ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, February 20, 1997 TAG: 9702200072
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: general assembly notebook
For the second straight day, House and Senate conferees haggled late into the night Wednesday in search of consensus on changes to the 1996-98 state budget.
Sources said one major sticking point was matching funds for a federal grant for 1,000 new police officers, a priority of Lt. Gov. Don Beyer, the all-but-certain Democratic nominee for governor.
The Democrat-controlled House has provided $7million to cover the state's match, while Republicans who share power in the Senate want localities to pick up a portion of the cost.
The budget writers must resolve a slew of other differences, including a House plan to exempt welfare recipients from work requirements if they are enrolled as full-time students and a Senate proposal to give lawmakers an office allowance increase that amounts to a $3,000-a-year raise.
House Appropriations Chairman Earl Dickinson, D-Louisa County, said he thought the differences could be resolved by late Wednesday or early today.
If the budget talks linger any longer than that, the General Assembly could run the risk of missing its scheduled Saturday adjournment for the second year in a row.
Sen. Stanley Walker, D-Norfolk and co-chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said one problem this year is that budget matters at times have taken a back seat to a dispute over judicial appointments, which has required members to huddle in party caucuses.
"It takes the budget conferees away when they could be up here working," Walker said.
One thing the negotiators did agree on, however, was 4 percent raises for state employees and teachers and raises averaging 5.5 percent for college faculty.
Notification vote today
Lawmakers delayed their perennial clash over abortion rights Wednesday, putting off a final vote on parental notification for minors who seek abortions.
The House of Delegates adjourned Wednesday, about halfway through its schedule of legislation, to interview judicial candidates. The bill that would prohibit doctors from performing an abortion on a minor unless one of her parents is notified is now scheduled for debate today.
Backseat bucklers
The Senate passed a bill requiring adult drivers to make backseat passengers under 16 use seat belts, but opponents say the governor is expected to veto it.
Supporters of the bill said it would save lives, but critics said it was an attempt to legislate personal responsibility. A spokesperson in Allen's office said he will consider signing it, but said he has already expressed "several concerns" about the bill's merits.
Still a circus
Despite dramatic rhetoric from half a dozen members, the delegates sent into legislative limbo a bill that would have banned auto tent sales sponsored by credit unions.
Auto tent sales are "designed to whip up the average consumer into a buying frenzy like sharks circling a tank," said William Robinson, D-Norfolk and one of the bill's proponents.
"What's the problem?" countered Del. Tom Jackson, D-Hillsville. "If the consumer can get a better deal at the dealership, then the consumer should get a better deal at the dealership. It's a free country."
In the end, the legislation was sent back to the House Committee on Corporations, Insurance and Banking for further study. That committee, however, is not expected to meet for another year.
Suicide unassisted
A bill that would impose stiff fines on anyone who assisted a suicide was passed by the House, 80-14.
A person found guilty of a first offense would be subject to a maximum $10,000 fine. Anyone found guilty of assisting a second suicide or more would be subject to a maximum $100,000 fine for each incident.
Also, physicians or nurses found guilty of aiding suicides would lose their medical license.
Identical legislation has been approved by the Senate. The bill, however, must be passed by the General Assembly again next year to be enacted.
The legislation was introduced by Sen. Mark Earley, R-Chesapeake.
Vicious wolf hybrids at risk
Virginia's delegates barked and growled Wednesday before approving a Senate bill authorizing the death penalty for dogs who are part wolf or coyote and who "commit" certain "depredations."
Among those depredations: killing or injuring poultry and livestock and not having a permit or a tag.
Animal wardens and officers who catch hybrid canines in the act of attacking other animals must "kill such hybrid canine forthwith, whether such hybrid canine bears a tag or not," according to the provisions of the law.
Violent death will not be the fate of all hybrid canine lawbreakers, however. Tagless canines who don't attack other animals will simply get lethal injection.
In billspeak, they will be "surrendered for euthanasia."
In other action
*The House amended a Senate bill that would have allowed people who get public assistance to seek court review of decisions about the grant or denial of aid.
Under the amendment, proposed by Fairfax County Republican David Albo, no court review is possible.
People who accept "our charity" shouldn't have the right to complain about it, Albo told the House.
*The governor will decide whether lawyers are the only people who can oversee real estate closings. A bill that would allow title insurance agents and real estate brokers to conduct closings passed the Senate, 36-1, and goes to the governor for his consideration.
*A bill requiring parental permission for minors to receive tattoos passed the Senate, 40-0. Because of some changes added by the Senate, the measure goes back to the House for approval.
Noticed and noted
The General Assembly carried Virginia's state song into history Wednesday, voting to retire "Carry Me Back to Old Virginia" and give it a new distinction: state song emeritus.
By a 30-8 vote, the Senate delivered a final blow to the controversial song whose references to "darkeys" and "ole massa" have made legislators squirm since then-Sen. Douglas Wilder denounced it in 1979. The bill retiring the song was sent to Gov. George Allen for his signature.
"Finally," said Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, who co-sponsored efforts to sink the song.
Staff writers Robert Little, Laura LaFay and Warren Fiske, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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