Latest news with #CourtsofJusticeCommittee
Fox News
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Dems killed VA sex offender bill before it could get a hearing, Republican says, despite recent incidents
A Virginia Republican lawmaker is blasting Democratic leaders in Richmond, after what she characterized as their hasty dispatching of a fresh piece of legislation she authored targeting sex offenders and people deemed dangerous to children. Delegate Kim Taylor, R-Petersburg, who herself won a "Biden+12" district in what is the state's most Democratic municipality per-capita, said protecting the public from sexual deviants transcends party lines. "[This] isn't a partisan issue, it's a basic duty of any community that values safety and decency," Taylor told Fox News Digital. "These individuals, with proven histories of predatory behavior, pose a real threat when allowed unrestricted access to public spaces like parks, schools or locker rooms." Taylor alleged her bill, HB 2527 – which would have prohibited most sex offenders from "loitering" within state parks and other places where they would be in "proximity to children," including schools, playgrounds, daycares and the like – was wrongly and quietly terminated. The bill was listed as last referred to the Courts of Justice Committee, but with the legislature adjourned "sine die" – essentially ending the session – barring a rare special session being called, the bill was never heard nor voted on and is considered "dead." "This should not be about politics, it should be about prioritizing the vulnerable over political gamesmanship," said Taylor, who added she had also drafted another never-heard bill toughening penalties for sex trafficking. "Time and time and again, Democrats have dismissed or killed commonsense legislation that would protect women and children." Fox News Digital reached out to Delegates Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, Courts Committee chair, and Marcus Simon, D-Dunn Loring, committee vice chair, for comment. Neither lawmaker returned calls. Delegate Wren Williams, R-Stuart, who co-sponsored Taylor's bill, blamed Democrats across Virginia – particularly in the committee leaders' districts – for "jeopardizing the safety of women and girls by refusing to support commonsense legislation." Williams said there is a heightened threat from registered sex offenders in public spaces, specifically citing the case of Richard Kenneth Cox – a serial flasher who has recently faced dozens of charges in the Washington, D.C., suburbs. Local media reported Cox has faced more than 20 charges in Arlington County alone, including reports reaching back to the 1990s when he was accused of masturbating in front of children. Cox has also had recent encounters with Fairfax County police, including one in November. Bodycam footage aired by FOX5DC purportedly shows Cox claiming a civil rights violation for identifying as a transgender woman – after authorities responded to reports of Cox "lurking" in a Fairfax gym's locker room. Williams argued that the legislation is urgently needed, and claimed Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano "prioritize[s] woke ideology over the well-being of our communities." Washington's ABC affiliate reported that the prosecutor had dismissed charges against Cox. "There is no justification for allowing someone like Richard Cox, a convicted sex offender with a disturbing criminal record, to waltz into girls' locker rooms unchecked," Williams said in characterizing the case as the poster child for the necessity of Taylor's bill. "Democrats have repeatedly killed practical bills that would enforce stricter protections and penalties, choosing instead to coddle predators under the guise of tolerance," he said, calling the overall behavior on the left in Richmond a "betrayal" of women. Fox News Digital reached out to Descano for a response. The prosecutor's office did tell ABC7 that prosecutors are not involved in cases that are "pro se (without an attorney) misdemeanors." The outlet later quoted a local attorney who found the indecent exposure nonprosecution "unusual." The Cox case, however, did draw the attention of other leaders in the heavily Democratic county, as Fairfax Board Chairman Jeffrey McKay reportedly said Taylor's bill may have been beneficial. Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Mount Vernon, criticized McKay to ABC7, claiming Taylor's bill had "nothing to do with local parks… or recreational facilities," and suggested a change in policy on "which dressing rooms people can use" would be helpful.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
License plate reader bill survives, but surveillance concerns loom
Flock Safety cameras capture license plates. (Photo courtesy of Flock Safety) Despite near defeat and intense debate, a proposal to regulate automated license plate readers is still alive in Virginia's General Assembly — though not without significant revisions and shifting alliances. House Bill 2724, sponsored by Del. Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, aims to rein in the widely used but loosely regulated surveillance technology. Initially, Herring sought to cap law enforcement's data storage at 30 days, but opposition from criminal justice and immigrant rights groups led her to slash the limit to 21 days. That move, however, cost her the support of police and sheriffs' associations, who spoke against the bill during Monday's Courts of Justice Committee hearing. The same panel defeated the measure last week before reviving it for further consideration. The bill has already cleared the House of Delegates, and Senate amendments now limit storage to 21 days, though departments can choose to retain data for even shorter periods. Charlottesville Police Chief Michael Kochis, for instance, said his department keeps records for only seven days, a policy shaped by local community concerns. He has backed the legislation since it was first workshopped in the state crime commission last year. Herring said her bill would make Virginia the most restrictive state when it comes to regulating the technology, though New Hampshire limits storage for just three minutes. Among the 18 states that currently regulate the technology, 17 of them limit data retention. A report to the Crime Commission, which Herring chairs, shows how many states range from a few weeks to a few months. New Hampshire has the tightest restrictions on data retention while Alabama is one of the most loose at up to five years. Advocates and some lawmakers have also raised alarms that license plate data could be subpoenaed by federal agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or by states with abortion bans, potentially exposing Virginians who travel for reproductive health care. Herring has acknowledged that the pending state law 'cannot wholly avoid federal warrants and subpoenas' but argues her bill at least sets guardrails for existing and future plate reader use. Sens. Lashrecse Aird, D-Petersburg, and Jennifer Carrol Foy, D-Prince William, have speculated that the devices are more likely to be installed in predominantly Black and brown neighborhoods — areas that have historically experienced more negative interactions with law enforcement. Herring's bill also faced backlash for its proposal to allow state law enforcement to install readers along state roads. Critics argue this could lead to an expansion of surveillance before existing oversight measures are fully tested. 'I think we are doing real harm by expanding this by not allowing additional time to see how these guardrails will work and how they will be applied,' Aird said last week. 'I don't think limiting the legislation to existing cameras will be a detriment to law enforcement. This is not the time to expand them — we need to see how this legislation will work with the cameras that are in place.' To address those concerns, lawmakers adopted a reenactment clause on Monday. This means that while the bill would regulate existing cameras if signed into law, and any expansion of readers along highways would require further legislative approval next year. While additional adjustments could still be made if the bill advances, this compromise may remain in place. With the 2025 legislative session set to end this weekend, the bill's fate now rests in the Senate. If it clears that hurdle, Gov. Glenn Youngkin will have the option to approve, veto, or amend the legislation before it becomes law. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
