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

DATE: TUESDAY, March 8, 1994                   TAG: 9403080187
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-4   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Thomas G. Baker Jr.
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SENATE TO TAKE UP SCHOOL PRAYER, ABORTION NOTIFICATION

As the General Assembly session begins to wind down, many bills have survived the process thus far.

A bill which will allow for voluntary prayer in school is pending in the Senate. This is a measure I co-sponsored with Del. Clinton Miller, R-Woodstock. Last Thursday, the Senate Education and Health Committee reported it to the full Senate by a vote of 8-7. This same Senate committee is also considering the bill to require parental notification before a minor can receive an abortion. I voted for this bill. I would anticipate that the Senate will act on this bill during the first part of the week. Should it pass the Senate without any significant amendments, Gov. Allen has indicated he will sign it into law.

Another of my bills is pending before the Senate Courts of Justice Committee. The Victim's Bill of Rights measure will provide more privacy to those who have been victims of crimes as well as to the families of crime victims. For instance, if a victim requests, neither the police, the courts nor the commonwealth attorney may reveal the name, address, phone number or place of employment to the media. Nothing will prevent a crime victim from giving this information to the news media, but the measure should help give victims an extra sense of security and peace of mind. This bill was given preliminary approval by the Senate Courts of Justice Criminal Law Subcommittee last Wednesday.

Sen. Madison Marye's bill to change the state song passed the Senate, but the House, after a lengthy debate, voted 87-9 to repeal the state song. We now have no state song at all. I voted against repealing the state song.

The House Courts of Justice Committee will begin hearing some Senate gun control proposals this week. Among them will be Senate Bill 199 sponsored by Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Norfolk, that would make parents guilty of a crime if their children possessed or used a firearm in any manner. I opposed this measure.

The 1994 session is scheduled to adjourn Saturday. This week we will finish up with Senate bills and hold conference committee meetings on bills that have different versions pending in the House and the Senate. One of the most important of these bills, of course, will be the budget.

I can be reached at 804-786-6605 and by mail at Room 446, General Assembly Building, Capitol Square, P.O. Box 406, Richmond, Va., 23203, 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.

Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994

by CNB