DATE: Friday, March 21, 1997                TAG: 9703200322

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: UPDATE 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   34 lines

SCHOOL CHARGE CARD BILL FAILS IN HOUSE

A charge card that would benefit the Beach schools won't be available in the near future.

The General Assembly failed to approve a bill to allow ``affinity cards'' during the last legislative session. The proposal will have to be introduced again next year.

State Sen. Edward Schrock, R-Virginia Beach, was patron of the bill that would have allowed local school boards to benefit from telephone service or credit cards like those offered to help many colleges and other nonprofit groups. A percentage of the sales made on such cards goes to education.

The Senate passed the measure but it got stuck in the House when it was referred to the Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns late in the session.

``With many bills, it takes many times to get it through. This may be one of them,'' Schrock said in a recent interview. He supports the idea of such a card and wouldn't hesitate to reintroduce the measure if asked to.

``I'd do it in a heartbeat,'' Schrock said. ``If it's going to help provide funds for the schools of Virginia Beach, I'd be more than happy to do that.''

School Board member Paul Lanteigne first raised the issue of an affinity card in November. The board soon learned, however, that legislative action would be needed to proceed and Lanteigne approached Schrock for help.

Lanteigne said he wants to see the card pursued again during the next Assembly session, possibly after seeking the support of a local delegate to shepherd the measure through the House.

- ALETA PAYNE, STAFF WRITER

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