Bill > SB914

This bill significantly increases the mandatory minimum sentences for sexual crimes involving children under 18 years of age, particularly those committed against children under 15. The bill modifies several sections of the Virginia Code to replace existing sentencing provisions with mandatory life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for offenses such as rape, forcible sodomy, object sexual penetration, and sexual abuse of a child. Specifically, for sexual crimes against children under 13, or where the offender is 18 or older and the victim is under 15, the bill eliminates previous options for lesser sentences and now requires a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment without parole. The bill also updates record retention requirements for court documents related to these sexual offenses, mandating that documents be kept for 50 years. Additionally, the fiscal impact statement notes that these changes will likely result in increased periods of imprisonment, with an estimated additional cost of at least $18,140,089 for state correctional facilities. The primary intent of the bill appears to be to provide stricter and more uniform sentencing for sexual crimes against children, removing judicial discretion for sentencing in these cases.

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https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/SB914