Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 17, 1992 TAG: 9201170220
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
GOP EFFORT REJECTED
Voting along party lines, the House of Delegates rejected an effort Thursday by Republicans to gain more seats on powerful committees.Also, a group of legislators began pushing a bill to make "stalking" a person illegal, and a proposal to force insurance companies to offer coverage for retraining brain injury victims was shelved until next year.
A Senate committee endorsed a bill to double the fine for violating Virginia's child safety seat law from $25 to $50.
The House voted 56-41 to reject a rule change to require proportional representation of both political parties on committees. The only House independent joined the Democratic majority to defeat the proposal.
Del. Andy Guest, R-Front Royal, said the rule change was a matter of fairness to GOP legislators and the voters who elected them. Republicans say they were not given enough seats on the most influential committees.
"We stand here eager to take our share of the burden and represent our constituencies," Guest said.
Majority Leader Richard Cranwell of Vinton responded with a scathing attack, accusing Republicans of lying to the voters in last fall's election campaigns.
"I have heard the cries for fair play, and they don't ring true to me," Cranwell said. "I understand what's going on, and it's not good government. It's politics as usual."
He said increasing partisanship has hurt efforts to "do the people's business" in recent years.
"The majority leader would have you believe politics is all sweetness and honey," said Del. Clinton Miller, R-Woodstock.
He said Democrats should forget about campaign rhetoric after the elections are over.
"You can't represent your constituents if you have this paranoia about what was said in the last campaign," he said.
One issue that does appear to have bipartisan support is the stalking legislation. Four versions of the bill have either been filed or are being planned - two by Republicans, and two by Democrats. Attorney General Mary Sue Terry has made it part of her legislative package.
Gov. Douglas Wilder spent Thursday calling in whatever favors he has among Democratic legislators in a lobbying effort to win approval for his proposed $68 million tax on doctors, hospitals, nursing homes and pharmacists.
However, few of those who met with Wilder and Howard Cullum, his secretary of health and human resources, said they gave assurances they would support Wilder.
Staff writer Rob Eure contributed to this story.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.