ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, February 13, 1996 TAG: 9602130117
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO GENERAL ASSEMBLY
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: ROBERT LITTLE and DAVID M. POOLE AND ASSOCIATED PRESS
A House of Delegates committee voted Monday to deepen the state's dependence on a one-time budget windfall that a few weeks ago lawmakers denounced as "funny money."
The House Appropriations Committee opted to pay into the state treasury all of the $175 million that Trigon Blue Cross Blue Shield has offered in return for permission to convert to a for-profit stock company.
Gov. George Allen had proposed putting a little more than half of the Trigon money in the 1996-98 state budget. Lawmakers called the move irresponsible, saying the Trigon money is speculative because the State Corporation Commission has yet to rule on the company's proposal.
But the House panel, pressured to deliver on campaign promises of increased spending for higher education, succumbed to the Trigon money's lure.
The Trigon vote came early in a long day at the General Assembly, as lawmakers slogged through hundreds of bills that require action before a Tuesday night deadline.
"The thing is, we don't have time to debate some of these bills," said Del. Anne "Panny" Rhodes, R-Richmond.
The House called it quits shortly after 7 p.m., putting off until today some of its most controversial proposals: campaign finance limits, parental notification for teen-agers seeking abortions, and riverboat gambling.
What does a typical member of the General Assembly look like? He's white; he's a lawyer; he's a married Baptist in his late 50s and is fairly new to the legislature. And he's a Democrat.
So says a computer analysis of his colleagues' biographies by Del. James Dillard, R-Fairfax County.
Dillard has done the profiles every couple of years since 1981 using biographies that members submit to the clerk of the House of Delegates or Senate. He also compiled a profile of the 1970 Assembly for comparative purposes.
Over the years, in the citizen legislature, the number of lawyers and businessmen in the Assembly has declined and the number of educators has risen. The number of women, minorities and Republicans has increased and the average age has stayed about the same.
``The most dramatic changes are the increasing numbers of blacks and the increasing numbers of women and the increasing numbers of Republicans,'' Dillard said.
Though fewer in number than they once were, lawyer-legislators still make up 35 percent of the Assembly. That's among the highest percentage of any state legislature. Nationwide, 15.5 percent of legislators are lawyers, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. This year in Virginia, 50 lawyers are serving, compared to 82 in 1970.
Among this year's members, 24 list their occupation as business and 16 are educators. Another booming occupation is consultant; there are seven this year. There are five farmers, four ministers and three bankers.
There's also one tree surgeon (Del. Mitchell Van Yahres, D-Charlottesville), a coal miner (Del. Jackie Stump, D-Buchanan County), a veterinarian (Del. Jim Shuler, D-Blacksburg) and an artist (Del. Marian Van Landingham, D-Alexandria)
``It's much healthier to have a broad spectrum, a real representation of the people. I think we come pretty close to that,'' said Dillard, a retired teacher.
Other highlights from the annual survey:
Men outnumber women in the Assembly by 119 to 21.
The legislature has 126 white members and 14 black members.
Another minority are unmarried people: Only 19 lawmakers are single.
Back in 1970, there was one woman, three blacks and, in the House, four singles. Dillard did not have marriage statistics for the 1970 Senate.
In 1970, the most common religion was Methodist or Episcopalian. Today, Baptists are just as plentiful; 81 lawmakers belonging to one of these three Protestant denominations. Fourteen legislators are Catholic; 10 are Presbyterian and four are Jewish.
About 60 percent are in their 40s or 50s. No lawmakers are in their 20s. But, about a dozen are in their 70s.
Lawmakers serving four years or less total 66.The greatest number - 66 - have served for four years or less. Seventeen members have more than 20 years experience. Del. Lacey Putney of Bedford, the Assembly's only independent, is the longest serving member. He's been in the legislature since 1962.
Senators spent half an hour Monday debating a bill that would designate English the official language of the state, then postponed a vote until today.
"We all know, of course, that to succeed in this country you must know English," said Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke. "But to make it an official language is, frankly, discriminatory."
"No one on this floor wants to discriminate," responded Sen. Charles Hawkins, R-Chatham. "We're trying today to say one simple thing: that this commonwealth should have one unifying language."
House of Delegates action included:
Preliminary approval of a federally mandated bill making it easier for environmentalists and other concerned parties to force a judicial review of air-pollution permits. The vote was 58-39.
Final approval of legislation that would allow people to register to vote at the Department of Motor Vehicles, other state agencies and through the mail.
The Senate also has passed the motor-voter measure, but neither chamber had the four-fifths majority needed to implement it as "emergency" legislation before July 1.
Virginia is under a court order to implement a motor-voter bill by March 6.
Gov. George Allen's office has said that once the General Assembly sends the bill to him, he will attach the emergency clause as an amendment and send it back. As a governor's amendment, it would require only a simple majority.
Preliminary approval of a bill requiring the Allen administration to reinstate a toll-free consumer hot line.
Senate action included:
A bill that would close the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Hampton was killed, then that vote was overturned and a final vote was delayed until today.
The bill would merge the school with a similar one in Staunton. Supporters argue that the consolidated resources would benefit students. Opponents are concerned about the possible hardship on families who live far from Staunton.
A bill that would make serial killings a crime punishable by death passed 34-4. The law already considers multiple killings a capital crime when they occur at the same time, but does not address serial killings.
LENGTH: Long : 132 lines KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1996by CNB