Volume 17
Number 2
January 21, 2005

Director on Record

Where We Are

Bills Tracking

Purple Papers

The Associate Director on Record
Execute Justice Not Juveniles

In the Center’s criminal justice work before the General Assembly, bills expanding the death penalty have a better chance of passing than the bills curtailing this ultimate sentence. This is a sad reality.

The Interfaith Center participates in a coalition, the Virginia Alliance to End the Juvenile Death Penalty, which supports the two bills before this year’s legislature to abolish the juvenile death penalty (Del. Callahan’s HB 1975, Sen. Ticer’s SB 1078).

Unfortunately, several bills have been proposed to “enhance” the death penalty. Most troubling, Del. Dave Albo’s HB 1800, adds willful, deliberate, and premeditated killing ordered by a member of a gang to the list of capital crimes eligible for the death penalty. Since many gang members are juveniles, the passage of this bill would most likely mean that more juvenile offenders would be eligible for capital punishment.

Regrettably, Del. Albo foresees this likelihood and is seemingly unfazed. He was recently quoted saying, “Yes, there might be some 17-year-old kids that get the death penalty under this bill…But I think the ones that deserve it will get it." To call them “kids” clearly recognizing juvenile offenders as youth, and to condemn juveniles to death in the same breath is revolting.

Ironically, a Senate committee recently passed good legislation to ban juveniles from using cell phones while driving. While listening to the debate, I was struck that the legislature continues to target young people because they are juveniles, yet in criminal justice issues, young people are treated like adults. One Senator even commented, "Things change when you're not old enough to vote."

Many legislators believe that Virginians are supportive of executing juveniles. Are these legislators right? Each year when we poll you, our membership, you tell us that abolishing the death penalty is a legislative priority. We need your help. Regardless of what happens this session, I challenge you to make the juvenile death penalty an issue in your community of faith. It is awkward to discuss things on which we disagree, but it can also be a rich learning opportunity. So, include this issue in your adult education class or lead a high school youth group discussion to learn about what the young people think. Over the next year, I look forward to hearing feedback (mary@Virginia Interfaith Center.org) about the discussions taking place in your community about this important issue. -Mary Dunne Stewart

February 8th is bill crossover day - all the bills of one house that remain alive cross over to the other house for consideration by the other chamber. Therefore, committee and subcommittee action now is intense, trying to manage the sheer quantity of bills (over 2,000).

To their credit, most committees do give quality time to significant bills. But, when some committees and subcommittees meet until after 10 pm, physical and mental fatigue does set in. As bills pass a committee, they move on to the floor for further debate and action. These are busy days when things move quickly - which can be difficult for citizen advocates to keep track of the many important bills. We update our web site, virginiainterfaithcenter.org on a DAILY basis, so please check back frequently. Also, please visit our web site to join our email alert list. We send specific, targeted alerts two to three times per week.

Bill Tracking

Bills in black are those that the Virginia Interfaith Center opposes. Grey indicates the bill is dead.

NOW IS THE TIME TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS BY FAX, EMAIL, PHONE, OR VISIT! Send email and fax messages to your legislators via our user friendly communications system on our Web site at www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org.

Key - HB= House Bill; SB=Senate Bill; BA=Budget Amendment; PBI=passed by indefinitely (dead); Tabled=probable death; Left in Committee=probable death

Day of All People of Faith (formerly Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian Day)Information <click>Download Registration Form <click(.pdf)>

Recent Purple Papers
The following are a selection of purple papers from this session. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we distribute to all 140 legislators a quote, statistic or scripture verse on a purple sheet of our letterhead.

“Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand.” - Mark Twain

“Thus says the Lord God: he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. I am the Lord you God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. You are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you.” - Isaiah 43:2-5

“Faithful democracy means that people of faith are called to serve in government and to hold government and its elected leaders accountable for the decisions they make.” - Bishop Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

A recent Statewide Executive Council report indicates that 23% - 27% of children (over 2,000 children) under the Department of Social Services supervision are in custody in order to obtain needed mental health treatment. Parents in Virginia are forced to relinquish custody of their troubled children in order for the children to receive mental health treatment.