ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, January 18, 1997 TAG: 9701200035
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: GENERAL ASSEMBLY NOTEBOOK
For special interests and their advocates, this first full week of the General Assembly was hunting season.
Corridors were crowded with lobbyists and people trying to buttonhole a senator or delegate in the early days of the session, before it gets too hectic.
``It's difficult to walk through the halls," said Sen. Charles Waddell, D-Loudoun County. ``There'll be a line of people waiting when I get back to my office.''
This week, committee meetings and floor sessions were brief. Legislators introduced and applauded visitors in the gallery and took time to listen to lobbyists explaining their interests.
``If someone cares enough to come to Richmond, that's the most effective form of lobbying,'' said Del. John "Butch" Davies, D-Culpeper. ``There is nothing that sells a piece of legislation better than having someone who's directly affected.''
Scholarship plan advances
Score one in the college scholarship duel for Lt. Gov. Don Beyer. A House of Delegates committee Friday endorsed the all-but-certain Democratic gubernatorial nominee's bill to provide full scholarships for second-year community college students who earn a B average the first year. Tuesday is the earliest the measure could be debated on the House floor.
Beyer also has submitted a $4 million budget amendment to pay for the first year of scholarships, which would be awarded to an estimated 2,000 students for the fall 1998 semester.
Revamp education council?
Del. Alan Diamonstein, D-Newport News, would give less say to the governor and more to lawmakers in appointing the members of the State Council of Higher Education, which has faced stormy political waters recently.
Under the measure proposed Thursday, the governor would appoint only six members and the legislature would appoint five. Now, all 11 members are gubernatorial appointees.
The council has faced controversy since Allen appointees became a majority on the council. Last fall, they strongly questioned the accuracy of the agency's enrollment predictions, but legislators virtually dismissed their objections.
Appointees also would need five years' experience as senior corporate executives, or as members of corporate, not-for-profit or academic boards of directors.
Staff writers Laura LaFay, Robert Little, Jane Evans and Philip Walzer of Landmark News Service and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Chart: Where things stand. KEYWORDS: MGR GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1997by CNB