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2004 SESSION


CHAPTER 450
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 2.2-511, 18.2-186.3, 18.2-186.5 and 63.2-1809 of the Code of Virginia, relating to identity theft; fictitious name; DMV identity passport; authority of the Attorney General to institute or conduct criminal prosecutions in the circuit courts; penalties.
[H 872]
Approved April 12, 2004

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 2.2-511, 18.2-186.3, 18.2-186.5 and 63.2-1809 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 2.2-511. Criminal cases.

A. Unless specifically requested by the Governor to do so, the Attorney General shall have no authority to institute or conduct criminal prosecutions in the circuit courts of the Commonwealth except in cases involving (i) violations of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act (§ 4.1-100 et seq.), (ii) violation of laws relating to elections and the electoral process as provided in § 24.2-104, (iii) violation of laws relating to motor vehicles and their operation, (iv) the handling of funds by a state bureau, institution, commission or department, (v) the theft of state property, (vi) violation of the criminal laws involving child pornography and sexually explicit visual material involving children, (vii) the practice of law without being duly authorized or licensed or the illegal practice of law, (viii) with the concurrence of the local attorney for the Commonwealth, violations of the Virginia Computer Crimes Act (§ 18.2-152.1 et seq.), (ix) with the concurrence of the local attorney for the Commonwealth, violations of the Air Pollution Control Law (§ 10.1-1300 et seq.), the Virginia Waste Management Act (§ 10.1-1400 et seq.), and the State Water Control Law (§ 62.1-44.2 et seq.), (x) with the concurrence of the local attorney for the Commonwealth, violations of Chapters 2 (§ 18.2-18 et seq.), 3 (§ 18.2-22 et seq.), and 10 (§ 18.2-434 et seq.) of Title 18.2, if such crimes relate to violations of law listed in clause (ix) of this subsection, (xi) with the concurrence of the local attorney for the Commonwealth, criminal violations by Medicaid providers or their employees in the course of doing business, in which cases the Attorney General may leave the prosecution to the local attorney for the Commonwealth, or he may institute proceedings by information, presentment or indictment, as appropriate, and conduct the same, and (xii) with the concurrence of the local attorney for the Commonwealth, violations of Article 9 (§ 18.2-246.1 et seq.) of Chapter 6 of Title 18.2, and (xiii) with the concurrence of the local attorney for the Commonwealth, assist in the prosecution of violations of §§ 18.2-186.3 and 18.2-186.4.

In all other criminal cases in the circuit courts, except where the law provides otherwise, the authority of the Attorney General to appear or participate in the proceedings shall not attach unless and until a petition for appeal has been granted by the Court of Appeals or a writ of error has been granted by the Supreme Court. In all criminal cases before the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court in which the Commonwealth is a party or is directly interested, the Attorney General shall appear and represent the Commonwealth. In any criminal case in which a petition for appeal has been granted by the Court of Appeals, the Attorney General shall continue to represent the Commonwealth in any further appeal of a case from the Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court.

B. The Attorney General shall, upon request of a person who was the victim of a crime and subject to such reasonable procedures as the Attorney General may require, ensure that such person is given notice of the filing, of the date, time and place and of the disposition of any appeal or habeas corpus proceeding involving the cases in which such person was a victim. For the purposes of this section, a victim is an individual who has suffered physical, psychological or economic harm as a direct result of the commission of a crime; a spouse, child, parent or legal guardian of a minor or incapacitated victim; or a spouse, child, parent or legal guardian of a victim of a homicide. Nothing in this subsection shall confer upon any person a right to appeal or modify any decision in a criminal, appellate or habeas corpus proceeding; abridge any right guaranteed by law; or create any cause of action for damages against the Commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions, the Attorney General or any of his employees or agents, any other officer, employee or agent of the Commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions, or any officer of the court.

§ 18.2-186.3. Identity theft; penalty; restitution; victim assistance.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person, without the authorization or permission of the person or persons who are the subjects of the identifying information, with the intent to defraud, for his own use or the use of a third person, to:

1. Obtain, record or access identifying information which is not available to the general public that would assist in accessing financial resources, obtaining identification documents, or obtaining benefits of such other person;

2. Obtain goods or services through the use of identifying information of such other person;

3. Obtain identification documents in such other person's name; or

4. Obtain, record or access identifying information while impersonating a law-enforcement officer or an official of the government of the Commonwealth.

B. It shall be unlawful for any person without the authorization or permission of the person who is the subject of the identifying information, with the intent to sell or distribute the information to another to:

1. Fraudulently obtain, record or access identifying information that is not available to the general public that would assist in accessing financial resources, obtaining identification documents, or obtaining benefits of such other person;

2. Obtain goods or services through the use of identifying information of such other person;

3. Obtain identification documents in such other person's name; or

4. Obtain, record or access identifying information while impersonating a law-enforcement officer or an official of the Commonwealth.

