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

DATE: TUESDAY, January 25, 1994                   TAG: 9401250283
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

DELEGATE OUTLINES HIS BILLS

This week, I requested legislation to look into the possibility of purchasing or leasing closed military bases as locations for new prisons. I hope this not only would be cheaper than building new prisons, but also would help local economies in defense reduction areas and solve our prison overpopulation at the same time.

Also this week, I introduced legislation to restore funding for the Offices on Youth. These local offices, such as the ones in Pulaski, serve several valuable functions, including reducing and preventing the incidence of juvenile delinquency. Hopefully, we will be able to restore these funds cut from the budget by former Gov. Douglas Wilder.

I also am looking into how much money the state is losing in unpaid fines and costs owed by criminal defendants. The state auditor has estimated that more than $127 million in unpaid fines and costs is due, much of which could likely be collected. I have requested a bill to require judges to obtain additional information from criminal defendants at the time of trial, including their social security numbers. Thereafter, mandatory wage withholdings and income tax withholdings would be imposed against the convicted defendant. Additionally, payment would be required as part of any release from probation. A drivers license would be suspended until all state debts are paid.

I also will carry legislation arising from Lt. Gov. Don Beyer's Commission on the Reduction of Sexual Assault. I have served on this commission since its inception and one of my bills last year changed the law to allow children to be competent witnesses notwithstanding their age. This law is proving to be beneficial across Virginia. As recently as last December, my bill allowed the commonwealth`s attorney for Alexandria to successfully prosecute a child molester after the 4-year-old victim was able to testify. This year I am working on a bill to require those working at state regulated juvenile facilities to provide copies of their criminal records, if any, to their employer. This bill will work in cojunction with the sex offender registry bill, on which I am a co-patron, to keep track of all convicted sexual offenders in order to assist employers and law enforcement agencies with knowledge of the whereabouts of those convicted of sex-related crimes.

Among the bills introduced this week, is a measure to give local school boards the option to open school before Labor Day. The chance for passage of this bill seems good. Also, bills were introduced to provide for life without parole upon the third conviction of a serious act of violence (such as murder and kidnapping) and a bill that provides that the crime of premeditated murder will be a capital offense if the defendant has previously been convicted of two other serious offenses such as rape and murder. I am a co-patron on both of these bills.

To contact Del. Baker, call 804-786-6605 or write to Room 446, General Assembly Building, Capitol Square, P.O. Box 406, Richmond, Va., 23203; or in Dublin, 674-4081 and P.O. Box 1847, Dublin, Va., 24084.

by CNB