Digestion *burp*

Some real hotties on the contitutional amendments docket! Here are my fav's that will be fun to watch.

There's plenty for the gay rights crowd to be up in arms about this session. There are several amendments and resolutions that deal with defining a marriage as a union between man and woman only.

The run-away real estate assessment issue comes up too. You can bet your localities will be watching this and the emminent domain issues before both houses.

The Governor's term of office is up for consideration again. Seems to me this might have legs this time. I'm increasingly liking the idea of a multi-term governor.

The Car Tax is coming around again folks. Seems like the localities will be lobbying a lot this session.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Transporation is "hot, hot, hot!" this year. And the debate between Northern Virginia and the rest of the state will rage into high prominence I predict. For those of us who live here but work a significant amount of time in No.VA., we already know how the residents of No.VA already feel about the rest of us "tax slackers".

There is an amendment calling for a Congressional Convention to amend the US contitution to require a balanced budget.
Great idea...WRONG President. I support GWB a lot, except when we start talking about money. Man, can he spend it! He's strayed very far from our conservative roots. Sadly, this is something that we'll pay foward for generations to come.

Restoration of civil rights for felons. (laughing hysterically! I can't believe that we're even considering this!)

Mores? We don't need no stinkin' mores! -deepest apologies to the Treasure of the Sierra Madre-

CB out-

2006 Session look foward

The link will take you to all the bills registered before the House and the Senate. Anyone who knows or reads this knows that education, health and schools are of high interest to me. Espeically school bills. I staunchly believe that Virginia schools in general, need to more tightly regulated and held accountable for their actions or inactions. This post will deal with education bills.

Education bills:

* HB 19 Standards of Quality; calculation of high school graduation rates.
* HB 20 Scholastic records; electronic storage thereof.
* HB 51 School buses; requiring safety belts.
* HB 58 Computers; school resource officers to provide Internet safety instruction to students.
* HB 70 Assault and battery; school bus drivers, penalty.
* HB 84 School buses; requiring safety belts.
* HB 95 Student, new; certain information required upon registration to public school.
* HB 137 Standards of Learning; Board of Education to release assessments periodically.
* HB 163 Family life education; parent or guardian to review materials thereof.
* HB 164 Family life education; emphasis of abstinence in curricula.
* HB 205 Sex offenders; prohibits residence in proximity to schools.
* HB 215 Comparative religion; Board of Education to authorize elective course in grades nine through 12.
* HB 274 School administrators; licensure not required by Board of Education.
enrollment, etc.
* HB 338 Public school students; annual body mass index assessments required.
* HB 348 Test security procedures; Board of Educ. to review violations of regulations by local school board.
* HB 377 School boards; Board of Education to replace members thereof for neglect of duty.
* HB 392 State funding for No Child Left Behind Testing.
* HB 481 Education; expenditures and reports on instructional spending.
* HB 507 Education; criminal records checks for school volunteers.
* HB 582 Standards of Quality; Standard 2, pupil-teacher rat
* HB 591 Education; calculation of high school graduation rates.
* HB 607 Department of Planning and Budget; school efficiency review program.
* HB 650 Maximum speed limit for school buses.
* HB 780 Education; expenditures and reports on instructional spending.
* HB 808 Teacher staffing ratios in under-filled and overflowing classes.
* HB 813 Standards of Quality; Standard 1, Standards of Learning.
* HB 815 Education; computation of composite index.
* HB 838 Transfer of private school credits to public schools.
* HB 883 Carnal knowledge of students; penalty.
* HB 966 Access to student records by military recruiters; notice to parents.
* HB 978 Sale of fake marijuana; penalty.
* HB 1057 Education; revision of teacher licensure requirements and regulations governing teacher education.
* HB 1109 Background checks for public school contract employees; penalty.
* HB 1125 Sales and use tax exemption; school-related items.
* HB 1138 Instruction on drug use in public schools.
* HB 1158 Teachers; sick leave.
* HB 1222 Education; tuition liability for false statements of residency within a school division; penalty.
* HB 1229 Education; expulsion of students.
* HB 1242 Surveys and questionnaires of public school students
* HB 1279 Notification to school principals of students charged with committing certain crimes.
* HB 1308 School boards; authority to block use of school facilities by certain groups
* HB 1340 Qualifications for providing home instruction.