B1. It shall be unlawful for any person to use identification documents or identifying information of another person or of a false or fictitious person, whether that person is dead or alive, to avoid summons, arrest, prosecution or to impede a criminal investigation.

C. As used in this section, "identifying information" shall include but not be limited to: (i) name; (ii) date of birth; (iii) social security number; (iv) driver's license number; (v) bank account numbers; (vi) credit or debit card numbers; (vii) personal identification numbers (PIN); (viii) electronic identification codes; (ix) automated or electronic signatures; (x) biometric data; (xi) fingerprints; (xii) passwords; or (xiii) any other numbers or information that can be used to access a person's financial resources, obtain identification, act as identification, or obtain goods or services.

D. Violations of this section shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. Any violation resulting in financial loss of greater than $200 shall be punishable as a Class 6 felony. Any second or subsequent conviction shall be punishable as a Class 6 felony. Any violation resulting in the arrest and detention of the person whose identification documents or identifying information were used to avoid summons, arrest, prosecution, or to impede a criminal investigation shall be punishable as a Class 6 felony. In any proceeding brought pursuant to this section, the crime shall be considered to have been committed in any locality where the person whose identifying information was appropriated resides, or in which any part of the offense took place, regardless of whether the defendant was ever actually in such locality.

E. Upon conviction, in addition to any other punishment, a person found guilty of this offense shall be ordered by the court to make restitution as the court deems appropriate to any person whose identifying information was appropriated or to the estate of such person. Such restitution may include the person's or his estate's actual expenses associated with correcting inaccuracies or errors in his credit report or other identifying information.

F. Upon the request of a person whose identifying information was appropriated, the Attorney General may provide assistance to the victim in obtaining information necessary to correct inaccuracies or errors in his credit report or other identifying information; however, no legal representation shall be afforded such person.

§ 18.2-186.5. Expungement of false identity information from police and court records; Identity Theft Passport.

Any person whose name or other identification has been used without his consent or authorization by another person who has been charged or arrested using such name or identification may file a petition with the court for relief pursuant to § 19.2-392.2. A person who has petitioned the court pursuant to § 19.2-392.2 as a result of a violation of § 18.2-186.3, may submit to the Attorney General a certified copy of a court order obtained pursuant to § 19.2-392.2. The Office of the Attorney General, in cooperation with the State Police, may issue an "Identity Theft Passport" stating that such an order has been submitted. The Office of the Attorney General may provide access to identity theft information to criminal justice agencies and individuals who have submitted a court order pursuant to this section. When the Office of the Attorney General issues an Identity Theft Passport, it shall transmit a record of the issuance of the passport to the Department of Motor Vehicles. The Department shall note on the individual's driver abstract that a court order was obtained pursuant to § 19.2-392.2 and that an Identity Theft Passport has been issued.

§ 63.2-1809. Regulated child day programs to require proof of child identity and age; report to law-enforcement agencies.

A. Upon enrollment of a child in a regulated child day program, such child day program shall require information from the person enrolling the child regarding previous child day care and schools attended by the child. The regulated child day program shall also require that the person enrolling the child present the regulated child day program with the proof of the child's identity and age. The proof of identity, if reproduced or retained by the child day program or both, shall be destroyed upon the conclusion of the requisite period of retention. The procedures for the disposal, physical destruction or other disposition of the proof of identity containing social security numbers shall include all reasonable steps to destroy such documents by (i) shredding, (ii) erasing, or (iii) otherwise modifying the social security numbers in those records to make them unreadable or indecipherable by any means.

B. For purposes of this section:

"Proof of identity" means a certified copy of a birth certificate or other reliable proof of the child's identity and age.

"Regulated child day program" is one in which a person or organization has agreed to assume responsibility for the supervision, protection, and well-being of a child under the age of thirteen 13 for less than a twenty-four 24-hour period that is licensed pursuant to § 63.2-1701, voluntarily registered pursuant to § 63.2-1704, certified as a preschool or nursery school program pursuant to § 63.2-1717, exempted from licensure as a child day center operated by a religious institution pursuant to § 63.2-1716, or approved as a family day home by a licensed family day system.

C. If the parent, guardian, or other person enrolling the child in a regulated child day program for longer than two consecutive days or other pattern of regular attendance does not provide the information required by subsection A within seven business days of initial attendance, such child day program shall immediately notify the local law-enforcement agency in its jurisdiction of such failure to provide the requested information.

D. Upon receiving notification of such failure to provide the information required by subsection A, the law-enforcement agency shall, if available information warrants, immediately submit an inquiry to the Missing Children Information Clearinghouse and, with the assistance of the local department, if available information warrants, conduct the appropriate investigation to determine whether the child is missing.

E. The Board shall adopt regulations to implement the provisions of this act.

2. That the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment or commitment. Pursuant to § 30-19.1:4, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities and is $0 for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.