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Archive of Virginia on Tuesday May 13, 2008
Kaine says more taxes necessary to fix highways
Gov. Tim Kaine said Monday that the mounting cost of highway maintenance and the possible consequences of ignoring it led him to propose another statewide tax increase for transportation, despite opposition from key Republican legislative leaders. Read More
Guns in restaurants fail to cause outcry in N.Va.
RESTON, Va. -- The patrons at Champps, a restaurant and bar chain, were eating ribs and drinking beer on a recent Saturday when customer Bruce Jackson stood up and made an announcement. He was armed, and so were dozens of other patrons. Read More
States, locals swamp immigration program
Sudden demand by state and local police to join the federal 287(g) initiative, which lets local police start deportation proceedings for suspects and criminals who are illegal immigrants, is overwhelming the federal government. That means long waits and alternative programs offered to police departments that want to join. Read More
GOP says Kaine's road tax plan will go nowhere
Minutes after Gov. Timothy M. Kaine unveiled a plan Monday afternoon for an almost $860 million tax increase to help transportation, House Republican leaders declared it all but dead. Read More
Kaine - state needs $1.1 billion for roads
Governor Tim Kaine asked legislators to boost state taxes by about $1 billion a year to improve roads Monday, and Republican lawmakers swiftly said no. Read More
Kaine, GOP clash over transit solution for Virginia
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine yesterday raised the specter of aging bridges, traffic-clogged hurricane evacuation routes and the financial impact of gridlock to make his case for $1 billion in new taxes and fees for transportation. Read More
Court will decide case of Va. man on death row
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Monday granted a temporary reprieve to a death row inmate in Virginia to consider whether lower courts correctly weighed his claim that his lawyer did a poor job of representing him. Read More
Hearing on Dominion rate increase June 24
Dominion Virginia Power customers and others who want to comment on the company's proposed fuel rate increase may do so during a public hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. June 24 in Richmond. Read More
Va. regulators set hearing on Dominion rate increase request
The State Corporation Commission says it has scheduled a public hearing on Dominion Virginia Power's request to raise rates about 18 percent due to higher fuel costs. Read More
Kaine pitches highway program
Gov. Tim Kaine unveiled a transportation plan yesterday that would raise about $1 billion a year for roads. Read More
Court stays execution of Va. man, takes case
The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday stayed the July execution of a Virginia man convicted of killing a Winchester police officer after the killer's appeals lawyers pointed out that the jury heard no positive "mitigating" evidence about him before sentencing him to death. Read More
Va. GOP lawmakers reject Kaine's latest transportation fix
RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine proposed Monday raising $1.1 billion in taxes and fees to build and repair roads, including boosting the sales tax by 1 cent in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. Read More
In school sports, who makes the call?
A shot at the buzzer of a high school championship game — was it in time or not? — led the South Carolina Legislature to consider a bill to require referees to watch video replays. It was hardly the first example of armchair quarterbacking by lawmakers.
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WORTH NOTING: Illinois treasurer shows his knowledge of charges
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) endures a bruising charge from Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D). A new Utah law stirs Salt Lake City bartenders to create a new drink. And Louisiana prison guards get outside help to prevent escapes. In case you missed those stories this week, Worth Noting fills you in. Read More
Neutral govs to remain on sidelines
 In the homestretch of an unprecedented presidential primary season, spinning with competing sound-bites and endless rhetoric, voters still heading to the polls in four states can’t look to their governors for any pre-election advice. These governors plan to wait until after their states vote to make their own endorsements.
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Silver Alert helps rescue lost seniors
(Updated 9:30 a.m EST, May 8, 2008) When an elderly person with dementia is lost, eight states can trigger an alert to let the community know. Proposals in Congress would expand the successful missing persons program to all 50 states. Read More
At-risk gubernatorial seats increase
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Will states fix 2012 primary process?
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Oh say, is that banner made in the U.S.A.?
Lawmakers in 10 states have taken steps to require that American flags bought with state funds be manufactured in this country. While not all the legislation has passed, one state’s new law even bans the sale of foreign-made American flags in that state. Read More
WORTH NOTING: Voters' guide promotes phone sex
An Oregon voters’ guide lists a very wrong number. California’s governor insults rural legislators. And Pennsylvania considers selling wine in vending machines. In case you missed those stories this week, “Worth Noting” fills you in. Read More
Parents turn to states for autism help
(UPDATED 4 p.m. EDT, Thursday May 1) One of the toughest problems facing autism patients, their families and policymakers is paying for treatment. Families are increasingly relying on states to help them cope with the financial, medical and educational needs. Read More
Fairness of death-penalty panels questioned
Death-penalty supporters are raising questions about the fairness of state commissions charged with studying how capital punishment is carried out in Maryland and Tennessee, claiming the panels will issue reports that ignore their views. Read More
With justices' OK, voter ID moves ahead
A decision Monday (April 28) by the U.S. Supreme Court to let Indiana demand photo identification from voters paves the way for other states to do the same during November’s presidential election, experts say. Read More
Will Democrats grow legislative edge in '08?
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Gay marriage decisions ripe in Calif., Conn.
More than four years after its historic court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage, Massachusetts stands alone in blessing gay marriages — more than 10,000 to date — and its example has spurred no imitators but lots of backlash. All eyes now are on the highest courts in California and Connecticut. Read More
'Purple' states turn a little more 'blue'
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Governors pitch ambitious programs
Billion-dollar deficits in California, New York and Arizona haven’t stopped governors there and elsewhere from proposing big-ticket items for 2008. Stateline.org looks at proposals from governors’ 2008 "state of the state" speeches and provides an exclusive summary of all the addresses so far.
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Summary of the State of the Commonwealth Address
Gov. Tim Kaine (D) used his Jan. 9 address to call for tighter gun laws, increased mental-health funding and repeal of the state’s much-maligned abusive driver fees. He also urged lawmakers to enact new protections against identity theft, to make it easier to use absentee ballots and to pump more money into pre-K and higher education. Read More
Commentary: Govs beat White House hopefuls as agents of change
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Iraq casts shadow on 2008 state races
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Democratic mid-term gains affecting policy
So complete was the Democratic rout in the 2006 midterm elections that the party even gained legislative influence in Alaska, Idaho, North and South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming – states long dominated by the Republicans. And those gains, though small, are translating into policy achievements. Read More
WORTH NOTING: Illinois gov runs up travel tab
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s commuting costs start to add up. South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds settles a dispute with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over a cranky game warden. Read More
Embryonic stem cell research divides states
President Bush’s second veto of a bill to allow federal funding of stem cell research puts the ethical issue squarely in states’ hands. So far, seven states have moved to fund the research, six have banned it, three have affirmed its legality but do not fund it and a handful of others continue to debate the issue. Read More
States outpace feds on minimum wage
When the new federal minimum wage takes effect July 24, 30 states will require employers to pay hourly workers more than federal law requires. Read More |
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