Richmond, Virginia: Last week, Senator Ryan T. McDougle (R-Hanover) was pleased to join Governor McDonnell and members of the law enforcement community for the unveiling of the Governor’s Executive Order No. 11 highlighting his prisoner re-entry initiative and for the bill signing of McDougle’s Senate Bill 670 from this year’s General Assembly session. 

 Senator McDougle’s legislation aims to assist prisoners who are working to pay off their court costs.  If a prisoner is enrolled in a work program while incarcerated, he or she will be able to contribute some of their earnings towards their court costs.  When the inmate finishes his or her sentence, he or she will be less burdened re-entering into society as a resulting of being able to pay down some mandatory court costs. Under current law, if fines and cost are not paid in full or a plan established, an individual’s driver’s license will be suspended within 15 days of court. 

“This idea stemmed from a successful pilot program at Lunenburg Correction Center where inmates contribute part of their pay from work programs to satisfy their court fines and costs.  Currently, the statute requires inmates on work release, electronic monitoring or nonconsecutive day programs (weekenders) to contribute part of their earnings to satisfy court costs.  This legislation when implemented will be an effective change for inmates to assist in their re-entry once his or her sentence has been served,” said Senator McDougle. 

This legislation goes hand in hand with Governor McDonnell’s newly announced Prisoner & Juvenile Offender Re-Entry Council which will work to create new policies and plans for each inmate for his or her reentry back into the community. 

Last week at the press conference the Governor remarked, “This Council established today is a state-wide effort.  We must recognize the efforts of non-profit and faith-based organizations, as well as local governments, who have been integral in this cause, and find ways to support them as they continue to provide opportunities to offenders to facilitate successful community re-integration.  By implementing a comprehensive re-entry strategy, this Council will take the necessary steps to ensure that we are doing all we can do to assist offenders who have accepted responsibility for their actions and want to become productive members of society.”  

Senator McDougle’s legislation can be viewed at http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=101&typ=bil&val=sb670 and the Governor’s Executive Order is found here: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/Issues/ExecutiveOrders/2010/EO-11.cfm.

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Richmond, Virginia:  On Friday, Senator Ryan McDougle (R-Hanover) was appointed to the Governor’s Commission on Government Reform and Restructuring.  This Commission was created moments after Governor McDonnell took office by Executive Order Number Two.  The purpose of the Commission is to examine ways to make state government more efficient and effective and streamline areas of inefficient and unnecessary services, focusing on the core functions of government. 

“I’m honored and excited to start working with the other members of the Commission to find ways to save our taxpayer dollars and restructure areas of waste and duplication in state government.  The Commonwealth should be using the most efficient methods to carry out everyday government services.  Especially in this challenging economic time, families and individuals have cut spending and I feel strongly that state government must do the same,” said Senator McDougle.   

In the a press release Governor McDonnell issued on May 7, 2010, the Governor remarked, “We must make government simpler and easier to use, more efficient and more effective. That is the work of this Commission. The Commission members will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the state’s agencies, programs, and services to find out how we can make our state government work better for its owners, the people of Virginia. I look forward to working with these reform-minded leaders to examine how Virginia can better serve the taxpayers. Our state and local government employees have made Virginia one of the best managed states in the nation and just like them, I will always seek to make us even better.”

The Commission will be meeting soon during the next month and will complete its first report to the Governor by July 16, 2010.  A final report will recommendations of the Commission will be made by December 1, 2010. 

The core responsibilities of the Commission are as follows:

1. Identify opportunities for creating efficiencies in state government, including streamlining, consolidating, or eliminating redundant and unnecessary agency services, governing bodies, regulations and programs
2. Explore innovative ways to deliver state services at the lowest cost and best value to Virginia taxpayers
3. Seek out means to more effectively and efficiently perform core state functions, including potential privatization of government operations where appropriate, and restore focus on core mission oriented service
4. Examine ways for state government to be more transparent, user friendly and accountable

Senator McDougle represents the Fourth Senate district which includes the counties of Caroline, Essex, Hanover, King William, King and Queen, Middlesex and part of Spotsylvania County. 

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