License plates, special; prohibits DMV from issuing certain plates to registered sex offenders. (SB666)

Introduced By

Sen. Dick Black (R-Leesburg)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Issuance of certain special license plates. Prohibits the DMV from issuing to registered sex offenders special license plates for supporters of the Family and Children's Trust Fund of Virginia bearing the legend KIDS FIRST or renewing the registration for a vehicle that has been issued such license plates. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/19/2016Presented and ordered printed 16103999D
01/19/2016Referred to Committee on Transportation
01/26/2016Impact statement from DPB (SB666)
01/27/2016Reported from Transportation with substitute (12-Y 0-N 1-A) (see vote tally)
01/27/2016Committee substitute printed 16104799D-S1
01/29/2016Constitutional reading dispensed (36-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/01/2016Read second time
02/01/2016Reading of substitute waived
02/01/2016Committee substitute agreed to 16104799D-S1
02/01/2016Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB666S1
02/02/2016Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/05/2016Placed on Calendar
02/05/2016Read first time
02/05/2016Referred to Committee on Transportation
02/08/2016Impact statement from DPB (SB666S1)
02/18/2016Reported from Transportation (21-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/19/2016Read second time
02/22/2016Read third time
02/22/2016Passed House BLOCK VOTE (100-Y 0-N)
02/22/2016VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (100-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/23/2016Enrolled
02/23/2016Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB666ER)
02/23/2016Signed by President
02/23/2016Signed by Speaker
02/23/2016Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on 2/23/16
02/23/2016G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, March 1, 2016
02/24/2016Impact statement from DPB (SB666ER)
03/01/2016G Approved by Governor-Chapter 143 (effective 7/1/16)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 2 clips in all, totaling 7 minutes.

Transcript

This is a transcript of the video clips in which this bill is discussed.

THE PLATES THEMSELVES. THE SECOND PROVISION BASICALLY SAYS THAT DMV CAN USE SOME DISCRETION. IF THEY SEE THAT THE LANGUAGE, THE WORDS THAT ARE USED BY A SEXUAL PREDATOR WOULD BE DESIGNED IN THEIR VIEW TO APPEAL TO A CHILD, THEN THEY CAN DENY PERMISSION TO HAVE THOSE WORDS. SO IT REALLY ALLOWS FOR THE INFINITE ARRAY OF COMBINATIONS THAT MIGHT BE -- THAT MIGHT BE ANOTHER QUESTION, USED. MR. PRESIDENT? WOULD THE GENTLEMEN YIELD FOR AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION? I YIELD. HE YIELDS, SENATOR. AND I WILL ADMIT TO NOT HAVING READ THE BILL FULLY, BUT DOES THE SENATOR SUGGEST THAT THIS BILL ONLY APPLIES TO PEOPLE ON THE SEXUAL REGISTRY? I RESPOND BY SAYING ABSOLUTELY, YES. IT IS ONLY PEOPLE ON THE SEXUAL OFFENDER REGISTRY. THANK YOU. THE SENATOR FROM FAIRFAX CITY, SENATOR PETERSEN. WOULD THE SENIOR SENATOR YIELD FOR A QUESTION?

Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax): I YIELD.

[Unknown]: HE YIELDS, SENATOR.

Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax): I'D ASK THE GENTLEMAN, REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS, IS HE AWARE THOSE CAN INCLUDE, FOR EXAMPLE, TEENAGERS HAD A PHOTOGRAPH OF ANOTHER TEENAGER NAKED THAT THEY SHOWED TO OTHERS.

