SENATE PANEL ADVANCES LICENSE-LOSS BILL IN DUI CASES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, February 10, 1992                   TAG: 9202100127
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A7   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: JEAN McNAIR ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium
SENATE PANEL ADVANCES LICENSE-LOSS BILL IN DUI CASES
A Senate committee reported to the floor Sunday a bill that would would require that people arrested for drunken driving lose their driver's license while they await trial.
The Senate Courts of Justice Committee also voted in favor of repealing a law regulating surrogate motherhood contracts and expanding the death penalty to include the murders of courtroom officials and witnesses.
The committee voted 11-4 to endorse a bill that would require administrative revocation of driver's licenses in drunken-driving cases. A similar bill passed the Senate but failed in a House committee last year.
This year, the bill is being pushed for the first time by Attorney General Mary Sue Terry.
Deputy Attorney General Steve Rosenthal said drivers with a blood alcohol content of .10 percent or above would automatically lose their driver's license until the case is decided at trial.
"We're talking about a privilege, not a right," Rosenthal said.
The 29 states that already require administrative revocation of driver's licenses have seen "highway safety payoffs," said the sponsor, Sen. Joseph Gartlan, D-Fairfax County.
But committee members questioned whether some drivers would be punished and then later be acquitted of the charge.
"I think the whole thing is wrong," said Sen. Henry Marsh, D-Richmond.
Rosenthal said 85 percent of the people arrested for drunken driving in Virginia are convicted and many of the remaining 15 percent are convicted of lesser charges.
The House Courts of Justice Committee is to consider a similar revocation bill today.
The committee voted 8-7 to repeal a law regulating surrogate motherhood contracts that was passed last year and is scheduled to take effect in 1993.
The committee voted 12-3 to expand the death penalty to cover murders of a judge, juror, witness or other court personnel that prevents them from performing their duties. The sponsor, Sen. Edgar Robb, R-Charlottesville, said the bill was intended to deter courtroom murders by drug gangs.
In other action Sunday:
The House of Delegates voted 56-29 to kill a bill requiring sportsmen to pay $5.50 for a conservation permit.
The House voted 52-47 to kill a bill to distribute state alcoholic beverage revenues to localities based on current population projections instead of the last census.
The House gave preliminary approval to a bill clarifying how the law restricting public smoking will be enforced.
The House voted 55-44 to kill a proposal to exempt a child-care provider's children and grandchildren from the youngsters counted in day-care licensing.
The House gave preliminary approval to two bills imposing a two-year moratorium on commercial medical waste incinerator construction or expansion.
The House Courts of Justice Committee voted 10-9 to endorse a bill making it a crime to block access to an abortion clinic or other health-care facility. The first offense would be a misdemeanor, the second offense a felony.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB