JACKSON, MS – FWD.us Mississippi State Director Alesha Judkins issued the following statement today after Governor Tate Reeves’ veto of SB 2123, The Mississippi Correctional Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2020:

“We are extraordinarily shocked and disappointed by Governor Tate Reeves’ veto of SB 2123. This important bill was a widely-supported, urgently-needed, and moderate step forward in addressing Mississippi’s imprisonment crisis. SB 2123 would have safely expanded the opportunity for parole consideration to thousands in Mississippi’s dangerously crowded prisons. The governor’s veto represents a critical missed opportunity to save lives.

“At least 50 people have died in MDOC custody since December. The Department of Justice has launched an investigation into conditions in four state prisons, and MDOC is facing multiple lawsuits — all while COVID-19 cases behind bars continue to rise, endangering the lives of people inside and in the surrounding communities. For too long, Mississippi has been burdened by a daily prison system that takes countless lives and wastes critical taxpayer dollars. We applaud the state legislature for the important work they thoughtfully did to develop, deliberate on, and then pass SB 2123. It will now be up to them to finish the work they started by overriding the governor’s veto, to ensure SB 2123 becomes law.”