THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 17, 1997 TAG: 9701180439
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Staff writers Robert Little and Jane Evans, and The Associated
Press, contributed to this report.
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: 119 lines
Virginia, it seems, has too many dead people.
And the General Assembly is going to do something about it.
The state law's definition of death is outdated - so much so that doctors who follow it would be guilty of malpractice, Charlottesville Sen. Emily Couric said Thursday.
She is proposing changes that bring the definition up to date.
Currently, the state says a person is dead if he or she has lost all ``spontaneous brain functions'' and ``spontaneous respiratory functions.''
But such a person might still have ``brain stem reflexes,'' making him or her a living being by any accepted medical standard.
Doctors already check for brain stem reflexes, Couric said - shining light in the eyes to watch the pupils, touching the eyeballs to see if the person blinks, for instance. Virginia law doesn't require it, though.
``If they followed the State Code . . . doctors would be declaring a lot more people dead than they should,'' Couric said.
``You mean they might declare me dead while I'm sitting up here?'' asked Fairfax Sen. Richard Saslaw.
Couric's bill passed unanimously Thursday in the Senate Education and Health Committee. It still must clear the full Senate, the House of Delegates and be signed by the governor to become law.
ALSO THURSDAY Democrats and Beyer push for more police
There would be more state and local police on the streets if two budget amendments proposed by Democratic legislators and Lt. Gov. Donald S. Beyer Jr. are approved.
A $6 million amendment would provide for 105 new state troopers, and an $8.3 million amendment would help localities get more federal money for 1,000 additional police officers.
``We are asking our state police to do more than ever before,'' Beyer said at a news conference, where he was flanked by more than 50 Democratic legislators and police officers. ``We can use this to put more police officers in communities.''
Beyer said there are 105 fewer state police positions now than in 1992, and added the force has not kept pace with Virginia's increasing population and traffic volume.
The local policing amendment would provide funding to help localities receive the maximum amount available from the federal government for police officers under the Community-Oriented Policing Services program.
The COPS program pays up to 75 percent of a new officer's salary and benefits over three years. The balance of the expenses are paid by the local government.
Under the plan, the state would provide grants of up to $8,300 to localities for each new officer. Local governments already participating in COPS would be eligible for grants of up to $8,300 per position after federal funding runs out.
Republicans were quick to call the proposals a political ploy by Beyer, the likely Democratic candidate for governor in November.
Sen. Kevin G. Miller filed two bills Thursday that would increase the standard income tax deduction by 20 percent and increase the deduction for personal exemption by $800.
The Harrisonburg Republican said his proposals would bring state tax policy more in line with that of the Internal Revenue Service.
He pointed out that the state deduction for each personal exemption has increased from $600 in 1972 to only $800 today. The federal deduction has increased from $675 in 1971 to $2,500 in 1996.
Miller said he would be happy if his proposals made it out of committee, but he didn't think that was likely.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
``Suddenly we feel like the pretty girl on Saturday night. When we have some of these tough votes, we will see if it's flirtation or true love.''
- Albert Pollard, a lobbyist for the Sierra Club, on the recent attention his cause is getting from Republicans.
GETTING INVOLVED
Groups from Cradock Middle School and Hunt-Mapp Middle School are scheduled to visit Portsmouth Del. Billy Moore and tour the Capitol Jan. 21 and 23.
Arts Advocacy Day at the General Assembly will be Jan. 22.
United Methodists will gather at the General Assembly on Jan. 30. They will attend committee meetings and visit their local delegates and senators. There will also be a legislative dinner in the evening. And Jan. 31 will be Lutheran Day. For details, contact your pastor.
STAYING IN TOUCH
CONSTITUENT VIEWPOINTS - A toll-free hot line to give commonwealth citizens the opportunity to express their views on issues before the General Assembly: (800) 889-0229
For more information:
The Clerk's Office
House of Delegates
P.O. Box 406
Richmond, Va. 23218
(804) 786-6530
The Clerk's Office
Senate of Virginia
P.O. Box 396
Richmond, Va. 23218
(804) 786-3838 ILLUSTRATION: Donald S. Beyer Jr.
GOP WORKS ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMAGE
ASSOCIATED PRESS
State Sen. Thomas Norment, R-Williamsburg, shreds a sign in the
Capitol in Richmond on Wednesday, trying to dispel what he said are
myths about the Republicans' record on the environment.
KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY