Victories

Review 2021 Session Highlights Here (PDF)

2020 Special Session Highlights (August - November 2020)

2020 - Required the state to provide funding to the Dept. of Elections for providing prepaid postage for the return of absentee ballots
2020 - Virginia Residential Landlord & Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement
2020 - Eviction Moratorium, Budget Enactment: Prevents landlords from terminating a residential tenancy, or taking any eviction actions, for non-payment of rent through December 31, 2020, and allows tenants facing financial hardship to enroll in a payment plan for existing rent debt for six months or the remainder of their lease term
2020 - Utility Moratorium, Budget Enactment: Provides policy to extend statewide utility service disconnection moratorium, requires utilities to provide customer debt repayment plans for up to 24 months, and calls on Dominion Energy to forgive accounts 30 days in arrears or more
Enabled the creation of a Marcus alert system to help those experiencing mental health crises by utilizing law enforcement and behavioral health workers.
Marijuana-related offenses can be prepaid, avoiding the need for a court appearance
Allows a prosecutor the authority to dismiss a criminal case
Limits the circumstances for lawful traffic stops or pedestrian stops. Also prohibits a stop solely on the basis of the odor of marijuana. Evidence found under these circumstances is not admissible in court. The bill also updates other traffic/ vehicle regulations
Law enforcement's duty is to intervene and render aid
Prohibits neck restraints unless the use of a neck restraint is immediately necessary to protect the law enforcement officer or another person.
Limiting the circumstances under which search warrants (especially no-knock warrants and nighttime warrants) can be requested from a judge or magistrate and execution to daytime unless good cause is shown upon warrant request
Requires the adoption of standards of conduct and expanded the criteria for decertification when a law enforcement officer is found guilty of misconduct and mandates reporting to the Criminal Justice Services Board in writing
Mandates law enforcement agencies and jails request the prior employment and disciplinary history of new hires
Authority for localities to create Civilian Review Boards. 7/1/21 Effective Date
Establishes a structure for incarcerated individuals to earn credits against their sentence by completing recommended programs and displaying good behavior 07/1/22 Effective Date

2020 Session Highlights (January - March 2020)

Establishes Election Day as a state holiday
Establish absentee voting without a needed excuse (e.g. business trip, student attending college, etc.)
Create a 45-day early vote and absentee voting period before primary and general elections
Repeals strict photo ID requirements for voting
Require election materials and voting information be provided in multiple languages
Establish redistricting criteria for how legislative maps protect communities of interest
Increase Virginia’s minimum wage by 30% for nearly 1 million people and puts us on the path to $15/hour
Establish a state-based health exchange that provides access to health coverage
Cover doula and midwifery services for Medicaid beneficiaries to help reduce the number of Black maternal deaths
Ensure that health insurance plans sold in Virginia cannot discriminate based on health status and must cover essential health benefits
Allow all immigrants regardless of status to drive legally
Remove the mandate that law enforcement report to ICE individuals they have in custody
Prohibit law enforcement from asking the immigration status of victims and witnesses of crime
Allowed for community service to be done as credit towards court fines/ fees
Ban the Box on applications for public employment
Simple possession of marijuana was decriminalized
Grand Larceny threshold increased to $1000
Community Policing Act which prohibited certain biased-based policing practices
The process for granting bail was made easier so less people would be held pretrial
Requires Norfolk Southern Railroad Company to include a cost-benefit analysis of covering rail cars carrying coal and for enclosing with a dust suppression system the twin rotary dumpsters in Norfolk in their annual report to the General Assembly
Defines environmental justice in state law and declares it the policy of the Commonwealth to promote and ensure environmental justice is carried out throughout Virginia
Formally established the Virginia Environmental Justice Council, so it cannot be dissolved at the will of the Governor and enshrines their duties and powers in law
Amendment 101: Item 402 Governor’s Budget Item allowing for the release of those incarcerated who had less than 1 year remaining on their sentence. Over 1000 people have since been released
Tenants cannot be discriminated against based on their source of income allowing those with housing vouchers to more easily find housing
Created a Tenants Bill of Rights that defines and informs tenants of their rights and responsibilities, as well as provides the contact information for necessary resources to protect those rights

Historical Victories

2018 - Part of leading the effort to pass Medicaid expansion in Virginia, restoring affordable healthcare to nearly 400,000 Virginians
2017 - In 2016, voted in a more representative legislature -- the majority of New Virginia Majority's endorsed candidates were elected
2016 - After nearly a decade of organizing, celebrated the restoration of voting rights to thousands of formerly incarcerated people in Virginia who continue to be registered, and expand the electorate
2015 - We have registered more than 200,000 Virginians to vote since 2015
November 2013 - Led a non-partisan, voter protection initiative in Northern Virginia, Richmond and Norfolk. We trained 58 poll monitors and staffed three regional command centers, with two attorneys at each location
August 2013 to November 2013 -- Reached out to 31,000 voters in Norfolk City, Richmond and Northern Virginia. We identified voters who supported issues close to our organizational mission and moved them to the polls
July 2013 -- Organized a candlelight vigil in support of immigration reform in Herndon. Over 250 supporters turned out for this event
May 2013 -- Celebrated May Day by organizing an immigration rally in Herndon. Over 200 supporters came out for this event
April 2013 -- Launched the New Majority Academy, where we trained 30 activists from Virginia and around the country in our approach to community organizing
March 2013 -- Worked with Wellstone Institute to train the next generation of community activists, campaign managers and progressive candidates
January 2013 -- Delivered over 18,500 signatures challenging a surprise Senate redistricting plan