THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 13, 1996 TAG: 9602130299
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT LITTLE AND DAVID M. POOLE, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Long : 112 lines
A House of Delegates committee voted Monday to deepen the state's dependence on a one-time budget windfall that a few weeks ago lawmakers denounced as ``funny money.''
The House Appropriations Committee opted to pay into the state treasury all of the $175 million that Trigon Blue Cross Blue Shield has offered in return for permission to convert to a for-profit stock company.
Republican Gov. George F. Allen had proposed putting a little more than half of the Trigon money in the 1996-98 state budget. Lawmakers called the move irresponsible, saying the Trigon money is speculative because the State Corporation Commission has yet to rule on the company's proposal.
But the House panel, pressured to deliver on campaign promises to increase spending for higher education, succumbed to the Trigon money's lure.
The Trigon vote came early in a long day at the General Assembly, as lawmakers slogged through hundreds of bills that require action before a deadline tonight.
``The thing is we don't have time to debate some of these bills,'' carped Del. Anne ``Panny'' Rhodes, R-Richmond
The House called it quits shortly after 7 p.m., putting off until today some of its most controversial proposals: campaign finance limits, parental notification for teenage abortions, and riverboat gambling.
Senate gives green light to juvenile justice reforms
In the Senate, lawmakers passed a sweeping juvenile justice reform package that many hail as one of the bipartisan triumphs of 1996.
The Senate version differs somewhat from a similar bill moving through the House of Delegates, in that it requires all juveniles suspected of violent crimes to be tried as adults. The House version would place only murderers and other most-egregious offenders in adult court.
Not everyone liked the plan, which would take away some power of judges to make case-by-case decisions.
Among the more-ardent opponents was Sen. Yvonne B. Miller, D-Norfolk. She said the state is trying too hard to put young troublemakers in prison and not hard enough at rehabilitation.
``We cannot afford in Virginia to have a growth industry that's built on the pain and suffering of our children,'' she said.
Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, tried in vain to change the proposal, which he said could deny some juveniles a second chance.
His proposal failed, 25-15. Then three additional amendments failed by voice vote. Edwards promised to try again, perhaps when the House of Delegates' version comes before the Senate.
He said the 15 votes in support of his plan are misleadingly low. Many legislators felt bound to the proposals in the bill because they were the result of extensive negotiations between lawmakers from both chambers and both political parties, he said.
``A lot of people agree with me. They've told me so privately,'' Edwards said.
One senator involved in those negotiations, Sen. Jackson E. Reasor Jr., D-Tazewell, acknowledged as much.
``You give up some things to get some things,'' Reasor said. ``But in that process, we came up with the best plan possible.''
One of Edwards' primary beefs: That the bill would allow prosecutors to decide whether juveniles would be tried in adult court in some cases. A former federal prosecutor, Edwards argued that only judges are disinterested enough to make such decisions.
``A prosecutor is an advocate, not an impartial jurist,'' said Edwards, who tried unsuccessfully last week to make the same changes at the committee level.
Senate delays voting on ``official'' Va. language
Senators also spent half an hour debating a bill that would designate English as the official language of the commonwealth, then postponed a vote until today.
``We all know, of course, that to succeed in this country you must know English,'' said Edwards. ``But to make it an official language is, frankly, discriminatory.''
``No one on this floor wants to discriminate,'' responded Sen. Charles R. Hawkins, R-Danville. ``We're trying today to say one simple thing: That this commonwealth should have one unifying language.''
The Senate also killed a bill that would close the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Hampton, then overturned that vote and delayed a final vote until today.
The bill would merge the school with a similar one in Staunton. Supporters argue that the consolidated resources would benefit students. Opponents were concerned about the possible hardship on families who live far from Staunton.
In other action, Senators voted 34-4 in favor of a bill that would make serial killings a crime punishable by death. The law already considers multiple killings a capital crime when they occur at the same time, but does not address serial killings.
``Motor voter'' measure clears House, 73-26
In the House, lawmakers voted 73-26 Monday to allow people to register to vote at the Department of Motor Vehicles, other state agencies and through the mail.
The Senate also has passed the ``motor voter'' measure, but neither chamber had the four-fifths majority needed to implement the law before July 1.
Virginia is under a court order to implement the National Voter Registration Act by March 6. But some GOP lawmakers say the state legislation does not adequately guard against voter fraud.
To meet the federal deadline, Allen has said that once the bill reaches his desk, he will attach the emergency clause as an amendment and send it back to the legislature.
As a governor's amendment, it would require only a simple majority. MEMO: Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Sen. Yvonne B. Miller, D-Norfolk, said the state tries too hard to
imprison young offenders - and not hard enough to help them.
KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY ACTIONS by CNB