Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 23, 1995 TAG: 9502230087
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Long
Two years after limiting handgun purchases to one a month, the Virginia General Assembly on Wednesday turned its back on gun-control advocates by making it easier to carry concealed handguns.
The House of Delegates voted 69-29 to approve a Senate bill that would require circuit judges to grant concealed-handgun permits unless the applicant has been convicted of certain crimes or has a history of mental problems.
On a 55-40 vote, the House stripped from the bill an amendment that would have allowed Roanoke City Council to ban handguns in city parks.
The House had rejected the parks proposal earlier in this year's session when a bill to amend the city's charter fell just short of the two-thirds majority it needed for approval. But the proposal was revived Monday when the Courts of Justice Committee approved the concealed-handguns bill with the parks amendment attached. Del. Clifton "Chip" Woodrum, D-Roanoke, had pushed the amendment.
If the Senate agrees to a series of House amendments to the concealed-handguns bill, it will advance to the desk of Gov. George Allen, who favors loosening requirements for concealed-weapons permits.
The measure's success in the House never was in doubt Wednesday despite a debate that lasted more than three hours and the presence of gun-control advocate James Brady on the House floor.
Brady, a former White House press secretary who was paralyzed in a 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan, is the man for whom national gun-control legislation enacted last year is named.
"It would be a shame to see ya'll backslide," Brady told reporters during a break in the debate. "If packing a piece would make us safer, we'd be the safest country on this planet. We're already up to our eyelashes with guns."
Proponents argued that some circuit judges arbitrarily deny law-abiding people a chance to get on equal footing with criminals who carry guns illegally.
Del. Roscoe Reynolds, D-Martinsville, noted that people in threatening situations cannot always count on a swift police response and must rely on the "self-help" of a concealed handgun.
Supporters turned back efforts by urban lawmakers to give cities the option of imposing additional qualifications for concealed weapons permits or to raise the minimum qualifying age from 21 to 25.
"The scariest folks we see on the street each day are the young folks," said Del. Kenneth Melvin, D-Portsmouth.
Under the bill, circuit judges no longer could decide whether someone has demonstrated a need for a concealed weapon. The license would be automatic unless the applicant was disqualified by factors that include a felony conviction in the past five years, institutionalization for mental problems in the past five years or conviction for alcohol-related offenses such as drunken driving.
In other action Wednesday:
A series of closed-door meetings produced some movement in the welfare reform stalemate, but substantial differences remain, several participants said.
"There's willingness to resolve the differences, but the differences remain large," said Del. Robert McDonnell, R-Virginia Beach.
About a dozen legislators and state officials met for an hour Wednesday morning to discuss differences between Democrat and Republican versions of plans to limit welfare benefits and require recipients to work. Staff members were instructed to craft language that might bridge some of the gaps, and the principals were slated to meet again Wednesday night.
"There was much more expressed understanding," said Lt. Gov. Don Beyer, a leader among Democrats on welfare reform. "I didn't see irreconcilable differences."
Del. Jerrauld Jones, D-Norfolk, was slightly less optimistic. "We've spent a lot of time parrying back and forth which makes me wonder if there's any real honest commitment to a resolution."
The House voted 50-48 to defeat a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow Virginia governors to serve two consecutive four-year terms. When delegates first voted on the plan it appeared near passage, as 51 ``yea'' votes flashed on the tally board. But opponents - including most top Democrats - shouted in objection until three members changed their votes.
The House revived a measure that would restrict a governor's right to keep documents secret under a blanket "governor's working paper" exemption to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. The House voted 53-45 along party lines - with one GOP defection - to attach the FOI amendment to a Senate bill.
The House voted 60-38 to weaken a consumer protection bill that would have given subpoena powers to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs.
The Senate voted 28-10 to approve a federally mandated "Motor Voter" bill that would allow residents to register to vote when they apply for drivers' licenses at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Similar legislation already has been approved by the House. The bill would become effective Jan. 1 unless the new Republican-controlled Congress lifts the mandate or Gov. George Allen mounts a legal challenge.
The Senate approved a bill that would allow grocery and convenience stores to sell bottled, pre-mixed alcoholic beverages - such as Bacardi Breezers or Lynchburg Lemonade - with a low liquor content.
Staff writers Margaret Edds, Warren Fiske and Robert Little provided information for this story.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1995
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