Larceny and property crimes; threshold. (SB235)
Introduced By
Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
☐ |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
☐ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Larceny and property crimes; threshold. Increases from $200 to $500 the threshold amount of money taken or value of goods or chattel taken at which the crime rises from petit larceny to grand larceny. The bill increases the threshold by the same amount for the classification of certain property crimes. Read the Bill »
Status
01/20/2016: Incorporated into Another Bill
History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 01/06/2016 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/16 16101127D |
| 01/06/2016 | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
| 01/20/2016 | Incorporated by Courts of Justice (SB23-Reeves) (14-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
Comments
The ACLU of Virginia supports raising the larceny threshold, but this bill does not go far enough. Since 1980, when the threshold was raised from $100 to $200, theft of property valued at $200 or more has been grand larceny, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. This is the lowest larceny threshold in the United States. If the 1980 threshold were adjusted for inflation, it would be approximately $575 today. Virginia's low larceny threshold results in unnecessary felony convictions. The ACLU of Virginia supports legislation to raise the larceny threshold. Though an increase to $500 is an improvement, it does not even get Virginia back to 1980 levels. The ACLU of Virginia strongly supports an increase in the larceny threshold to $1500.