[Unknown]: I'D RESPOND BY SAYING, YES, I AM AWARE THAT THERE ARE AREAS OF THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY THAT PERHAPS THIS BODY NEEDS TO EXAMINE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THE FACT THAT THERE MIGHT BE AN OCCASIONAL PERSON WHO PERHAPS IS DENIED THE RIGHT TO GET SOME SPECIAL -- WE'VE GOT HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES, BUT ONLY A VERY TINY NUMBER THAT DEAL WITH CHILDREN AND I THINK THE PROBLEM OF SEX OFFENDERS AND THE PEOPLE -- YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE PEOPLE ON THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY ARE THERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE MOLESTED CHILDREN, BECAUSE THEY HAVE RAPED WOMEN, BECAUSE THEY HAVE DONE VERY, VERY VILE THINGS, AND WE JUST -- WE WANT TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN SO THAT THEY'RE NOT SUBJECT TO THAT TYPE OF THING. FURTHER QUESTION, MR. CHAIR. THE GENTLEMEN YAELD FOR A DISH QUESTION? I DO. I'D ASK THE GENTLEMEN, AND I DON'T DENY WHAT HE'S SAYING OR I DON'T DENY THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS SUBJECT, BUT LET'S SAY YOU HAD SOMEONE WHO'S A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER THAT HAD A NON-CONTACT TYPE OF OFFENSE AND LET'S SAY THERE'S SOMEBODY THAT HAS A STRONG OPINION ON AN ISSUE. LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, MAYBE THEY'RE PRO LIFE AND THEY WANT TO HAVE A "CHOOSE LIFE" LICENSE PLATE. WOULD THEY NOW BE IN VIOLATION OF THIS LAW? IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE SAYING THAT ANY BILL THAT MIGHT HAVE A BENEFIT FOR CHILDREN ESSENTIALLY, THEY CAN'T HAVE THAT LICENSE PLATE, BUT ANY INDIRECT OR DIRECT BENEFIT FOR CHILDREN. THE SENIOR SENATOR. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I WOULD RESPOND BY SAYING THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT WOULD PROHIBIT SOMEONE FROM RECEIVING A "CHOOSE LIFE" LICENSE PLATE. I WISH THAT I HAD, FOR THE GENTLEMAN, THE -- I THINK THERE ARE FIVE PLATES THAT DMV IDENTIFIED AND THE ONE THAT COMES TO MIND MOST READILY, THERE'S SORT OF A KIDS LICENSE PLATE THAT HAS CHILDREN'S HAND PRINTS IN RED AND BLUE AND THAT TYPE OF THING. IT IS JUST THOSE. IT IS A VERY, VERY NARROW SEGMENT. NOW, DMV DOES NOT HAVE DISCRETION TO, TO SIMPLY SAY, WELL, I THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOME VAGUE LINKAGE OF A PARTICULAR PLATE TO A CHILD. THE LIST OF PLATES IS VERY LIMITED, VERY SMALL. THE ONLY PLACE THAT DMV HAS DISCRETION IN THIS IS IN THE -- IN EVALUATING THE PARTICULAR SET OF LETTERS AND NUMBERS THAT ARE USED SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S SAYS, YOU KNOW, "GET FREE CANDY HERE," THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO SAY MAYBE NOT. PICK ANOTHER SET. IT'S NOT DESIGNED, REALLY, TO BE -- IT'S NOT DESIGNED TO BE PUNITIVE TO THESE PEOPLE. IT IS DESIGNED TO KEEP THEM FROM USING THE LICENSE PLATES TO TROLL FOR NEW VICTIMS. I THANK THE GENTLEMEN.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): THANK YOU, SENATOR. THE QUESTION IS SHALL SENATE BILL 666 ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION WILL RECORD THEIR VOTES AYE, THOSE OPPOSED NO.

Comments

Mary D. Devoy writes:

What vanity-license plate will be prohibited next year or what group will be targeted next year?

It starts with the Registered Sex Offenders, but where does it end?

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Safer Virginia writes:

We oppose this legislation as well as HB 305 and HB 1190.

These bills:

- punish 22,000 Virginia citizens and their families without reason by restricting their choice of special license plates
- punish nonprofit organizations by restricting 22,000 Virginia citizens and their families from purchasing special license plates that generate revenue for those organizations
- serve no public safety value and do not reduce child abuse
- contain no evidence that they will benefit society
- violate free speech of free citizens

Dr Bob Long writes:

Oppose/Vote NO on this legislation as well as HB 305 and HB 1190.

