ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, March 5, 1996 TAG: 9603050062
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: General Assembly Notebook
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: MARGARET EDDS AND WARREN FISKE STAFF WRITERS
MEMO: NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.
Lawmakers are predicting a showdown in the legislative session's final days over two measures related to abortions.
A bill requiring parental notification for minors who seek abortions has passed the House of Delegates. A bill outlawing ``feticide'' - the killing of a fetus by means other than abortion - has cleared the Senate. Both measures consistently spark emotional debate.
To see the General Assembly's actions Monday, the future of the two issues would seem dire. A Senate committee voted 9-6 to block parental notification, and the feticide bill went before the House Courts of Justice Committee with a recommendation it be killed.
But ``no'' only means ``maybe'' in the General Assembly, and supporters expect both matters to be revived again before Saturday's deadline for considering this year's legislation.
`Brew Thru' challenged again
State legislators tried Monday to ban a proposed ``Brew Thru'' convenience store at the Oceanfront. Again.
And they failed. Again.
Two weeks ago, a Senate committee thwarted plans to ban the drive-through convenience stores, so Sen. Mark Earley, R-Chesapeake, tried to force the measure before the full Senate. Members voted 14-24 against him.
The Virginia Beach City Council and police chief oppose the store, which would sell beer and wine, because they object to any link between alcohol and driving.
Owners of the proposed Brew Thru under construction at 29th Street and Pacific Avenue said they hope Monday's vote is the last effort to block their operation, scheduled to open in May.
``Obviously, we're very happy with the outcome,'' said George Hazzis, one of three owners of the store who say they want to build 50 or more in the next several years. They still need a license to sell alcohol, and will argue before the ABC Board on March 13.
The Brew Thru and Breeze Thru stores would be similar to other convenience stores, but would be built to allow customers to drive inside. ABC regulations prohibit selling alcohol to anyone driving a car, so customers would have to stop their cars and walk to a counter to purchase beer or wine.
Legislative debate over the concept has, at times, been emotional, with the stores alternately derided as an invitation for minors to drink and hailed as a safe way for women to make purchases after dark.
``This would give us the opportunity to go and buy some milk for our children and stay in our cars,'' said Sen. Janet Howell, D-Fairfax County.
Opponents of the stores called such arguments merely the product of some clever lobbying.
``This is not about the establishment at Virginia Beach only, it's about state policy,'' said Earley, who represents a small portion of Virginia Beach.
``Almost everything we have done over the last 15 years with reference to the ABC has been to disassociate alcohol and driving. In my opinion, we look foolish allowing this to go forward in light of all we've done.''
Legislation would hurry river cleanup plans
A Senate committee endorsed legislation Monday that would force Gov. George Allen's administration to move faster on cleanup plans for rivers that empty into Chesapeake Bay.
The Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee sent the bill to the Senate floor on a voice vote.
In 1993, then-Gov. Douglas Wilder signed a regional agreement requiring Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., to extend a Chesapeake Bay pollution cleanup program to the Potomac, Rappahannock, York and James rivers. Virginia has not complied with the plan.
The bill would require Secretary of Natural Resources Becky Norton Dunlop to write specific river cleanup plans. Plans would be due Jan. 1, 1997, for the Potomac and one year later for the other major tributaries. Plans for the remaining minor coastal basins would be required by Jan. 1, 1999. Implementation deadlines have been dropped from the bill.
Lawmakers want to regulate lay settlement agents
The General Assembly sent Gov. George Allen a bill Monday intended to prevent unscrupulous settlement agents from taking advantage of buyers during real estate closings.
The Senate approved the House version of a bill that would bring unlicensed, lay settlement agents under state regulation.
Unlicensed agents have stolen buyers' money during home sales in a number of recent incidents, said Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, the bill's sponsor.
Settlement agents examine the purchase contract, property title and other documents and close the transaction according to the lender's instructions.
Most are affiliated with a licensed title company, but others are freelancers who have no license or accountability, Edwards said.
The bill would go into effect July 1, 1997.
House votes to make English official state language
The House of Delegates voted 78-20 Monday to make English the official language in Virginia.
``Having a single language is one of the most important threads that holds our country together,'' said Del. George Grayson, D-Williamsburg.
Grayson said the bill encourages immigrants to learn English and clarifies that state and local government agencies are not required to conduct business in any other language.
But Del. James Dillard, R-Fairfax County, said the bill would ``whet the appetite of the anti-immigrant feeding frenzy that's going on in this country.''
Next stop for the bill: back to the Senate for approval of House amendments.
HOW THEY VOTED!
On English as Virginia's official language
Ward Armstrong, D-Henry County Yes
Tommy Baker, R-Pulaski County Yes
Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton Yes
Creigh Deeds, D-Warm Springs Yes
Allen Dudley, R-Rocky Mount Yes
Morgan Griffith, R-Salem Yes
Tom Jackson, D-Hillsville Yes
Lacey Putney, I-Bedford Yes
Roscoe Reynolds, D-Henry County Yes
Jim Shuler, D-Blacksburg Yes
Vic Thomas, D-Roanoke Yes
Clifton ``Chip'' Woodrum, D-Roanoke Not voting
Pension bill sent to Allen
Legislation that could boost the retirement benefits of state employees who formerly worked for local governments was sent Monday to Gov. George Allen. The House voted 83-13 to pass the bill.
It allows a state worker to count years of service in city or county government when calculating his pension, provided the employee is fully vested in the local pension plan and the locality agrees to transfer the credits.
Staff writer Robert Little and The Associated Press contributed to this story.
LENGTH: Long : 146 lines KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1996by CNB