Thursday, April 15, 2010
McDonnell amends 122 bills
The governor proposed 96 changes to the state budget but didn't veto any winter-session bill.
Associated Press
File March Gov. Bob McDonnell had until midnight Tuesday to make changes to measures passed during Virginia's winter assembly session.
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RICHMOND -- Gov. Bob McDonnell has proposed changes to the state budget to clarify restrictions on funding for abortions, direct more dollars to economic development and public safety and increase fines for speeding tickets.
The governor also has signed legislation allowing concealed handguns in restaurants that serve alcohol, and made a minor change to a bill allowing gun owners to store firearms in their vehicles. And he signed legislation allowing a special license plate that will generate money for Planned Parenthood, but stipulated that the proceeds could not be used for abortion services.
McDonnell completed a flurry of activity on the budget and other legislation before Tuesday's midnight deadline to act on measures passed during the winter General Assembly session. Lawmakers will return to the Capitol next Wednesday to act on the governor's amendments to the budget and other bills. McDonnell amended 122 bills, but did not veto any of the 871 measures sent to his desk.
McDonnell made 96 amendments to the two-year, $77.6 billion budget that will take effect July 1. He proposed $42.1 million in additional spending, but also outlined $51 million in savings or additional revenue. McDonnell said most of his proposed additional spending would go toward economic development, health care and public safety.
The governor also commended lawmakers for closing a $4.2 billion shortfall without general tax increases, saying they opted to "reduce spending, respect the taxpayer's hard-earned dollars, and make tough decisions."
The governor inserted language into the budget that imposes the same restrictions on public funding for abortions that the federal government applies under the so-called Hyde Amendment. That means abortion funding for eligible women is limited to cases of rape or incest or when the mother's life is in danger. McDonnell's amendment also mirrors restrictions that President Obama included in an executive order signed after passage of the federal health care overhaul bill.
The state has allowed for funding of abortion services in cases involving fetal abnormalities, said Jessica Honke, the director of public policy for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia. But McDonnell's amendment will not affect services provided by the organization, Honke said.
McDonnell amended legislation allowing the issuance of a revenue-producing license plate bearing the legend "Trust Women/Respect Choice." After 1,000 plates are sold, $15 of the $25 fee on subsequent plates will go to Planned Parenthood. Many Republican lawmakers favored diverting the proceeds, but McDonnell amended the bill to ensure that Planned Parenthood would not use the revenue for abortion services. The organization has maintained that the funds would go toward services such as gynecological exams, infection testing and follow-up care.
Former Gov. Tim Kaine last year signed a law allowing for a "Choose Life" license plate sought by abortion-rights opponents. Revenue from those plates goes to Heartbeat International, a Christian pregnancy resource organization.
McDonnell announced several proposed changes to the budget in the past week. Additional amendments disclosed Wednesday include an additional $6 million for the Governor's Opportunity Fund, a "deal-closing" account used to recruit new and expanding businesses. The governor also took steps to prevent prison closings in the first year of the new budget and scrapped a provision that would make localities responsible for more prison inmates.
To generate additional revenue, McDonnell moved to increase the cost of a speeding ticket by $1 for each mile per hour a driver exceeds the posted speed limit. The governor's budget amendments also would increase criminal court fees from $15 to $40 for certain felony convictions and from $5 to $15 for certain misdemeanor convictions.
As expected, McDonnell signed legislation that will allow Virginians with concealed carry permits to take firearms into establishments that serve alcohol. The bill, long sought by gun-rights advocates, would not prevent restaurant and bar owners from banning all firearms in their establishments. The new law, which takes effect July 1, also prohibits gun-carrying customers from consuming alcohol in the establishments.
McDonnell made a minor change to a bill allowing gun owners without concealed carry permits to store firearms in vehicle compartments. The original legislation would have required the compartments to be locked. McDonnell's change allows guns to be stored in "secured" compartments such as glove boxes that may not have locks.
