Interesting changes to the threats and harassment section. The law is already there but adds the italicized portion below.
§ 18.2-152.7:1. Harassment by computer; penalty.
If any person, with the intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass any person, shall use a computer or computer network to communicate obscene, vulgar, profane, lewd, lascivious, or indecent language, or make any suggestion or proposal of an obscene nature, or threaten any illegal or immoral act, he shall beis guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. A violation of this section may be prosecuted in the jurisdiction in which the communication was made or received or in the City of Richmond if the person subjected to the act is one of the following officials or employees of the Commonwealth: the Governor, Governor-elect, Lieutenant Governor, Lieutenant Governor-elect, Attorney General, or Attorney General-elect, a member or employee of the General Assembly, a justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, or a judge of the Court of Appeals of Virginia.
The difference now is it designates the venue when applied to certain elected officials.
The way I see this is that lobbying has been outlawed. Since lobbyists are always attempting to coerce the government, they are criminals. And, by the way, is any person who contacts these government officials when supporting or opposing any state action.
As this would be a state law I’m sure people from.out of state won’t step up their game with memes and popular internet jokes. Not that I see alot of Virginia’s complying with this either
More serious note. I’m glad the wolves took off the sheeps clothing finally. Any state that falls after this with a low voter turn out has done it to themselves.
I suspect this is all or in part to the “death threats” that several representatives have said they received.
I don’t know why we need to carve out a special niche for only some of the elected officials
this is already illegal, why does it need to be narrowed (is it ok to threaten others now?)
This is clearly targeted at the recent 2A rally. Several people (including Joe Biden) have said the 2A supporters were there to threaten and bully legislators, and congrats to them for not bowing to that bullying. It was so bad, they had to declare a “state of emergency”.
As is often the case when one side tries to stiffle the other, this may come back to bite them in the arse. I dont doubt that some looney in a cave somewhere maybe sent a death threat on the 2A topic. However, it is well-known that left-leaning protesters also frequently send death threats.
@MikeBKY can you shed light as to why several of these bills are changing language from shall be to is? I know in plain english what it means, but legally what are the ramifications of that change
Specifying the officials is only making the venue different than others. It allows venue in the county where the offense occurs or in Richmond.
The “shall be” to “is” is insignificant. It is happening across the country! Is is the more appropriate word for defining a crime.
Shall and May have specific meaning in the law with shall being mandatory and May is permissive. It is generally used in terms of an action like shall arrest or may arrest.
As the SCOTUS said in Jacobellis v. Ohio when talking about “obscenity” when Justice potter said “ I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that.”
It’s time to pay back Bloomberg since he drop millions in the Virginia election to get these democratic’s in office so they can put his agenda in motion. I seen a article that West Virginia is opening there doors to any Virginia county that would like to come over since they are pro 2A. I thank it was 38 to 42 county’s that would be welcome but the Virginia’s have till August and West Virginia’s would vote on it in November.
Nancy8, I just moved to Wisconsin last year and the second thing I did after getting my Wisconsin License was to register to vote.
Since moving here I have contacted my senators, both state and Federal and respectfully stated my views on any and all proposed anti-gun legislation as well as “red flag laws” .
I plan to vote against our current Governor as it is clear he is your typical Leftist Democrat trying to push the very laws that I have spoken about and have urged others to do the same.
@Harvey The death threats have been made to both sides of the legislature and the leftist executives in VA. It is an indicator of society in general and the lack of morals in our country. Same for folks sitting on their butts come voting time and allowing these communists to creep into office. New laws for no photo IDs to vote? Further redistricting? Joining a state pact to grant all electoral votes to popular US vote in federal elections? We Virginians are getting ready to reap what we have sewn… if you don’t remove the weeds, till the soil and plant the right seed we get what we get. Fertilizer required because most of the topsoil has been stripped off. The Blue Side of the legislature is getting ready enact their will on every citizen in The “Commonwealth” of Virginia.
What about, “ Congress shall make no law … or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances”?
Isn’t that what lobbyists do, “Petition the government for redress of grievances”? That’s what I pay the NRA and GAO to do.
But it doesn’t seem that the intent to “coerce, intimidate, or harass” is prohibited here, only “to communicate obscene, vulgar, profane, lewd, lascivious, or indecent language, or … threaten any illegal or immoral act” with that intent. If you are lobbying, can’t you just avoid “obscene, vulgar, etc.” language and refrain from threatening illegal or immoral acts? Then, at least as far as this law is concerned, you can harass to your heart’s content, no? Moreover, the door is left open for good-faith proposals of illegal or immoral acts, no? That’s probably important to some officials.
Good for you. When people actually know and understand what the democrats are trying to do , it should be hard for them to in good conscious to vote for Democrats. I would encourage you to join your local Republican party if there is one.
Welcome to the Community @Louis21 and @Michael345! I agree with you I agree with each of you. There is always a fine line that needs to be walked with legislation. I am going to key on two words in the statute that can cause the greatest harm because they are extremely subjective, although much of the English language is subjective.
The words coerce and immoral really bother me. Coerce is a synonym for persuade and is taken to be more forceful. It might be said that the 22000 people showing up at the Virginia capital were there to coerce, not persuade, the legislature not to enact gun control laws. (It could also be taken as they were there to intimidate the legislature and governor.)
Likewise, immoral is a moving target. Many believe using alcohol or drugs is immoral. Alcohol is legal, within limits, and drugs are illegal but being legalized in many areas. The problem with saying immoral act is that morals are often personal and are ever changing.
