Petersen's Crime Loophole, Sunday Hunting Bills OKed

The General Assembly saw few pieces of legislation reach the floors of each chamber, as most bills are still being considered by committees.

One bill from Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34th District) passed this week with little opposition. His legislation prevents criminals from hiding their assets from law enforcement and creditors.

"This bill closes a major loophole in the law, which currently permits creditors to delay execution on their assets by merely giving it to a family member or co-conspirator," Petersen said in a statement.

Petersen, an 18-year veteran lawyer with a practice in Fairfax City, was inspired to introduce the bill after his law firm obtained a judgment for $9.85 million for fraud. Creditors found valuable property had been assigned to the convicted person's brother post-judgment to keep the assets from being seized.

The bill moves to the House of Delegates of approval.

Two of Petersen's bills have passed their respective committees and will soon face a floor vote.

One bill — SB 173, which rolled into SB 464 from Sen. Ralph Northam (D-6th District) — would permit hunting on private property on Sundays.

The other would require state buildings to follow Virginia Energy Conservation and Environmental Standards (SB 160).

Petersen told Patch before the session he had introduced a similar bill last year, but would re-introduce it using the term "cost-effective" rather than "green" to avoid partisan push back. The General Laws and Technology Committee sent the bill to the floor with an amendment that would change "cost-effective" to "high performance."

In a newsletter sent to constituents, Petersen wrote he is noticing a trend of legislation that he said looks to limit voter access, which he opposes.

He listed three bills in particular: one that would require each voter to show identification (SB 1), one that would have voters to declare a party when they register (SB 62), and one that would criminalize the solicitation of absentee ballot applications in nursing homes (SB 63).

"Selling Ocean City time shares at a nursing home? Legal. Handing out absentee ballot applications? Illegal. That makes no sense," he wrote. "We've fought hard to establish an open system in Virginia, from our primaries to our local races. People worked together to make that happen. Let's not change it for a brief partisan advantage in 2012."

All three have yet to be voted on in the Privileges and Elections Committee.