Virginia Plans to Turn Itself Into Seattle

Virginia has yet another new law in the hopper. This one will eliminate mandatory sentences for some horrific crimes.

A new proposal before the Virginia General Assembly would eliminate mandatory minimum prison terms for several serious sex offenses, including rape and child pornography production, giving judges greater discretion in sentencing.

House Bill 863, introduced during the 2026 session, amends sections of the Virginia Code governing rape (§18.2-61), forcible sodomy (§18.2-67.1), and child pornography production (§18.2-374.1). The legislation strikes existing language that requires minimum prison sentences, instead allowing courts to determine punishment within established sentencing ranges.

Under current law, individuals convicted of rape involving victims under 13 or offenders significantly older than their victims face mandatory minimum sentences of 25 years to life. The new bill would remove those fixed minimums, maintaining the same maximum penalties but giving judges flexibility to impose lighter sentences in some cases.

Similarly, mandatory minimum terms for certain child pornography offenses—previously requiring no less than five or fifteen years in prison, depending on the victim’s age—would be repealed under the proposal.

With their other laws, especially their sanctuary laws, Virginia will turn into Seattle, Portland, or LA.

If this passes, judges will be able to impose no prison time at all on someone if they are convicted of any of these crimes.

We’ve already seen this take place in other Blue states (and in some European countries), where criminals are given light or, in some cases, no sentence…

— Christian Heiens 🏛 (@ChristianHeiens) January 19, 2026