Richmond Times-Dispatch | February 23rd

By: JIM NOLAN; OLYMPIA MEOLA

Delegates rejected an effort to backfill cuts to child advocacy centers -- programs that allow many representatives to work together to conduct interviews and make decisions in child abuse cases.

The amendment would have added $931,000 to the budget in each of the two fiscal years.

“These children are victims of rape, sodomy, torture, battery, starvation and other unimaginable verified incidents across Virginia,” said Del. Alfonso Lopez, D-Arlington. “These are criminal acts against children who need the investigative treatment and prosecutorial best practices provided by CACs…” 

Del. S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, said he appreciated Lopez’s position but that “the budget is a series of difficult choices.”

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