ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, February 19, 1996 TAG: 9602190142
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: GENERAL ASSEMBLY NOTEBOOK
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE AND ROBERT LITTLE STAFF WRITERS
Del. Lacey Putney, I-Bedford, demonstrated last week that he who speaks least is heeded most.
A rare floor speech by Putney roused the House of Delegates to approve a women's health bill that few thought had a chance.
The bill would require managed health insurers to give women direct access to gynecologists without first having to get a referral from a primary care physician.
Putney's endorsement carries weight because he is the chamber's senior member and, as an independent, he has no partisan ax to grind.
Women lawmakers were appreciative, but they tempered their thanks with a reminder that the conservative Putney was one of the "Dirty Dozen" who killed the Equal Rights Amendment back in the 1970s.
Del. Jean Cunningham, D-Richmond, printed up a lapel sticker that Putney proudly sported the next day. It read: "ERA - No, GYN - Yes"
Dudley on the hot seat
Del. Allen Dudley, R-Rocky Mount, learned last week that life under the spotlight can get a little too warm.
The low-key Republican became the buzz of the General Assembly for about 24 hours with his revelation about Trigon Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Dudley claimed he had been told by a Trigon lobbyist that the insurer would have "no problem" with ponying up another $65 million to the state budget.
The revelation then took on a life of its own. Trigon fired off a statement of denial. A House subcommittee called all parties to testify. And Democrats - circulating a transcript of Dudley's floor speech - vowed to force Dudley to recant.
But a potential showdown fizzled Thursday.
Del. Tom Jackson, D-Hillsville, rose on the floor in an effort to draw out Dudley. But the slow-talking banker refused to take the bait.
Later, Dudley said the hoo-ha boiled down to nothing more than differing recollections of the same conversation.
"I think my statement was an accurate perception of what he said," Dudley explained.
Democrats steal GOP bill
Call it bill piracy or legislative larceny.
Either way, Del. Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake, knows what it's like to have Democrats who control the House of Delegates purloin one of his ideas.
For five years, Forbes has pushed to require the state Tax Department to establish guidelines in disputes with taxpayers. But his Taxpayer Bill of Rights went nowhere fast.
Last year, some Democrats warmed to the idea. Former Norfolk Del. Howard Copeland, a Democrat, was co-patron of the bill with Forbes.
But the Senate Democrats refused to let Forbes take credit for the idea in an election year.
This year, Democrats have adopted the Taxpayer Bill of Rights idea as their own. Lt. Gov. Don Beyer made it part of his legislative agenda.
Democrats gave the measure to a pair of freshmen lawmakers: Del. John Tate of Marion and Sen. John Edwards of Roanoke.
Forbes again introduced his bill this year, only to have the Democrats kill it in favor of an identical bill sponsored by Tate.
Forbes set the record straight last week before the House unanimously approved Tate's bill.
"I rise to support this measure because ... I wrote it," Forbes said.
Goode gets to the point
Sen. Virgil Goode's signature legislation was again in the spotlight Tuesday, and the debate was swirling - on one side, at least.
At issue: A portion of the controversial concealed-weapon law Goode sponsored in 1995. A bill the Rocky Mount Democrat is sponsoring this year would eliminate a section prohibiting concealed pistols in any business with an on-premises ABC license.
Opponents argued that the existing "saloon amendment" safely separates alcohol and firearms.
"You can't drink and drive, you can't drink and fly a plane, but you can drink and pack heat," said Sen. Richard Saslaw, D-Fairfax County.
"Where's the protection?'' asked Sen. Joseph Gartlan, D-Fairfax County. "How crazy can we get?''
After much debate, it came time for Goode to have his say. But from votes on proposed amendments, Goode knew he had all the support he needed.
Goode isn't known for his long-windedness anyway, and his argument in favor of the bill included only what was needed.
"This simply puts the law back the way it was," he said. "I move the bill pass." It did, 21-19.
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Putney, Dudley, Edwards, Goode. KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1996by CNB