Virginia’s Democrat-controlled Senate has approved legislation that lets judges and juries downgrade the charge of an assault on a police officer from a felony to a misdemeanor if the attack did not cause injury or if the perpetrator has “diminished physical or mental capacity or pervasive developmental disorder,” drawing pushback from Republicans, who said the bill undermines the safety of law enforcement officials amid nationwide protests, some of which have turned violent.
Senate Bill 5032, which passed on Wednesday with a 21-15 vote strictly along partisan lines, also eliminates a six-month mandatory minimum sentence for assault causing bodily injury to police officers and other categories of officials performing public duties like firefighters and emergency medical personnel.
