Delegate Steve Shannon joined Governor Kaine and statewide advocates to announce the Governor’s legislative initiatives to combat and prevent sexual and domestic violence. The efforts flow from recommendations made by the Governor’s Commission on Sexual Violence. Delegate Shannon served as chair of the Commission’s Treatment and Intervention Committee.

The legislative initiatives include increasing funding for sexual assault crisis centers, eliminating a statutory loophole to the charge of statutory rape, clarifying that government officials shall not require victims to take polygraph examinations as a condition to prosecution and reimbursing victims for the cost of personal evidence recovery kits (PERKs), which are commonly used to collect evidence immediately after a sexual assault has occurred. Many of the recommendations are designed to put Virginia in compliance with the Federal Violence Against Women Act.

“Governor Kaine has made it a priority to address the quality of our response and prevention efforts for victims of sexual and domestic violence,” Delegate Shannon stated. “Through the Commission’s statewide outreach efforts, the Governor has put forth a comprehensive legislative package that will improve the administration of justice in Virginia. I look forward to assisting him in the passage of his 2008 public safety agenda.”

Delegate Shannon was appointed to the Commission after it was formed by Executive Order 38 (2006). Shannon is a former Fairfax County prosecutor and co-founder of the Metropolitan Washington AMBER Alert program, designed to recover missing and abducted children.