Attorney General Mark Herring statement on Gov. McAuliffe’s reforms to the state’s hiring process

Attorney General Mark R. Herring issued the following statement in support of Governor Terry McAuliffe’s reforms to the state’s hiring process.

“With his record-setting restoration of rights, Governor McAuliffe has given thousands of Virginians a voice. Now, he’s giving them something even more important to their success: a fair shot at a good job. This is a responsible approach that keeps initial background checks for sensitive jobs in state government while ensuring that a youthful mistake or wrong decision doesn’t close the doors of opportunity for a lifetime. Today, the Governor gives families across the Commonwealth new hope for a brighter future.”

Attorney General Herring is providing the first-ever state-level assistance to coordinate, expand, and improve re-entry efforts in local and regional jails. While Virginia has made significant strides in helping prisoners re-enter their communities from state prisons, local sheriffs have had no statewide coordination or resources to assist them with starting or operating reentry programs in their jails.