SENATE BILL NO. 1227 Offered January 10, 2007 Prefiled January 10, 2007 A BILL to amend and reenact § 18.2-59 of the Code of Virginia, relating to extortion of immigrants; penalty. ---------- Patrons-- Howell, Norment and Stolle; Delegates: Hurt and Moran ---------- Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 18.2-59 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 18.2-59. Extorting money, etc., by threats.

If any Any person threaten who (i) threatens injury to the character, person, or property of another person, or accuse (ii) accuses him of any offense, or threaten (iii) threatens to report him as being illegally present in the United States, or (iv) confiscates, withholds or threatens to withhold any actual or purported passport, immigration document, or other government identification document, and thereby extort extorts money, property, or pecuniary benefit or any note, bond, or other evidence of debt from him or any other person, he shall be is guilty of a Class 5 felony.

2.  That the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment or commitment.  Pursuant to § 30-19.1:4, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities and cannot be determined for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.