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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