Virginia Legislature Considering a Bill to Increase Felony Threshold from $200 to $500
A bill in the Senate to raise the threshold for felony larceny advanced in committee Monday, January 23, 2017. A similar bill passed the full Senate last year but was killed in a House committee.
Virginia’s threshold for felony larceny is $200, set in 1980, and is one of the lowest thresholds in the country. Amended legislation by Sen. Scott A. Surovell, D-Fairfax, and legislation from Sen. J. Chapman Petersen, D-Fairfax City, would raise the amount to $500.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe called for the move in his Jan. 11 State of the Commonwealth Address, saying that Virginia "is tied with New Jersey for 50th out of 50 for the most punitive felony threshold in the nation."
Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr., R-James City, made a motion to combine the bills for approval in the Senate Courts of Justice Committee. The committee approved the legislation, which next goes to the full Senate.
