The report calls for solitary confinement to be banned in state prisons except “only in rare and exceptional cases, for the shortest duration, with the least restrictive setting necessary and only when the prisoner poses a credible continuing and serious threat to the security others."

The Virginia Supreme Court today made clear in Neal v. Fairfax, a case brought by the ACLU-VA against the Fairfax County Police Department, that random mass surveillance by law enforcement agencies is not exempt from the requirements of Virginia’s Government Data Collection and Dissemination Act.

Virginia should welcome newcomers and promote cooperation between immigrants and local police; not create fear of detention and removal for coming forward to report crimes. For these reason, the ACLU of Virginia urges Governor Northam to veto HB 1257.

The organizations listed below support an increase in Virginia’s felony larceny threshold but oppose the so-called bipartisan compromise that traded an increase in the threshold for passage of legislation enhancing the enforcement of restitution orders entered in criminal cases.