Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 21, 1993 TAG: 9301200099
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: THOMAS G. BAKER JR.
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
GUN CONTROL NOT THE BEST CRIME-CUTTER
The "one-gun-a-month" bill seems to be drawing the most attention and stacking up to be the most controversial issue in this year's General Assembly.Gov. Douglas Wilder can be given credit for doing a much better job of public relations on this matter than on his Redskin football stadium project. His plan has support in both political parties. Everyone is concerned, and rightfully so, about the rising incidence of violence in schools and the trafficking in drugs and guns mentioned during his State of the Commonwealth address.
The legislature has taken steps to stem these problems, and I believe we have methods to further curtail these situations without infringing upon the rights of law-abiding citizens to purchase guns.
I intend to oppose basic gun control, as I have in the past, and vote against the "one-gun-a-month" purchase limit. If this bill becomes law, in my opinion, it will be only a short time until most long rifle and shotgun sales will be restricted.
I will, however, support other legislation to address these problems.
For instance, a valid Virginia driver's license should be one of the two forms of identification necessary to purchase a firearm here. This would dramatically reduce the ability of out-of-state residents to purchase firearms - one of the governor's primary arguments in favor of his gun-control bill.
Additionally, maintaining instant-check records for a longer period of time would help the state police trace illegal purchases and illegal use of weapons.
The legislature will consider several measures to address school violence. One will be a bill to ensure that students expelled from one school for violence or criminal behavior cannot simply move across town and enter another school.
Other issues before the General Assembly this session include:
The administrative license revocation bill to allow a police officer or magistrate to revoke the driver's license of a person charged with driving under the influence before his or her trial or conviction.
A bill to modify current law to allow minors to be presumed to be competent witnesses to testify in sexual abuse cases. This is one of several bills coming from a yearlong study commission on which I served with Lt. Gov. Don Beyer.
A budget amendment I am co-sponsoring to restore $3.4 million to the Virginia Tech Extension Program.
I can be reached in Richmond at my office: Room 446, General Assembly Building, Capitol Square, P.O. Box 406, Richmond, Va., 23203, by phone at 804-786-6605, or through my Dublin office at 674-4081.
Thomas G. Baker Jr., R-Radford, represents Radford, Pulaski County and part of Giles County in the Virginia House of Delegates.