Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 22, 1994 TAG: 9402220242
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Thomas G. Baker Jr.
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
During the marathon session, probably the most controversial measure was the riverboat gambling measure. Proponents emphasized the need for 24,000 jobs in the Tidewater area that the project would create and the estimated $120 million per year in tax revenues to the state. Those against the measure argued that the estimated tax revenues were exaggerated and that most of the voters in their districts were opposed to legalized gambling and continue to express opposition to the state lottery. I voted against riverboat gambling. The bill failed by a vote of 42 to 55. Efforts to revive the bill also failed.
The Disney America Park legislation, although controversial, passed the House fairly easily. One bill provided for approximately $44 million in roads and infrastructure improvements while House Bill 1294 provided approximately $100 million in additional incentives. In return, Disney plans to construct a $650 million project in Prince William County. It is estimated that the Disney project will provide approximately 19,000 jobs and create $47 million in annual tax revenues for Virginia beginning in 1998. There really wasn't much true opposition to the package. The main debate came from those who thought the program has not received enough study. Final enactment was delayed until the anticipated special session this spring when the House will have to approve the legislation again. I voted for the Disney Park.
I was pleased that the proposed Family Court was defeated. I have worked for two years against creating this new court, hiring 35 new judges at $96,000 per year and passing the costs of this, along with the costs of courthouse improvements, to the local taxpayers. This was one instance where the taxpayer won and a mandate on localities without any money was defeated. For the first time since being introduced several years ago, the lethal injection bill passed the full House. If passed by the Senate and signed by the governor, it will allow execution by electric chair or by lethal injection. Although I continue to be a strong supporter of the death penalty, I opposed the bill both in committee, as I have done before, and on the House floor.
In a curious twist of parliamentary procedure, and with groups that normally are at odds voting together, the House passed a parental notification bill on to the Senate. House Bill 1086, which was a very liberal notice proposal, would have allowed for notification of any family member, counselors or ministers. I voted against House Bill 1086 and it was defeated 44-54. Del. Roscoe Reynolds' House Bill 1355 was a measure similar to notification legislation passed by the House in prior years. The Martinsville Democrat's bill contained the requirements deemed necessary for Gov. Allen to sign pursuant to his advice to us. I voted for House Bill 1355 and it passed by a vote of 71-26.
A welfare reform measure was also passed. This bill would move welfare recipients into jobs and off of welfare rolls under many circumstances after receiving two years of benefits. Currently, the system is perceived to be just an endless cycle of benefit recipients. I voted for this measure and was pleased to see it pass.
Two gun control bills came before us on the Courts Committee where I am ranking minority member. I opposed both of these measures. One bill would have banned a vast array of different types of firearms. Although I believed there were enough votes there for us to kill the measure, the bill was carried over to the 1995 session by a vote of 12-10. Also, House Bill 1185, a bill to impose a five-day waiting period on the purchase of firearms, was killed on my motion by a vote of 10 to 7.
As always 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.
Thomas G. Baker Jr., R-Radford, a lawyer, represents Radford, Pulaski County and the balance of Giles County, including Pearisburg.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994
by CNB