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Supervisors adopt local 'inattention to driving' ordinance and align county criminal code thresholds with state law
Summary
After public hearings, Hanover supervisors adopted Ordinance 24‑14 establishing a local moving violation for failure to devote full time and attention to driving (fine up to $500 without points at judge's discretion), and Ordinance 24‑15 aligning county petty larceny/shoplifting thresholds and removing certain recidivism language to match recent state code changes.
County Attorney Walter presented two ordinances at the Dec. 11 meeting. Ordinance 24‑14 would add a local moving violation — failure to devote full time and attention to driving — giving judges discretion to assess fines up to $500 without adding points to a driver's license. The Commonwealth's attorney and public safety committee considered the measure and recommended it for board action to give judges another disposition option for certain traffic cases.
Walter also described Ordinance 24‑15, which aligns the county code with recent General Assembly changes that raised petty‑larceny and shoplifting thresholds to $1,000 and removed certain recidivism language. Staff explained the practical effect is to avoid inconsistencies between county code and state statutes; the Commonwealth's attorney had raised concerns about the policy but agreed code conformance was necessary.
Both ordinances were the subject of public hearings; no speakers came forward in opposition and both measures were adopted by voice votes of the board.
