It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Governor Youngkin has once again vetoed a critical cannabis justice bill. Despite overwhelming support from Virginia’s General Assembly, the governor has chosen to deny relief to thousands of individuals who remain incarcerated or under state supervision for cannabis-related offenses—convictions tied to laws that have since changed. Last year, Youngkin vetoed a similar bill designed by Last Prisoner Project (LPP), denying potential freedom to more than 1,844 people. This year, the legislature advanced two key bills aimed at providing relief. HB 2555 would have created a sentence modification process for individuals still impacted by outdated cannabis laws. Instead of signing this measure into law, Youngkin has once again chosen to uphold the injustices of the past. Luckily, the other bill, SB 1466, which will streamline state-initiated expungements for cannabis offenses, sealing ancillary records such as probation violations and failures to appear related to past cannabis charges, was approved by Gov. Youngkin, but will be sent back to the legislature with amendments. The Commonwealth should be concerned that the Governor admits cannabis is both the cause of and contribution to thousands of individual's criminal sentences but it is unwilling to adopt a solution to prioritize relief while preserving a commitment to public safety by vesting oversight throughout the process. The governor's office ultimately approved record relief for certain cannabis convictions, but for those behind bars, this administration has once again failed to deliver lasting change. LPP has been at the forefront of the fight for justice in Virginia. Our Director of Policy, Adrian Rocha, provided testimony in support of these bills, underscoring the urgent need to right the wrongs of cannabis prohibition. Additionally, LPP's Director of Advocacy, Stephanie Shepard, who herself served time for a cannabis offense, penned a powerful op-ed in Virginia emphasizing the necessity of these reforms and the human toll of continued incarceration. Virginia ended cannabis prohibition in 2021, yet many remain incarcerated for offenses that are no longer crimes. The Virginia Department of Corrections reports an average annual cost of $33,994 per incarcerated individual, while Virginia has generated over $8 million in tax revenue from medical marijuana as of 2023. HB 2555 was a crucial step toward justice—one the Governor has now denied. The governor’s decision ignores the will of the people and the reality that cannabis reform is not only necessary but overwhelmingly popular. Polling shows that 84% of registered voters support releasing individuals incarcerated for offenses that are no longer illegal. With each veto, Youngkin chooses to leave families separated and lives needlessly disrupted, all while Virginia’s legal cannabis industry continues to grow and generate revenue. We want to extend our deepest gratitude to the advocates and organizations who have fought tirelessly for justice, including Marijuana Justice Virginia, Nolef Turns, the Virginia NAACP, NORML, the Virginia Student Power Network, The New Majority Virginia, and Rise for Youth. While this veto is a setback, it is not the end. The fight for cannabis justice continues, and LPP remains committed to ensuring that no one is left behind. We will not stop until every cannabis prisoner is free.

As we reflect on our first five years of impact at the Last Prisoner Project, we are thrilled to share an exciting new development: Norman L. Reimer has joined our Board of Directors! Norm is a transformational leader in the fight for justice and he will play a key role in shaping our vision for reuniting families, rebuilding lives, and reimagining drug policy. Norm Reimer has devoted his career to the defense of the accused and reform of the justice system. As a criminal defense attorney, he has represented accused individuals at the trial and appellate level and in state and federal courts for four decades. As a reformer, he leads efforts to reform misguided policies and practices that fuel mass incarceration, overcriminalization, and disparate impact. Norman’s noteworthy achievements include co-founding the John Adams Project in partnership with the American Civil Liberties Union to provide attorneys trained in capital defense to represent the accused in the military commission proceedings at Guantanamo Bay, and leading a collaboration among several groups during the Obama administration to establish Clemency Project 2014, a cadre of volunteer lawyers, which secured the commutation of long federal prison sentences for 894 individuals, including more than 300 who were serving life sentences. Norm is currently Of Counsel at Vladeck, Raskin & Clark, P.C. , where he continues his criminal defense work. His previous positions include serving as Executive Director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, CEO of Fair Trials, and President of the New York County Lawyers’ Association. He also served as an Adjunct Law Professor at New York Law School, where he taught trial practice. Norman earned his B.A. and J.D. from New York University.