* SB 26 Assault and battery; limited exception to charges for certain school personnel.
* SB 34 Standards of Learning assessments; release thereof.
* SB 39 Test security procedures; Board of Educ. to review violations of regulations by local school board.
* SB 61 Standards of Quality; support services staff ratios.
* SB 62 Comparative religion; Board of Education to authorize elective course in grades nine through 12.
* SB 66 School calendars; reduction of state aid when length of school term below what is required.
* SB 67 Standards of Learning assessments; testing annually in grades three through eight, report.
* SB 71 Biennial review of the Standards of Quality
* SB 74 Education; revision of teacher licensure requirements and regulations; teacher education programs.
* SB 75 School crisis, emergency management, and medical emergency response plan; required.
* SB 97 SOL assessments; fire drills, etc. prohibited in schools during periods of mandatory testing.
* SB 99 Retirement System; qualifications of retired persons teaching in critical shortage positions.
* SB 116 Immunizations; minimum requirements for children entering public or private schools or centers.
* SB 127 Sales and use tax; dedication of portion of revenue to local transportation and education.
* SB 189 Education tax credits.
* SB 190 Summary suspension of licenses of certain group homes and residential facilities under certain circu
* SB 203 Virginia Public School Authority; pass-through of bond refunding savings.
* SB 203 Virginia Public School Authority; pass-through of bond refunding savings.
* SB 204 Character education; participation in community service
* SB 205 Early childhood education.
* SB 206 Childhood obesity.
* SB 241 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; burden of proof.
* SB 263 Triennial census or statistical survey of school-age persons residing in school divisions.
* SB 296 Setting of the school calendar
* SB 305 Vehicle classifications and endorsements; school buses.

Other of general interest to me:

- Emmiment Domain issues.
- photo red (again...I still say no)
- Lots and lots of transportation issues.
- Concealed handguns; prohibits person who carries into restaurants from consuming alcoholic beverage. (are we slowly losing the right to carry? I think yes)
- Shenandoah Mountain Salamander; designating as official state amphibian. (If you listen to radio lately, I swear it was the Gecko!)


I plan on posting much more as my time permits. I see some really contentious issues here. We'll see if some of these bills survive. Let the lobbying begin!

Cheers!

2006 Session look foward

The link will take you to all the bills registered before the GA. I'll do the Senate in another update.

As I look down this list for the "long session", some of these bills really jump off the page at me.

To note: of the 1,385 bills placed in consideration:

Crime Bills:
-A bill limiting the age of capital punishment to offenders 18 years old or older.
-A bill further definine open container alcohol in a motor vehicle.
-A bill to add EMT's, juvenile justice and probation officer to the Law Enforcement Retirement System. (YES!)
-Several bills continuing on the intoxicated driver penalty increase.
-More laws on Methamphetamine
-A bill to increase the number of judges in the GDC (general distric court) and circuit court systems.
-A bill to prohibt the use of a cell phones while driving. (mixed emotions of this one)
-A bill to repeal the radar detector prohibition.

Education bills:

-There's a bill that will require school resource officers to perform Internet safety training. (? What about the schools without resources officer?)

-There are several bills regarding the benefits for teachers.

-a bill defining assualt and battery of a school bus driver

-A bill requiring seat belts on school buses. (Duh!)

-A bill requiring the state to release SOL results updates periodically.

-A bill putting abstinence in the Family Life Cirrcula and allowing parents or guardians to review the materials before the class is taught. (duh again! But when I asked my son's school in Fluvanna, they in no way objected!)


Other of general interest to me:

- Emmiment Domain issues.
- photo red (again...I still say no)
- Lots and lots of transportation issues.
- Concealed handguns; prohibits person who carries into restaurants from consuming alcoholic beverage. (are we slowly losing the right to carry? I think yes)
- Shenandoah Mountain Salamander; designating as official state amphibian. (If you listen to radio lately, I swear it was the Gecko!)


I plan on posting much more as my time permits.

Cheers!