Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 16, 1993 TAG: 9302160139
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: THOMAS G. BAKER JR.
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
WORK OF DELEGATES COMPLETE
After marathon sessions last Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, the House of Delegates finished its work, sending 750 pieces of legislation on to the Senate. Among the bills passed were three measures I am carrying that came out of a study on the reduction of sexual assault in Virginia. I served on this study which was chaired by Lt. Gov. Don Beyer.One of these bills will ensure that children will not be disqualified from testifying in abuse cases solely because of their age. During our travels across the state, many times we heard of child sexual abuse victims who were not allowed to give evidence because of their age.
Another bill which passed the House was the AIDS notification bill. My amendments were adopted and now the measure will go on to the Senate. If passed, law enforcement officers, and correctional officers, will have to be informed if they are requested to transport or keep a person with a known communicable disease.
Of course, the most controversial measures dealt with gun control. Last Monday, the "one-gun-a-month" bills were acted on. Tuesday saw action on the semi-automatic gun ban bill. Fortunately, other less publicized, but equally important, gun bills were passed.
In fact, it is my position that one comprehensive bill passed last Monday will virtually eliminate out of state residents from being able to purchase Virginia firearms. That being the case, a valid claim can be made that the "one-gun-a-month" bills were unnecessary.
However, the high-profile publicity campaign pushed by Gov. Douglas Wilder assured action on the two proposals. The so-called "compromise plan" was taken up first. This measure would allow multiple firearms purchases only after permission was given from the state police. This bill was defeated 65-34. Thereafter, the governor's original one-gun-per-month bill was argued and passed 60-40. I voted against the governor's bill and against the compromise plan.
Last Tuesday, a bill that would have banned the "Striker 12" shotgun and the "Tec 9" semi-automatic was debated. The "Striker 12" is also known as the "street sweeper" and is a form of semi-automatic shotgun. It is already a federal offense to import these weapons.
The "Tec 9" is closer to normal semi-automatic pistols that many people keep in their homes for protection. The primary difference is that the "Tec 9" has a larger clip, or magazine, capacity. An amendment took the "Tec 9" weapons out of the bill and left in the "street sweeper." I voted in favor of the bill as it applied only to the "street sweeper." By making the "Striker 12" shotgun illegal, we have basically done what has previously been done with sawed-off shotguns.
In other matters, various parental notification and informed consent bills failed in committee. I voted in favor of a bill which would have required a person seeking an abortion to have full information about the risks of abortion and the risks of carrying a child to term before the abortion could be performed. There was no 24- or 48- hour waiting period requirement as with past proposals. The bill died on a fairly close vote.
The House passed its version of the budget Thursday afternoon. Contained in House amendments to the governor's budget are amendments to give teachers a 2 percent pay raise and to restore $3.4 million for extension programs.
Amendments I carried included two that will bring $200,000 to Radford University to assist with further progress on the College of Global Studies and $200,000 for improvements at Walker Hall. I voted for the budget and for the House amendments.
I can be reached in Richmond at Room 446, General Assembly Building, Capitol Square, P.O. Box 406, Richmond, Va. 23203. Call (804) 786-6605, or 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.