RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Virginia Senate has advanced a bill that would increase the threshold of what is considered a felony larceny.
The bill the chamber passed Thursday would increase the amount from $200 to $500.
Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe proposed the change before the session started. The governor said at the time that Virginia’s felony larceny threshold had been set in 1980 and was the lowest in the country.
A similar bill passed the full Senate in 2016 but was killed in a House committee.
Proponents say raising the threshold would save taxpayers’ money because of fewer people incarcerated for larceny. Supporters of the high threshold say the strict law prevents theft.
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