Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 28, 1995 TAG: 9506280048
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Among new state laws that go into effect this weekend is one that lowers the age for a learner's driving permit from 15 years and 8 months to just 15.
This will allow a young driver a whole year in which to practice on public roads as long as he or she is accompanied by a licensed driver 18 or older.
However, the already-licensed driver who objects to the Social Security number as the driver's ID will have to wait until Sept. 1 for relief.
A legislative change allows a driver to substitute a ``unique number'' for the Social Security number, but Department of Motor Vehicles workers don't yet have instructions from headquarters on how this will happen, said a worker in the Roanoke DMV office.
Also, the group that argued hardest for the change considers it only a partial victory.
The Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, in its June ``report card'' on how the General Assembly and Gov. George Allen responded to consumer concerns, gave both groups a B-minus for the Social Security number change.
The council had asked for a ban on the use of the number on licenses. Bans already exist in 40 states.
Even a B-minus turned out to be a good grade, though. The lawmakers and the governor got only one A from the consumer group, for removing legal barriers to local telephone market competition.
``The General Assembly and the governor didn't do a good job of standing up for consumers in the face of high-pressure lobbying by special-interest groups,'' said Jean Ann Fox of Yorktown, president of the consumer group.
Although many aspects of Attorney General James Gilmore's rewrite of the Consumer Protection Act were good, Fox said the council was disappointed that Allen allowed the rewrite to become law without signing it. The rewritten act didn't fund the consumer affairs toll-free hotline, and it added real estate agents to the groups exempted from the act.
Banks, utilities, insurance companies and small loan companies are regulated by the State Corporation Commission and not governed by the state's ``most important consumer protection law,'' Fox pointed out.
Western Virginia senators voted alike on three consumer-related issues, but only two of the votes were in favor of consumers. They supported the Social Security number change and the Consumer Protection Act rewrite. But, they also voted in favor of the establishment of a Motor Vehicle Dealer licensing board to regulate new and used car dealers and sales staffs.
The consumer group objected to the dealer board.
One area senator, Brandon Bell, sided with the consumer group on a bill that would prohibit minors from riding unrestrained in the back of pickup trucks on interstate highways. The governor vetoed the bill, however.
The consumer council's grading of legislators gave these pro-consumer votes:
Bell, R-Roanoke, four of seven; Sen. Elliot Schewel, D-Lynchburg, three of six; Sens. Virgil Goode, D-Rocky Mount, Madison Marye, D-Shawsville, Jackson Reasor, D-Bluefield, and Bo Trumbo, R-Fincastle, three of seven.
Del. Vic Thomas, D-Roanoke, seven of eight votes; Dels. Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton, and Creigh Deeds, D-Warm Springs, seven of nine; Del. James Shuler, D-Blacksburg, six of nine; Del. Chip Woodrum, D-Roanoke, five of nine; Del. Thomas Jackson, D-Hillsville, four of eight; Dels. Thomas Baker, R-Radford, Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, and Lacey Putney, I-Bedford, four of nine; and Dels. Allen Dudley, R-Rocky Mount, and Vance Wilkins, R-Amherst, one of nine (the Consumer Protection Act overhaul).
For a copy of the VCCC's Legislative Report Card, send a stamped, self-addressed business envelope to VCCC/Vote, 7115 Leesburg Pike, Suite 215, Falls Church 22043.
by CNB