Hi folks, This is our first posting to the virginia-news list... ---------- Forwarded message ---------- 2/4 UPDATE OF VIRGINIA LEGISLATIVE SESSION FROM: Pat Heck, Virginians for Justice An update on some of the legislation that VJ is tracking. Each house of the legislature has to complete work on new bills before Feb. 16, so action will be fast and furious. On Feb. 16 approved legislation crosses over to the other house. ------------ You may leave messages for legislators by calling 1-800-889-0229. Call 804-786-6530 to get office phone numbers if the 1-800 # does not appeal to you. If you do not know your legislator's name, call your local voter registrar. AT THIS TIME, PLEASE CALL ONLY YOUR LEGISLATORS. ------------ House Bill 1314 (HB1314) reads as below: "Nothwithstanding any other provision of law, intimate sexual acts between consenting adults in private for noncommercial purposes shall not be illegal." OUTLOOK: Scheduled to be heard in a Courts of Justice sub- committee or committee (not clear yet) as soon as Saturday, Feb. 5. According to plan, the bill's exsistence has not yet been discovered by the media. Del. Darner (D-Arlington), the bill's patron, hopes that the bill will receive a fair hearing in committee before the media gets hold of it, so that the publicity doesn't drive the hearing's content. Nevertheless, the bill is expected to fail in committee. Remember, the bill's introduction is considered an historic victory: we will be back next year! ACTION: Stay cool until after the bill receives its 1st hearing. ----------- HB889: A hate crimes bill modeled after Wisconsin's bill that passed Supreme Court muster, including sexual orientation. OUTLOOK: Fair. Del. Plum (D-Reston) held a press conference on 2/2 detailing the bill. Virginians for Justice lobbyist Janice Conard addressed the conference detailing statistics from VJ's Annual Hate Crimes Report. There will be a move to strip sexual orientation from the bill. It will be difficult to pass the bill without Republican and conservative Demo. support, both unlikely with sexual orientation included. ACTION: If you live in their district or have been a victim of a hate crime call the bill's co-sponsors asking them to keep sexual orientation in the bill. Dels. Plum, Albo, Almand, Cantor, Connally, Cunningham, Darner, Diamonstein, Harris, Hull, Keating, Puller, Scott, VanLandingham, VanYarhes, and Sens. Calhoun & Howell. Be sure to thank them for signing on! ----------- An Amendment to State Budget in the House of Delegates: Would put into law the current policy that allows only an employee's spouse to receive benefits. This would apply to VA universities & colleges. The amendment is being submitted by Del. Wilkins (R-Amherst), minority leader, in response to Wm. & Mary's faculty OUTLOOK: Good. If the bill gets out of the House Appropriations Committee, all 47 Republicans have expressed support and many Democrats will be too spineless to vote no. The committee chair, Del. VanLandingham (D-Alexandria) is working to bury the bill procedurally before it comes up for a vote. Many reps won't support non-spousal domestic partnership, but they do not want to waste their time considering redundant amendments. ACTION: Hope for a procedural killing of the bill. If it does get out of committee, call your delegate asking for a NO vote. ----------- SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 119 (SJR119): Patron- Waddell (D-Leesburg) with many co-sponsors. Would begin process to amend state constitution to allow voter referendum. BAD, BAD, BAD. OUTLOOK: Supported by Gov. Allen and Republican leadership. Democratic leadership is against it. Could be a real battle. ACTION: Call your Senator and Delegate letting them know that this experiment has failed in California (insurance mess, etc.), has fostored anti-gay referendum and other ridiculous measures. Do not stress the "gay" referendum, but the bedlam that can ensue with whacko ballot measures. Referendum do NOT necessarily give power to the people, because special interest money still dominates the referendum battles in CA and elsewhere. ----------- HB1185: Patron- Cunningham (D-Richmond) with many others. Will allow conversion of life insurance benefits persons with Virginia Retirement System-supplied life insurance. This will assist persons who need access to their benefits do to terminal illnesses, such as AIDS. OUTLOOK: Good. A similar bill passed last year, but was narrowed to one individual. ACTION: Call your Senator and Delegate. Ask for a YES vote. A polite call to the 1-800 number will suffice. ------------