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Gov. Shows Support For Bills Addressing Va.’s Racial Disparities

NEW JOURNAL AND GUIDE — During the 2019 session of the Virginia General Assembly, Black lawmakers and their allies proposed a number of bills to address the economic, social and educational disparities facing Virginia’s African-American community. The members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus have enlisted a reliable ally to make laws addressing those disparities a reality: Virginia Governor Ralph Northam.

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By Leonard E. Colvin

During the 2019 session of the Virginia General Assembly, Black lawmakers and their allies proposed a number of bills to address the economic, social and educational disparities facing Virginia’s African-American community.

The members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus have enlisted a reliable ally to make laws addressing those disparities a reality: Virginia Governor Ralph Northam.

Seven weeks ago, most of the state’s Black and white political leaders and civil rights advocates were calling for Northam’s resignation after images surfaced on his 1985 EVMS yearbook page of one white student in Blackface and another clad in a KKK  costume.

He rejected calls for him to step down. And, unable to run for another term, Northam declared he would use his tenure to address issues of racial and economic disparities in the state’s racial legacy since slavery.

“I am going to do everything to really bring some good from these events which happened six weeks ago,” he said. “Actions speak louder than words.”

To that end, the Governor recently signed a number of bills introduced by members of the Black Caucus which will take effect July 1.

Among them, Northam signed a bill sponsored by Delegate Lamont Bagby, (Democrat-Henrico County) which will create the Virginia African American Advisory Board.

The board will be composed of 21 non-legislative citizen members appointed by the Governor, and at least 15 of the members must be African American.

The Secretaries of the Commonwealth, Commerce, and Trade, Education, Health and Human Resources, and Public Safety and Homeland Security will also serve on the board as ex-officio members.

Bagby said the board will be up and running after July 1, the beginning of the state’s new budgetary cycle. Members will be appointed by the Governor then.

“I am pleased to sign this bill into law, and I look forward to working closely with the members of this board to advance policies and legislation to promote the economic, social, educational, and cultural wellbeing of the African American community in Virginia,” Northam said.

The Virginia African American Advisory Board is charged with advising the Governor on developing economic, professional, cultural, educational, and governmental links between the state government and the African American community. Two other existing state boards, the Virginia Latino Advisory Board and the Virginia Asian Advisory Board, also serve to advise the Governor on issues affecting their respective communities in Virginia, including education, health equity, public safety, and minority-owned businesses.

Educational Spending Law

During the 2019 legislative session, Bagby said the Black Caucus got a head start by sponsoring a bill which addressed educational spending disparities. He said that the legislature provided additional funds for school divisions with large numbers of poor and at-risk children in rural and urban areas.

“This is one of the legislative victories which is long overdue,” said  Bagby. “It will be charged to look at a number of issues including criminal justice,   the impact of educational issues related to  public schools suspensions, healthcare, minority access to the procurement dollars, our HBCUs, housing equity and creation of small businesses.”

In signing the bill into law, Northam said, “To build a more accessible, inclusive, and equitable Commonwealth, we must ensure the voices of all Virginians are heard, particularly those from underrepresented and historically disenfranchised communities.”

Non-payment of Court Costs Law

Northam also amended the state budget recently passed by the General Assembly to eliminate the suspension of driving privileges for nonpayment of court fines and costs.

This amendment would also reinstate driving privileges for the more than 627,000 Virginians who currently have their licenses suspended.

“The practice of suspending a person’s driver’s license for nonpayment of court fines and costs is inequitable – it’s past time we end it,” the governor said.

While signing the measure, Northam said, “A driver’s license is critical to daily life, including a person’s ability to maintain a job. Eliminating a process that envelops hundreds of thousands of Virginians in a counterproductive cycle is not only fair, it’s also the right thing to do.”

Governor Northam also included funding in his budget to address potential lost revenue from reinstatement fees to the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Trauma

Center Fund. While these bills ultimately failed, the funding remained in the budget.

Several states are addressing this issue,  which impacts poor  African Americans and Hispanic individuals the most,  according to civil rights activists, who support such measures.