My large Virginia constituent voting family members are watching your actions on legislation.

The proposed H.B. 305 and H.B. 1190 laws do nothing to protect citizens, are senseless and are a clear waste of my tax dollars. Soon, there will be millions on the registry, maybe even your children, grandchildren, or relatives among the extraordinary 1 % few who might be truly dangerous hidden among the many. Thanks to Virginia Legislator’s plethora of senseless legislation.

This was never the goal of the registry to punitively punish all American people without due process, or their innocent family members such as children.

I am absolutely appalled and ashamed just how little Virginia Legislators understand, or even feints to make an effort to obtain accurate studies/data when considering the plethora of destructive legislation.

I have read H.B. 305 and HB 1190 so before you disregard my letter, let me state the facts.

These bills:
-punish 22,000 Virginia citizens and their families without reason by restricting their choice of special license plates

-punish nonprofit organizations by restricting 22,000 Virginia citizens and their families from purchasing special license plates that generate revenue for those organizations

-serve no public safety value and do not reduce child abuse
-contain no evidence that they will benefit society
-violate free speech of free citizens

H.B. 305 and H.B. 1190 sole purpose is to punish again without any due process, an already-marginalized population of 22,000 in Virginia and their families. The family members have not been convicted of any offense that warrants this punishment. Of course, neither have people required to register.

What about the male and female registrants who committed an offense at an early age, now have a family of their own and want to purchase one of these vanity plates? Of what public safety value is denying special license plate requests?

Finally, Virginia SO legislation promotes harassment and threats and absolutely nothing is done about it from any law enforcement agency or Virginia court. What about the children of people required registering as Virginia Sex Offenders and the impact Virginia legislation has on their innocent children? What about the condoned legalized hatred directed at the innocent children of Sex Offenders from neighbors, school mates and the condoned mental abuse they receive from adults?

What about the harassment, impact and death threats promoted by Virginia's legislation towards Sex Offender spouses and their innocent young children? These numbers are in the tens of thousands!

Oppose this legislation as well as HB 305 and HB 1190 and any other senseless SO legislation protecting no one, a clear waste of my tax dollars.

Sincerely,

Dr. Bob Long

Residential Proximity to Schools and Daycare Centers: Influence on sex offense recidivism, An empirical analysis, by Jill Levenson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Human Services at Lynn University, December 23, 2008:
Residential proximity to schools and daycare centers.PDF

Sex Offender Residence Restrictions: Unintended Consequences and Community Reentry, by Jill S. Levenson 2007
Sex Offender Residence Restrictions: Unintended Consequences and Community Reentry.PDF

When Evidence Is Ignored: Residential Restrictions For Sex Offenders, By Richard Tewksbury and Jill Levenson
http://www.aca.org/publications/pdf/Tewksbury.pdf

Rickey Moore writes:

"Freedom of speech" isn't free when it is not free. This is clearly a freedom of speech issue.

Alexander writes:

Will This Bill Cost The Taxpayers More Money? if so, how much money and where will the money come from?

Mary D. Devoy writes:

It's Time for a Court Challenge! http://goo.gl/7RPPcP

All 140 2016-Virginia Delegate’s and Senator’s have decided that I do NOT have the right to own a DMV-Offered License Plate to support a Children’s Charity on MY vehicle because of someone else’s conviction.

It doesn’t matter how long ago the conviction was, what the specific conviction was for or if it even involved a child/minor or not.

This court challenge isn’t just about VA-DMV Specialty License plates; it is against what will no doubt be a cascading set of laws stripping away more and more of our Constitutional Rights. This law restricts our rights without due process, and it restricts our voice.

This challenge is about the continued targeting of a group of citizens who are mandated under threat of law to register publically by the State and submit to whatever restrictions and indignation conceivable and now the Virginia Legislators are sweeping up their spouses, parents and driving aged children.

Enough is Enough!

Mary D. Devoy writes:

8. Fiscal Implications: This engrossed bill would require $41,391 in information technology development cost, which can be absorbed within existing resources of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+oth+SB666FER122+PDF