Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 1, 1991 TAG: 9102010642
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-7 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
By a 12-3 vote Thursday, the Appropriations Committee sent to the House floor a bill allowing the state retirement system to sell its RF&P stock. The retirement system has held the stock since 1970 but lacks authority to sell it without General Assembly approval.
In exchange for releasing control of the stock, the retirement system would transfer at least $22.8 million to the state treasury. Del. Thomas Moss, D-Norfolk, said the exact amount will be negotiated and "could be a little bit more before we're through."
The same committee by voice vote approved the administration's bill allowing state workers with 25 years of service to retire at age 50. The administration has estimated the bill will save about $21.4 million during the current budget period and $64 million during the 1992-94 biennium.
The House Courts of Justice Committee voted 12-7 to endorse three bills allowing the state to contract with private companies to build and operate a women's prison, a minimum-security men's pre-release center, two jails and two juvenile detention centers.
Del. Franklin Hall, D-Richmond and sponsor of the bills, said private companies can build and operate prisons cheaper than the state.
"We're faced with a crisis now," said Del. John Rollison, R-Prince William. "Our prisons are overflowing. If we don't do something about the cost of corrections, our only alternative will be letting prisoners out early or not putting them in at all."
John Jones of the Virginia Sheriffs Association said the sheriffs are reluctant to release control of jails to private companies. "We're afraid the sheriffs and the state would be held liable for the conduct of private individuals," he said.
Del. Clinton Miller, R-Shenandoah, said he would think sheriffs "would be jumping up and down for joy" at the prospect of ridding themselves of jail responsibilities. "Let somebody else take care of the scoundrels," he said.
The committee adopted an amendment requiring the General Assembly to re-enact the bills next year before any facilities could be built by private companies. Also, funding for the facilities would have to be included in the 1992-94 budget.
Earlier Thursday, the House gave preliminary approval to a bill allowing horse tracks to take bets on televised races run elsewhere. Del. Lewis Parker, D-Mecklenburg, said his bill would help attract an investor to build a track in Virginia.
Voters approved pari-mutuel wagering in 1988, but no investors have committed to building a track in the state. Some potential investors have said allowing off-track betting parlors would be crucial to the success of any track.
Parker's bill does not authorize off-track betting, but Del. Raymond Guest, R-Warren, said it nevertheless "would increase profitability" of any track built in the state. He said attracting a track is important "to help the horse industry, agriculture and the travel industry."
Del. Samuel Glasscock, D-Suffolk, said the bill "promotes gambling, not the horse industry."
Elsewhere, the House also voted 79-21 to pass a bill allowing public school boards to require pupils to wear uniforms. Del. Kenneth Melvin, D-Portsmouth, has said uniforms would ease peer pressure and provide some financial relief to parents.
Del. Leslie Byrne, D-Fairfax, spoke against the bill.
"This country is not like China; it's not like Japan," she said. "We revel in our diversity."
Melvin emphasized that very few school boards would be likely to require uniforms and that pupils who did not comply probably would not be punished.
The Senate Transportation Committee voted 8-7 to raise the maximum speed limit for trucks from 55 mph to 65 mph, then voted 7-6 to kill a bill that would have forbidden children under age 16 from riding in the back of pickup trucks on highways with a speed limit of 55 mph or higher.
"There are some parents in Virginia who don't have enough sense to keep kids out of the bed of a pickup truck," said Sen. Moody Stallings, D-Virginia Beach and sponsor of the bill.
Sen. William Fears, D-Accomack, said he opposed the bill because "we're starting to meddle some more in peoples' lives."
by CNB