ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, December 31, 1996 TAG: 9612310086
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A6 EDITION: METRO
THE 1997 General Assembly session begins Jan. 8, and before the scheduled adjournment on Feb. 22, thousands of Virginians will visit the state capitol to see their government in action.
Many of the visitors will be schoolchildren; many will be individuals with a keen interest in this or that bill making its way through the legislative labyrinth. Most will thoroughly enjoy the hustle and bustle. But some may be downright offended.
It's sad but true: The legislative process is the domain of insiders - lawmakers, lobbyists, state officials and news media assigned to the capitol. Outsiders often get their toes stepped on.
Consider the recent experience of Robert Justice of Roanoke. Justice, who has a strong interest in Virginia's archives, learned that the Joint Committee on the Library and Archives would be meeting Dec. 13, so weeks in advance he made plans to attend. When he arrived in Richmond the night of Dec. 12, he discovered there'd been a last-minute cancellation of the scheduled meeting.
Sen. Stanley Walker of Norfolk, the committee's chairman, said the cancellation was due to scheduling conflicts of some panel members. The meeting had not been planned as a public hearing, though it was to be open to the public. Those expected to appear on the agenda (Justice was not) were notified of the cancellation, and Walker expressed regret that the word hadn't gotten to others. But, meantime, Justice was out his time and $280 in travel costs for naught.
It is reasonable to draw a distinction between legislative meetings and public hearings, notice of schedule changes being more important with the latter. Citizens might be urged, too, to call ahead before traveling to Richmond.
What's more, no one would accuse Walker of showing arrogant disdain for the public, and the same can be said of most members of the General Assembly.
And yet, unfortunately, the legislature often exhibits an institutional arrogance. Sometimes, it gives citizens' voices short shrift. It seems to forget that its function is not merely to serve the insiders and those for whom a visit to the capitol is just a quick day trip.
Justice has a point: The legislature can show more consideration for citizens, possibly by adopting a rule that public meetings won't be cancelled unless more than one day's public notice is given. Barring legitimate last-minute emergencies, that seems only fair - and polite.
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