Q1

Please provide some basic information about  yourself.

Name Cory Chase

Office Sought House of Delegates - D53

City/Town Davis

Email Address chaseforwv@gmail.com

Q2

From 1980 to 2016 the West Virginia state prison population has increased by 470%.  What, if anything, would you change to reverse this trend?

I'm a firm advocate for ending (or highly regulating in the meantime) private for-profit prisons, decriminalizing drugs (especially cannabis) and sex work, and investing heavily in preventative programs for youth and adults rather than wasting money on prisons and detention centers that don't address the underlying issues our people are struggling with. In my 2018 campaign for the same office, I advocated for #CareNotCuffs, which aims to divert people struggling with drug addiction and/or mental illness away from the criminal justice system and into rehabilitation and educational programs.

Q3

Civil asset forfeiture is a process where police can seize any property "related" to criminal activity and later can file a civil case to forfeit the property to either be used or auctioned for money which is shared between the police department and local prosecutor.  This can happen regardless of whether there is a criminal conviction or even criminal charges brought against a person.Proponents say this is a useful tool for taking ill-gotten gains from criminals and funding police work, and that legal protections adequately prevent abuse of the system.Critics say the system amounts to theft, that many people cannot afford the legal costs to challenge a forfeiture action, and that it creates a perverse incentive for police.Do you support or oppose the practice of civil asset forfeiture?  What, if any, reforms would you make to the practice?

I oppose civil asset forfeiture in its current form and would only condone it if the law states that the forfeiture happens after a conviction and the assets then go to a third-party commission that invests most of the resources into programs that invest in alternatives to the for-profit prison system.

Q4

More than half the population of West Virginia's regional jails are pre-trial.  That means they haven't been found guilty of any crime yet.  Most are there because they could not afford bail, though some are there because they were denied a chance to post bail.  What changes, if any would you make to our pretrial and/or bail system to balance concerns about safety and court efficiency with ensuring we are not incarcerating people without due process?

Our current bail system is nothing short of class warfare. Bail should be dependent on an individual's case and not their financial ability to pay to get out of jail. In short, the current system highly benefits for-profit prisons and does little to help the victims of this rigged system. I will advocate for a system that doesn't overburden our courts and that considers individual rights first and foremost.

Q5

In 2015 West Virginia passed significant reforms to the juvenile justice system.  Despite these reforms, the State still utilizes out of home placement at a high rate for system-involved youth.  What, if anything, should West Virginia do to reduce out-of-home placements for system-involved juveniles?

WV needs to combat the school-to-prison pipeline and invest in preventative measures like public and school-based services designed to keep youth in school, not juvenile jails. Knowing full well that we have a mental health crisis in America, I'll work to divert resources to increase mental health programs for all WVians, but especially early-childhood and youth prevention programs.

Q6

West Virginia has a very low voter participation rate.  What changes, if any, would you make to increase voter participation?

Election days should be holidays (and paid holidays for all public employees). I would add an earned income tax credit for poor and working class workers who do vote. I'm a proponent of automatic voter registration, run off elections, and ranked choice voting. I would also invest state resources into finding a way to create a transparent blockchain voting system that would allow individuals to validate that their vote went where it was supposed to go. Public funding of elections is also something I think would instill more faith in our electoral system.

Q7

Over the past few years, there has been legislation aimed at requiring the Bible to be taught in public schools, allowing a Bible-based elective, or faith-based drug prevention electives.  What is your stance on incorporating religion into the public schools?

I support the separation of church and state and I understand the dangers of allowing specific sects of any religion a foothold in our public education system. I will always defend a person's right to practice their preferred religion as is guaranteed in our Constitution. If WV did pass legislation to allow faith-based electives, I would push for taxation of churches to pay for those courses and require broad focus on world religions, as well as agnosticism and atheism.

Q8

At least 20 states have passed laws prohibiting discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.  13 West Virginia municipalities have similar protections.  Do you support or oppose a statewide law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in West Virginia?  Why?

Yes, absolutely. An individual's gender identity and sexual orientation is none of my business and its my job to help all WVians, not just those who fit into some cultural norm. Allowing for discrimination, for any reason, is unnecessarily harsh and economically unproductive.

Q9

In December 2019, Governor Justice announced that West Virginia would continue accepting refugees.  Do you support or oppose accepting refugees in West Virginia?  Under what conditions?  Why?

I support accepting refugees. We have a federal vetting system designed to allow people who are in need to seek refugee status and our state can and should be welcoming to vetted refugees.

Q10

Over the past few years, some states have continued to erode protections and access to abortion care.  Other states have done the opposite and codified abortion rights that had previously been defined by courts.  Do you favor further restrictions to abortion, expanding or codifying abortion rights, or taking no action on abortion?

I favor expanding and codifying abortion rights. A woman's right to choose has everything to do with individual and health freedom. I am also in favor of robust sexual education and access to contraceptives.