Jennifer McClellan— per mandate to increases to 50% of the Federal Poverty Level (signed by Governor Youngkin);

• HB 1270 SNAP benefits program; inmates of state or local correctional facilities with Delegate Mark Sickles as patron (revised and passed as a Work-Study Group by the House and the Senate; vetoed by the Governor Youngkin). We will be back next year!

• Be alert for future updates regarding work-study groups shaping legislation having representatives providing input from SALT.

• SALT is in solidarity with The Humanization Project (click here for important information available on the web site) and their legislative efforts to protect HB 5148, "Earned Sentence Credits" (ESC), for the incarcerated, and is working hard to save ESC.  Governor Youngkin was successful in narrowing a 2020 law allowing inmates to earn sentencing credits for good behavior or participation in rehabilitation programs after three Senate Democrats sided with Republicans to pass his amendment…read more. A  rally is set to protest the action of the Governor and the Legislature  for Saturday July 9th, from 10am-1pm, at 5701 Springfield road Glen Allen, Virginia. This is a moment for the families of the incarcerated and advocates to focus on voting power, in order to achieve more victories. 

• A Boost to Working Families via a Refundable State EITC. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a commonsense way to support families with low to moderate incomes. Over 600,000 of Virginia’s working families currently receive the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which helps families to put food on the table, keep up with utility bills, and afford other necessities…read more.

• Read more about the EITC and other issues in this document prepared by The Commonwealth Institute: “Budgets are moral documents that reflect what whom we value.”

ADVOCACY DIGEST and NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

• Important information from Virginia Organizing: Last year, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to help people afford health insurance by extending subsidies that were originally passed under the 2021 American Rescue Plan. These subsidies have allowed a record 14.5 million people to afford health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).However, unless the Senate acts soon, all of the gains we’ve made in insuring millions more people will come crashing down. Please write a comment to Senator Mark Warner and Senator Tim Kaine to make sure they understand how vital these subsidies—sometimes called "premium tax credits"—are to Virginians, or call them at 202-224-3121. 

• The Citizens Climate Lobby provides an opportunity to advocate for environmental justice and unite in solidarity with the people of Ukraine: click on Stand with Ukraine for more information and to take action. Also, this recent letter in The Washington Post may be of interest: A stronger reason to support carbon policies. The Governor of Virginia is apparently not on board with protecting the environment: Virginia declines to join federal-state offshore wind partnership.

• Some web sites that may be of interest for justice advocates: The Commonwealth Institute, NETWORK, The Humanization Project, Virginia Mercury, Catholic Charities USA, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities,  Virginia Coalition on Solitary Confinement, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, Who’s my legislator, Offices of Justice, Peace, and Human Development--USCCB.