THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 18, 1994 TAG: 9410180328
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
Virginians will decide Nov. 8 whether to amend the state constitution to limit the governor's powers, loosen voter registration rules and extend deadlines for filing lawsuits over child sexual abuse.
The three little-noticed ballot questions will be decided as voters elect a U.S. senator, members of the House of Representatives and local officeholders in some communities. No opposition has emerged on any of the referendums.
The first issue on the statewide ballot would overturn a state Supreme Court ruling that restricted the time period during which child abuse victims can sue their abusers.
Under existing state law, personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years after the injury. In 1991, the General Assembly passed an exception for child abuse victims to allow them to file the lawsuits until they turn 28. The move came after women testified about not realizing they had been abused as children until they underwent therapy as adults.
But the Supreme Court said it was unconstitutional to apply the law to abuse that occurred before 1991.
The proposed constitutional amendment would allow the assembly to revise time limits for filing lawsuits involving intentional injuries to children.
Voter registrars have a direct interest in a referendum on conforming Virginia law to the federal ``motor voter'' registration law passed last year.
If the referendum is defeated, voters would have to register separately for state and federal elections and registrars would have to keep two sets of books.
Registrars clearly support the referendum but cannot openly campaign for it because state elections policy discourages registrars from taking an advocacy role.
The referendum has the support of local governments, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the League of Women Voters.
The final referendum stems from a budget struggle a few years ago between then-Gov. L. Douglas Wilder and the legislature.
The amendment would specify that bills passed by the assembly become law unless the governor vetoes them. The governor's failure to act is now treated as a veto on most bills.
Another proposed change would specify that the governor may offer only one set of amendments to a bill for the assembly to accept or reject. Currently, the governor can try again if his first set of amendments is rejected.
KEYWORDS: CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BALLOT ELECTION REFERENDUM by CNB