(The Center Square) – Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has announced his legislative priorities and goals for the 2025 General Assembly, emphasizing protecting victims’ rights.
Miyares highlighted over a dozen pieces of legislation he supports that he says will prioritize victims’ rights and public safety while highlighting legislation to protect women’s sports further.
“This year’s legislative session presents a critical opportunity for us in Richmond to address pressing issues facing Virginians… I remain dedicated to fostering a safer, stronger Virginia through bold and thoughtful legislation that prioritizes public safety, defends victims’ rights, and tackles the challenges our communities are facing head-on,” said the attorney general.
Among the legislation Miyares is supporting is a bill that would authorize the attorney general to conduct criminal prosecutions against child sexual assault offenders and human trafficking that involves minors.
He is also supporting legislation to strengthen efforts to protect victims of human trafficking “by ensuring organized crime linked to these cases can be fully prosecuted,” which would hold offenders accountable.
In the attorney general’s bid to crack down on TikTok, he is backing legislation establishing a private cause of action for parents against the social media company’s “deceptive practices and addresses concerns related to data privacy, child exploitation and security threats.”
Miyares is also promoting legislation that would allow Virginia victims of terrorism to pursue civil claims against those who “aid and abet terrorism.”
The attorney general continues his quest to protect women’s sports by supporting legislation that would “strengthen and preserve” fairness, safety and opportunities for female athletes “while maintaining the integrity of sports within the established biological categories.”
Miyares is backing action to allow governing boards from public universities to review partnerships with “countries of concern” to safeguard academic institutions “from foreign influence.”
The attorney general calls on the General Assembly to put aside “partisan divide” to protect Virginians.
“Every Virginian deserves to feel safe in their homes, confident in their communities, and secure in their futures. Whether it’s protecting our children from exploitation, supporting victims of crime, or addressing emerging threats, this session is not a time for partisan divide – it is an opportunity for us to come together, set aside our differences, and focus on what truly matters: serving the people of Virginia,” Miyares concluded.
This article was originally published at www.thecentersquare.com
