Virginia’s Commonwealth Institute issued a statement this week in advance of what is tentatively being scheduled as a special session of the Virginia legislature in early August.

The institute, which focuses on issues of economic and social justice, has stated, “In the wake of a national conversation about racism, policing, and criminal justice reform, the time has come for changes to a system that has disproportionately targeted and incarcerated communities of color. This summer’s special session will be the next opportunity for Virginia’s lawmakers to advance necessary reforms, including new ‘fair chance’ policies that remove counterproductive barriers including in areas of employment, housing, and education and allow people with criminal records to build a more secure economic future.”