Delegate Mark Cole’s General Assembly Update

Delegate Cole (R-88th) e-mailed this out to his list this afternoon. I thought it would be a good idea to share it with the rest of the world as well:

Here’s a brief summary of state laws that take effect today, July 1st.

* Increased mandatory MINIMUM fines for drunk driving. The mandatory minimum will now be $250 for the first offense, $500 for the second, and $ 1,000 for a third offense within a 10-year period. Anyone caught driving under the influence while transporting a minor faces a mandatory five-day jail term. Underage drivers (younger than 21) who show just a trace of blood alcohol (0.02 percent) will receive an automatic seven-day suspension of their driver’s license.

* Possessing child pornography becomes a felony (previously it was only a misdemeanor), that being said adult pornography like the x-rated films that can be seen on websites similar to m-porn.xxx is still legal.

* Minors must have a parent’s permission to have an abortion now.

* A ban on partial-birth abortion takes effect (it is being challenged in court).

* The cost of registering your car increases by $1 (now it will cost $29.50 per year). The majority of the increase will go to Virginia’s 400th Anniversary Fund with the remainder going to the Virginia Land Conservation Fund and to pay for new security measures on driver licenses.

* Tractor-trailers stopped on roadway shoulders must use emergency flashers and place three reflective, red and triangular warning devices in the road to alert oncoming traffic.

* Governors must lower state budget revenue estimates if general fund receipts are 1 percent or more below forecasts at the end of a fiscal year. Currently our receipts are slightly better than projected.

* Quasi-governmental Authorities (such as the Tourism or Port Authorities) must adopt limits on travel expenses similar to those of state agencies.

* To combat identity theft, Social Security numbers are to be removed from ID cards, government documents and records.

* Selling or transferring a birth certificate for purposes of establishing a false identity becomes illegal.

* The Amber Alert system for missing children becomes law.

* Local school boards are authorized to go to a four-day school week, provided each day is lengthened to ensure minimum annual instruction hours are achieved. The local School Board would have to implement this option. To my knowledge, no local school systems are considering it.

* The Constitution’s Bill of Rights will be posted in public schools.

* American flag decals may be displayed on school buses.

* State agencies that serve veterans are being consolidated.

* The state is consolidating information technology functions under the Virginia Information Technology Agency.

* Procedures are streamlined for recounts and contests of presidential elections to shorten the time they take.

* It is illegal for landlords to “spy” on their tenants.

* Owning and selling dogs for the purpose of fighting become felonies.

* Restrictions on hazing are tightened.

If you have any questions regarding these, let me (Mark Cole) know. I hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July!