“Fundamentally, this practice of suspending one’s driver’s license without knowing their ability to pay and undermining the ability to potentially pay court costs in the future is cruel; and, it may even be unconstitutional,” said Delegate Cliff Hayes of Chesapeake. “Virginia knows better than to have such a practice. It’s time that we do better.”

Absentee Ballot Law

With his colleagues in the House, District 5 State Senator Lionell Spruill of Chesapeake and Norfolk, saw his legislation passed to abolish the policy where Virginians must give an excuse to vote using absentee ballot.

To avoid having it killed by a GOP-led committee, Spruill  said he and its sponsors made a deal with the GOP lawmakers to have the bill not take effect until 2020, just in time to bolster voter turnout for the presidential elections.

Today, if a voter is to qualify to use an absentee ballot prior to election day,  he or she has to give one of 17 reasons ,including doing business out of town.

But the bill passed in the  House and Senate would do away with this policy.

Senator Spruill said this legislation is a “good start” until lawmakers can pass a law allowing people to vote at will prior to an election.

Lottery Winnings and Labor Laws

There have been no instances where a Virginian has won $10 million via the state or national lotteries.

But Spruill was among sponsors of a new law which will allow residents who win that much money through the lottery to remaining anonymous.

According to state law, people who shined shoes, were baby sitters, and/or kitchen aides did not qualify to be paid the state minimum wage.

Most of these people who held such jobs during the days of Jim Crow were African Americans who were targeted by the rule. Now according to Spruill, that policy has been abolished.

The few remaining shoe shiners must be paid the $7.25 state minimum wage.

Evictions Reduction Law

Northam signed one of  State Senator Mamie Locke’s signature bills which would create a pilot program aimed at reducing eviction rates in Virginia.

The legislation is designed to reverse findings by a  Princeton University research group which found that five cities, including Norfolk and Newport News in Virginia, have some of the highest eviction rates in the country.`

A pilot program will be launched next year in Richmond, Danville, Hampton, and Petersburg to reduce evictions in those cities. The law calls for the collection of data on the program’s effectiveness to help develop methods for preventing evictions around the state.

Managed by the city’s court system, tenants who meet certain criteria will be able to enter into a payment plan with their landlords to avoid a judgment of eviction.

Northam signed a package of bills aimed at reducing evictions by giving tenants more time to pay rent and fees ahead of an eviction notice and limiting the number of legal actions a landlord may file.

This article originally appeared in the New Journal and Guide

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

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Juneteenth: Celebrating Our History, Honoring Our Shared Spaces

It’s been empowering to watch Juneteenth blossom into a widely celebrated holiday, filled with vibrant outdoor events like cookouts, festivals, parades, and more. It’s inspiring to see the community embrace our history—showing up in droves to celebrate freedom, a freedom delayed for some enslaved Americans more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

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Wayne Wilson, Public Affairs Campaign Manager, Caltrans
Wayne Wilson, Public Affairs Campaign Manager, Caltrans

By Wayne Wilson, Public Affairs Campaign Manager, Caltrans

Juneteenth marks an important moment in our shared history—a time to reflect on the legacy of our ancestors who, even in the face of injustice, chose freedom, unity, and community over fear, anger, and hopelessness. We honor their resilience and the paths they paved so future generations can continue to walk with pride.

It’s been empowering to watch Juneteenth blossom into a widely celebrated holiday, filled with vibrant outdoor events like cookouts, festivals, parades, and more. It’s inspiring to see the community embrace our history—showing up in droves to celebrate freedom, a freedom delayed for some enslaved Americans more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

As we head into the weekend full of festivities and summer celebrations, I want to offer a friendly reminder about who is not invited to the cookout: litter.

At Clean California, we believe the places where we gather—parks, parade routes, street corners, and church lots—should reflect the pride and beauty of the people who fill them. Our mission is to restore and beautify public spaces, transforming areas impacted by trash and neglect into spaces that reflect the strength and spirit of the communities who use them.

Too often, after the music fades and the grills cool, our public spaces are left littered with trash. Just as our ancestors took pride in their communities, we honor their legacy when we clean up after ourselves, teach our children to do the same, and care for our shared spaces.

