ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 20, 1993                   TAG: 9302200236
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A5   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ASSEMBLY HIGHLIGHTS

State fish: The Senate gave final passage to a bill designating the brook trout as the state fish. It now goes to the governor.

Assault weapons: The Senate passed and sent to the House a bill banning anyone who is not a permanent resident of the U.S. from buying an assault weapon.

Joint trials: The Senate approved a bill giving a court the authority to order a joint trial for people jointly indicted of the same crime. The measure must go back to the House for review of Senate amendments. Fiscal impact:

The Senate passed and returned to the House a bill requiring a fiscal impact statement to go along with any bill that would increase prison sentences. The legislature would be required to provide funds for housing any additional prisoners locked up under the new sentence.

Ethics reform: The Senate passed unanimously an ethics reform bill requiring lobbyists to report what they spend year-round influencing lawmakers. It needs only the governor's signature to become law.

Open meetings: The Senate voted 36-2 to require that all board meetings of RF&P Corp., a subsidiary of the Virginia Retirement System, be open to the public and subject to the Freedom of Information Act. The bill goes to the governor.

Financial disclosure: The House amended and passed a Senate bill requiring financial reports to be filed by local and congressional district political party committees in large cities or by any committee that raises or spends $10,000 or more annually. The bill now goes back to the Senate.

Lobbyist restraint: The House amended and passed a Senate bill to prohibit the chairman or any paid, full-time employee of a state political party from lobbying activities. The Republican-sponsored bill is aimed at state Democratic Chairman Paul Goldman, a registered lobbyist. The bill now goes back to the Senate.

Bargaining curbs: The House amended and passed a Senate bill that would put into law the prohibition against public employees engaging in collective bargaining. The bill goes back to the Senate.

Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1993 





 by Archana Subramaniam

 by CNB