Virginia passes two landmark bills to protect pregnant people behind bars

Virginia passes two landmark bills to protect pregnant people behind bars

New laws now ban shackling during labor and give judges more flexibility to release pregnant people pretrial. Here’s how it happened—and why it matters. After reminiscing about having her own daughter in Virginia, Delegate Rae Cousins couldn’t imagine giving birth in restraints. During her first legislative term in 2024, the Democrat from Richmond introduced bills focused on criminal justice reform and improving maternal health outcomes. That’s …