Win Some, Lose Some
Major Bills Pending For Local General Assembly Members
Posted: February 7, 2013
HARRISONBURG — The central Valley’s contingent of General Assembly members reached the session midpoint called “crossover” Tuesday with many initiatives still intact.
Here is a look at some major bills remaining — and gone — in the Senate and House of Delegates carried by the six lawmakers who represent Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
Alive:
House version of “Tebow bill” allowing home-schooled children to participate in public school activities (Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle)
The Senate version of legislation requiring voters to present a photo ID at the polls (Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg)
Prohibiting certain types of purchases by recipients of temporary government benefits (Del. Tony Wilt, R-Broadway)
Allowing student groups at colleges and universities to deny membership to students who do not share the organization’s core mission (Obenshain, Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Woodstock)
College and university boards of visitors must be more transparent (Del. Steve Landes, R-Weyers Cave)
Changing teacher evaluation policies to give local school boards the option to increase from three to five years the probationary period required before a teacher is eligible for tenure (Obenshain)
Charging people with larceny if they take money or belongings from someone they know who is mentally incapacitated (Bell)
Prohibiting bail bondsmen from having sex with clients for services (Wilt)
Expanding the types of crimes that multijurisdictional grand juries can investigate (Obenshain, Bell)
Imposing a two-year moratorium on the use of drones by law enforcement (Gilbert)
Expanding the application of the retail sales and use tax regarding hotels, motels and other accommodations (Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Mount Solon)
Moving water quality programs administered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation to the Department of Environmental Quality (Hanger)
Dead:
Creating a transportation “lockbox” to prevent legislators from raiding the fund for other purposes (Obenshain)
The House version of legislation requiring voters to present a photo ID at the polls (Bell)
Giving the Virginia Department of Education the power to create charter schools in local school divisions (Obenshain)
Forming of a federal oversight commission to meet with Congress to discuss issues facing constituents (Landes)
Authorizing localities not to pay interest on local tax refunds if the taxpayer was at fault (Wilt, Hanger)
Requiring that school resource officers be retired from law enforcement or recently certified as a police officer (Gilbert)
Contact Preston Knight at 574-6272 or pknight@dnronline.com
Here is a look at some major bills remaining — and gone — in the Senate and House of Delegates carried by the six lawmakers who represent Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
Alive:
House version of “Tebow bill” allowing home-schooled children to participate in public school activities (Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle)
The Senate version of legislation requiring voters to present a photo ID at the polls (Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg)
Prohibiting certain types of purchases by recipients of temporary government benefits (Del. Tony Wilt, R-Broadway)
Allowing student groups at colleges and universities to deny membership to students who do not share the organization’s core mission (Obenshain, Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Woodstock)
College and university boards of visitors must be more transparent (Del. Steve Landes, R-Weyers Cave)
Changing teacher evaluation policies to give local school boards the option to increase from three to five years the probationary period required before a teacher is eligible for tenure (Obenshain)
Charging people with larceny if they take money or belongings from someone they know who is mentally incapacitated (Bell)
Prohibiting bail bondsmen from having sex with clients for services (Wilt)
Expanding the types of crimes that multijurisdictional grand juries can investigate (Obenshain, Bell)
Imposing a two-year moratorium on the use of drones by law enforcement (Gilbert)
Expanding the application of the retail sales and use tax regarding hotels, motels and other accommodations (Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Mount Solon)
Moving water quality programs administered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation to the Department of Environmental Quality (Hanger)
Dead:
Creating a transportation “lockbox” to prevent legislators from raiding the fund for other purposes (Obenshain)
The House version of legislation requiring voters to present a photo ID at the polls (Bell)
Giving the Virginia Department of Education the power to create charter schools in local school divisions (Obenshain)
Forming of a federal oversight commission to meet with Congress to discuss issues facing constituents (Landes)
Authorizing localities not to pay interest on local tax refunds if the taxpayer was at fault (Wilt, Hanger)
Requiring that school resource officers be retired from law enforcement or recently certified as a police officer (Gilbert)
Contact Preston Knight at 574-6272 or pknight@dnronline.com