Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 15, 1994 TAG: 9402150274
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Jim Shuler
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
I had also co-sponsored legislation that would create an early retirement program for our teachers. The Appropriations Committee took no action on this bill.
Our measure to strengthen Virginia's drunken driving laws has been confirmed by the House and is now before the Senate. If approved, Virginia will have the toughest drunk driving laws in the country.
The House also gave approval to legislation creating the Virginia Higher Education Tuition Trust Fund. This legislation will allow parents to pay future tuition at today's rates and ensure that their children will be able to afford college, protecting them from inflation and increases in tuition rates.
The House is considering a welfare reform bill. This measure, which I co-sponsored, would put a one-year limit on welfare benefits while providing work for those unable to find a job. It would eliminate any additional benefits to someone who had children while receiving welfare. Recipients would receive job training, medical coverage and counseling for a period of two years. I have long believed that our current system traps people. This legislation will provide the incentives and the support to help people resume productive lives.
I do not believe that political candidates should place themselves in a position where it may appear that their votes can be bought. In an effort to improve our elections, I co-sponsored legislation that will set limits on campaign contributions on both statewide and legislative campaigns. The bill, now before the House, also bans the payment of fees for appearances by a legislator.
I have co-sponsored legislation that creates the Virginia Growth Strategies Act. It designates the governor as our chief planner and establishes a Division of Planning within the Department of Planning and Budget. It requires the governor to prepare and implement a growth strategy plan. The goal is to coordinate the efforts of state agencies and provide efficient growth throughout the state.
For many of our elderly citizens, the most expensive part of health care is the daily cost of life-giving medications. To ensure that drugs are priced fairly, I have co-sponsored House Bill 842 to eliminate discriminatory pricing. This would prevent manufacturers and wholesalers from giving discounts to some providers like HMOs and mail order firms while charging higher prices to others.
The other part of this issue is that our local drug stores are part of our small business community. In the last four years, more than 70 pharmacies in Virginia have gone out of business. Citizens lose access and the community loses part of their economy.
With the continuing demand for cost savings in health care, many insurance companies have designated certain providers as the only source for prescription drugs. Our local pharmacies are not given a chance to meet the same conditions and prices negotiated by the insurance companies. House Bill 840 would allow any pharmacy to participate in preferred provider plans. Each of us would be able to choose our pharmacist as long as the pharmacy was willing to accept the insurer's payment for services.
You can write to me at P.O. Box 406, Richmond, Va., 23203 or you can call me at 804-786-8425. If you want to leave a message for me on a particular issue, call our constituent hot line at 1-800-889-0229.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994
by CNB