Category Archive for : ‘STATE BY STATE VIRGINIA’

January 19, 2021
Denise Lavoie
ABC News

RICHMOND, Va. — Two Virginia Democratic lawmakers are spearheading a push to repeal a decades-old law that allows the state to hold certain sex offenders at psychiatric facilities indefinitely after their criminal sentences if they are deemed “sexually violent predators.”

Critics say civil commitment laws are fundamentally unfair and violate the constitutional prohibition against punishing someone twice for the same crime. Supporters counter that the laws protect society from repeat offenders who are unable to control their behavior.

Sen. Joe Morrissey and Del. Patrick Hope, both Democrats, are

A new law requiring Virginia’s colleges to hand over prospective students’ personal information to police for cross-checking against sex offender lists is coming under fire from privacy advocates and education leaders.  Under the law, which takes effect July 1, public and private college officials must send state police the names, social security numbers and birth dates of all students accepted to their schools.

(Virginia)

A proposal from the Virginia Sentencing Commission would adjust sentences for sex offenders according to a point scale based on factors such as education, age and where the original crime took place.  According to the Associated Press, it would quadruple the maximum recommended sentence for sex offenders who score poorly and recommend incarceration for some less serious offenders who likely would not go to prison under current guidelines.

Policies to guide business over the Internet to strengthen customer privacy and protect computer users from unwanted electronic mail and computer fraud were recommended by a governor’s commission Wednesday.  This proposal would create the first comprehensive state Internet legislation in the nation.  The recommendations will be considered during the General Assembly session that begins in January.