Delegate Steve Shannon released his 2008 public safety legislative package this week at the start of the Virginia General Assembly session. Shannon has served on Governor Kaine’s Commission on Sexual Violence over the past year as chairman of the Commission’s Committee on Treatment and Intervention. Among the bills Shannon is spearheading include:

(1) House Bill 964: Increases penalties for a convicted sexual offender who fails to register on Virginia’s Sex Offender Registry

(2) House Bill 966: Increases penalties for an assault and battery of a law enforcement agent of the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control

(3) House Bill 969: Increases penalties for hazing a juvenile in to a gang by requiring the juvenile to engage in sexual acts with gang members

(4) House Bill 973: Closes a loophole in Virginia’s indecent liberties statute for the protection of children

(5) House Bill 974: Requires law enforcement to update Virginia’s criminal information network whenever a protective order is issued

(6) House Bill 970: Empowers judges to place the subject of a permanent protective order on probation to ensure compliance with the protective order

(7) House Bill 965: Enables victims of stalkers to apply to the Criminal Injury Compensation Fund for resources for services such as relocation assistance

(8) House Bill 956: Ensures Virginia’s compliance with the federal Violence Against Women Act by clarifying that Virginia shall pay the cost of personal evidence recovery kits for sexual assault victims

“These public safety measures are the result of working with advocates and law enforcement officials from across the Commonwealth. Ultimately, the goal is to improve the administration of justice in Virgina,” stated Delegate Shannon.

Steve Shannon is a former Fairfax County prosecutor and co-founder of the Metropolitan Washington AMBER Alert program, designed to recover missing and abducted children.