ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, February 25, 1997 TAG: 9702250131
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
This year's General Assembly session adjourned Saturday. Two local legislators update their work:
Del. Jim Shuler, D-Blacksburg
Represents Blacksburg, much of Montgomery County and eastern Giles County. Blacksburg office: 953-1103.
Final budget issues have been resolved and the results echo positively for the New River Valley. First and foremost the message to Virginia citizens is clear - we value the service of our state employees. Second, is our pledge to provide high quality education for our children, and finally, we are going to protect Virginia streets and our streams.
The biggest news is salary increases for state employees, teachers and faculty members. The governor recommended holding the raise to 2 percent, but we chose instead to boost the figure to 4 percent for both the state's employees and teachers. Faculty members in Virginia colleges and universities, whose salaries have become stagnant and less competitive within the academic market, will receive an increase of between 4 percent and 9 percent. It is the caliber of a university's faculty that is the key factor in student enrollment and outside research and grants. In other state-employee related matters, the General Assembly approved my bill to rescind lag-pay and infuse $22 million to initiate a plan that ensures state employees lose neither time nor money. Further, the budget includes $27 million for the state's threatened health insurance fund. News of this crisis reached the legislature for the first time in January and among the solutions discussed was a premium increase of 17 percent. Instead we redirected funds to keep the Key Advantage medical health plan affordable and solvent.
All of the above measures bring funds and relief to people throughout the New River Valley. Of special interest to me are those budget measures that directly impact individual agencies and projects within our area. I am particularly satisfied that I was able to secure $50,000 in state funding for the Lyric Theatre, in Blacksburg. The state money will become part of the major fund-raising effort being undertaken by the Lyric Council to restore the historic 1930 structure. Further, initial funds were made available to begin Phase II of a cooperative project between the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and the Virginia Department of Corrections. This project is a favorite of mine because it addresses a solution to the enormous drain of state dollars going into our least productive population - prisoners. At completion, the Phase II project will detail a plan that puts prisoners to work producing all their own food, thus saving the state substantial sums now taken for buying meats, vegetables and dairy products.
The General Assembly is drawing to a close. I look forward to returning to my home, family and veterinary responsibilities. With the adjournment, my office will once again open on weekdays in Blacksburg.
Del. Tommy Baker, R-Pulaski County
Represents Pulaski County, Pearisburg and western Giles County. Dublin phone number: 674-4081.
Although it had previously drawn little attention, Senate Bill 971 produced a very long and fiercely contested debate last week. Initially, this measure was designed to require those ages 4 through 16 to wear seat belts in the rear seat of passenger vehicles. Currently all front seat passengers must wear seat belts, but if they don't, they cannot be stopped or ticketed for that alone. As the bill was debated and amended, all passengers must wear seat belts, in both the front and rear seats, and the law will be a primary enforcement statute. Thus, if you are not wearing your belt, the police can stop and ticket you at any time. Moreover, if you are involved in an accident, it could be civil negligence on your part if an unbuckled passenger in your car gets injured. I voted against this bill due to its primary-enforcement provisions. It remains my position that we should all wear seat belts, but to force their usage on drivers and to also subject drivers to civil suits as described is just too much. I anticipate the governor may well veto this bill.
In other areas, Sen. Trumbo's Senate Bill 1019 passed the Senate and was before the House on Wednesday. I managed this bill on the House side for him. The measure provides authorization for three or more local governments to form an industrial development authority. This is the legislation that will authorize the development of a commerce park in Pulaski County. The Senate version of the budget also contains initial funding for the project. In essence, this park will provide Pulaski County, Radford and Giles with the ability to attract an industrial prospect that could bring thousands of jobs to the valley. For several years, gubernatorial administrations have been wanting such a facility in Virginia in order to court very large industrial employers to our state. Now, we have legislative approval for such an undertaking here, as the House passed this bill on Wednesday.
The Senate also passed a House bill dealing with occupational disease and tattooing. Minors will now need parental consent before getting a tattoo. The workers' compensation laws were also modified to ease the ability of workers suffering from carpel tunnel syndrome to gain compensation benefits. I voted in support of both of these measures when they were before the House.
I truly appreciate all the calls, cards and correspondence I have received from you since the session began on Jan. 8. As you know, I rely upon your input to make legislative decisions. That is my basic philosophy on what a member of the House is to do - he or she has been "delegated" with your vote on legislative issues.
I was back in my Dublin office on Monday to resume my law practice. I will, of course, be there also to attend to legislative needs until our reconvened session in April. If I may be of any assistance please call me or write to P.O. Box 1847; Dublin, Va. 24084.
Other New River Valley legislators include:
Del. Allen Dudley, R-Rocky Mount, represents Floyd County, Rocky Mount office (540) 489-8989.
Del. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, represents Christiansburg and eastern Montgomery County, along with western Roanoke County and Salem. Salem office, (540) 389-4498.
Sen. Madison Marye, D-Shawsville, represents Montgomery County and part of Pulaski County, Shawsville office, 268-2741.
Sen. Malfourd "Bo" Trumbo, R-Fincastle, represents Radford, Giles County and part of Pulaski County, (540) 473-2781.
LENGTH: Long : 112 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) Baker, Shuler KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1997by CNB