Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 15, 1994 TAG: 9402150275
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Thomas G. Baker Jr.
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Last Wednesday the House approved drunken driving legislation that has three key components. First, the legal limit for blood alcohol will be reduced from .10 to .08. Second, the driver's license can be suspended for seven days immediately upon arrest if the accused driver's blood alcohol is .08 or more. The final and perhaps toughest part of the bill provides that anyone who continues to drive after his or her license has been suspended will have his or her car impounded for 30 days, upon arrest, with the possibility of the judge later impounding the car for as much as 60 additional days.
Should the Senate approve this comprehensive bill and the governor sign it, this will make Virginia's DUI law one of the toughest, if not the toughest, in the country. Most of the concern with this bill centered around the revocation provisions. Those against this part of the bill argue that it is punishment before a finding of guilt. Those in favor argue that driving is a privilege and not a constitutional right and that we often hold defendants in jail without bond before they are tried in court. The seven-day revocation period would be the shortest of any state that has administrative revocation. I voted for this law both in committee and on the floor. The majority of calls I received from home supported this measure.
Friday, the House approved increasing the legal speed limit for trucks to 65 mph on interstates. Although the evidence given to the Roads Committee indicated that equal speed limits are actually safer, and I did receive a number of calls in favor of increasing the limit, the large majority of calls and letters I have received on this issue have been against raising the speed limit. The bill passed 71-28 and I voted against raising the speed limit.
Last Thursday, two bills dealing with school prayer were passed by the House. A bill stating voluntary school prayer would be acceptable in constitutionally protected situations passed by a vote of 82-14. I voted for this bill and also voted later in the day for the school prayer bill I co-sponsored with Del. Clinton Miller, R-Woodstock. Our bill provides that the attorney general and the Board of Education are to create a set of guidelines to be used by the schools when school prayer is exercised, to ensure the constitutionality of the exercise of school prayer. This bill, as I understand, is the one Gov. Allen has indicated he will sign into law if passed by the Senate. This bill passed by unanimous vote in the House.
The House Courts of Justice Committee held public hearings on parental notification bills last week. I plan to vote in support of these proposals as I have done in the past. I have received a tremendous number of calls and letters from home also in favor of these measures.
Coming up this week, a number of bills dealing with state finances, the biennial budget, the Disney America park and riverboat gambling will be dealt with in the House.
I remain in support of Disney America and against riverboat gambling. Please remember the General Assembly toll-free number for messages is 1-800-889-0229.
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 and P.O. Box 1847, Dublin, Va., 24084.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994
by CNB