Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 5, 1990 TAG: 9003052308
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
The Senate Courts of Justice Committee, meeting late Sunday before a deadline today for committee action on bills, also approved a measure that would start a private fund-raising drive for drug law enforcement.
The committee gave Gov. Douglas Wilder two of the drug bills he had sought but turned down the third that would aid drug treatment. Wilder had no position on the private fund-raising bill, said Robert Northern, his adviser on drug issues.
The bill Wilder had touted most would allow the death penalty for murders that occur during drug deals. The committee, which held a public hearing on the bill Thursday, approved it 11-4 with little discussion.
Several committee members were skeptical about other bills that would raise money for the drug fight without touching the state's budget.
A bill sponsored by Del. William S. Moore Jr., D-Portsmouth, would add $2 to fines paid by traffic and criminal offenders, with the money going to localities to catch drug dealers.
The committee voted 7-5 to endorse the bill, but voted again after an amendment to delete traffic offenses failed 8-5. The second vote to approve the bill was 10-4.
Sen. Dudley Emick Jr., D-Botetourt, who proposed the amendment, said there is "no correlation at all" that justifies making speeders pay for the drug war.
The bill exemplifies the assembly's tendency "to put fees on but don't call them taxes," he said. "If you think it's important enough, put a tax on it."
But Sen. Moody E. Stallings Jr., D-Virginia Beach, said the bill provides a good way to fight drugs without raising taxes.
"We need to put up or shut up" in the fight against drug dealers, he said. "Governor Wilder said he was going to go after these people and he needs the money."
Del. Edgar C. Eck, D-Richmond, who sponsored the death penalty measure, also won 7-6 approval of his bill that would create the Local Anti-Drug Trust Fund Authority. The authority, which would consist of six legislators, a law enforcement official and a private citizen, would raise private funds that would be sent to localities to enforce drug laws.
The grants to localities would be decided by the governor and confirmed by the authority, Eck said.
"I really am optimistic that we can get out and raise some money," he said.
But Emick and Sen. Mark L. Earley, R-Chesapeake, said the private fund-raising campaign would add to the lack of coordination among drug-fighting efforts.
Sen. Joseph V. Gartlan Jr., D-Fairfax, objected that the General Assembly would have no say on how the money is spent.
The legislation assumes "we've got 140 potted plants in this place that ought to be excluded from the war on drugs," Gartlan said.
The committee carried over until next year a Wilder-backed bill that would increase fines paid by drug offenders by $50 for misdemeanors and $100 for felonies with the money going to drug treatment. Votes to approve and kill the bill each failed 8-7.
"It's paid for by drug offenders who create the problem," said the bill's sponsor, Del. James F. Almand, D-Arlington.
But several committee members said they were troubled by yet another effort to pay for the drug problem without using state budget money.
The bill "makes an end run around the legislative budgeting and appropriation process," Gartlan said.
by CNB