Richmond, VA—Thanks to the steadfast advocacy of the members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus (VLBC) and their colleagues, the General Assembly has made critical investments in infrastructure, included COVID-19 relief and support for Virginians, and elected a historic slate of judges to the Virginia Court of Appeals. 

“During this Special Session we allocated federal American Rescue Plan funding—prioritizing long overdue infrastructure and support to Virginians as we continue to recover from the impacts of the pandemic,” said VLBC Chairman Delegate Lamont Bagby (D-74th, Henrico) regarding Special Session II. “We fought to provide eviction relief and protections, broadband expansion, public school infrastructure investments and support for students, small business support, investments in the Unemployment Trust Fund, access to clean water, and much more. We are proud of the work we completed during this special session and look forward to continuing the work in the sessions ahead.”

VLBC members were also proud to have led the effort in selecting a historically diverse slate of judges.

“I’m overjoyed and humbled to have played a part in such a historic day,” said Delegate Don Scott (D-80th, Portsmouth). “An unprecedented number of elected judges are graduates of HBCU law schools. We are proud to have played a vital role in making it happen. This slate includes a historic number of geographically, ethnically, and gender diverse judges. If you’re counting, over 20 African American judges were appointed or reappointed by this General Assembly in the last 2 years.”

“It is with a great deal of pride that I participated in the historic confirmation of eight judges to the Court of Appeals,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas (D-18th, Portsmouth). “Currently, the court is made up of mostly white men, many of whom are former prosecutors. This is not reflective of the Commonwealth. With the appointment of four African Americans and four women, our actions will serve as an inspiration to future generations aspiring to become a judge and provide hope to citizens appearing before the court.”

“Today we took a historic step forward in making our legal system more equitable and expanding people’s rights as the Virginia Court of Appeals comes in step with state appellate courts across the country,” said House Majority Leader Charniele Herring  (D-46th, Alexandria). “We elected an unprecedented level of diversity to the bench. This process engaged the public, experts, and members from both chambers, and I think we have a great deal to be excited about as the justice landscape in Virginia continues to tilt toward inclusion. I want to thank everyone involved in this historic process—applicants, bar associations, the public, and the members of the General Assembly. I look forward to the work ahead to make our justice system one that works for all Virginians.”

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