▁of ▁the ▁government ▁to ▁se ize ▁property ▁for ▁economic ▁development . ▁The ▁Virginia ▁General ▁Assembly ▁approved ▁the ▁am end ment ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁and ▁then - G overn or ▁Bob ▁Mc D onn ell ▁end ors ed ▁it . ▁The ▁proposed ▁am end ment ▁was ▁placed ▁on ▁the ▁November ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁ball ot ▁as ▁a ▁state wide ▁refer endum , ▁where ▁it ▁was ▁approved . ▁ ▁Att orney ▁General ▁campaign s ▁On ▁December ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Bell ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁Republican ▁nom ination ▁for ▁Att orney ▁General ▁of ▁Virginia . ▁State ▁Senator ▁Mark ▁Ob ens h ain ▁won ▁the ▁nom ination ▁over ▁Bell ▁by ▁a ▁ 5 5 % – 4 5 % ▁margin ▁at ▁a ▁state wide ▁convention ▁in ▁Richmond ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Bell ▁announced ▁he ▁would ▁run ▁again ▁for ▁the ▁Republican ▁nom ination ▁for ▁Att orney ▁General ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁election , ▁and ▁v owed ▁to ▁ou st ▁inc umb ent ▁Mark ▁Her ring , ▁whom ▁he ▁cast ▁as ▁a ▁liberal ▁cr us ader ▁with ▁no ▁regard ▁for ▁the ▁law . ▁However , ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Bell ▁ab rupt ly ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁ending ▁his ▁campaign ▁because ▁his ▁children