Republicans and Democrats at the Capitol are striking a deal that will make significant changes to the criminal justice system in Virginia.
Democratic Governor Ralph Northam and Republican House Speaker Kirk Cox are striking a deal — forging a compromise where each side yields a bit in order to get what they want. Northam gets to raise the felony larceny threshold from $200 to $500.
“We want to remain tough on crime in the commonwealth of Virginia. But it is unjust that a theft of something like a pair of shoes or a phone could send someone to prison with a felony conviction on their record for life.”
Republicans get to reform the restitution system, which is plagued by hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid money to victims. Defendants won’t be able to escape probation until restitution is paid. And Cox says victims who are owed money will be identified and paid.
“This is the biggest legislative change to how Virginia handles restitution that we’ve seen in decades, and I think the significance of this is marked by the fact that the House is now willing to pass the grand larceny threshold, something we’ve been reluctant to do in the past.”
Northam and Cox haven’t announced an agreement on expanding Medicaid yet, but both sides appear willing to cut a deal.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
