Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 27, 1993 TAG: 9306270059
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEAN McNAIR ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Virginia will become the second state after South Carolina to limit handgun purchases to one per month in an effort to stop criminals from loading up on weapons at gun shops.
Anyone who wants to buy more than one handgun within 30 days will have to get permission from the Virginia State Police.
Sales of the "street sweeper" assault weapons favored by criminals will be banned. Juveniles will be charged with a misdemeanor if they are caught with a handgun.
As part of the crackdown on guns, the Department of Motor Vehicles is tightening requirements for getting a driver's license. Police say out-of-state residents have obtained Virginia driver's licenses to avoid waiting periods for buying guns.
A new state law will require people to sign a statement certifying that they live in Virginia before they get the license.
"There was nothing in the law that said you had to be a Virginia resident in order to obtain a license," said Jeanne Chenault, a DMV spokeswoman.
A new law could lead to tickets for drivers who avoid traffic lights or stop signs by pulling off the road and zipping through a parking lot or other property. That time-saving maneuver will become illegal.
"Those people are doing it because they're in a hurry. They're not looking for children, they're not looking for people pulling out," said the bill's sponsor, Del. Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake.
Another law intended to reduce accidents will make it a misdemeanor to walk along railroad tracks. Crossing a track will be allowed, but walking down the track in the tradition of hobos will be punishable by a $250 fine.
School buses will be able to drive a little faster on interstate highways. Their speed limit is going There will be two new "official Virginia" items for trivia experts to remember. The brook trout will become the official state fish and a mussel shell called the Chesapecten jeffersonius will become the official state fossil. from 45 mph to 55 mph. Other vehicles already are allowed to drive 55 mph or 65 mph in rural areas.
Carjacking will become a felony under the state criminal code. The law was prompted by recent incidents in which criminals stole cars by forcing their drivers out at gunpoint. The minimum sentence will be 15 years.
Say goodbye to those grain-alcohol punch parties popular at college fraternities. State alcoholic beverage control stores will no longer sell the potent liquid that is clear, tasteless and 75 percent alcohol.
Travel promoters and day-care providers will come under closer scrutiny under two new laws.
The day-care law will be phased in over several years but one provision that takes effect in July gives the state greater authority to inspect religiously run day-care centers that are not licensed.
Travel clubs that require an advance fee will have to register with the Division of Consumer Affairs. The clubs will have to disclose terms in writing and give consumers seven days to cancel a contract.
There will be two new "official Virginia" items for trivia experts to remember. The brook trout will become the official state fish and a mussel shell called the Chesapecten jeffersonius will become the official state fossil.
Other new laws will:
Allow car buyers to cancel a car purchase and receive their down payment and trade-in back if dealer-promised financing falls through.
Allow the sale of homes "as is" if the disclaimer is given before the seller reaches a contract with the buyer.
Allow charitable organizations to hold plastic duck races to raise money.
Prohibit the Board of Elections from giving registered voters' Social Security numbers to any outside group or individual.
Allow goods and services by prison inmates to be sold on the open market.
Prohibit parole for murderers and rapists until they have served at least two-thirds of their sentence.
Increase the maximum sentence for second-degree murder from 20 years to 40 years.
Require a person's juvenile criminal history to be included in pre-sentence reports on adult felony charges.
Allow licensed funeral home operators to dispose of cremated remains if they have not been claimed within 90 days of cremation.
by CNB