Small acts can inspire big change. Since 2021, Clean California and its partners have collected and removed over 2.9 million cubic yards of litter. We did this by partnering with local nonprofits and community organizations to organize grassroots cleanup events and beautification projects across California.

Now, we invite all California communities to continue the incredible momentum and take the pledge toward building a cleaner community through our Clean California Community Designation Program. This recognizes cities and neighborhoods committed to long-term cleanliness and civic pride.

This Juneteenth, let’s not only celebrate our history—but also contribute to its legacy. By picking up after ourselves and by leaving no litter behind after celebrations, we have an opportunity to honor our past and shape a cleaner, safer, more vibrant future.

Visit CleanCA.com to learn more about Clean California.

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OPINION: California’s Legislature Has the Wrong Prescription for the Affordability Crisis — Gov. Newsom’s Plan Hits the Mark

Last month, Gov. Newsom included measures in his budget that would encourage greater transparency, accountability, and affordability across the prescription drug supply chain. His plan would deliver real relief to struggling Californians. It would also help expose the hidden markups and practices by big drug companies that push the prices of prescription drugs higher and higher. The legislature should follow the Governor’s lead and embrace sensible, fair regulations that will not raise the cost of medications.

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Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook. Courtesy of Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook.
Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook. Courtesy of Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook.

By Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook

As a pastor and East Bay resident, I see firsthand how my community struggles with the rising cost of everyday living. A fellow pastor in Oakland recently told me he cuts his pills in half to make them last longer because of the crushing costs of drugs.

Meanwhile, community members are contending with skyrocketing grocery prices and a lack of affordable healthcare options, while businesses are being forced to close their doors.

Our community is hurting. Things have to change.

The most pressing issue that demands our leaders’ attention is rising healthcare costs, and particularly the rising cost of medications. Annual prescription drug costs in California have spiked by nearly 50% since 2018, from $9.1 billion to $13.6 billion.

Last month, Gov. Newsom included measures in his budget that would encourage greater transparency, accountability, and affordability across the prescription drug supply chain. His plan would deliver real relief to struggling Californians. It would also help expose the hidden markups and practices by big drug companies that push the prices of prescription drugs higher and higher. The legislature should follow the Governor’s lead and embrace sensible, fair regulations that will not raise the cost of medications.

Some lawmakers, however, have advanced legislation that would drive up healthcare costs and set communities like mine back further.

I’m particularly concerned with Senate Bill (SB) 41, sponsored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), a carbon copy of a 2024 bill that I strongly opposed and Gov. Newsom rightly vetoed. This bill would impose significant healthcare costs on patients, small businesses, and working families, while allowing big drug companies to increase their profits.

SB 41 would impose a new $10.05 pharmacy fee for every prescription filled in California. This new fee, which would apply to millions of Californians, is roughly five times higher than the current average of $2.

For example, a Bay Area family with five monthly prescriptions would be forced to shoulder about $500 more in annual health costs. If a small business covers 25 employees, each with four prescription fills per month (the national average), that would add nearly $10,000 per year in health care costs.

This bill would also restrict how health plan sponsors — like employers, unions, state plans, Medicare, and Medicaid — partner with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to negotiate against big drug companies and deliver the lowest possible costs for employees and members. By mandating a flat fee for pharmacy benefit services, this misguided legislation would undercut your health plan’s ability to drive down costs while handing more profits to pharmaceutical manufacturers.

This bill would also endanger patients by eliminating safety requirements for pharmacies that dispense complex and costly specialty medications. Additionally, it would restrict home delivery for prescriptions, a convenient and affordable service that many families rely on.

Instead of repeating the same tired plan laid out in the big pharma-backed playbook, lawmakers should embrace Newsom’s transparency-first approach and prioritize our communities.

Let’s urge our state legislators to reject policies like SB 41 that would make a difficult situation even worse for communities like ours.

About the Author

Rev. Dr. VanHook is the founder and pastor of The Community Church in Oakland and the founder of The Charis House, a re-entry facility for men recovering from alcohol and drug abuse.

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