Bill to bar out-of-state transfers to Red Onion vetoed, lawsuit on living conditions set for trial

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger vetoed Senate Bill 218, which aimed to block out-of-state inmate transfers to Red Onion State Prison due to allegations of racism, retaliation, and abuse. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Mike Jones, sought to pause transfers amid ongoing concerns about the prison's conditions, but the governor argued it could risk unsafe conditions in Virginia's correctional system. A lawsuit addressing living conditions at Red Onion is set for trial.