ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, January 16, 1996 TAG: 9601160043
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
TYPE: LEGISLATIVE JOURNAL
Sen. Malfourd W. "Bo" Trumbo, R-Fincastle, on the organization of the state Senate this year:
"... You may now have confidence in the fact that, for the first time in history, the views of all will be effectively heard."
This will occur in part, Trumbo says, because of the following:
Each committee will have proportional representation by political party.
The Senate Finance Committee will have two co-chairmen, one from each party, and will be expanded from 15 members to 17 members, for political and geographic balance.
The standing committees preserved seniority while allowing the Democrats to chair 5 1/2 committees and allowing the Republicans to chair 41/2 committees.
Democrats have a majority in six committees and Republicans in four.
Not so in the House of Delegates, writes Del. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem:
"Today I learned that while the voters left the same number of Republicans in the House, the speaker of the House, Democrat Tom Moss of Norfolk, chose to put only four Republicans on the Appropriations Committee." Out of 22 total seats, Republicans have only seven seats in Finance and seven on Courts, he wrote. "Proportionally, there should be 10 Republicans on every major committee.... This is like saying that one football team gets to have l l players on the field and the other is only entitled to two on defense and three on offense."
Griffith plans to introduce an amendment to have the ratio of political parties on each committee mirror the overall membership of the House of Delegates. Another amendment would allow the minority party leader to assign committee slots to minority party members.
Del. Tommy Baker, R-Pulaski, pointed out initiatives proposed in Gov. George Allen's speech that would affect the New River Valley:
"... his remarks were, in comparison to last year, very conciliatory and left open the possibility of a much more cooperatively run session in 1996.
"Among the highlights of the governor's speech that will prove important to our area are the proposed increases in funding for public education. Although I feel the legislature is likely to appropriate even more money for primary and higher education, the governor's proposed figures provide, as a starting point, $15.9 million in state aid for Pulaski County, $8.2 million for Giles County, and $4.4 million for Radford. Radford University will, as a starting point, receive about 1.5 percent more in its general fund budget for the biennium, equating to approximately $58.3 million."
Baker says juvenile justice is likely to be one area of contention between the governor and the legislature.
"However, even here there seems to be a spirit of compromise. I have served on the legislative Youth Task Force Commission for the last year. Our commission will be offering legislation to bring what, I believe, most people in our district want - open trials for juveniles, additional intervention and prevention measures in some cases, and transfer to circuit court for trial as an adult in serious cases."
Griffith, whose House district includes part of Montgomery County, said he will sponsor the following legislation:
A bill to help protect the rights of the mentally impaired if they are victimized sexually. This legislation will amend current law to state that the alleged perpetrator(s) may be found guilty of aggravated sexual assault if the victim is mentally incapable of communicating and therefore cannot testify as to the extent of mental injury caused by the sexual victimization.
A bill that provides for tougher punishment for drunken drivers if they cause severe injury to another person while driving intoxicated.
Two bills that will exempt the Montgomery County United Way from sales taxes.
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1996by CNB