Virginia Democrats are pushing through a soft-on-crime bill that would provide leniency to hundreds of first degree murderers and rapists, among others.
The bill has already passed the state Senate by a 2-vote margin and the state House is weighing it now. Democrats control both houses.
Here’s a video showing them break down who is eligible for this bill:
“Virginia Democrats are trying to push through a soft-on-crime bill that would provide leniency to 701 first degree murderers, 77 second degree murderers, 556 abductors, 325 rapists, and 762 robbers.”
WATCH: Virginia Democrats are trying to push through a soft-on-crime bill that would provide leniency to 701 first degree murderers, 77 second degree murderers, 556 abductors, 325 rapists, and 762 robbers. pic.twitter.com/kjKwS6wUoS
— Conservative War Machine (@WarMachineRR) February 22, 2024
The RNC’s Matt Whitlock says this bill “is a huge deal – This bill would make Virginia like the soft-on-crime hell-hole DC has become.”
Here’s a summary of the bill itself:
Petition for modification of a sentence; eligibility; procedures. Provides procedures for individuals serving a sentence for certain felony convictions or a combination of such convictions who remain incarcerated in a state or local correctional facility or secure facility and meet certain criteria to petition the circuit court that entered the original judgment or order to
(i) suspend the unserved portion of such sentence or run the unserved portion of such sentence concurrently with another sentence,
(ii) place such person on probation for such time as the court shall determine, or
(iii) otherwise modify the sentence imposed.
Depending on the type of conviction, the bill allows the court to grant a hearing on such petition after an individual has served at least 25 years for certain offenses, after 20 years for certain other offenses, and after 15 years for any other felony conviction not specified. The bill does not allow an individual convicted of a Class 1 felony to petition for modification of his sentence. The bill requires the attorney for the Commonwealth and the victim to agree to hearing the petition in order for a court to conduct the hearing.
Now I can’t imagine that Governor Glenn Youngkin is going to sign this bill, which means it’s probably dead considering the slim Democrat margins in both houses. But it does indicate, especially in an election year, just how far Democrats will go to get votes.
Youngkin also rescinded a policy last year giving felons back their right to vote.