Post by Logan on Feb 4, 2016 2:26:14 GMT -6
Senate panel backs bill allowing expungement of some minor offenses
Sen. Ryan T. McDougle, R-Hanover — a law-and-order conservative leader and chairman of the Senate’s Republican caucus — acknowledged to the Senate Courts of Justice committee on Wednesday that historically he has been reluctant to support legislation expanding expungement of criminal offenses.
But McDougle, a lawyer and a legislator since 2002, said he’s begun to see on a daily basis that the real-life impact of some laws passed in the General Assembly is far more significant than what lawmakers intended. He noted that one of his clients, a medical student, had trouble getting a residency because of one charge of underage possession of alcohol.
So on Wednesday, McDougle made an adjustment and submitted Senate Bill 22, which would provide for the expungement of minor alcohol and marijuana possession offenses for offenders under 21.
The offenders would have to wait five years after serving their sentence before petitioning the court to wipe their slate clean.
Read more: www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/article_115b8c7a-4cdf-5612-948b-8cebe6366d3c.html
Sen. Ryan T. McDougle, R-Hanover — a law-and-order conservative leader and chairman of the Senate’s Republican caucus — acknowledged to the Senate Courts of Justice committee on Wednesday that historically he has been reluctant to support legislation expanding expungement of criminal offenses.
But McDougle, a lawyer and a legislator since 2002, said he’s begun to see on a daily basis that the real-life impact of some laws passed in the General Assembly is far more significant than what lawmakers intended. He noted that one of his clients, a medical student, had trouble getting a residency because of one charge of underage possession of alcohol.
So on Wednesday, McDougle made an adjustment and submitted Senate Bill 22, which would provide for the expungement of minor alcohol and marijuana possession offenses for offenders under 21.
The offenders would have to wait five years after serving their sentence before petitioning the court to wipe their slate clean.
Read more: www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/article_115b8c7a-4cdf-5612-948b-8cebe6366d3c.html