Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 23, 1991 TAG: 9102230405
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Still to be settled before legislators go home today are changes in the 1990-92 state budget to close a $2.2 billion revenue gap.
Other pending bills would tighten the seat belt law, expand criminal background checks for gun buyers, punish adults who leave guns in reach of children and require that drug offenders lose their driver's license for six months.
Those bills were placed in conference committees that will try to settle differences between the two chambers.
The compromise on the recess resolution was approved 22-15 by the Senate and 71-23 by the House.
It proposes a constitutional amendment that would allow the assembly to recess for up to 14 days during its sessions so legislators could study the budget and other bills. The House had wanted 21 days and the Senate approved 10.
The resolution must be approved by the assembly again next year before it goes to the voters in a referendum.
Sen. Richard Saslaw, D-Springfield, said the recess would just give special interest groups and local governments more time to lobby.
"I don't think it makes us any better a legislature for coming home and doing that," he said.
Supporters complained that the pace of the two-month General Assembly sessions is so hectic that lawmakers do not understand all the bills they consider.
The early retirement measure is part of Gov. Douglas Wilder's plan to close the budget gap. It would allow state workers who have reached age 50 to retire if they have 25 years of service.
The compromise drops a Senate provision that would have allowed employees to count two years of military duty toward the 25 years.
The plan was approved by the House 94-0 and the Senate 22-15.
Both chambers adopted the Senate version of the inaugural fund legislation. It requires the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general to report their inaugural fund contributions and expenditures.
The House wanted inaugural profits to go into the state's general fund, but the Senate said the money could be used for political action committees or future campaigns.
The House voted 78-15 for the plan and the Senate agreed 36-0.
The legislation grew out of a controversy last year over Wilder's refusal to disclose the profits from his inauguration in January 1990. He finally said last month that he had a nearly $1 million profit.
> The Senate Privileges and Elections Committee met briefly to adopt guidelines for the redistricting that will take place in a special session beginning April 1. The committee also agreed to hold public hearings the week of March 11.
The guidelines require that the new districts be reasonably compact and fair to both political parties. Democrats, however, will control the redistricting process since they hold majorities in the House and Senate.
by CNB