RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — Gov. Ralph Northam signed a bill into law on Wednesday that will increase Virginia’s felony larceny threshold from $200 to $500. 

This bill was part of a bipartisan compromise that Northam and House Speaker Kirk Cox announced on Feb. 8. during a press conference. 

Democrats wanted the threshold to be increased and in return, Republicans got support for their bill that protects crime victims and restitution. 

Virginia was tied with New Jersey for having the lowest threshold for grand larceny in the country.

Gov. Northam announced he had signed the bill into law via Twitter. “Today I’ve signed into law the commonsense criminal justice reform package that will raise Virginia’s felony larceny threshold for the first time in decades,” he said.