Think Shannon may be running for AG?

Del. Steve Shannon (D-35) has been rumored to be planning a run for attorney general in 2009. Taking a look at the bills he has introduced, I’d say he’s laying the groundwork 😉 Notice his tag cloud? The largest item is crime.

Among the bills he has introduced:

1. HB964: Increases penalties for a convicted sexual offender who fails to register on Virginia’s Sex Offender Registry
2. HB966: Increases penalties for an assault and battery of a law enforcement agent of the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
3. HB969: Increases penalties for hazing a juvenile in to a gang by requiring the juvenile to engage in sexual acts with gang members
4. HB973: Closes a loophole in Virginia’s indecent liberties statute for the protection of children
5. HB974: Requires law enforcement to update Virginia’s criminal information network whenever a protective order is issued
6. HB970: Empowers judges to place the subject of a permanent protective order on probation to ensure compliance with the protective order
7. HB965: Enables victims of stalkers to apply to the Criminal Injury Compensation Fund for resources for services such as relocation assistance
8. HB956: Ensures Virginia’s compliance with the federal Violence Against Women Act by clarifying that Virginia shall pay the cost of personal evidence recovery kits for sexual assault victims (co-sponsored with Norfolk’s own Paula Miller)

Oh, and if that weren’t enough, he’s working on closing tax loopholes. From The Daily Press:

A Virginia lawmaker is trying to close a state tax loophole that allows Wal-Mart and other companies to reduce taxes by paying rent to themselves.

[…]

As a member of the House Finance Committee, Shannon filed bills over the past four years targeting tax schemes that exploited differences between state and federal tax laws. He first learned about the use of the REIT strategy in Virginia in a Daily Press story, and Kaine later asked him to submit a bill.

“The governor’s office asked me to carry it because I’ve done a lot of work with public finance and tax planning,” Shannon said.

The bill he’s referencing is HB975. If it passes, Virginia could collect back taxes. North Carolina recently closed this tax loophole and collected $33.5 million from these two companies.

Public safety and closing tax loopholes – I’d say this guy has a future 😉

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