Meek Mill and his REFORM Alliance are celebrating today (June 10) after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed the organization’s sponsored probation reform bill into law.
“Big victory in Virginia today!!! Brought relief for thousands on our way to millions across the country, while creating safer communities for all!” REFORM CEO Robert Rooks wrote on Twitter. “Huge shoutout to [Gov. Ralph Northam], Delegate [Don Scott], Meek Mill & my REFORM family.”
According to Virginia’s legislative website, the new bill introduces significant probation reform, including limiting “the amount of active incarceration a court can impose as a result of a revocation hearing for a probation violation.”
“Justice must be fair; it must be equitable and punishment must meet the crime,” Northam said while signing the bill.
Meek suffered through his own probation woes for almost 12 years, sparking his and REFORM’s fight for updated parole and probation laws across the U.S.
“I’m in position to do better and I know people that are [in] 100 times worse situations than me that I had no connection to and met in prison along the way,” he said of the bill’s signing on Thursday. “With y’all support, I’ll continue to do better than I started. I got my deal in 2012 and I was able to feed my family and provide jobs.”
“Of course, I’m not perfect but being in situations like this will make me become better and speed up the process,” he continued. “I’ll make sure I’ll be able to deliver and close every bridge I can to help fix the system because I was affected by that.”
On Twitter, he added, “Ain’t nothing but a lil bit of straighten. Thank you governor for signing [this bill] it will help many lives!”
Delegate Scott also shouted out the rapper on Twitter, writing, “Thank you Meek Mill for amplifying the efforts to reform this criminal justice system. We got probation reform done. We don’t forget where we come from ever. You a real one, bro. We are not finished. Godspeed.”
See Meek’s address and REFORM’s tweet about the bill signing below.