The Virginia State House’s Courts of Justice Committee is weighing soft-on-crime legislation after Democrats won a trifecta in the state’s government.
House Bill 244, introduced by Democratic state Del. Vivian Watts on Jan. 8, would expand parole eligibility for certain convicted robbers and reduce the severity of specific robbery offenses. Democrats now control both chambers of Virginia’s legislature and the governor’s office after the 2025 and early 2026 elections, with Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger swearing in on Saturday.
Virginia Democrats introduce bill weakening punishment and sentencing rules for degrees of robbery in Virginia pic.twitter.com/BhMoe5Ng27
— NOVA Campaigns (@NoVA_Campaigns) January 19, 2026
Watts did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
The lawmaker’s bill would remove some robbery crimes from those considered “acts of violence” in Virginia.
Those convicted of lesser robbery offenses would be eligible for enhanced earned sentence credits, leading to lesser sentences. Former Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares linked the state’s Democrat-backed enhanced sentence credit program to an explosion of repeat offenders, the DCNF previously reported. Those offenders would also be eligible for conditional release if they are deemed terminally ill.
HB 244 would also allow the possibility of parole for certain three-time convicts if one of their offenses was robbery by presenting a firearm.
Additionally, Watts’ bill would exempt thieves from Virginia’s “three strikes” law, which gives repeat offenders enhanced sentences, unless their robbery offenses are in the top two degrees of severity. Those convicted under the “three strikes” program would be eligible for parole if one of their three crimes was of the lesser categories.
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