ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 11, 1996 TAG: 9612110037
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: ROBERT LITTLE STAFF WRITER
Virginia's lawmakers thought about saving some money on the General Assembly's printing costs Tuesday, but decided it could prove too costly to their re-election efforts.
Senior lawmakers on the Joint Rules Committee debated a one-paragraph change in the legislature's rules designed to save a few thousand dollars in the annual cost of printing bills. It would discourage passing two identical bills, or ordering reprints of bills when amendments are slight.
But hold on a minute, members said. Such a rule could not only tangle the legislature in debates over which amendments are slight, but could affect a lawmakers' political resume as well.
State Sen. Madison Marye, a Democrat from Shawsville, offered a hypothetical scenario: He introduces a bill his constituents want, then a Republican goes and introduces an exact copy.
"I'd hate to see my bill combined with his and then him get all the credit," Marye said. "That would be terrible."
So the Rules Committee scrapped the change, deciding instead to encourage more informal frugality.
"Someone said years ago that democracy is not efficient, and I guess that's true," said Norfolk Democrat Thomas Moss, speaker of the House of Delegates. "We sometimes have to do some duplication."
Not everyone agreed.
"I think we're missing an opportunity to speed up the process and improve the process," said Del. Alan Diamonstein, a Newport News Democrat, one of two committee members who voted to make the change.
"It would save us a little time and money," said state Sen. Joseph Benedetti, R-Richmond, who was the other supporter. "What's wrong with that?"
LENGTH: Short : 41 lines KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1996by CNB