ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 15, 1997 TAG: 9702170026
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: General Assembly Notebook
DATELINE: RICHMOND
A bill that would strengthen the rights of pregnant women received unanimous Senate approval Friday.
The bill codifies a Virginia Supreme Court decision last month involving a Roanoke woman who sued her employer over her firing because she was pregnant.
Under the state's ``employment-at-will doctrine,'' employers generally are not required to justify firings. However, the Supreme Court said the doctrine does not apply when employees are fired based on race or gender discrimination, which is prohibited by the Virginia Human Rights Act. In its ruling, the court said pregnancy falls within that exception.
The bill would amend state law relating to sex discrimination to include discrimination based on pregnancy.
Panel ends prison media ban
The Department of Corrections cannot continue its all-out ban on allowing reporters inside Virginia's prisons, a Senate committee decided Friday.
Department policy says requests for personal interviews will be considered on a case-by-case basis. State prisons chief Ron Angelone has not granted a request in the past year. Only telephone interviews have been allowed.
The Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee voted 8-6 to endorse a bill improving news organizations' access to prisons. The bill would require the state Board of Corrections to draft a new policy allowing face-to-face interviews as long as they do not disrupt operations or jeopardize security.
Prison officials offered to negotiate with press groups if the committee would reject the bill, but Democrats made it clear they did not trust the Republican administration.
``I'm sick and tired of what this department has been doing the last three years,'' said a visibly agitated Sen. Joseph Gartlan, D-Fairfax County. He told Public Safety Secretary Patricia West he doubted she would be able to force Angelone to open prisons to the media.
Angelone's tenure as corrections director has been marked by a number of controversies and embarrassments, including the discovery of a loaded handgun inside an executed inmate's typewriter.
Republican Gov. George Allen opposes the bill, and the committee vote was split along party lines.
Forrest Landon, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government and former executive editor of The Roanoke Times, told the committee that ``an unhealthy adversarial relationship has taken root'' between the press and the Department of Corrections.
He said the department receives an average of one request every three weeks for an interview inside a prison, a number that is not unduly burdensome.
Landon said in-person interviews are better than telephone interviews because inmates will not speak candidly if they fear their phone conversations are being taped.
But Michael Leininger, the Corrections Department's legislative liaison, said telephone interviews are ``the easiest and most accommodating.'' He said prison officials especially dislike having inmates interviewed before television cameras.
As originally introduced by Del. William Robinson, D-Norfolk, the bill would have required the department director to write a rule ensuring ``reasonable'' access by the media.
The committee voted 8-6 to approve Gartlan's amendment turning the rule-making authority over to the corrections board.
A boost for charter schools?
Tonight in Richmond is the annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, an annual Democratic fund-raiser, attended by the party faithful.
The keynote speaker: U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley.
In a letter to President Clinton, Gov. George Allen made note of Riley's appearance and suggested to the president that "this is an ideal venue for the Secretary to provide the encouragement necessary to allow students, teachers and parents in Virginia to benefit from this promising opportunity for public education."
The opportunity to which he referred is charter schools. Should be an interesting night if Riley takes Allen's suggestion.
What's next
The General Assembly works toward its finish line. Adjournment is scheduled for one week from today.
The House Courts of Justice Committee meets at 7 p.m. Sunday. Some Senate committees also meet Sunday. ... Monday's floor sessions convene at noon.
Staff writer Robert Little and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Where things stand. KEYWORDS: MGR GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1997by CNB